James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the lights, who does not change like
shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth,
that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

 Originally when I determined that I would preach on this text, I thought
I would just preach on verse 18 and use verse 17 for some introductory
comments.  But when I began to study the text, doing what is called an
"exegesis" that is, a study of the original words in the original
language I quickly changed my mind.  I changed my mind because verse 17
is such a wonderful revelation of God and helps all the more to bring out
the message of verse 18.  Let me run you quickly through what I
discovered.  I promise I won't get to technical but I do want you to
understand what I found.
 The NIV Bible translates verse 17 in this way, "Every good and perfect
gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the Heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows."  In that translation there
are actually two areas where they give what is called an "interpretive"
translation, in other words, the translators wanted you to understand it
their way rather than to just give you the simple Greek.  Yet the simple
Greek is important.
 For instance, in the opening the NIV gives the impression that there is
only one gift being spoken of.  Yet that is not true.  The Greek actually
says, "every good gift and every perfect gift" two distinct phrases and
yes two distinct words for gift.  What's the difference?  Well, the first
word is a more general word for something given, a general gift while the
second word is specifically used in the New Testament to refer to a gift
given from the Lord.  In other words, two distinct kinds of gifts.  The
first is actually a reference to earthly blessings and the second is a
reference to the spiritual blessings of the Lord.  In other words the
text wants you to consider the full picture of God's goodness to you.  It
may seem a small point but it is actually a point that expands your grasp
and knowledge of God's gracious love.
 Then there is the next place where we need to correct the translation.
The NIV translates "from the Father of the heavenly lights" but the text
actually says, "from the Father of the lights."  What's the difference?
The NIV's interpretive addition of "heavenly" leads you to think that the
phrase is nothing more than a reference or euphemism for heaven.  But the
phrase is about much more.  The phrase is about the lights of God, Jesus
the Light of the world and you and I as the lights of Jesus that shine in
this dark world.  This phrase isn't talking about where God is found but
about what God has done, the work of salvation that God has accomplished
for you and me.
 Now with all this information before you let me help you put the wonder
of these passages together.  The two passages are not separate
revelations about God but rather form a complete picture of our saving
God.  Let me paraphrase for you.  It says, "Don't you see, every earthly
blessing and every spiritual gift is from the God of salvation, the
changeless God who saved you by birth through his word of truth that you
might be a part of his eternal kingdom."  These verses aren't just a
bland set of things for you to consider, these verse are a vibrant and
beautiful proclamation of God's eternal work of redemption!
 Well, in that light let's then continue to marvel at what our verses
reveal.  Our theme will be: PROCLAIM SALVATION.  1st. God's Unchanging
goodness.  2nd. God's Redemptive birth.
 I always did like that word "proclaim."  It is a word that says to me we
should shout, make noise and get the attention of the people concerning
this work of salvation that we have in Jesus.  I am not just to tell you
that salvation is here, I am to tell you that salvation is yours.  I am
not just to mumble and stumble something about Jesus I am precisely and
concisely to share with you the glorious joy that the Son of God has won
for us our eternal salvation.  How do I know this?  How can I be sure of
this?  Because of what I can know and be sure of in God's Word.  Consider
then what our verses reveal about God.
 Now I'm not going to take the revelations about God in the order they
occur in the text, rather I am going to take them in what I consider
their order of importance.  What's the first thing we are to know of God?
 I believe that's found in the phrase "who does not change like shifting
shadows."
 What a comfort and marvel these words are.  They tell us that God is
unchanging, that is, that what God was he will be and is.  God will never
cease to be almighty.  God will never cease to be timeless and eternal.
God will never cease to be God, the ruler and Creator of all.  God does
not change.  He is not like shifting shadows, here one minute and then a
few minutes later shifted to another place.  God is solid and sure.  God
is the very foundation and truth of all that is.  This is our God, our
Fortress, our Rock, our Savior.
 The most important thing when speaking of the fact that God does not
change is to speak of his gracious love and the utter blessings he simply
showers upon us.  That's why this verse speaks of the earthly blessings
of God and the spiritual blessings of God.  These blessings from God are
the very act of his love for us.
 Speak of his earthly blessings.  Every one here would have to confess
and admit that God has truly been showering us with blessings.  I realize
that we are spoiled with his goodness.  What I mean is that we have so
much!  Travel to those parts of the world where life is lived in a mud
hut and if you get a cup of rice a day to eat you are one of the lucky
ones.  We have so much, bounty galore and yet we often think that God is
short-changing us when we don't have two and three of everything.  We are
so physically blessed by the Lord.
