Worship With Lifted Hands and Gifts This Christmas

Devotional

Day 1: God invites connection and promises revealing answers.

Remember that God speaks into the middle of confinement and chaos, not just into comfortable moments; when He calls Himself the Lord who made and formed the earth, it's a reminder that the One who holds all things is inviting you into conversation. Call to Him honestly with the burdens you carried through the week, knowing He hears and will answer with insights beyond your own understanding. Make space today to stop striving and simply call; God promises to show great and mighty things you could not discover on your own. [18:52]

Jeremiah 33:1-3 (NASB)
Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was still confined in the guard's courtyard, saying, “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is His name—‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’”

Reflection: When you feel boxed in by circumstances this week, what specific question or need will you call out to God about, and how will you make room in your schedule to wait for His answer?

Day 2: Worship flows from encountering Christ’s presence.

Approach worship as a response to seeing Jesus, not as a checklist to complete; the wise men’s journey shows that the trip wasn’t enough until they stood before the Savior and fell down in worship. Bring your full hands—your time, talent, and treasure—ready to be emptied rather than coming with empty hands waiting to be filled. Let this season be about entering the presence of Jesus and offering whatever you have because He is worthy of all you can give. [38:52]

Matthew 2:1-11 (NASB)
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’” Then Herod secretly called the magi and ascertained from them the time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king they went their way; and behold, the star which they had seen in the east went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Reflection: What are three concrete things you can bring to Jesus this week (time, talent, treasure, a specific relationship, or a prayer) and how will you intentionally “empty” them before Him rather than hold them back?

Day 3: Trust God first; honor Him with everything.

When life feels heavy and plans aren’t working, the call is to stop leaning on limited understanding and to trust the Lord with all the heart; trusting Him shapes decisions and heals weariness. Acknowledging God in all ways rewires priorities so that honoring the Lord from your wealth—and the first of your produce—becomes an outflow of worship, not a begrudging obligation. Make God your first focus so worshipful giving becomes second nature and your life begins to reflect trust, not stress. [57:41]

Proverbs 3:5-10 (NASB)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Reflection: Where are you currently relying on your own plans instead of God’s, and what is one first-step practice you can take this week to acknowledge Him and honor Him with your firsts?

Day 4: Offer your life as living spiritual worship.

The highest gift anyone can give Jesus is themselves—presenting one’s body and daily life as a living, holy sacrifice is the deepest expression of worship. Worship isn’t confined to a song or a Sunday; the way one works, parents, serves, and rests can all be offered as spiritual service to God. Decide today to make your everyday rhythms worship by intentionally offering one area of your life (work, marriage, parenting, finances) as a daily act of devotion. [01:06:23]

Romans 12:1 (NASB)
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Reflection: Identify one regular activity this week (commute, job task, mealtime, bedtime routine) and plan one specific way you will convert that activity into an act of worship to God each day.

Day 5: God redeems evil into His purposes.

Remember that what begins with evil intent is not outside of God’s redeeming work; He can turn schemes and setbacks into opportunities for worship and kingdom impact. If past hurts or things that started wrong are haunting you, hold to the promise that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called by His purpose. Choose to trust God with what feels irredeemable and look for ways He might use those very pieces for His glory. [44:11]

Romans 8:28 (NASB)
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Reflection: What one painful or confusing situation from your past will you bring to God this week, asking Him to show how He might redeem it and invite you into His purpose because of it?

Sermon Summary

I invited us to see today not as “just another Sunday,” but as a real connection with the Father. We opened the altar because we’re building a house of prayer and worship, not a room for routines. Jeremiah 33 reminds us that the Lord who formed the earth says, “Call to me, and I will answer you.” So we leaned into the truth that worship and prayer are sacred intersections—places where God meets us with peace, clarity, and presence.

In this Christmas series, I asked us to approach Jesus with worshipful hearts—coming not to get, but to give. The Magi didn’t arrive with empty hands; they arrived with full hands ready to be emptied. Their gifts preach a gospel: gold (He is King), frankincense (He is our Priest), and myrrh (preserve the moment—don’t forget what He’s done). Worship is always our response to who Jesus is. The size of our worship often mirrors the size of our revelation of Him. If He is small in our eyes, our response will be small. When He is King, Priest, and Life-Changer to us, we pour ourselves out.

We talked about gratitude that fights spiritual amnesia. Some of us have lost passion because we forgot what it was like before He rescued us. My prayer: “Lord, help me never forget.” Then we turned to Proverbs 3—trust in the Lord, honor Him with firstfruits. Worshipful giving becomes second nature when God is our first focus. That’s not only about finances; it’s our energy, breath, attention, and lives. Love gives—God so loved that He gave—so we give, too.

