Christmastime is a season marked by enduring traditions.  Lights, trees, parties, and candlelight services all converge.  But no tradition dominates our Christmas celebrations like gift giving.  Thirty percent of all retail sales in the United States occur between Black Friday and Christmas.  This amounts to nearly a trillion dollars in sales.  A little over $1,000 for every man, woman, and child.  For many of our friends and neighbors this means going to great lengths financially.  Even incurring substantial debt. The pressure to find the right gift can be enormous. 

For some on your list, a box of chocolate-covered cherries or a bag of holiday blend coffee nicely fits the bill.  But for friends and family, gifts must reveal an intimate perception of the receiver’s preferences and desires.   The preciousness of a gift reflects the preciousness of the relationship it celebrates.   The home-made gifts of children are precious to their parents. These gifts reflect their love, creativity, and generosity — gifts invested with who they are.  And intimately connected to the receiver. 

But men struggle to learn what children instinctively know.   While men love to receive a gift card for anything, woe to the insensitive husband who gives one to his wife.   The scripture commands men to “dwell with our wives according to knowledge.” (1 Peter 3:7)   That means, you need to get her something that reflects her preferences and desires.  She expects you to know her well enough to be decisive about her gift.  And so, we go to great lengths to find and give the right gift to our beloved.  Gifts that will last.  Or have a lasting impact.

How precious are the gifts we give?  Are we discharging seasonal responsibility?  Or celebrating the preciousness of others?  The whole tradition of giving gifts at Christmas is commemorative.  It commemorates the gift we were given the Incarnation.  The eternal, divine Son of God taking upon himself a human nature to give to us the gift of faith and life. 

And this tradition is established at the outset in the gifts of the magi.   Extravagant gifts given to a poor child whose worth could only be seen through the eyes of faith.   Gifts that were a grateful response to the Lord of Glory and King of Grace.  But the gold, frankincense, and myrrh were not the real gifts of the magi.  

Their singular purpose in coming to Bethlehem was worship. Three times Matthew underscores their intention to worship the one “born King of the Jews.”  Not the courteous homage of an ambassador or diplomat, but deep. profound, falling-on-your-face worship.  Worship flowing from gratitude for God’s grace through Christ.   The gifts housed in their treasure box were just tokens.  Gifts for a prophet, priest, and king.  Gifts that spoke of sacrifice and sovereignty.  And as extravagant as their gifts may seem, the most lavish gift was given to the magi, not by them.

We think we know the story.  We think we understand the gifts.  But the fulness of what God has done for us in the gospel is incomprehensible.   Apostle Paul calls it “the mystery of godliness, Christ Jesus manifest in the flesh.”   Join us as we examine Matthew 2:9-12 and consider the ‘indescribable gift’ given that first Christmas.   A gift that will last unto eternal life.

We meet on the square in Pottsville, right next to historic Potts’ Inn at 10:30 am for worship.  Get directions here or contact us for more info.  Or join us on Facebook Live @PottsvilleARP or YouTube.