Micah ch5 vs2
Luke’s Gospel ch2 vs1 – 20
John’s Gospel ch1 vs14
“THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL”!
Well it’s Christmas morning again, and this means many
things to many people, but undoubtedly most peoples minds are on opening their
Christmas gifts. We who are Christians also have our minds on a gift, a most
special gift - and it’s the very same gift we are all sharing!
The Apostle Paul describes it as “thanks be to God for his
unspeakable gift”, or alternatively it is “his indescribable gift”, “a
priceless gift” or “this gift that is too wonderful for words”.
Truly then, a gift that is like no other!
This is the gift that The Father above has given to all
mankind – through the birth of His Son, who always was The Eternal Son of God
- The Lord Jesus Christ came into this
world to be The Saviour of Sinners!
Our great gift had a very different start to any other
Christmas gift. This first Christmas gift was not a last minute dash to the
shop the day before, but was safely prepared and personally carried within her
body for nine months!
Not a big box wrapped in shiny paper and decorated, but a
small package weighing just a few pounds! When this special gift was delivered,
the world was never to be the same place again!
When we are buying gifts for our family and friends, it has
to be the right gift – there would be no point in buying aftershave for a man
who was fully bearded all year round, or buying a percolator for someone who
didn’t like coffee!
But the gift needs to be perfect for each person, and it has
been said that a gift must meet three criteria for it to be considered perfect…
Criteria number 1:
The gift should reflect the one who gives it.
Criteria number 2:
The gift should reflect knowledge of the one who receives
it. In other words, knowing their needs, desires and tastes.
Criteria number 3:
The gift should be of a nature and quality that will hold
its value as time goes on.
By these same three criteria’s we know that God gave each
and every person the perfect gift, when He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ,
into the world to be miraculously born of a virgin…
Criteria number 1
– Jesus Christ
reflects The One who gave Him – God The Father!
The Word of God tells us “The Son is the radiance of God’s
glory and the exact representation of His being” (Hebrews ch1 vs3)
“The Son is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians ch1
vs15)
Jesus Christ Himself
said “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father”
(John’s Gospel ch14
vs9)
Yes, The Father’s very words were spoken from the lips of
Jesus Christ!
Also, The Father’s mercy and compassion were reflected in
Christ’s actions, The Father’s most abundant provision was reflected through
Christ’s generosity, and The Father’s great power and love was revealed to us
through Jesus Christ.
Undoubtedly then, Jesus is the perfect gift, fully meeting
Criteria number 1 - being the perfect reflection of The One who gave Him!
Criteria number 2
Again, Jesus is the perfect gift by most certainly
reflecting knowledge of our individual needs and desires. God knew we all had a
desperate need of a Saviour. We each are in need of a Redeemer, a Deliverer,
and a true friend. We needed someone who
was fully God and fully Man, and no other than Jesus Christ could meet this
need.
Being fully God enabled Jesus to pay the price of our sins
in His own sinless body, which was laid down at Calvary ’s
Cross for you and I. Only His Deity alone enabled Christ to be the sacrifice
which could bear the sins of the world and free us from the eternal
condemnation and punishment we all otherwise deserved.
Yet, being fully Man, allowed Jesus to completely identify
with what each of us personally go through each day, enabling Him to provide
for all our needs and desires. Jesus is able to care for us in any daily
situation we may face.
The Word of God tells us “For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect
has been tempted as we are, yet without sin”
(Hebrews ch4 vs15)
Reverently speaking, if our greatest need had purely been
information, then God could have just sent a scientist. If our greatest need
had been money, God could have just sent us an economist. Or if it had been
pleasure, God could have just sent an entertainer.
But no, dear friend, the truth is our greatest need was to
be saved from the penalty of our sins, and God – praise be! – sent us The
Saviour!
Jesus Christ became our Substitute. We owed a great debt we
could never pay, and in His most wonderful love, He paid a debt He did not owe.
Therefore, Criteria number 2 is totally met – Jesus Christ
reflects full knowledge of each of our needs and desires!
Finally, Criteria number 3
The gift of Jesus IS of a nature and quality that will hold
its value as time goes on – Jesus Christ’s value is absolutely eternal!
“… that whosoever believeth in him, shall NOT perish but
have everlasting life”
(John’s Gospel ch3 vs16)
Dear friend, Jesus is the only gift that never expires,
never goes out of style and never becomes obsolete!
Every generation, every man, woman, boy or girl needs a Saviour
to lift them out of their sin and into the righteousness of God, through Jesus
Christ.
Through Jesus Christ “we are brought into an inheritance
that can NEVER perish, spoil or fade in Heaven” (1st Peter ch1 vs4)
The quality of this gift for each person who will receive it
is eternal!
Even though not a single one of us deserves this gift and
all that flows from it, yet God freely gives Jesus to all, who will in faith
and repentance, receive Him as their personal Saviour.
God’s love for us in Jesus Christ never fades or weakens,
His love is ever constant and unfailing.
So, again, in Jesus Christ, Criteria number 3 is completely
covered!
His gift IS of a nature and quality that will hold its value
as time goes on!
We have joyfully received this perfect gift of a Saviour
into our hearts and lives…
But what can we give back to God in return for such
wonderful love given to us?
We can think about Mary, the virgin who bore The Christ –
she had no array of gifts to give back to God, but she simply gave the only
thing back she had – she gave herself!
Mary said “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you
have said”
(Luke’s Gospel ch1 vs38)
Mary had no complaining, no excuses or postponing, just the
immediate surrendering of her life to her Lord…
What better gift could a person return to The Lord Jesus
Christ this Christmas?
This is what God really wants from each of us – simply to
give our hearts to The Lord Jesus Christ, and to live our lives in obedience to
His precious, living Word.
May we all do so, for His Name’s sake.
Merry Christmas!!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning.”
(James ch1 vs17)
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