In this sermon, the speaker shares two personal experiences where he encountered groups of rowdy individuals. In both instances, his granddaughter became tense and sought comfort and protection from him. The speaker emphasizes the importance of caring for and showing love to God's children, as it is equivalent to doing it for Jesus himself. He encourages the audience to trust Jesus more, be a better friend to him, and to take care of his family, as this is a reflection of our love for God.

You all know this part of the Christmas story, don't you? Let me read it to you and then we'll just give you a few, I think, great thoughts about presents. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod, Magi, which means either wise men or astronomers, from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star rising, or we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him. When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. And they knew, because they knew the Old Testament. In Bethlehem, in Judea, they replied, for this is what the prophet has written. What prophet? Micah, chapter 5, verse 2. But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are by no means least among the rulers of Judea, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel. So hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Micah, the prophet, named the town where the Messiah would be born, exactly where Jesus was born. This is where the Messiah would be born. So when Herod asked the religious leaders, so what's the deal? Where will he be born, this king that they're looking for? They said, oh, Bethlehem. It's a nowheresville little town, but God picked that place for the Messiah to be born. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. So happens it was about two years earlier. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and make careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me so that I too may go and worship him. And after they had heard the king, they went on their way and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. And when they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and they worshiped him. And then they opened their treasures and presented him, the baby, with gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Most of you know that story, how Herod, one of the wickedest people of that time in history, fathered children by a lot of different people, had nine wives, killed one of them and killed three of his own children. He was a hideous tyrant and he was the king who, by the way, built the temple that was the one Jesus went into at 12 years old, asking question. That was Herod's temple. And to curry favor with the religious Jews, the religious establishment, he built this magnificent temple, which took decades, not years, decades to build. It was as if it was one of the wonders of the world. Well, these Magi from the East, what we know today as Iraq or Iran, saw this star and somehow maybe through the dissemination of Hebrew teaching from the Old Testament through Daniel, you know, who was in Persia and Jews had been dispersed throughout that whole part of the world for hundreds of years. The Bible tells us that that teaching spread. So there were Gentiles, people like these Magi who knew monotheism, one God only. Wow. That's what the Jews, the Hebrews believed. There's only one God creator of heaven and earth. And there's a morality. There's 10 commandments that the man named Moses got. So they knew about that. And these Magi plugged in enough to see a star that was supernatural, that seemed to move and that indicated to them that the Messiah, the deliverer, the one who had been promised over and over again in the Old Testament, he had finally come. So they trekked all the way across the deserts heading west into Palestine. And they went to Jerusalem and they started asking, where's this baby that was born king of Israel, king of the Jews? Herod being the tyrant he was, he did not get excited over the thought that another king was being born anywhere that might displace him on the throne in Jerusalem. So he went to the religious leaders, as we read and said, well, where will he be born? I mean, where should we send them? Where will, where should they go and look? And they said, Oh, isn't that amazing God put that in the Bible hundreds of years before where the baby would be born in Bethlehem. He told the Magi privately, now you go and find that little king and bring him to me so that I can worship him too. But we knew what he wanted to do, right? Wanted to kill him. They went and the star guided them and they came to a house. Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, but not in a manger anymore. They were in a house. So unlike the nativity scene, you see in churches, the shepherds and wise men, the Magi were never in the same place at the same time. The shepherd had announced to them that Jesus was born. And they went right to the manger that night. They got, they saw the newborn baby. And then weeks, months later, we don't know. The Magi came, the wise men came and Joseph to protect his wife and the baby had must've found a house somewhere in Bethlehem. So now the star led them to this house and they went in prostrated themselves, bowed before this baby and gave him out of their treasures, gold, Frankincense, and myrrh. Then they were warned in a dream, do not go back to Herod. And they went home another route. Herod, when he didn't see them return, I hope you know this story, got very upset and said, wait a minute, somebody's conniving against me. So brutal as he was and demonic as he was, he sent soldiers to go in and kill every baby boy that was three years old and younger. Figuring if they saw the star two years ago, let me just be sure of it that they try to trick me and not come back to me with that little king. I'll wipe out all the little baby boys that for sure I'll get the king. The king will die with them. And that fulfilled another prophecy in the Old Testament that a great cry would be heard in the area of Bethlehem. Mothers would be crying for their children, for their children would be no more. But he didn't get the baby. He didn't get Jesus killed. Why? Because Joseph was warned by an angel that someone was out to kill the baby and that he should go to Egypt. And he went to Egypt and unplanned for trip, took Mary with him with this little baby. How would they live? How would they survive in Egypt? Well, one of the gifts that the wise men brought was gold, which tells us God always provides for those who follow him and who obey his leading. He will provide. The one who leads is the one who provides. The three gifts have been analyzed by Christian writers and commentators and theologians for hundreds, a couple thousand years. So what's the meaning? They tried to see symbolic meaning in the gold, the frankincense and the myrrh. In the gold, they see royalty. He's a king. So they gave him gold because this baby would be a king. They also say that incense was something that was only burnt on an altar up to God. This fine incense, this baby is not going to be just the king, but this baby is divine. There's divinity in this baby. And then the myrrh, which was a plant that made perfume and had a beautiful odor when crushed and prepared properly. It was also used to anoint dead bodies when someone died. Jesus might've been anointed with that when he died and was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. So gold, frankincense, myrrh, king, divinity, humanity, that baby was born not to just live, but to die. By the way, do you just notice in passing all the hostility that started just when the baby was even born? Notice they're in an uproar when they just hear that there's a king born, the whole of Jerusalem. King Herod wants to start killing people. He kills babies. And there's something about Jesus that brings hostility. And I want you to know that if you're a Christian here today, if you're going to follow Jesus this season, don't you be backing up and don't be afraid and don't be surprised. From the very beginning, Jesus has been like a divider of people. In fact, one time he said, I didn't come to bring peace. I came to bring division. I divide families even sometimes. Why? Because when one believes in me, people turn on them. One of the great proofs of Jesus being the son of God is where would a carpenter son get off saying to his followers and to us, by the way, all men are going to hate you because of my namesake. How would he know that? How would he know 2000 years ago that today you could say anything on television and they'll let you get away with it. But you just say the name of Jesus and you say you're a Christian and people come out of the woodwork at you. How would he know that if he was just a carpenter son, if this is all a joke, how would that be written 2000 years ago, that he would be a divider, that people would love him and adore him and worship a savior, or they would just get worked up and want to persecute anyone who bears his name. Sports fans are talking about a football player now in the NFL who's very overt Christian and what division he's brought because he acknowledges God, uh, in helping him and whatever he does. And he doesn't proclaim to be the greatest football player, but he just honors Jesus. And he says, I want to thank my Lord and savior, Jesus. People go nuts. People go nuts. Muhammad Ali, when he used to win a, a boxing match, he used to say, I first want to give honor to, uh, Allah and his servant, Elijah Muhammad, because he was a black Muslim that nobody said a word. And no one should say a word man can say whatever he wants, but you say Jesus and people come out of their socks at you. And he knew that that would happen. Jesus knew that that would happen. So now people are fighting about this football player and there's almost like a rage against them when he's just a football player who loves Jesus, but you're not allowed to love Jesus. And one of the reasons why people get like that is because just as Herod was wicked and knew that if the Bible promises came true, his life would be condemned for what it was an evil life. And a lot of people who claim they don't believe in Jesus, they don't have an intellectual problem. They have a moral problem. They knew that if Jesus is true, you can't live that way that you want to live. I can't live the