God provides many perfect gifts to believers. 1) The Magi's gifts to Jesus of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were symbolic of who he was and what he came to do. 2) God equips each believer with spiritual gifts to serve others through His grace. Additionally, God gives the Holy Spirit, who counsels believers and empowers them to witness about Jesus worldwide.

1. The “Giver” Who Keeps on Giving”
By Samuel E. Ward
Part 2
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2. Review
I. The Magi's Perfect Gifts
A. Their Gifts Were Symbolic.
John Stott writes, “Gold is the gift fit
for a King. Frankincense was in
constant use by the priests in the
temple. Myrrh was used to embalm
the dead. In those three gifts we see
who he is, what he came to do, and
what it would cost him.”
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3. B. Their Gifts Were Practical.
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says
this about the Magi’s gifts to Jesus: “The
gifts were simply expensive and not
uncommon presents and may have helped
finance the trip to Egypt.
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4. In Part 2 of “The Giver” Who Keeps on
Giving we consider…
II. God’s Perfect Gifts.
Since we know that God delights in
giving the perfect gifts, let’s take a look
at some of God’s perfect gifts that he has
given us.
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5. A. The Abundance of Spiritual Gifts
1. God has gifted each person with at
least one spiritual gift,
1 Corinthians 12:4-7.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV2011) 4 There
are different kinds of gifts, but the same
Spirit distributes them. 5 There are
different kinds of service, but the same
Lord. 6 There are different kinds of
working, but in all of them and in
everyone it is the same God at work. 7
Now to each one the manifestation of the
Spirit is given for the common good.
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6. 2. The proper use of these spiritual
gifts from God is that we might
serve others and offer God’s grace
to them through the help we give
them, 1 Peter 4:10.
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV2011) Each of you
should use whatever gift you have
received to serve others, as faithful
stewards of God’s grace in its various
forms.
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7. B. The Gift of the Holy Spirit.
After Jesus had been raised from the
dead, he had this to say to the apostles in …
Acts 1:4-5 (NIV2011) 4 On one occasion,
while he was eating with them, he gave
them this command: “Do not leave
Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father
promised, which you have heard me speak
about. 5 For John baptized with water, but
in a few days you will be baptized with the
Holy Spirit.”
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8. As believers, by the Holy Spirit,
1. We have God’s counsel and truth,
John 14:25-26.
John 14:25-26 (NIV2011) 25 “All this I
have spoken while still with you. 26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my
name, will teach you all things and will
remind you of everything I have said
to you.
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9. 2. We have the power to be witnesses
of Jesus Christ to the world,
Acts 1:7-8.
Acts 1:7-8 (NIV2011) 7 He said to them:
“It is not for you to know the times or
dates the Father has set by his own
authority. 8 But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and
you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth.”
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10. 3. We develop Christ-like character,
Galatians 5:22-23.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV2011) 22 But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness
and self-control. Against such things
there is no law.
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11. 4. We have the guarantee of eternal
life, Ephesians 1:13b-14.
Ephesians 1:13b-14 (NIV2011) 13b When
you believed, you were marked in him
with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our
inheritance until the redemption of those
who are God’s possession—to the praise of
his glory.
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12. C. The Gift of Salvation.
1. It is an undeserved gift,
Romans 6:22-23.
Romans 6:22-23 (NIV2011) 22 But
now that you have been set free from
sin and have become slaves of God,
the benefit you reap leads to holiness,
and the result is eternal life. 23 For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift
of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
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13. 2. It is an unearned gift,
Ephesians 2:8.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV2011) 8 For it is
by grace you have been saved, through
faith—and this is not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God— 9 not by works,
so that no one can boast.
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