Last week, we began this advent series looking at how, even though Jesus’ birth was unexpected, his coming was God’s plan all along — something we see from Genesis to Revelation.
This week, as we look at the birth of Jesus, we see that he is also God’s unexpected gift to each one of us. In the OT, in Isaiah 9:6, it says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Perhaps the most well-known verse in all of the Bible, John 3:16 states it again: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” When they found Jesus, Matthew 2 says the wise men from the east bowed and gave Mary and Jospeh gifts in worship to the birth of the messiah. In this one gift of Jesus, we receive all the rest of God’s gifts — forgiveness, eternal life, the Holy Spirit’s presence, and every good thing God intends for us.
In 2 Corinthians 9:10-15, the apostle Paul says the gift of Jesus should lead us to give generously to others in need, which will overflow in “many expressions of thanks to God.” At Christmas, we give gifts as a reminder of Jesus being God’s greatest gift to us that Paul says is “indescribable.” How about you? Like the magi, how much is giving part of your worship in response to God’s “indescribable gift” to us in Jesus?