way I want to live. I have to submit to Jesus as my Lord. And they want to know that. So rather than just say, no, no one's going to rule over me, no one's going to tell me how to live. I sleep with who I want to sleep with. I do with what I want to do with it. And I don't believe all that stuff. It's not an intellectual problem. It's a moral problem. They love darkness rather than light. So there's animosity when he's born, there's animosity still today. Imagine he's the prince of peace, but he causes problems everywhere his name is mentioned. Gold, frankincense, I make a motion today that before we close in just these few minutes, that we all give some presents to Jesus. How many would like to give a present to Jesus today? You know, what's bad about Christmas? Everyone's exchanging presents and no one thinks about a present for Jesus. I thought it was his birthday. That's like going to someone's birthday party and you give presents to everyone in the party, but the person who has a birthday, you get nothing, we're just exchanging gifts with one another at your party. And I want to suggest to you that you don't have to use your visa because it's probably maxed out right now at this point or your master card or anything. But I would like to suggest there's some presents for Jesus. It doesn't cost a lot of money. In fact, it doesn't cost any money. Now, what would you give Jesus for a present? He doesn't need anything. So that takes away that sometimes at Christmas, you give something to someone because they actually need it. Jesus doesn't need anything. How about what would he like? Now we're on the right track. What would he like? There are things Jesus likes, the things he doesn't like. He cried at times when he was on earth. Things broke his heart. And then there were things that he was delighted about. They pleased him. Jesus has a personality. God is an emotional being. Things make him happy. Things make him sad. The way we live today can make him happy or we can make him sad. I want to give you three things. You don't need gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That means nothing to God. God doesn't need gold, frankincense, or myrrh. And there's no more Jesus in the manger. And he's never dying on a cross again. That all happened once. No, he's going to come again. But when he comes again, he's not coming to die on a cross. He's coming to judge the living and the dead. And he's coming to take Christians home to be with him. That's unless he's the biggest fraud and perpetrator of lies that has ever walked on the planet earth. Because he said this repeatedly, don't let your hearts be troubled. I go to prepare a place for you that where I am, you can be also. So keep the faith. So here are the things that you can give him just real quick. You're ready. You can give it to him today. In fact, before the meeting ends, you could give it to him today. In fact, let's do it. Let's give Jesus something for Christmas right now, except one last condition. I want to say about this. Jesus doesn't like anything. If you give it just one day a year, because it's not good. Let's give this present every day to Jesus, because for a Christian, every day is Christmas, right? Every day is Christmas. Tomorrow's Christmas. How many know tomorrow is Christmas? Today's Christmas. Yesterday is Christmas. The holiday is now. So here's what we want to give them. And they're very strange. They're very strange. These gifts, you're going to say to me, where are you coming with that? Where'd you get such a simple thing? But remember, anything that gets too complicated can't be of God. Because Jesus said, except you become like a little child, you can't enter the kingdom of heaven. So here's the first thing that would make Jesus happy. You can give it to him right now. Faith. You know what Jesus wants from you? Is to just trust him. Just trust him. Just have faith in him. What are the problems you're facing today? What are the difficulties? You have a heartache? You have a problem? You're worried about the future? There's nothing in the Bible we learned that makes Jesus happier than when people just trust him. Trust him with your future. How about, no, I've messed up, pastor. You don't know the mess-ups I've had. Trust him with your past. Trust that his word is true. Trust that his promise of forgiveness is true. Trust in his mercy. Trust in his care. Don't lay awake at night and not be able to sleep and bite your nails. Trust him. The Bible says, without faith, what? It's impossible to please God. There's nothing in this world like faith to make God happy. You don't need gold, frankincense, myrrh. Just say, Jesus, today I want to trust you more. That's all you want from me? You don't want me to climb a mountain, fast for 40 days and 40 nights? You don't want me to do some stupendous religious achievement? No. He just says, trust me. Now, I know there's some people visiting here who have never been here before, so forgive me if this repetitious for those who've heard this before, but I want to give for those that are visiting the best example I've ever gotten of what faith is, what trust is. My oldest granddaughter who got married and who's on my