As a church, we want to be known as a people where Jesus is unmistakably present. We celebrated the Florence campus expansion because God keeps making room. And today I put generosity in our hands: on your way out, take the $5 and an invite card—go bless someone. It’s small in dollars and huge in meaning. Finally, I called us to the greatest gift we can bring Jesus: ourselves. Romans 12:1 says our lives are worship. Let’s come to Jesus this Christmas with full hands ready to be emptied and hearts ready to adore.

Key Takeaways

1. Not moments—real connection with God These times aren’t filler; they’re an invitation. God doesn’t ask us to perform; He invites us to call and promises to answer with what we could never manufacture. When we step forward—hands lifted, hearts open—we trade routine for encounter. Don’t let familiarity make holy things feel common. [18:52]
2. Worship reveals how we see Jesus Our worship isn’t random; it’s a mirror of our revelation. The Magi worshiped not because they arrived but because they beheld the King. When Jesus grows larger in our sight, our surrender, joy, and awe expand to match Him. Ask: What does my expression say about my vision of Christ? [44:11]
3. Come with full hands, ready to empty The wise men didn’t wait to be filled; they arrived to pour out. Bring your time, energy, attention, and resources—not leftovers but first and best. Emptied hands make space for holy assignment and holy joy. This is the heartbeat of adoration. [44:11]
4. Preserve the moment of rescue Myrrh points to remembering: preserve what God has done so you don’t drift. Passion fades when we forget the pit He pulled us from and the peace He placed in us. Mark the milestones; rehearse the mercy; let gratitude protect your worship. Memory is fuel for devotion. [50:54]
5. First focus births second-nature generosity When God is first, giving stops being a tug-of-war and becomes reflex. Trust beats anxiety, honor displaces self-preservation, and firstfruits become joy, not obligation. Align your plan under His, steward what He’s given, and watch Him straighten paths you can’t. [57:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:52] - Not just a moment: connection
[22:13] - Florence campus celebration
[35:41] - Let Us Adore: worshipful hearts
[38:52] - We exist for God
[41:50] - Magi’s journey and Herod’s fear
[44:11] - Worship as response; full hands emptied
[50:54] - Meaning of gold, frankincense, myrrh
[54:17] - Love gives: energy, breath, finances
[57:41] - Trust God and honor firstfruits
[60:30] - Seek God’s plan over ours
[63:40] - Stewardship: give, care, love
[66:23] - A generous church, not just a building
[69:41] - $5 and an invite: bless someone
[72:42] - Living sacrifice: give Jesus yourself

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (NASB)
Jeremiah 33:1–3
1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time while he was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, saying,
2 “Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it— the LORD is His name:
3 ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’”

Observation questions

Read Jeremiah 33:1–3. What promise does God make about calling to Him, and what do the words “the LORD who made the earth” add to that promise? (Aim to point to how authority and power back up the invitation.)
The service was described as “not just a moment” but a connection with the Father. How does Jeremiah 33:2–3 support the idea that corporate worship and prayer are genuine invitations to hear from God? [18:52]
The Magi “came with full hands ready to be emptied” and then “fell to the ground and worshiped” (Matthew 2:10–11). What details in that visit illustrate the difference between arriving at a destination and encountering the Savior? [44:11]
Jeremiah promises God will “show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” How does that promise relate to the call to offer ourselves as living worship in Romans 12:1 (presenting bodies as a living sacrifice)? [01:12:42]

Interpretation questions (third person, objective)

What is the theological significance of God identifying Himself as “the LORD who made the earth” in Jeremiah 33:2 for a person’s confidence in prayer and worship?
If the passion of worship reflects how a person sees Jesus, what specific life experiences or perceptions are likely to reduce the size of one’s worship (i.e., cause a smaller response)? [44:11]
Proverbs 3:9–10 links honoring the Lord with the “first of your produce” to God’s blessing. What does “first” imply about priorities, and how might that shape daily decisions about time, money, and attention? [57:41]
The Magi’s mission was redirected from Herod’s evil intent to worship. What does this suggest about God’s ability to redeem past mistakes, bad starts, or evil plans in a person’s life? How should that shape present hope and action? [41:50]

Application questions (specific and personal)

