A GIFT Money Cannot Buy!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures” (James 1:17-18).
Jesus is the perfect gift the Father has sent so we might be like Him!
Let us go back a couple of thousand years to examine the characters who presented what they could as gifts to the Lord and what they received back from Him.
Mary!
A virgin, not known by a man, was visited by Angel Gabriel with the announcement that she would be the mother of Jesus. She received the word and brought forth Baby Jesus in a manger. She was so poor that she could only bring a turtledove to the Baby dedication on the eighth day: “Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, ‘A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons’” (Luke 2:22-24). Here is the Old Testament ordinance for baby dedication: “When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (Leviticus 12:6).
What did Mary get in return from God? The angel’s message from God to Mary: “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; [e]blessed are you among women” (Luke 1:28).
She got to host the Son of God, who grew up under her watch and had a lifelong memory of Jesus. At least in two places, the Scriptures point out that Mary ‘kept things and pondered them in her heart.’
“And (the shepherds) came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them” (Luke 2:16-20).
After the scholarly interaction of Jesus with the Temple scholars at His age of 12, Mary savored it in her heart: “Then (Jesus) went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:51-52).
Joseph!
Joseph was engaged to Mary to be her husband, but Mary was pregnant with a child. He intended to cancel his engagement and not make Mary a public example. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins’” (Matthew 1:18-21). Joseph’s gift to God was his obedience: “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus” (Matthew 1:24-25).
Joseph received gifts money could not buy:
· He got to name Jesus by His name given by the angel (Matthew 1:25).
· He was warned three times in dreams about what to do to protect Baby Jesus: “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him’” (Matthew 2:13). “Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead. Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel” (Matthew 2:19-21). “But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene’” (Matthew 2:22-23).
The Wise Men!
The wise men from the east followed the star to travel to Bethlehem to worship Baby Jesus with their gifts: “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship His.’. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:1-2, 11).
What did the wise men get in return? God's warning not to follow the route back to the East: “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way” (Matthew 2:12).
The Shepherds!
The faithful shepherds who watched over their flock by night received the angelic announcement: “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger’” (Luke 2:8-12).
The faithful shepherds got to witness the angelic choir singing and worshipping God: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men’” (Luke 2:13-14)!
The shepherds were the first to see and worship Baby Jesus in the manger: “And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger…Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them” (Luke 2:16, 20).
The Prophets!
All others, including Joseph and Mary, the wise men, and the shepherds traveled some distance for Jesus, but Jesus came to the prophets at the Temple! The gift of the prophets in the Temple, especially Simeon and Anna, their gift to God was their willingness to wait on God’s promise to see the Messiah: “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2:25).
The promise was fulfilled when Simeon saw Jesus and took Him up in his arms to thank God: “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So, he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation” (Luke 2:26-30).
The honor was equally great for Anna, the prophetess: “Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:36-37).
“And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).
Jesus is Our Gift Money Cannot Buy!
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Jesus was a child born in Bethlehem. He comes into our lives as a Christmas gift, a baby born in a manger!
Jesus then becomes the “Son of God” in our lives!
We experience Jesus as more than a Savior – He becomes the Sovereign Lord (bearing the government - Lordship) over our lives!
His Name is Wonderful – We will experience Jesus as “Wonderful!”
We will know Jesus as “Counselor!”
We will experience Jesus in His title, “The Mighty God!”
Jesus will show us the Heavenly Father as “Everlasting Father!”
Jesus becomes the “Prince of Peace!”
The Increase of His stature, His Lordship, and His government has no limits in our lives!
Jesus is the Gift money cannot buy!
As we offer more and more, we receive more and more of Jesus from God!
More of compassion, love, mercy, grace, forgiveness – MORE OF JESUS!
“Lord, I offer all of me to be filled with ALL of You.”
Prayer
“Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of Your Son and Your revelation through Him. I receive Your gift, the gift of Your Son Jesus, the perfect gift, in my life. In return, I offer my will, my desires, and my all to You to transform me in the image of Your Precious Son Jesus. I give my all to You, and I will receive all of You by my continued obedience and faithfulness to You. Help me Lord, to show Jesus to the world around me. In the Most Precious and Wonderful Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen! Amen!!”
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John Jeyaseelan
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