The Gift

Luke 2:¹⁰ “but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”

Jesus is saying to us this morning, if you want to give Me a gift, find someone that cannot pay you back and give the person a gift. Visit the hospitals and go to the prisons, let that be your birthday gift to Jesus. Then when you stand before Him, Jesus will say, “I saw your gift that day”. That is how it works. There is nothing you do for God that He does not appreciate and recognize and take note of. He is going to say thank you one day. The truth is that, God does not need anything from us, but God rejoices when we give Him things.

You are going to stand before Him one day, and He is going to say, I was hungry, and you fed Me. Jesus says if you really want to give me a gift, then give to one of these your brothers and sisters, you would be doing it for Him. It is amazing how an amount of money that really does not mean anything to you, can change people’s lives. God has placed people out there and they are waiting for you. Would you say merry Christmas to them? Would you come bearing gifts that would put a smile on their hearts? I want you to change the focus of your day today, do not just make it about you and your family, the food you would eat and the places you would go to. Stop and buy someone lunch, just make someone happy. In doing that you would be giving Jesus a birthday gift that pleases Him deeply.

It can be really difficult to give a gift to someone that seems to have everything a gift. But Jesus makes it easy for us by telling us what would pleasure Him most on His special day. He says in Matt.25:³⁷ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? ³⁹ When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” It is about Jesus.

The wise men did two things; the bowed to Jesus and they gave Him gifts. What is standing in the way of you having the same response to God’s gift of Jesus? There is no better day to put your relationship with Jesus right than on Christmas day. Bow your heart to Jesus and give Him your life. I pray that God will unpack the gift of Christmas, the gift of Jesus to you.

Prayer [hymn]: Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room, and Heaven and nature sing (2x), and Heaven (2x), and nature sing. Amen!