Christmas. We envision cookies, ornaments on trees, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, and of course, Bing Crosby. There may be a miniature village on the mantle, or an inflatable Rudolph in the front yard and of course there are the presents. Both giving and receiving, we anticipate the look on each others faces as we rip away the wrapping paper to see what we have been given. Its more than a tradition now; it's a lifestyle.
Now, I doubt there are Christmas trees in heaven. And I don't think Christmas Vacation is playing in every room of God's kingdom. But I do know that God has a high opinion of gift-giving. He displayed it several times throughout the Bible, but perhaps no time is as significant, especially during this time of the year, as the birth of Jesus Christ.
Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary, in a town called Bethlehem. Mary, a girl no more than 16 years old, gave birth to the son of God in a barn. But she recognized the gift that God had given the world through her. The Bible says "But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them." (Luke 2:19) When the Wise Men visited, they brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. When Jesus began his ministry, he began gifting people by healing them and loving them. He spread His message; a message of hope and love. Jesus was not just some man in history; Jesus was the most significant being to ever walk this earth. Jesus gave us a gift in several different ways:
1. His Birth was a Gift.
Being born to a virgin is impossible, which is what makes Jesus' birth so miraculous. His birth has been a story of hope to millions. The Son of God in baby form; Jesus' first gift to us was being human. He had to grow up! He didn't just land on the earth on a cloud. He took part in being human and lived like us.
2. His Life was a Gift.
The life of Jesus was perfect. Literally. It is impossible for anyone to be perfect, but Jesus did it, and did it well. Even when people spat at Him and cursed at Him, He loved them. He made sure people were fed, like when He fed the 5,000. He made sure the people were well when He healed them. And He made sure that people saw Him for who He was; the Son of God. He lived a perfect life, and left us His example to live after.
3. His Death was a Gift.
But perhaps the most incredible gift we were given through Jesus Christ was His death. We cannot say this about the death of any other being; while others life long lives, they still die, and that is the end of their time. They leave behind what they said and did, with no influence on the future other than what they said in the past. Jesus, however, was a different story. When He died, He died like a human. But then He did something that no one had ever done before: He rose from the dead! The death of Christ was the fulfillment of what God had predicted in the Old Testament. We were completely forgiven of our sin and wrongdoing by the death of Jesus Christ!
The ultimate Christmas gift can be summed up in one word; Love. The love God has for us through sending His Son to die for us; the love Jesus showed us when He promised to return one day to take us home; the love we can share with each other. It's not about becoming a Christian; it's about becoming a child of God. It's about accepting the gift we are being offered. There will be nothing more joyful in your life than to accept and receive Jesus as your Lord this Christmas.
