Gift Wrapped

Chris: I’m God’s gift to you.

Bernadette: I don’t think God does Gag gifts!

Luke 2:7-And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

2 Cor. 9:15-Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Romans 6:23-For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When the Three Wise Men went to see the baby Jesus, and, according to the Book of Matthew, "presented unto Him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

We know these gifts were not wrapped when they gave them to Jesus, how do we know that? Because they were men!

If you want to learn anything about giving you must learn from the greatest giver of all!

God gave Adam and Eve covering for their nakedness

God gave Noah plans on how to build the ark

God gave Abraham the promise of a nation

God gave Sarah her first born child Isaac in her old age.

God gave Abraham a ram to take the place of his son Isaac on the altar

God gave Joseph the promise of greatness, so that he could supply the needs of his family

God gave Moses to power to work miracles before Pharaoh

God gave the Israelites the promise land

God gave kings preside over His chosen people.

God gave prophets to tell of the Messiah’s coming, and other future events

God gave to the shepherds, angels that proclaimed the birth of a Savior

God gave a star, to lead the wise men to the King of Kings

But most of all God gave His Son to the world…For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

In one moment, one seemingly insignificant measurement on the span of time,

But in one moment….."The Word became flesh".

In that moment Deity became humanity.

In one moment the one for whom are all things and by whom are all things exists, became a human thing —like you and me—God with us.

In one moment "the Lord of Glory became a child of earth.

The tiny Babe lying in the manger of Bethlehem was the One without whom was not anything made that was made.

The tiny, chubby baby hand upon the cheek of the virgin mother was the hand of Him who holds the universe in the hollow of his hand.

The baby arm about the mother’s neck was the arm of the one whose everlasting arms are underneath all things.

The lisping words of the toddling Child of Nazareth were the words of the One who spoke the earth into being and who created a universe by the Word of His mouth."

In one moment, spirit became flesh. The God of the universe entered the womb of a peasant girl.

In one moment God took on skin and hair, teeth and toenails.

In one moment the invisible God became the visible, touchable, pierce-able, whip-able, nail-able…..Emanuel—God with us.

In one moment God became a man, fully man and fully deity. Oh, Praise his name for that one moment! For that moment He came!

Genesis………The Seed of the Woman

Exodus……….The Passover Lamb

Leviticus……..The High Priest

Numbers……..The Cloud and The Fire

Deuteronomy…The Prophet Like Unto Moses

Joshua………..The Captain of Our Salvation

Judges.……….The Judge And Lawgiver

Ruth………….The Kinsman Redeemer

1 & 2 Samuel…The Prophet of The Lord

Kings & Chronicles..The Reigning King

Ezra………….The Faithful Scribe

Nehemiah……The Rebuilder of the Walls

Esther………..Mordecai

Job…………..The Dayspring From on High

Psalms……….He Is Our Shepherd

Proverbs & Ecclesiastes….The Wisdom of God

Song of Solomon………….The Lover & Bridegroom

Isaiah…………The Prince Of Peace

Jeremiah……….The Righteous Branch

Lamentations….The Weeping Prophet

Ezekiel………..The Son of Man

Daniel…………The Fourth Man In Life’s Fiery Furnace

Hosea………….The Faithful Husband Married To The Backslider

Joel…………….The Baptizer With The Holy Spirit

Amos…………..The Burden Bearer

Obadiah………..The Mighty Savior

Jonah…………..The Forgiving God

Micah………….The Messenger With Beautiful Feet

Nahum…………The Avenger of God's Elect

Habakkuk………The Great Evangelist, Crying For Revival

Zephaniah………The Restorer of the Remnant

Haggai………….The Cleansing Fountain

Zechariah……….The Pierced Son

MalachI…………The Son of Righteousness

Matthew…………The Messiah

Mark……………..The Servant

Luke………………The Son of Man

John………………The Son of God

Acts………………The Ascended Lord

Romans…………..The Justifier

Galatians…………The One Who Sets Us Free

Ephesians…………The Christ of Riches

Philippians………..The God Who Meets Our Every Need

Colossians………..The Fullness of The Godhead

1 & 2 Thessalonians…..The Soon Coming King

1 & 2 Timothy…………The Mediator Between God And Man

Titus………………The Blessed Hope

Philemon………….The Friend, Closer Than a Brother

Hebrews…………..The Blood That Washes Away My Sins

James………………The Great Physician

1 & 2 Peter…………The Chief Shepherd

1 & 2 & 3 John……..Everlasting Love

Jude…………………The God our Saviour

Revelation…………..The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!

He is the first and the last, the beginning and the end!