The Gift That Keeps On Giving

That title is usually referred to as a Christmas gift that can be used long after the Christmas season is over. Well, so am I.

The Christmas story depicted in Luke 2 is the story of a woman having a baby.

Some people might say big deal. What's so great about woman having a baby? How do you go from the gift that keeps on giving to a story about a woman having a baby?

When you put the whole story together, it begins to make sense.

Let's reconstruct the story from the beginning.

Luke 1:26-35 (NIV) says: "In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The Virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.' Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid. Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever: his kingdom will never end.' 'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.'"

Mary risked being ridiculed, talked about, even stoned when she accepted the Lord's plan for her life. But because she lived a righteous life, she was chosen for a special assignment. She was chosen to carry the gift that keeps on giving.

What happens when we expect a gift or we unwrap a gift that is exactly what we want? We get excited, right?

In Luke 2:13,14 the angels began rejoicing. The gift had been unwrapped.

Other than the obvious, how can a baby be a gift?

Read Isaiah 9:6 and John 3:16. God gave us a gift in the form of His Son Jesus Christ.

Babies grow and begin to fulfill their destiny. God's plan for their lives. Just like with all of us. We have a plan. We have a reason for being. It's just that we don't have a clear understanding of the plan God has for our lives.

Baby Jesus grew up - Luke 2:52 - and scripture tells us that Jesus not only grew up physically, but in wisdom and in favor with God and men.

As we grow physically and spiritually, we gain favor with God and with man. It is as we grow in wisdom that we can begin to understand the plans that he has for us.

This baby was destined to save the world.

Matthew 1:21

How will He save us?

I John 4:9-10; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 2:8

How is He the Gift that keeps on giving?

Hebrews 7:25

"Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them."