THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT
INTRODUCTION:
Choosing a gift for the loved ones for the Christmas is a difficult task. Once the gift is selected, it is carefully wrapped with decorated paper and ribbons. Whatever we do, our gifts to others can never turn out perfect. Our gifts may not be liked by the receiver.
What is a perfect Christmas gift?
John 3:16- God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Jesus is the perfect Christmas gift to us.
II Corinthians 9:15- Apostle Paul thanks God for the indescribable gift (the Lord Jesus Christ)
The gift is always wrapped to create excitement and surprise for the receiver.
Luke 2:7, 12- Baby Jesus was wrapped with swaddling clothes.
Luke 23:53- After crucifixion the body of Jesus was wrapped with clothes.
The wrapping of Jesus with clothes at His birth and death is a symbol of Jesus' humanity. Philippians 2:5-9- Though Jesus is God, He became "man". On first Christmas, He didn't cease to be God but He added "humanity" to His "Deity". He used his divine powers to heal others, raise others from death, drive our demons and calmed the storm, but He chose not to use His divine powers to His advantage (e.g. when He was arrested in Gethsemane and was being crucified).
It makes me think of the wrapping Christ chose when He came as a redemptive gift to rescue us from our sinful selves. Jesus could have wrapped Himself in a mind-boggling show of power, lighting up the sky with His presence in a celestial show of glory. Instead, in a beautiful reversal of Genesis 1:26, He chose to wrap Himself “in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7).
So why is this wrapping so important? Because, being like us, He is no stranger to our struggles. He experienced deep loneliness and the betrayal of a dear friend. He was publicly shamed, misunderstood, and falsely accused. In short, He feels our pain. As a result, the writer of Hebrews tells us that we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
A. Jesus is a perfect Christmas Gift for us. Let's open the gift box and see what gifts are inside.
This gift box is not packed with a single gift but multiple gifts.
1. Eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23) - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. Grace and Salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) - We can't save ourselves with our good works because they are like filthy rags in the sight of God. We need God's grace for salvation and through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that He died for us on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins we receive the free gift of salvation.
3. Fullness of grace (John 1:16-17) - Apostle John said "out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Isn't it amazing to experience showers of grace being poured out on our lives by God as we continue to live in Christ?
Apostle Paul writes to the Romans (6:1-4) - What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Abundance of grace is not a license to continue living in sinful ways as we like. We should sparingly use the grace of God just like we use "line of credit" to borrow money from the banks. But our God is full of grace and rich in supplying His grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Christ's Righteousness became our righteousness
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" II Corinthians 5:21
God designed an exchange scheme for us in Jesus Christ. He remained absolutely sinless while in a human body though tempted like us (Hebrews 4:15). God placed the burden of our sins on Jesus Christ when He was crucified and His righteousness was 'given" to our credit. The Lord Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law completely by dying for our sins on the cross and we are clothed with His righteousness. This is the essence of the gospel as explained by Apostle Paul.
5. Peace with God and Peace of God
We can be in peace with God through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). Bible teaches that we are the enemies of God because of the broken relationship with Him due to our sins. It is the perfect gift of reconciliation, which is being offered by Christ to re-establish the broken relationship between God and mankind. When we are at peace with God by accepting the Lord Jesus as our personal savior, we are also promised to have peace of God. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" John 14:27.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7)
6. Wisdom
God promises us the wisdom and He is willing to give it generously (James 1:5). It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption (I Cor. 1:30). Christ has indeed become our wisdom.
7. Freedom from law and adoption as God's children
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to son ship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:4-6
Please notice the progression of the blessings in Christ in above verses.
Son (Jesus) freedom from lawadoption as God's childrenHoly Spirit
8. Abundant life
One of the purposes of the coming of the Lord Jesus in the world is to offer us abundant life-life to the fullest measure (John 10:10). When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, He gives us a life of abundant blessings- spiritual and physical. He is offering this gift of abundant life to all who are willing to submit their lives to Him.
B. The gift also reveals the attitude of the giver (God):
1. Agape love and compassion
John 3:16- God's supreme love is revealed in sending His Son for us.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 4:9-10).
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)
2. Generosity
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Our God is generous in blessing His children.
3. Perfection
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17). The gift that God gives is always perfect because He is perfect.
Conclusion:
What is your response to the perfect gift of Lord Jesus being offered by God?
1. Accept the gift with gratitude. If the gift is rejected, the giver feels bad. If you reject the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ, God is not going to lose anything, but you will certainly lose everything in eternity.
2. Give a return gift to the giver. Your life to Jesus would be a great return gift to God. Make this a best return gift to God. You will be blessed abundantly. May the Lord bless you. Amen.
