Words by Chad Hayes | Image by Ryan McGill
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (ESV)
Christmas is a wonderful time of year, full of music, decorations, children’s plays, candlelight worship services, food, parties, family gatherings, and much more.
Christmas is also a season of traditions. This was no exception in my family. As we decorated our tree, we would listen to vinyl records of everything from Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas to Blue Christmas by Elvis. I could not wait for the Sears catalog to arrive so I could peruse the pages to fill my Christmas wish list. We watched movies like White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, and It’s a Wonderful Life every year. Our church family would make the rounds in our rural community, singing Christmas carols for the homebound senior adults. And yes, there are photos somewhere of my sister and me running in the den in our footed pajamas with wild hair—excited to see what Santa brought us.
One of the most common Christmas traditions is the giving and receiving of gifts. Why do we give one another gifts at Christmas? Jesus tells Nicodemus, as recorded in John 3:16, that we give gifts because God gave us His Son to provide eternal life for all who would believe. He is the ultimate gift-giver.
The Christ child gift was prophesied by Isaiah several hundred years before Jesus spoke those famous words in the book of John. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
God giving us His Son was always crucial to His eternal plan. So, what can we learn about Christmas gifts from God’s gift of His Son, Jesus?
Gifts are given lovingly. Often, our favorite Christmas presents are the ones we give, not the ones we get. We love our families and enjoy seeing them open the gifts we purchased for them. We tend to go overboard with gift-giving at Christmas. Why is that so? Because gifts are a tangible way to show our love to others. According to John 3:16, God gave us His Son because He loved us. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10. (NIV)
How awesome is that? God loved us enough to send His only Son as the means for our salvation. This is the true meaning of Christmas.
Gifts are given sacrificially. What are the best gifts you have received? Unexpected ones? Expensive ones? Homemade ones? Some of the best gifts are not necessarily expensive, but they are costly. God sacrificed His Son to take the punishment for our sins. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45 (NIV)
Jesus willingly gave His life for us. He is the most precious Christmas gift.
Gifts are given undeservedly. Gifts cannot be earned and are not given based on merit. As the Bible teaches, the gift of salvation through Jesus is undeserved. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23 (NIV) “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
Because of our sins, we deserve death and eternal punishment, but God, in his love, gives us eternal life through faith in Jesus. This is the timeless truth of Christmas.
Gifts are given conditionally. Gifts are given with the condition and expectation they will be opened. Do you put a gift you received in a closet, letting it collect dust? No, you open it as soon as possible! How do we receive the gift of salvation? We must believe in Jesus Christ, God’s sinless Son who gave His life as the payment for our sins. We open the one true gift of Christmas through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
This is the good news of Christmas. The empty tomb and the cross would not have been possible without the manger. Before Jesus could give his life for our sins and overcome them through his resurrection, he had to enter this world as an infant.
My prayer is that you have received the gift of eternal life through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, the true gift of Christmas. As you give and receive gifts, remember the words of John 3:16 about the greatest gift ever, Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas!
Chad
