THE PERFECT GIFT
By Pastor Jim Jarman

Well can you believe it? Thanksgiving is over and we are in the start of the great Christmas season. You know, I think everyone loves listening to Christmas carols during this time of year, and we all have our favorites. I think a favorite of almost everyone is "Silent Night," it is a beautiful Christmas carol, and only a little over 200 years old. This carol is reverent, you would have thought that "Silent Night" was actually written at the time of Jesus' birth and has been sung for centuries. But that is not true at all. Silent Night is only a little over 200 years old.

Another favorite Christmas carol of many people is "Away in a Manger" and it was composed in 1865. But one of my all time favorite Christmas carols was written in 1962, only forty-nine years ago, and this carol has become a favorite of mine already. The hymn is so new; it is only an infant song. Hey, I was only two years old when it was written. I know, I know, do the math to find out just how old I am. You guy's are way too funny! But I am really convinced that as the years go by, this Christmas carol will become another favorite like Silent Night or Away in a Manger. It is the Christmas carol, "Do You See What I see?" You probably would recognize the melody with the words: "Do see what I see, said the night wind to the little lamb?"

It is with the storey of this Christmas carol that we can see and hear the story of Simeon in the Word of God come alive in our article this month. You see, Old Simeon had been promised by God that he would see the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, before he died. He had been promised to see the Christ child, before he was to pass-over. This is the story of the way it happened. … As you and I know, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph the parents of Jesus had come to Jerusalem, the capital city, to be taxed, and there was no room for them in the big city of Jerusalem, so the young couple went to the little town of Bethlehem, two miles away, and there Jesus was born.

The story goes on to say that Jesus was circumcised at eight days, and then at thirty-one days of age, something happened to Jesus. Baby Jesus was brought back to the capital city, two miles away, to the temple in Jerusalem. It only happened to a first-born male. This experience didn't happen to a second, third or fourth-born male. It did not happen to infant girls. This experience happened only to the first-born boy. Mary and Joseph brought their first-born boy to the temple to be dedicated to God. So this was a once in a lifetime experience for the family. Only once, in their whole lifetime, would the family have this experience. This was a very sacred moment for the family, filled with awe and reverence. The temple was tall and gorgeous in those days, one hundred and fifty feet high, of new construction. It had been built by Herod the Great; Herod, the builder of Israel; Herod who had built the palace by Caesarea by the Sea; Herod who had built the palace up on the Sea of Galilee; Herod who had built this temple. This temple was brand new; it was only thirty years old. This temple was the most magnificent structure that had ever been seen in all of Israel. I can see in my mind, Mary and Joseph, coming into the temple, walking forward to dedicate their first-born son to the Lord.

As the Word of God unfolds, I can see old Simeon slowly, ever so slowly, getting up and something happened within Simeon's heart. Simeon knew that this was the one. Can't you image the baby bundled nice and neat, and the old Simeon inching up to them and asking to see the child? Mary begins to un-wrap the baby so that old Simeon can see, and when he looks into the baby's eyes and he says these very famous words: "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace. Now let your servant die, for my eyes have…seen. I have seen your salvation that you have prepared for all people, for those who are Jews and for those who are not Jews. Lord God, I can depart in peace for my eyes have finally seen."
Can't you hear the lyrics of the carol, "Do you see what I see, said the night wind to the little lamb?" Do you see what I see? The perfect gift!!!
When Simeon look at Jesus, he didn't see just brown hair and brown eyes and brown skin of a little baby. He didn't see just a man and a woman with a baby child. He saw. He saw that this child was the Messiah, the one who was going to save all people from their sins.
Simeon asked a very strong question: Do you see? Do you see? What do you see? What do you see when you see the Christ child? Do you see just another little Jewish baby? Or what do you see when Jesus grew up and became a man? What do you see? Do you see that Jesus is the very presence of God on earth? Do you see today, right now that Jesus Christ is here all around you? Do you see the presence of Jesus that is with us and in us and around us at this very moment? Do you see? Do you see that Jesus is the answer to all of your life's complexities and problems? Do you see who Jesus really is? Do you see that Jesus can revolutionize your life and turn it upside down and pull the self-centeredness out of you so you finally can love other people? Do you see that about him?
Do you see what I see, said the night wind to the little lamb? Do you se what I see? The perfect gift!!!

