(Scriptures for this study are located throughout.)
There is a really sweet Folgers’ commercial where a
younger sister slaps a bow on her older brother who has just returned from
Africa. She tells him that he is her Christmas gift this year. Jesus
came from a lot farther than Africa at a cost much higher than a plane
ticket. Actually, HE is our true Christmas gift. John 1:14
The very expression of God’s heart and mind put skin on, temporarily changed His address and moved in with His most precious creation, for the purpose of revealing how glorious the Father truly is. ALL the Father’s awesome attributes are manifested in this one gift, Jesus, as He lived out and spoke life changing “grace and truth.”
Prophesied in Isaiah 7:14, God Himself would come
through a human birth to bring us His salvation. Immanuel = God with us. In Charles Ryrie’s commentary, he states that
in this promised One, there would be “undiminished deity and perfect humanity united
in one person forever.” As Charles
Swindoll describes it: “In the incarnation, deity funneled itself into humanity
– the finest wines into an ordinary earthenware vessel.” Only by taking on the
form and limitations of humanity could God fully reveal Himself to us in a
comprehendible way. John 1:18 tells
us “No man has seen
God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He
has explained Him.”
Jesus shows us God. His life and His words paint a living
portrait of the Father – what He does, how He does it, His character, His
motive, His objective, etc.. They are
all there in Jesus. Unwrap the gift of
Christ and you find God! Hebrews 1:3 in
The Message states, “This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s
nature.” The more we know Jesus, the more we come to know the heart and mind of
God. Our only chance of grasping the “grace and truth” that God the Father
wants us to have is through Jesus. (John 1:16-17)
To make that possible, Jesus set aside the grandeur of heaven (2 Corinthians 8:9) and the independent use of His divine attributes and willingly took on the limitations of humanity (Philippians 2:6-7). In Hebrews 5:7,8, we are told that Jesus “learned obedience.” Where previously He was the one always obeyed, He experienced first hand what it meant to be obedient, dependent and submissive. He demonstrated daily, what it means to fully submit to putting God’s will and pleasure over the powerful desires for what looks good, feels good and makes good. (1 John 2:16) As a human, God-incarnate, Jesus personally experienced EVERYTHING that we experience. He experienced growing pains of youth (Luke 2:52), hunger (Matthew 4:2), exhaustion (John 4:6) and thirst (John 4:7; John 19:28). Beyond what we experience, He endured temptation without God imposed limits (Hebrews 4:15). 1 Peter 2:21 tells us, that he provided “an example for us to follow in His steps.” That too is a wonderful gift.
To make that possible, Jesus set aside the grandeur of heaven (2 Corinthians 8:9) and the independent use of His divine attributes and willingly took on the limitations of humanity (Philippians 2:6-7). In Hebrews 5:7,8, we are told that Jesus “learned obedience.” Where previously He was the one always obeyed, He experienced first hand what it meant to be obedient, dependent and submissive. He demonstrated daily, what it means to fully submit to putting God’s will and pleasure over the powerful desires for what looks good, feels good and makes good. (1 John 2:16) As a human, God-incarnate, Jesus personally experienced EVERYTHING that we experience. He experienced growing pains of youth (Luke 2:52), hunger (Matthew 4:2), exhaustion (John 4:6) and thirst (John 4:7; John 19:28). Beyond what we experience, He endured temptation without God imposed limits (Hebrews 4:15). 1 Peter 2:21 tells us, that he provided “an example for us to follow in His steps.” That too is a wonderful gift.
Only as a human could Jesus fulfill the prophesy of Isaiah 53. He did what deity alone could not do – die! (Philippians 2:8) The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) The debt had to be paid. He paid it for us. (1 John 3:5) He experienced death on our behalf. (Hebrews 2:9) He became the only sacrifice that truly
satisfied the enormity of the debt. (Hebrews 10:1-10)
Why would He do all this for us?
What did Jesus’ coming in the flesh really accomplish that could not be
accomplished any other way?
·
Redemption (Galatians 4:4-5)
Buying us out of slavery and condemnation wasn’t the only grace;
He also made us “full rights” sons!
· Gives us immediate and eternal access to God’s glory.
(Hebrews 2:10)
·
Enables us to have the life that God
always intended us to have. (1 John 4:9)
Without this Christmas gift of Jesus, we would still be slaves to sin;
the devil would still hold the power over us; and abundant life and eternal
security would still be out of our grasp. Yet there are times when we live like the gift has never been given. True, some have not “unwrapped” the gift. They don’t see that their name is personally
written on the tag. “To: _______ With
abundant love: GOD.” But we know better. The gift of Jesus is the most
practical, useful and needed gift we will ever receive. Jesus wants to do life with us. He wants to be daily "unwrapped" so we can continually access abundant grace
and life changing truth, and experience the incredible glory of God.
Making It Personal
What does it mean to you to "Unwrap the gift of Jesus"?
This "gift" needs to be applied daily to life! What are some specific things you can do to help you do just that?
This "gift" needs to be applied daily to life! What are some specific things you can do to help you do just that?
