The Ultimate Gift
You know I have often wondered what a visitor, say from outer space, would say about Christmas. Perhaps if they saw all of our decorations; like Christmas trees decorated with lights and ornaments, and Christmas cards, and Christmas dinner with family and gifts under the tree and Christmas Parades, and the singing of Christmas carols -- they might think it is a really important event. And perhaps it is safe to say it is an important event ... but perhaps it is important for all the wrong reasons. I wonder if it is important because what God did on the first Christmas or because of all the fun activities we do around Christmas.
When it comes to Christmas, have you thought about why we do the things we do? For example, what is up with the Christmas trees, the lights and other ornaments? And why do we put presents under the tree? You know though, Christmas isn’t Christmas isn’t Christmas until you exchange gifts.
In the story of the very first Christmas magi (magicians or astrologers) came to visit Jesus and his family.
Let’s read their story.
The magi (Matt 2:1-11)
In this story, the Magi come with gifts. I wonder why they came giving gifts? Have you thought about why we give gifts to each other?
To send presents is a natural expression of our own happiness, and our desire for the happiness of others-like we do now by giving "Christmas" and "birthday" gifts. We give gifts to mark the celebration of a person or event. We give birthday presents because it is a happy time, and we throw a party. Right? We do the same at Christmas time. But the gifts aren’t for Jesus. The gifts given by the magi weren’t given to make Jesus happy. The truth is that Jesus was a gift to them and he is our gift. He is a gift to the world. The Magi came to celebrate his birth, because they recognized he was special and we should recognize he is special. The world needs to recognize he is special. In v. 2 it says that the magi had "come to worship [him] ..." They had come to worship Jesus as the recognized the importance of his birth.
We can learn something from the giving of gifts. When we receive a gift we can do three things. Receive the Gift, Open the Gift and if we choose, Share the Gift.
1. Receiving the Gift
Christmas is an exciting time, especially when you are young. In my home, Christmas presents were placed under the tree weeks before Christmas. I would often try and sneak a peek and guess what mum and dad put under the tree for me. I would shack the gifts to see what sound they make. Smell it to see what scent it had. And when I thought I could get away with it, I would peel back the wrapping and see what it looked like underneath the wrapping. There is excitement in the anticipation of what could be hiding under the wrapping. All that changes the moment you receive the gift. See, you don’t know for sure what the gift is until you receive it. You haven’t opened it, but your heart pounds. Is that the playstation console or game that I wanted it? Or is it more socks and underwear from grandma? When we receive the gift it is a chance to see what it is.
The magi visited Jesus because they had read old texts that foretold of Jesus’ birth. They didn’t know exactly what all the fuss was about, but they went to check it out. Just like when we receive a gift, we don’t always know what it will mean for us, and how it might change our life. But when expect to receive a good gift we sure to want to find out.
The magi themselves were not believers, like the family of Jesus. But they had read about a king that was to be born, and so they wanted to pay their respects and find out about this king. Perhaps they did not understand the significance of this birth, and only time would reveal the gift that Jesus would be. The old teachings told them that this king would bring a heavenly kingdom (the kingdom of God) to the earth. And of course, we are told that they men followed a star that revealed the location of Jesus and his family.
As we know in receiving the gifts, the anticipation of what the gift is builds until we must know what the gift actually is. To do this we must open the gift. Only in opening the gift do we really know whether all that waiting was worthwhile. We open the gift and we find out what it is all about.
2. Opening the Gift
I remember the moment we received Olivia Grace. We were at the hospital, and Bonnie was blessed to have witnessed the birth. Of course, I was reduced to hanging out in the waiting room, with all the other expectant families. Sometime went by before we had any news, and so we began to worry about things. Finally, Bonnie came out to visit, crying and smiling, and smiling and crying, and I was like ... ok ... what about the baby. Well, I did find out the baby and I was told I could go visit. They only allowed one visitor at a time. So, I went out to the recovery area, and I saw Olivia being checked out by the nurse. Knowing that we were there to adopt Olivia, and that I was her father, the nurse said to me, "dad would you like to hold your baby daughter. I received Olivia in my arms, and that is when my heart really pounded (the joy, the excitement, and all of the emotions of the occasion.) It was at that moment that I got to experience the gift I was receiving.
Opening the gift is the moment you get to "experience the gift." You get to find out what this gift is all about. When you open Christmas presents you spend the next day and a half finding out what the gift does. It took sometime before people knew exactly what Jesus was about, but he did leave some clues. In John’s gospel we read, (chap. 15:1) "I [Jesus] am the true vine and my father is the gardener ... (v. 5) I am the vine; you are the branches ... (v. 15) I no longer call you servants, because servants do not know my Father’s business. Instead I have called you friends." Jesus offered himself as a means of connecting with our heavenly father, maker of heaven and earth and the sustainer of all life.
Only a chapter before Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me" (14:6). That is the gift that I am receiving and I have now opened. I am now able to experience the gift for myself if I chose. The gift is now received and opened, now what do I do with it.
3. Sharing the Gift
When I was younger, it took me sometime to want to share my things with my sister. I really didn’t like doing it. You know, really, today I still feel like that sometimes. However, the gift that Jesus is is not that kind of gift. It is a gift the really needs to be shared.
Near the beginning of his book, John says, "for God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." In this verse, how do you think someone becomes a "whoever?" They find out when someone like you shares the gift of Jesus. A really good gift, like what Jesus is, deserves being shared with others. People cannot have a relationship with God, unless we show them Jesus.
How then can we share Jesus to those around us? At this time of the year it is easy, because we actually have an excuse and a reason to do it.
Baking, Christmas Cards, invite them to the Christmas Eve special. But don’t forget to tell them why you are doing it. Tell them that you received a wonderful gift in Jesus, and you want to share it with them.