Christmas picture, she was born at a very difficult time in my life, in my wife's life. Our oldest girl had kind of flipped out and got away from us, got away from God, and was out there. It was very hard pastoring a church. It was very hard doing anything. It was very hard functioning at times. While she was away from God and while she was doing her own thing, she became pregnant and little Susie Joy came into the world. Then when the baby was real young, she came back to the Lord, got right with God, and immediately a door opened for her to go to a Bible school and run a music program at a seminary in New England. Well, my wife and I ended up taking care of Susie Joy like she was our own because Chrissy would be gone for periods of time, take her with her, but we helped raise her. So this baby became, given the circumstances, very, very, very dear to us, like one of my own children. Well, she grew up and one day when she was five or six years old, she was like tiny, little skinny, like a stick, but so pretty. You see her picture when you get the card, her wedding picture, she's so beautiful and prettier on the inside. So one day in Queens and she's walking with her Papa, which she called me Papa, and we're walking down Northern Boulevard and she's like here and I'm like three feet away from her walking this way and we're just strolling down the street together. That was my greatest joy, just to just be with that little thing. Because when you love someone, you just love to be with them. You don't have to have a comedian make you laugh, you're just happy to be with someone. So coming around the corner is like seven or eight little local wannabe gangsters from the neighborhood, 17, 18, 19 year olds with pants coming off their back end and shoving each other trying to act all hard, but cursing a lot. Cursing, using every four-letter word, getting very boisterous, very loud, and just shoving each other and doing all that trash talk that's so big with people nowadays. You ain't got nothing, let me see what you got. You got nothing and all of that. Well, they were very loud and very up close and personal in their words. So the minute my granddaughter saw them walking toward me, we're walking just calm as could be, but the minute she saw them and heard them and watched them shoving each other, and one of them I remember falling off the sidewalk into the street, then he jumped back on and shoved the guy who shoved him. My granddaughter's body tensed up like this, she became rigid. I just was watching this whole thing unfold. They're getting closer and as we're walking and she realizes we're going to have to walk through them, she starts to edge over and get a little closer to me. She's not separated anymore, she wants to be close to Papa. And now we're walking and as we're just 20, 30 feet away, well, I'll never forget it, it's like it happened yesterday. She reached out her little hand as if to say, Papa, just hold my hand because I can't deal with this, I'm afraid. And she reached out her hand and I took her hand and held it. And the minute I held her hand, her body relaxed, she was happy again. My Papa could wipe out all these guys in just a minute, I don't have to worry about a thing. She's given me presents, she just sent me a wedding picture framed, which I opened last night. And nothing she's ever given me comes close to what it meant to me to just have her hand go out. Because what she was saying was, I not only love you, Papa, but take care of me. And I know that if I hold your hand, everything is going to be cool. That's all the present Jesus wants from us today, is for you to reach out your hand. That's what faith is. Faith is nothing more than lifting your hand up and saying, take care of me. I'm trusting you for my future. I'm trusting you for whatever you're facing today. I'm trusting you. He wants us to trust him. Listen, who are you going to trust him? If you don't trust in God, you're going to trust in yourself. Are you really that smart and clever to make it through life? I am not. I need Jesus big time. I've proven enough times in my life that I am a mess up waiting to happen. I need the Lord to help me. Anybody here need the Lord to help them? I mean, every minute of every day instead of gold, give him faith instead of frankincense. You know what you should give him that we could give him today and all of us can give him faith. Just trust him. No big thing. The second thing is instead of frankincense. Be his friend. A lot of people are trying to figure out what can I give God? How about these two things? Faith, trust and be his friend. Talk to him. Listen, talk to him and let him talk back to you. Some of you are not receiving this, but it doesn't matter to me. I'm giving you God's word, which will be vindicated in the end. Talk to him and let him talk back to you and stick up for him. When people start putting his name down, because that's what a friend does. I have friends in this world. If somebody starts bad mouthing one of my friends, I go, yo, hold on. Wait a minute. That's my friend. You don't talk about my friend. He's not here. Do not put my friend down. In fact, people would know. I'm not going to talk about that