Christmas Gifts Devotional

Intro

Why do we give gifts at Christmas?

Christmas Day wasn’t recognized as a holiday in the US until June 26, 1870.

Christmas wasn’t celebrated at all on December 25 until several hundred years after Jesus was born. December 25 is actually the day they celebrate Saturnalia which is a day the Romans celebrated the winter solstice…the shortest day of the year.

Some think it was because they wanted to give gifts like those who were celebrating Hanukkah which is a Jewish celebration at about the same time of year.

But most think it started because that is how the Magi or Wise Men celebrated the birth of Jesus by giving him gifts…

What do you know about the Magi?

From the east (probably Iran but maybe India)

Magi (same word as magician) - fortune tellers - not Kings…not necessarily wise.

Priests of Zoastrianism…believed in “all-knowing” God, but didn’t know the true God. Believed in good and evil but didn’t know the source of good.

We don’t know their names or how many of them there actually were.

Didn’t necessarily find Jesus in the manger. Likely, found him later!

Source of the 2nd worst Christmas song of all time behind Paul McCartney’s “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time”

lets read about it.

Matthew 2:1–12 ESV

1 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, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

So the gifts that they gave Jesus also had a special meaning. Both as a symbol of who he is and a reminder of what we have to offer to our Savior today. The Magi probably didn’t know the significance, they didn’t even know about God, but God knew the significance of these gifts. He used a star over the city of Bethlehem to lead them to Jesus.

Light Charcoal Pucks

Gold reminds us that Jesus is King

Gold was a symbol of kingship. The Jewish people had been waiting for a promised king for many years. They were conquered by the Persians and remained under control of a foreign king for hundreds of years. They were waiting for the king to set them free from the Romans who were currently in charge. But God gave them a different king. Jesus wasn’t born like a king. He wasn’t wealthy or popular. He was the son of a carpenter. He was poor. And he was born in a barn. The gold he received was a symbol that he would be the king that would lead his people in freedom not from the Romans, but from their sin.

We don’t know how much gold the Magi gave. But, the Magi’s gift of gold was probably how Joseph provided for his family as the escaped to Egypt! Here is a family that was poor to begin with and completely displaced in a foreign nation. Selling the gold could have given them enough money to wait out the death of Herod.

We honor God by being generous with the money he’s given to us.

Frankincense reminds us that Jesus is our high priest.

Light frankincense stick

Frankincense is a type of incense that is collected from the resin or hardened sap from trees called Boswellia Cateri that grow primarily in India.

Show Picture

Incense was burned in the temple as an offering to God. When it’s burned it creates a really strong smell. In fact it smells like this.

Walk frankincense sticks down the aisles

Jesus uncle Zechariah was a priest and was responsible for the burning of incense in the temple and was doing so when when the angel appeared to him and prophesied John the Baptist’s birth!

Leviticus 16 tells us that the incense would cover the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies so the priest could enter without dying. Get this. It created a way for the high priest to interact with the glory of God.

The smell of burning incense in the temple would be pleasing to God. This gift was to symbolize Jesus as our priest that offered himself as a sacrifice for us. It represents the work of Jesus on our behalf to bring us into the Holy of Holies and encounter the presence of God! It’s why when Jesus died the veil in the temple was ripped top to bottom.

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Drop myrrh onto pucks.

We no longer offer sacrifices or worship by burning incense, but we still have something pleasing to offer to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us that when we love each other, we are imitating God and it is a sweet smelling offering and sacrifice to him. It’s like burning frankincense but only better.

Myrrh reminds us that Jesus was born to die.

Myrrh was the most significant gift. It also comes from the sap of the Commiphora tree

Show Picture

Walk myrrh down the aisle

and can be sold as incense, but the resin can be ground and heated up and strained into an oil that was commonly sold at the time of Jesus Birth. It was actually used as an embalming fluid in its oil form.

Myrrh was a gift that prophesied that Jesus was born to die. He was born to give his life as a sacrifice for our sins. His death would conquer death for the world. His death would change everything for us.

Conclusion

So when we give presents to others it’s not just a Christmas tradition. I’ve even heard people say that giving gifts shouldn’t be part of Christmas. Now we tend to get carried away and materialistic at times, but if we remember that it’s not about the stuff, it’s about an expression of our love for each other…and we do that because that’s what God did for us. He’s the good gift giver and his greatest gift was Jesus. When we express love for each other we honor Jesus!! It is a pleasing aroma to him.

I want to give you a gift as you leave today! One per family. Hang it on your tree at home and remember that as you exchange gifts, you are remembering the Magi and their gifts to baby Jesus. Remember that he’s your king. Remember that he’s our high priest who brings us in to relationship with God. Remember that he came to this earth to die for our sins so we could have life.

Pray

Candles

In 1818, a roving band of actors was performing in towns throughout the Austrian Alps. On December 23 they arrived at Oberndorf, a village near Salzburg where they were to re-enact the story of Christ's birth in the small Church of St. Nicholas.

Unfortunately, the St. Nicholas' church organ wasn't working and would not be repaired before Christmas. Because the church organ was out of commission, the actors presented their Christmas drama in a private home. That Christmas presentation of the events in the first chapters of Matthew and Luke put assistant pastor Josef Mohr in a meditative mood. Instead of walking straight home that night, Mohr took a longer way to his house. The longer path took him up on a hill overlooking the village.

From that hilltop, Mohr looked down on the peaceful snow-covered village. Reveling in majestic silence of the wintry night, Mohr gazed down at the Christmas-card like scene. His thoughts about the Christmas play he had just watched made him remember a poem he had written a couple of years before. That poem was about the night when angels announced the birth of the long-awaited Messiah to shepherds on a hillside.

Mohr decided those words might make a good carol for his congregation the following evening at their scheduled Christmas eve service. The one problem was that he didn't have any music to which that poem could be sung. So, the next day Mohr went to see the church organist, Franz Xaver Gruber. I want to clarify Franz Gruber, not Hans Gruber. Gruber only had a few hours to compose a melody which could be sung with a guitar. However, by that evening, Gruber had managed to compose a musical setting for the poem. That the church organ was inoperable no longer mattered to Mohr and Gruber. They now had a Christmas carol that could be sung without an organ.

On Christmas Eve, the small Oberndorf congregation heard Gruber and Mohr sing their new composition to the accompaniment of Gruber's guitar.

Light Candles

Sing Silent Night

John 1:1–5 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.