The True Gift of Christmas

Hard to believe it's that time of year again. From the traditional Black Friday sales until the last-minute Christmas Eve rush, both online as well as brick and mortar retailers are vying for the same prize, your hard-earned dollar. In the misguided and too often materialistic focus that has sadly resulted from the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, it has become too dangerously easy to forget about the true meaning of Christmas. The real reason why we celebrate Christmas is worth more than any material possession we could ever buy! No, you can't put a price-tag on the true gift of Christmas. The true gift of Christmas is a perfect, priceless, gift of love.

Christmas is not about the endless search for the biggest, most beautiful, and best gift wrapped up in pretty paper and placed under the tree to be opened on Christmas morning. No, the true gift of Christmas is a selfless gift of love. The true gift of Christmas has so much more eternal value than any present. Yes, the true gift of Christmas has more eternal value than you could ever hope to buy. The true gift of love that we celebrate at Christmastime is not a material thing at all! What is the true gift of Christmas?

The first Christmas was celebrated in Bethlehem, over two thousand years ago. A baby boy named Jesus, was born in a manger. The new baby boy was not welcomed into the world with the same elaborate and ornate celebrations with which new babies are welcomed into the world today. How many of the babies that you know spent their first night of life sleeping in a stable where lamb and ox were feeding?

Baby Jesus was born to His mother, Mary. Mary was a poor, unmarried woman. As part of God's plan, Mary, a virgin, was miraculously impregnated by the Holy Spirit. A perfect, precious, baby boy, Baby Jesus was not welcomed into the world with fanfare and celebration. Yet, Baby Jesus was a King. God planned for Baby Jesus, His perfect son, to be born into this world of evil for a very special and wonderful reason.

God loved the world so very much. As a matter of fact, God loved the world so much and so wanted fellowship with His children that He made the most selfless, loving and wonderful sacrifice on our behalf that the world will ever know. God sent His only Son, Jesus, who was perfect and blameless, to take the punishment that we deserved. Jesus died on the cross and took our punishment for our sins. Jesus came to Earth and was crucified on the cross to save us from our sins.

In The Bible, God makes us a wonderful, hope-filled, promise. God promises that whoever believes in Jesus will not die, but will receive the gift of eternal life and will live with Jesus forever in Heaven. As Christmas fast approaches, will you please think about receiving the true and most wonderful gift of love as your own this Christmas?