person. Pastor Simba is going to defend that person. That's what Jesus wants for a present today. Not golden frankincense, but just trust him. And then number two, talk to him and listen to him. You're tweeting the whole world. You're on Facebook with a thousand people. You're text messaging until your hand is sore. And how few words do we talk to the one who we're going to have to stand before at the end of life? Wouldn't you think it'd be better to talk to him than anybody else in this world? Wouldn't it be better to listen to him than when somebody texting you and you know, I'm, I'm going in the mall. Great. That, that really made my day. You're going in the mall. The Bible tells us from cover to cover that what Jesus is made glad with, what God is pleased with is people who trust him and people who talk to him and listen to him, open that book and let him talk to you. Listen with your heart for what he wants to say to you. Those are presents better than golden frankincense and myrrh. Because Jesus is looking for some friends. I'll tell you what, he doesn't have a lot outside the doors of this church or other churches or outside the Christian world. You think Jesus has a lot of friends in the world? No. In fact, right now, while I'm talking somewhere right now in Brooklyn, someone's selling someone some weed or oxycodone. And you know what they're saying for Christ's sake, give me the money. Jesus Christ, give me the money. You know, they're saying that. So how do you think God feels when he hears his own name taken in vain? How would he know by the way, Jesus, that his name shouldn't be taken in vain. How did he know he'd be so famous that people would take his name in vain? What a proof. Every time someone curses, they prove Jesus is the son of God. Every time they oppose his name and hate his name and get uncomfortable when someone mentions the Bible, it's just further proof. How did he know that 2000 years ago? Now, let's give him some faith. Let's give him some friendship. One last thing. Another F. Take care of his family. When he died on the cross, he said to John, one of the disciples, behold your mother, speaking of Mary, Mary, behold your son. In other words, it seems like Joseph had died somewhere during Jesus's life. So Mary was a widow. And Jesus was thinking, amid all his suffering, who's going to take care of my mom. And I would like to say to you now, he has a huge spiritual family made up of brothers and sisters of ours, sons and daughters of the living God to as many as received him. He gave them the power to be called the children of God, sons and daughters, not born of human will, human means, but born from above, born by God. That's the family of God. And you want to make Jesus happy. Just give him some faith today. Just trust him. Give him some friendship, talk to him and listen and stick up for him. That's all you can do that. I can do that. In fact, I can do that every day. And lastly, look for ways to take care of his family. You know, there's a young lady in the building today. She might be in this service. She's been here in two services. She was the almost victim of this 16-year-old rapist who raped 10 women out in Queens recently. She was all over the newspaper. And she came within a click, two in the morning, a click of her key going in her door. He was hanging on a roof or hiding somewhere. And she was ready to turn the door. If she would have turned the door and the door opened, he would have jumped her and pushed her in. But he didn't. The door didn't open. So he pulled her out and started to attack her. People looked out the window and looked right at him. And he brazenly looked at him as he started to take off his clothes and mauled her. Finally, a woman came out running and screaming so loud it scared him away. But he came with this much raping the woman, this young lady in our church, broke her nose, smashed her. I'm going to ask you something. Who's going to take care of her? I happen to know she has no family here. So who's going to take care of her? Who's going to take care of her? When you take care of one of God's children and you care for them and hug them and say a good word or buy them a meal or give them 50 bucks or whatever you do, whenever you do that, you're doing it to Jesus. Jesus said, when you do it to the least of these, you're doing it to me. So the three things we can give him today is simply, Jesus, I want to trust you more. If that means that much to you and it helps me more, I trust you, the more I'll receive from you things I need. Number two, Lord, I want to be a better friend to you. Don't get all religious. Just talk to him like a friend and listen back and open his word and say, talk to me, friend. Jesus said, I've called you servants before, but now I'm going to call you my friends because I'm telling you everything that my father has given me to give to you. And lastly, take care of his family today before the night ends. Maybe you'll meet someone on the subway. Maybe God will have you run into someone that you can say a kind word or do something. That means more to Jesus than than you could imagine. I don't want any present. Honestly, I'm telling you the truth. I don't