The Best Gifts

Introduction

The story of Jesus’s birth can be found in the Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

Let’s turn to Mark chapter 1 - I’ll wait for you to find it.

Wait…where is the birth of Jesus? It starts with John the Baptist preaching? And then goes to Jesus’s baptism when He was about 33. Mark totally skipped the Christmas story.

If you flip over to the Gospel of John, he does the same thing - skips the birth of Christ and jumps right in to His baptism and ministry.

Matthew and Luke include the mysterious and miraculous story of Jesus’s birth. Mary is visited by the angel and told she would bear the Son of God. Joseph has a dream telling him the same thing. Before Jesus’s birth, Mary’s older cousin, Elizabeth, gives birth to John the Baptist - the one God called to prepare the way for the Lord. The shepherds are visited by a heavenly choir of angels announcing Jesus’ birth. The wise men from the east follow the star, find Jesus, give gifts and worship Him. It is a most precious and beautiful series of events that we celebrate this time of year.

Since God’s word is infallible and without error, there must be a reason why John and Mark skipped over the Nativity altogether.

I was listening to an Advent devotional from some pastor’s in Georgia. One of them said that end end of Mark is the exclamation mark of the birth of Jesus. It is like Jesus’s birth begins the most powerful sentence in history, with His resurrection as the exclamation point at the end.

If we compare the two, side by side, the beautiful picture begins to come into focus.

T: Before we get to the resurrection, we need to compare Jesus’ triumphal birth with His triumphal entry

JESUS’S TRIUMPHAL BIRTH AND HIS TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

Jesus’s birth was hardly recognized

You might say…what are you talking about? We still celebrate it today, more than 2000 years later

Yes…but we know the rest of the story

At the time of His birth, who really recognized it as something sacred or special?

In the little backwoods town of Bethlehem

Only a few: Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, the wise men from the east, and maybe a handful of others

Jesus’s triumphal entry was largely recognized

Mark 11:1–10 NIV

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ” They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

They gave Him honor usually reserved for Kings — at least at that moment, they somewhat recognized Him as royalty — as a king come to rescue them from their oppressors.

Many probably recognized the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy before their very eyes.

Zechariah 9:9 NIV

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

After His birth, Jesus grew in favor with God and man

After His triumphal entry, his enemies plotted to kill Him

…from crowds praising Him, to a crowd crying out “Crucify Him!”

Jesus was born in backwoods Bethlehem

Jesus’s triumphal entry took place in Jerusalem

The most important city in Isreal

The magnificent Temple

The fancy architecture

The religious elite — superstars

At His birth, Jesus took on human flesh and all that comes with it

At His Triumphal entry, Jesus entered into the last week of His life

Jesus’s birth was connected with King David

Jesus’s triumphal entry was connected with King David

As the prophets foretold, Jesus (Emmanuel, Messiah, Savior) came from the line of David

His triumphal entry was in the city of David

The cheering crowd pointed toward David

“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Jesus’s birth marks the beginning of His mission

Jesus’s triumphal entry marks the beginning of the end of His mission

The last phase was not His death — His death was necessary but it was not the end. It was the beginning of the end of His ultimate mission. His mission was completed when He arose from the dead.

Transitional: Jesus’ birth and His triumphal entry are the essential elements that bring everything else together.

THE EXCLAMATION POINT OF JESUS BIRTH STORY IS THE RESURRECTION

Even though the birth of Christ is not recorded in the Gospel of Mark, the Christmas story is still there, in the background. It makes up the canvas upon which Mark paints the story of Jesus’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

The Resurrection is critical to the Christmas story

Jesus had to be born in order to die

If there is no resurrection, the Cross has no value

If there is no resurrection, Christmas has no value

John 2:19–22 NIV

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

At first…people (even the disciples) did not understand what Jesus was talking about

The times when Jesus predicted His death, they didn’t really get it

He told them, up front, “yes, I must die — but I will rise again”

John 10:17–18 NIV

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Wrap up

The gift of Jesus's birth is incomplete without the gift of His resurrection

Some people say the resurrection never happened…because they can’t wrap their mind around such an impossible concept.

I can’t wrap my mind around it either…but I believe it

His birth, suffering, death, burial, and resurrection were all foretold in Old Testament prophetic passages.

What do you want for Christmas this year?

God’s Living Word is a gift-wrapped reminder of His love

The miraculous and mysterious birth of God in the flesh is only the beginning

In order for Christmas to be complete, we need the gift of the resurrection

Jesus gave everything He could give because He loves you and desires a relationship with you

When we accept Jesus’ grace and forgiveness, we not only gain a relationship with Him, but we become adopted sons and daughters of the Father.

The next exclamation point in your life and mine is when we leave this life for the next.

Will we find ourselves in the presence of the Lord?