God promises, “Call to Me and I will answer you.” This week schedule one focused time (10–20 minutes) to call on God and listen. When will you do it, where will you go, and what one question will you bring to God? [18:52]
Identify one thing you have been treating as a “leftover” (time, energy, attention, talent, or money). What concrete first-step will you take this week to give your first and best to God (for example: set a weekly time for prayer, offer a skill to serve, start a small financial firstfruit plan)? [57:41]
Remember a specific moment when Jesus rescued or radically changed you. Choose one practical way to preserve that moment this season (journal the story, tell someone your testimony, create a visible reminder). What will you do and when? [50:54]
Who will you bless this week with a small, tangible act and an invitation (a coffee, a delivered meal, an encouraging note with an invite card)? Plan when you will do it and what you will say. (Think simple, specific, and gospel-oriented.) [01:09:41]
Romans 12:1 calls for presenting one’s body as a living sacrifice. Name one habit you will stop and one habit you will start in the next 30 days that will make your everyday life more clearly worshipful (examples: stop scrolling first thing in the morning; start a five-minute morning prayer; stop complaining and begin gratitude journaling). Share the plan and a measure of success. [01:12:42]
Consider your corporate-worship posture: does your worship (voice, hands, giving, service) reflect Jesus as King, Priest, and Life‑Changer? Pick one tangible change you will make in corporate worship or service to better reflect that vision (arrive early to pray, lead a child to the worship area, give intentionally, volunteer in a ministry). When will you begin? [44:11]

Use these questions to guide 60–90 minutes of group time: open with the Bible reading, spend 10–15 minutes on observation, 20–30 minutes on interpretation, and the remainder on application and sharing concrete next steps.

Sermon Clips

what if we came to jesus not with the idea of god uh jesus what do you have for me jesus what are yougoing to teach me what are you going to give me what do you have it wrapped up in a beautiful bow that i'm going to like what do you have for me but we came to jesus going i don't need anything else from you i just want to give i just want to give worship and i just want to give you my heart and i want to give you my intention i want to give you my family jesus i want to worship you this christmas [00:38:13] (28 seconds) #ComeToGiveNotGet

god is not here for us we are here for godgod was not created so that he could run around your universe in my universe and do everything that i need him to do that's not why god exists god does not exist for me i exist for god my life revolves around him i am here to be loved by him and to worship him and to live for him his existence is not because i exist my existence is because he exists and it's a theological truth that if we'll grab hear me i know it's hard but the reality is if we can grabthat it changes everything [00:39:31] (41 seconds) #LiveForGod

the passion of our worship is indicative of the way that we see jesus i'll say it like this that it may be a little different the expression of our worship is indicative of the way that we see jesus the bigger jesus is in my life the bigger my worship is going to be the more i've been through in my life the more that my worship is going to be the more that he's pulled me out of the more my worship is going to be [00:45:49] (24 seconds) #VisionShapesWorship

what if we approached christmas this season not with empty hands going hey god will you fill them hey god what do you have for me hey god what are you going to give me but we come with full hands going hey tell me what togive and i'll give tell me how to pour this out and i'll pour it out i'll give you all that i have jesus because you alone are worthy [00:47:16] (21 seconds) #ComeWithFullHands

i want to ask you a rhetorical question today the gifts they brought were indicative of who he was can i ask you this are the gifts that you bring to jesus indicative of who you see him as is my worship indicative of jesus as my savior is my worship indicative of the fact that he is the king are my gifts to him my generosity my worship to him indicative of he's the king he's the priest he'sthe life changer is that who he is [00:53:14] (32 seconds) #GiftsReflectJesus

you don't know everything i don't i don't mean to be the bearer of bad news but i do want to be honest youdon't know everything i don't know everything we don't know everything and that's why god goes hey just lean on me hey just listen to me hey just just let me help you you just gotta trust me you're not gonna hear me you are not going to make your path straight we are crooked individuals we can't make paths straight we can only lean on the one the only perfect one that's ever been and ask him hey will you help me will you help me walk this out [00:58:06] (34 seconds) #LeanOnGodNotSelf

worshipful giving becomes second nature when god is our first focus i want to pause on that for a minute i want to i want it to sit worshipful giving becomes second nature i don'thave to question it it just happens it's just a part of my dna it's just a part of my character it's just a part of what i do why it's second nature because god's my first focus i'm not my first focus it's not all about me and building up wealth here it's not all about me and building up energy here and doing all this no no no no god's my first focus he'll take care of the rest [00:59:41] (37 seconds) #GodFirstGiving

come on there's an eternal being that is looking and going just partner with me and i promise you will do this thing together and we're like no i got it i got it i'll tell you what to do and god's going just partner with me we can make this thing happen don't lean on your understanding lean on god's understanding here's the way to do this don't ask god what do you think about my plan ask this instead god what is your plan and then take your plan and take god's plan and get rid of yours [01:01:37] (34 seconds) #SeekGodsPlan

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