 There is also no doubt that we are spiritually blessed by the Lord.
What other God is there in this religious world of ours who has sent His
Son to pay for our crimes?  What other God is there who offers us the
forgiveness of grace and opens his eternal gates because He simply loves
us?  Fact is, there is no one like him.  There is no other God in the
world whose message says, "I have done it for you, I have forgiven your
sins and I have made you mine."
 All of this in Jesus!.  Jesus the Light of the world!  Jesus who shows
us the wonder and marvel of God's truth and love!  Jesus who in humility
and total service suffered the agonizing death of the cross and the
horror of hell just so we could be his.  Jesus, he who was dead and now
lives.  He who was raised from death in total triumph so that we would
know that his Word and His love is true.  Jesus is our gift from God.
 And still there is more.  As Jesus is the light of the world so we,
clothed with Jesus become lights shining forth this wonder of God.  Don't
get confused.  You are serving as lights when Jesus is seen shining in
your smile and loving warmth.  You are serving as lights when you reach
out to help your fellow man, especially your fellow believer, in the
struggles and trials of this world.  You are serving as lights when as
parents you nurture your children in the Lord, when you teach them love
and forgiveness as you pray with them, worship with them and marvel in
your Savior with them.  You are serving as lights as you go about your
jobs, doing your best just because you are a child of  the Lord.  You are
serving as lights as you offer your services to the Lord in the simple
acts: a hymn, meditating on the Word, your offering, cleaning, serving as
leaders where ever you can, speaking of him to family and friends or
fellow workers.  There are so many ways that you serve to reflect the
light of Jesus in your lives.  Reflected because his love shines upon
you, because you have been called and born as a child of God.  All of
this is a part of God's gracious goodness.  But did you notice that all
of this is also a part of God's redemptive love too?
 You can't talk about God's gracious blessings upon us without speaking
of God's redemptive love in Jesus.  God sent His Son to be our Savior.
God sent His Son to heal over our sins, to shine upon our dark lives, to
create us anew in the light of Jesus.  How did He do this?  As verse 18
says, "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth."  That word
of truth is none other than the Holy Bible.  From cover to cover of the
Bible God's truth shines forth.  The truth of the law and its revelation
of sin.  The truth of the Gospel and its power to bring salvation in
Jesus.
 In the word we are born.  Born again as the children of God.  Born to
serve and love Jesus because Jesus first served and loved us.  Born to a
world of light where the darkness is dispersed and it is the glory and
wonder of God that is seen.  This birth occurred as the Holy Spirit
working through the gospel in word and sacrament called us to faith and
then through that word continues to keep us in the faith strengthening us
in the difficulties of life.
 But do note that we are born in the word.  You cannot cut yourself off
from the word and remain healthy and true to the Lord.  You cannot deny
or cast out even a portion of the word and still claim that you follow
Jesus.  The word, specifically the gospel of the word is the very power
of God for our salvation.  It is the way that God works in our hearts and
minds to create us as firstfruits of his love.
 Isn't that such a wonderful phrase?  Our text said, "He chose to give us
birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits
of all he created."  We have been made firstfruits.  Let me explain this
term.  A firstfruit or first offering is the first portion of something
which has been set aside and offered to God before the rest of the
substance or objects can be used.  When you harvested your grain a tenth
of the first field went to the Lord and then you would complete your
harvest.  The firstfruit was a way for you to show that God was foremost
in your heart and mind.  But note here that it is US who are called the
firstfruits.  That's because God has us foremost in His heart and mind.
He calls us to be His children putting his seal of the Holy Spirit on us.
 He changes our hearts and minds to be like his as a kind of foretaste or
preparation for all the blessings he has in store for us in heaven.  God
is setting us aside as His.  He is claiming us as His own.  The way this
term is used here is wonderful and uplifting.
 We are the firstfruits of God.  The promise of a greater harvest to
come.  The holders of the promise to eternal life and salvation.  The
lights of the great Light Jesus.  All of this because God chose us.  God
called us to faith.  God gave us birth.  God has made us His precious
harvest of salvation through the wonder and marvel of His Son Jesus.
 I hope I have lead you to see and grasp the absolute excitement and
wonder that is found in these verses.  We have been so blessed by the
Lord.  He has showered his goodness and redemption upon us.  Let us then,
proclaim the goodness and redeeming love of our God.  Amen.