The First Gift of Christmas

Galatians 4:4-5

There is something beautiful about presents under a tree. The evergreen tree with decorations, wrapping paper, bows, and perhaps a little anticipation make for a beautiful setting. There are different ideas about what trees should look like. Should it be simple and elegant or loaded down with ornaments, lights, and tinsel? Personally, I see beauty in both. Regardless, the tree communicates that gifts are eminent!

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But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4–5

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Just as Christmas trees bring about lots of opinions, so does the subject of gift giving. Some people do not like exchanging gifts. Others want to wrap and give everything they can get their hands on. Some see gifts as taking away from the true meaning of Christmas. Others see it as partaking in the spirit of gift giving surrounding the birth of Jesus. I'm not going to try and settle the issue today, but I do want to say that the very first Christmas gift was given by God.

While Jesus probably was not born in the month of December, I think there is something fitting about our celebrating His birth at the end of the year. Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians, "when the fullness of time had come". This carries with it the idea of a completion of an era. In God's grand timetable, a chapter of history came to an end. To cap that chapter off and begin the next, God sent His Son. For us, Christmas marks the end of a year, and there is an anticipation for the next.

We exchange gifts at Christmas, and that is exactly what God did on the first Christmas. He sent the world the gift of His Son. This was not just another human existing on the earth. To grasp the magnitude of what was transpiring, it took angels, shepherds, wisemen, and three extravagant gifts. Even still, the world did not (and does not) understand what God had given in this gift.

If you have ever watched a small child open gifts, you see stages of excitement. First, there is the anticipation stage. The larger the package, surely the more grand the gift. Second, there is the revelation stage. The paper is gone, and they see the container that holds the object that was given. The final stage is the realization of the gift. This is when the object is in hand and being used for its intended purpose. Such is the case with God's gift to us as well. God sent His Son as a little baby, wrapped in the womb of Mary. Then, He revealed His Son to the world in Bethlehem with the birth and the announcement of the angels. Finally, we realize the value of God's gift when we receive Christ in Salvation. Just like the gifts at Christmas that are useless as long as they are wrapped and boxed up, so it is with Christ. It is when they are being utilized for their intended purpose that they truly have purpose and value, and so, when Christ is our Savior, we see the value in Him.

There is one final stage that many gifts experience.  They often break or are put away somewhere and are forgotten.  You can tell a lot about how a person truly feels about a gift by what they do with it.  There are those really precious gifts that we hold onto and cherish for all of our lives.  So, how do you value God’s gift to you?  As soon as you ripped the paper away, did you toss Him to the side and move on to something else?  Did you enjoy Him for a while, but lose interest after some time? Or, do you cherish Him and hold Him close daily?  Your actions do not determine His value, but they do reveal your true feelings about Him.

“I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:25-30