Christmas Giving

At Christmas time you will probably experience love, joy, peace, music, excitement, anticipation, decorations, and greetings.  However, what is experienced, far more than anything else, is the act of giving.  We give gifts to those we love and appreciate, and of course, giving brings joy, excitement, and anticipation. Examining the Biblical Christmas Story reveals many elements of giving.

First, God gave.  The act of giving at Christmas began with the wonderful gift of God’s son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  This giving is explained in John’s gospel which says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  God gave his son.

Second, the Angel gave.  The angel that appeared to the shepherds on the Judean hillside gave the great news of the birth of Jesus Christ.  The gospel of Luke tells us, “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:9-11).  The angel gave good news.

Third, the Shepherds gave.  After hearing the good news, we are told that the shepherds “Hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them” (Luke 2:16-18).  Then the shepherds gave by spreading the word about the birth of the Savior.  The shepherds gave words of inspiration.

Fourth, the Magi gave.  Not only did the Magi come from the east, but they came with a purpose – to worship the Savior and to present him gifts.  Scripture says, “They saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2;11).  The Magi gave gifts and worship.

As we give gifts to family and friends this year, let’s take time to think about Jesus, who should be the focus of our giving.  He is the reason that we celebrate Christmas.  He is the gift that was given.  Through Him we have been offered eternal life.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  And, this wonderful gift can be ours by believing in Christ and personally receiving him into our lives. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Good News at Christmas

All of us are anxious to hear news, but our appreciation for the news we hear is even greater if the news is good news.  This Christmas season are you prepared to hear some good news?  Here is some good news that comes directly from the biblical Christmas Story.  The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds who were tending their flocks on the Bethlehem hillside and said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).  Notice that the news that was brought to them was (1) Quality News because it was “good news”, (2) It was Hopeful News because it would provide “great joy”, and (3) It was Extensive News because it was news that was important for “all the people.”

The news the angel was talking about was the gospel, which actually means good news.  When the word gospel is used in the New Testament, most of the time it refers to the total of the saving truth about Jesus as it is communicated to people who are lost in sin.  The bad news of the Bible is called sin, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  But when God entered the picture, He changed the bad news to good news. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were sill sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

I trust that during this Christmas season the news of Jesus Christ will be especially Good News for you because by faith you can experience Christ in your heart.  My prayer is that as you experience the Good News of Christ you will have great joy because of the personal peace that God gives.  I further trust that you will take time to communicate this wonderful news of Christ to others.  Listen to the promise Jesus gave in His own words, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).  May you have a joyous Christmas rejoicing in the Good News of salvation in Christ.