Today I really would like to minister to you about the word, see. There are two words in the Greek language for see. The first word is the word, blepo. I see you. I see the poinsettias. I see the manger scene. I see the Christmas tree. I see the green carpet and the green chairs. I see. I see. I see. That is one Greek word for the word, see. But there is a second word in the Greek language for the word, see, and it is the word, horao, and horao, means to see deeply. It is not sight, but insight. That we gain from our inner man.
Let me give you some examples of this Greek word. Michelangelo, the great and famous sculpture, when he was in Florence, Italy, saw an enormous piece of granite that no one knew what to do with. Everyone would walk by and notice that big piece of granite, but Michelangelo, with his eyes, saw into the granite, and he saw the possibility of the creation of his famous sculpture, David. He went to work with his tools, and by the time he was finished, he had created the most beautiful sculpture this earth has ever seen, and it stands today in a cathedral in Florence, Italy. Do you see? Do you really see? It is the depth of sight of the perfect gift!!!

Many years ago, down at Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, Washington, there was a man by the name of Dr. Ernst Schwidder, who was chairman of the art department at the school. There was a large hunk of wood there, some 18 inches by 18 inches by 15 feet. And students would walk by and ask: "What is in there in that big chunk of wood?" The students didn't see, but Dr. Schwidder saw. He saw in that chunk of wood a figure of Jesus Christ, with a hand holding a cup of wine and another hand, stretching gently out to touch the world. The artist could see deeply into the wood, and he could see the possibility which now graces many sanctuaries around the world today. Dou see what I see, said the night wind to the little lamb? Do you see what I see? The perfect gift!!!

When you come to church, who did you see? Do you see some old friends that you have known for decades, some good old people that you feel very comfortable with? Do you see some new friends, that you have known for the past one, two or three years? Do you see a boyfriend or a girlfriend? Or, do you also see the royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart? Do you see God's people here together in worship and then God's people sent out into the world in love? Do you see God's very own people right here today where your at right now? Do you see the hands and the heart and the feet of God living and acting in the world, to transform it and make it a better place to live? Did you see? Did you…really see? Do you see what I see? The perfect gift!!!

How about when you come to take Holy Communion, do you see just a little cracker, a little cup of juice, people walking to and from the altar to receive the bread and wine? Or do you see…that all of your sins are truly forgiven. Do you see…that the sins of your husband or wife, your child, your friend, are forgiven? Do you see…that your own sins are forgiven and you finally can forgive yourself and that may be the hardest thing in the world for you to actually do? Do you see that you can finally forgive yourself? That God has forgiven you? Do you see? Do you truly see when you receive the Sacrament? Do you see what I see? The perfect gift!!!

What happens when you go to work and see all those people sitting at their desks, looking somewhat like you. When you are jammed all up in traffic and you are stuck, in traffic. When you are dodging shoppers with your shopping cart in Wal-Mart or K-Mart or some kind of mart and the lines are like a mile long. When you see the families and children around the globe on television and know how hungry and poor they truly are. Do you see? Do you really see? Do you see what I see? The perfect gift!!!

What do you see this Christmas season when you see those beautiful lights all around? When we drive to the church and drive past all those homes with all those colored decorations. We walk into our homes and turn off all the lights except for the lights of the Christmas tree. In all of this, do you see that all of the splendorous lights point to Jesus Christ, the light of the world? Do you see that Jesus Christ is the guiding light of your life? Do you see the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ calling you to a right relationship with Him? Do you see what I see? The perfect gift!!!

How about Christmas presents? How many times do we dwell on them or hear comments like, well did you do good this year? Well all I got was some socks and underwear and golf balls and shirts and neckties, somewhat like every year. But do you see that underneath all the presents that we exchange; do you see the present of the gift of life for you? Do you see the gift that Jesus Christ gave you? Do you see that underneath all the presents that are exchanged every year is the reminder that Jesus Christ is always the perfect gift, never earned, never deserved, but always freely given in love? Do you see? Or do you just see colorfully wrapped material presents? Do you see what I see? The perfect gift!!!

Do you see that God has fulfilled his promises to you as he did to Simeon so many years ago? Remember that God promised Simeon that he was to see the Christ child before he died. God was faithful to Simeon. Do you see that God has been faithful to you, like he was to Simeon? Do you see that? Do you see that God is with you in all the circumstances of your life? Do you see what I see? The perfect gift!!!

Jesus is the perfect gift and the one true gift that keeps on giving!!! So share the love of Jesus with every one you meet. It may be the last time they ever hear about or even see the perfect gift. Joyce and I along with all of our church family right here at Agape Life Family Church want to send out a great big Christmas blessing to you and your family! Merry Christmas every body and may God continually bless every thing that you lay your hands on!!! And please remember that Joyce and I love you, we believe in you and we call you blessed!!!