Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. … When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:1–3, 9–11
At Christmastime, we often see pictures of three wise men depicted in the manger scene presenting their gifts to Jesus. There is no definite Biblical proof that there were only three of them, but three gifts were mentioned.Gifts are important, every one of us loves gifts. The gifts the wise men brought to Jesus were of great significance. They were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And these gifts were chosen for a reason.
Gold: According to tradition, gold was given to the infant King as a token of His royalty – a symbol of KINGSHIP
Frankincense, a fragrant incense used in sacrificial offerings, was meant to represent Jesus’ deity – SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD
Myrrh, was a perfume or ointment. It was a token of His - FUTURE SUFFERING
During the Christmas season, we all think about the gifts we want to buy for friends and family. We try to find that “perfect gift.” A good gift must meet three criteria for it to be considered “perfect.” Number one; a perfect gift should reflect the character or personality of the one who gives it.
Number two; a perfect gift should reflect the knowledge of the one who receives the gift. In other words, the giver should know the needs, desires, tastes, of the person receiving the gift.
And number three; a perfect gift should be of a nature and quality that will hold its value as time goes on. That means it should be quality enough to last for a long time.
We all know that God gave mankind the most perfect Gift in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus’ value as a Gift to man is eternal! The Bible says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”John 3:16 (NIV).
God gave us the perfect Gift in Jesus! And this Gift of Jesus meets all of the criteria for being a perfect gift.
• First, Jesus reflects the One Who gave Him—God the Father.
• Secondly, God’s gift of His Son reflects knowledge of our needs.
• And thirdly, God’s gift of Jesus is of a nature and quality that will hold its value for eternity.
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Jesus is the perfect Gift to man because He reflects the Father who gave Him to us.
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your Gift of Jesus Christ to the world.
Thank you for salvation, and the gift of the Holy Spirit
I receive Jesus now into my heart as my Lord, Savior and healer
Amen