The Gifts of Christmas - December 25, 2016 message

By Pastor Greg

We celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas day.  He is the reason Christmas exists.  Without Christ, we are left with a mess (get it … Christ-mas – Christ-mess).  However, long before Jesus was born, certain things happened to prepare the world for this special day.  These are the gifts God gave the world ahead of time, and I’d like to take a moment and talk about these extraordinary things today.

(Gift 1) The gift of a Stable, or Manger.  Long before the manger sheltered the baby Jesus, it sheltered animals.  A family decided to build this place to protect their livestock.  (Gift 2) Perhaps they had a cow for milk, some chickens for eggs, and maybe even a lamb for wool.  When they built this shelter, do you think they imagined that one day the Messiah would be born there?  Probably not.  I mean, surely the Messiah would be born in some other place.  Not a small barn in a little town like Bethlehem.  Yet God was preparing this place for the birth of the Savior.  I’ve often wondered if God was preparing our homes or even our church building for some special event that would take place years from now.  Did you ever imagine that God might be working right now in this place for a future glory?

(Gift 3) Joseph.  Long before Joseph became engaged to Mary, and long before the angel appeared to him, Joseph’s heart was being prepared.  Matthew tells us that Joseph was a good man.  He could have broken off the engagement with Mary.  I mean, who would believe Mary’s story.  Yet when the Angel appeared to Joseph, he obeyed (Matthew 1:24).  Apparently, he was listening during Sunday school.

(Gift 4) Mary.  Like Joseph, Mary’s heart was prepared ahead of time.  I mean, it’s not like God rolled the dice to see who would give birth to His Son.  God had been grooming Mary for this particular day.  Luke says she believed that the Lord would do as He said (Luke 1:45).  That kind of heart doesn’t just happen overnight.  Did you ever feel like God was preparing you for something special?

(Gift 5) Donkey. Although not mentioned in the Christmas story, we traditionally picture Mary riding into Bethlehem on a donkey.  The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 70 miles, so considering Mary’s condition, she probably rode something.  We do know that Joseph was not a very wealthy man, so a donkey may have been his only means of transportation.   Do you think Joseph wished he could provide more for Mary?  Or do think he was thankful for what he had?

(Gift 6) Angel.  One significant gift from God was the Angels.  An angel spoke to Mary.  An angel spoke to Joseph.  An angel spoke to the shepherds.  This angel becomes the messenger of God.  Without the angel, a young girl from Nazareth would have become pregnant without knowing why.  Without the angel, this girl’s fiancé would have broken off the engagement, forcing this girl to raise the child on her own.  Without the angel, the birth of Jesus would have been simply a normal birth.  But because of the angel, the world learned just who this special Child really was.  What example can we learn from this angel?   We learn the without someone telling others about Jesus, the world might never know.

(Gift 7) Shepherds.  Do you think the shepherds were surprised when the angel appeared?  Except for Mary & Joseph, the Bible says these shepherds were the only other people to be given this special announcement.  How do you think that made them feel?  How would you feel if God said something to you and no one else?  Would you tell others?  The beautiful gift here is that God sent His message to people who would believe.  And as we learn later in Jesus’ life, many of the Religious leaders did not believe.  So a person does not need a college degree or some specialized training in biblical studies to be used by God.  God will speak to anyone, anywhere, if they have a heart willing to believe.  Isn’t that the kind of heart you have?

(Gift 8) Star.  Something we may not realize is that this was much more than an ordinary star (which is the sun from a different solar system).  And this is more than one of the planets lighting up the night sky.  Astronomers from the east saw His “star” in the east, which should have taken them away from Bethlehem.  But these Persian wise men knew what the sign meant.  It said the promised Messiah had been born.  So they headed west.  For those who are paying attention, God will give signs that point us to Jesus.  If we will open our eyes, and if we listen, signs of Jesus are all around us, even today.

(Gift 9) Wise Men.  So these Persian astronomers travel to Bethlehem.  How would Persian wise men know about the promised Messiah?  They knew because, for many years, the Jews were held captive in their land, and prophets (like Isaiah) spoke about the Messiah, and these Jews told their captors that one day their Savior would be born.  The point here is that while the Jews were living in captivity, most of them complained about their miserable life.  But God used this captivity to plant a seed in the hearts of some Persian wise men.  Sometimes the things we endure in life are not pleasant; not pleasant at all.  Yet during our trial, God may be using us to plant a seed in the hearts of someone else.  We may never see the reason, but God just might be working through us for some greater good in His kingdom.

(Gift 10) The Gifts.  Jesus was probably two years old by the time the Magi arrived.  To pay respect to this King of the Jews, these Wise men brought Gold, Frankincense (an incense used to worship God), and Myrrh (perfume).  Matthew tells us that King Herod wanted to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:13).  So Joseph and Mary probably used these gifts to escape to Egypt.  Yes, even when things seem hopeless, God will provide just what we need … in His timing, of course.  And sometimes He gives us these things in ways we never imagined.  Did God ever provide something for you in some crazy way; a financial gift or an answered prayer that you never expected?

(Gift 11) Jesus.  Of course, Jesus is the most significant gift God could ever give.  God took mercy on us a long, long time ago.  And way before Jesus was even born, God began working and preparing for His birth.  Long before Jesus was born, God knew when and where He would be born, how He would be born, and what would happen once He was born.  The birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem was no accident.  God planned it to happen this way.  Nothing is ever insignificant in God’s Kingdom.  Every little thing that happens is all part of His plan to save us from sin and death.

By themselves, each of these things seems insignificant.  But, when brought together, they complete the story of Christmas.  But there is still one more gift I’d like to mention.  The last gift of Christmas is people like you and me (Gift 12).  You and I contribute to the Christmas Story in small ways each day.  Oh, I know, we don’t think we are making a huge difference, but even something as small as a mustard seed plays a huge part in God’s story of salvation.  In Mark 4:30-32, Jesus says, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?  It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

 Jesus reminds us that what may seem small at first will become quite large.  Which means that even though the little things that you and I do in the Lord’s name may appear simple and insignificant, we need to remember that God can use that small seed to change the world.  No deed done in the name of Jesus is too small or too insignificant.  We are called not to judge the size of the deed or the simplicity of the message we shared.  We are called to be faithful, and let God do the mysterious work within our land and within His Kingdom.

I want you to keep the gift you have received this morning.  I hope it reminds you that what might seem unimportant becomes part of an incredible story when brought together.  Just as each of these gifts becomes part of the Christmas Story when brought together, we do the same when we get together.  When Christians like you and me get together to worship Jesus, the story of Christmas become real and complete.