God's Precious Gifts

The Surprize Package Company John 3:22-36 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. (John 3:30-33) In my book, Ned and Ted and The Lost Mine - I have the boys club in their church start a Surprize Package Company, where the goal is to do something for someone with out them asking for it and or having it delivered or delivering it yourself annonimously. I have had that happen and I often still wonder, but have accepted it as aa gift from someone whom God prompted to give mt, I came home and found an evvolope under my windshield wiper, containing some money that was much needed at the time. To this day, I don't know from whom it came. I guess it was from a surprize package company. How about you, do you have a story to tell, where you have been totally surprized at recieving something annonimously, and have wondered ever since where it came from? I know some people don’t like surprises , I pulled a lot of surprizes on my wife and later found out she most times does not like surprizes. Where on the other hand I love surprizes. I agree that sometimes surprizes can seem a little awkward or uncomfortable. Yet, truly, once the surprize has happened, most people can settle in and enjoy the surprise. If you will study John 3, you will see that Jesus has a surprise package, you woll see that Jesus has a surprising gift he’d like to give to all who will come to Him and believe in His salvation for the world. I know for me, this came as a very good surprise, in the early days of my salvation, I wondered as the enemy attack was vicious, but in the long term as I learned to walk with God, the changes and the blessings have deffinataly has been a blessed surprise. In verse 31, Jesus comments on what John the Baptist just said. He spells out the difference between Jesus who is from above and John who is from the earth. Jesus was very much from heaven, and John very much from earth, but both had God-given role to carry out. So, John the Baptist was not from heaven, bit his surprise gifts came from God in heaven. Jesus is God,John was a messanger sent from God. Jesus toll was above all, that John could ever do. John knew that is what he said,“Jesus must increase, and I must decrease.” Jesus gives us that same gift of striving to have Jesus recieve the glory Jesus is the King of King, Jesus is the Lord of Lord, Jesus is the way the truth and the life. We honor Him and seek to bring glory to His name. Verse 32 sounds Jesus, “He testifies.” of what he has seen and heard, meaning that Jesus has a heavenly point of view. Because he came from God and He is God. Oh, there was some who believed and accepted His testimony, but very few. But the problem is that no one accepts his testimony. No one? We’ve already learned that some people accepted his testimony. The disciples did. John the Baptist did. Nicodemus seems to have accepted Jesus testimony. In verse 33 says that some will accept Jesus’ testimony, and those who do accept it affirm that God is God and Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. John is says that Jesus speaks the words that God gives Him, so the words Jesus speaks are the words of God, therefore we need to set up, take notice and listen. Just as Jesus speaks through thepower of the Holy Spirit from God, so do we, God wants to fill us with the spirit always to be full and overflowing.(Eph. 5:18) As we think about surprise packages, lits look at a few, omn the bible. -Jesus Christ (what a Surprise Package he was):He never came as a rulling King as people thought.. He came born of a virgine,as a baby in a manger, wrapped tight in a blanket. He was a Savior who came rather as servant and not a King. - The Gifts of the Magi (Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh): I am sure were a surprize gift for the baby Jesus, all of a sudden, these men, wisemen show up at the front dooor with gift for Jesus, would you not think, Mary and Joseph may have been just a little surprised. Gold was a gift for a King, frankincense represented a priestly role and myrrh was a prophetic gift for his burial. The Resurrection: The empty tomb when it actually happened was a massive surprise. The ladies went to put ontment on a corpse but found an empty tomb, and then learned to understand they had victory over death, and today, we have a new life in Christs forgiveness of sin . The Holy Spirit at Pentecost: The arrival of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) was a surprise "package" of power, appearing as a rushing wind and tongues of fire, enabling believers to have the power within them to live the Christian life. David: A young shepherd boy slaying the giant, not even considered for King, but God choose him to be King and be in the linage of the massiah. Gideon: A timid man hiding in a winepress, who became a mighty warrior for God. The Widow's Oil (2 Kings 4): A desperate widow, expecting only starvation, found that a tiny jar of oil miraculously filled many jars, saving her family and paying her debts. The Provision in the Wilderness: Manna and quail (Exodus 16) were unexpected, miraculous food sent to sustain the Israelites when they thought they would die of hunger. The multiplying of the bread and fish. There are many surprise packages on the Bible, as I close, what thankful memories do you have of the surprise packages God has brought you? Father God, thank you, for being a sirprise package company in my life. You are a great and Holy God. Come Lord Jesus, we praise you, thank you and honour you. In your name we pray Amen.