want anything from anyone, but now my son, my daughters, my grandchildren, baby Levi. Now that's another whole thing. You do something good for them. You're my man. We're going to hang together. We're going to, I'm going to bless you. I'm going to pray for you. I'm going to help you every way I can, but why? Because you touch the apple of my eye and that's the way Jesus is. In fact, one of the proofs of how much you love Jesus is how much you love his family. A lot of people are in deception. They think they love God and they got all these spiritual ideas and they don't give a hoot about his people. Now you can't. Once you love someone, you love their family. You love all their relations because they mean so much to you and people are hurting. If we would just be open, you know what can happen? I was in Dillard's this week in Florida. Dillard's, you know what that is? That's a department store. I'm in Dillard's and I'm walking and going to buy a gift that my wife asked me to get for a family member. And I'm walking in Dillard's and a woman starts to approach me. She's staring at me and we walk and she says, stops me and goes, excuse me. I am sorry to do this, but may I ask your first name? And I said, my name is Jim. She went, you're not Jim symbol. Are you? I said, I am. She started to cry. She's employee of Dillard's. She says all day long. I've been crying up in my office. I can't face the store because my husband walked out on me. He was a minister. We ministered together in the church. He's totally blown his mind and he left me. And now I had the family and I'm up all day reading your book, the life God blesses. And I'm underlining it. She started telling me chapters that she's reading and stories that were in the book. And she just said, I'm up saying in my office, if you could do it for that guy in New York city, I know you can bring me through this. And I walked down and I meet you in a Dillard's in Florida. Come on, can we put our hands together? God trying to encourage one of his children. I had the privilege of saying, would your husband talk to me? She said, I don't know. I said, I'm going to give you my cell phone. If he gets coherent enough, you tell him to call me and I'll do my best. And I was able to pray for her. And she gave the problem already to our prayer band. And people are praying. This is what makes Jesus so happy. Jesus is so happy that we could help one of his children because like I love Levi, my grandson, Jesus loves his children a billion times more. And when you and I go to help them, Jesus is made so happy. Let's pray together. Jesus, your word is sharper than any two edged sword in this room here. It's dividing people, people who really want to submit their lives to you and people who are judging who you are. They're judging your word as if they have that ability. But I thank you that that's the way it's always been. I pray for those Lord in this building who don't know you, who feel uncomfortable in your presence, who are somehow close to your love and your grace, or don't feel their need of a savior. Oh God, I pray you'll open their eyes before they sleep tonight. I pray for that woman in Florida. I pray for that husband who's so now twisted and gone astray. God, I don't know his name, but would you please go and wake him up today? He used to preach like I'm doing today in Sunday services. And now he's taken up with another person and just turning his back on everything that's holy and right. Help him Lord. Visit him with a dream, a vision, an angel. Do something God to get his attention focused back on you. And we pray today, God, that you will help us to give you three simple presence, not just today, but every day that we would trust you, that we would talk to you and that we would take care of your family, that we would have faith in you, that we wouldn't carry burdens, but we would give them to you. That we would develop a deeper friendship with you, talking, spending time, listening, reading, and that we would be considerate to those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Oh Jesus, you came so selflessly. You gave away everything. You had nowhere to lay your head. You had no fancy clothes and you ended up on a cross for us. We thank you for your love today. We remember that the baby became a child and the child became a teen and the teen became an adult and you never saw a 34 years old. You gave away your life at 33 and a half dying for us. Jesus, we praise you today. Just in your heart right now. Just praise Jesus. Just thank Jesus for who he is. We love you, Jesus. We praise you, Jesus. This is not about a church. It's not about a minister. It's about you, Jesus. We honor you and we love you today. Help those who are struggling to trust you. Help those who have fallen astray and wandered away from friendship with you. They used to be closer. Help them today, Jesus. And finally, Lord, help us to be sensitive right now that this moment on, every day, we will give you the present of watching out for your family, taking care of people, trusting you and being your friend. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, savior of the world and everyone in the church said aloud. Amen.