Gifts
Christmas is coming, and last week we spoke about how to keep Christmas Christian. But this week we're going to look at some of the symbols of Christmas and let them point us to some deeper spiritual truths. Firstly, we'll talk about gifts today.
Indescribable Christmas Gift
Isn't it one of the great things about Christmas is the giving and receiving of gifts? I remember as a kid not being able to get to sleep on Christmas Eve - so excited about what gifts were coming the next day! But eventually we would drift off to sleep, my sister and I, and then in the morning wake up early and quickly have a look at what was in our stockings before being able to open the nice gift under the tree.
But let's remember the message of Christmas today, which is that the greatest gift is the gift of Jesus in a manger. In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul is talking about how the people have been generous and have been giving to the work of God. And then in verse 15 he says this: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.” He saw even the goodness of the people as a gift from God.
I wonder if this Christmas the world will see the generosity of the people of God and say “thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”. God is a giving God. He gave us so much. And as James said in James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”
Gift of Salvation
He's a good God, a giving God, and famously he's given us the gift of eternal life. Do you remember that verse in Romans 6:23 - “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”? He has gifted us with salvation through Christ. What a wonderful gift to receive.
And so every time you give or receive a present this Christmas, be reminded of the greatest gift of all, Jesus, who came to bring us back to God. And then let's remember to be so generous and giving in our own lives that people will look at us and much like Paul, say “thanks be to God for his indescribable gift through these people.”
