Unwrapping the Gift of Christmas

Merry Christmas - we pray you are having a blessed and inspiring Christmas day.

Let me welcome you to OnMission - it is the holy day of Christmas and we are thankful that you are with us, following this blog and joining with us as we seek to truly know God - as we seek to know this Person whose birth we celebrate today and as we wrestle with the unimaginable significance of this birth.

If this is your first time reading, my name is Howard Edwards; I am an OnMission pastor. If you ever have any comment or questions please feel free to contact me by email.

As we turn now to reflect on God’s Word, let us pray:

Almighty God, our Father in Heaven:

Give us eyes that see, we want to know You.

Give us ears that hear, we need to hear Your Word.

Give us hearts that Love, transform us so we might Love as You Love.

Amen

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 7:14; 9:2,3,6

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light that shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness. You have enlarged the nation; You give them great joy. They rejoice in Your presence as people rejoice at the harvest;

For unto us a Child has been born, to us, a Son has been given. The government will rest on His shoulders, and He is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Micah 5:2-5

"As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the people of Judah—from you a King will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past. The people will be abandoned to their enemies until the time when the woman in labor gives birth. Then at last, the rest of the King’s countrymen will return from exile to their own land. He will assume His post and shepherd the people by the Lord’s strength and by the sovereign authority of the Lord His God. They will live securely, for at that time He will be honored even in the distant regions of the earth. He will give us peace."

Titus 2:11-14

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures; to live in the present age lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave Himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good deeds."

The Gospel

Our Gospel reading this Christmas is a reading from the Gospel as inspired in John 1:1-14

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Today's reflection is entitled,  Unwrapping the Gift of Christmas.

Welcome to Christmas!

Christmas is a beautiful day. It affects people around the world.

So many people feel an emotional response to the day - they know it is special and important - people sense an energy and anticipation - some experience an excitement, a longing, a sadness, a nostalgia or sentiment on the day - yet sadly, too many, even most people are completely unaware of the source of that sense of importance attached to this day.

For many of us, our earliest memories of Christmas will be of gifts.

I imagine that most of us cherish memories of stuffed stockings, brightly wrapped packages, an unexpected present, a mysterious gift-giver … gifts of love that meant so much; gifts given at a great cost and sacrifice.

We cannot forget that others will harbour sad memories of gifts. Perhaps last gifts given, or gifts ungiven because they were simply too far beyond our financial reach. Perhaps others will harbour emotional pain over gifts refused - gifts of Love that were not received.

There is something essential, poignant, and even necessary about gifts in many of our lives

For many of us the fact and intensity of one’s love has become linked to the cost and extravagance of a gift given. For others, gift giving is a way of establishing relationships of every type. In our familial, romantic, social and even commercial lives, we can find gift giving.  And our experience of Christmas day with all its trappings is most certainly intertwined with the gifts under our tree - but let us never forget, that above all those gifts that attract our attention, on the highest bow of our Christmas tree is a star or an angel.

To get at the crux of Christmas, the gift of Christmas needs to be unwrapped and disentangled from all the consumerization, commercialization, secularization, and the hoards of other “izations” too numerous to mention,  and it needs to be returned to the profound celebration that the angel proclaimed and the star points us toward.

What is Christmas? You often hear the question asked at this time of year - sometimes local news reporters even go off into their community seeking an answer. Christmas is:

• A time for children?

• A time to remember or recapture the mystery and wonder of childhood?

• A time for me to be celebrated and pampered?

• A time for loved ones … to gather with family and friends?

• A time to spend alone with that special someone?

• A day off or a day to make some extra cash at work?

• A time to party … a time for sports … a time for vacations and fun?

• A time to pause and reflect and figure things out?

• A time for rest?

• A time for Santa?

There is no question, Christmas is socially, sentimentally, relationally and emotionally important … not to mention financially and economically significant … and wrapped up in all that is what we label a Christmas gift.

In our house, especially when our four children were young - Christmas morning was chaos. It was astonishing to watch the gifts being opened - bright coloured paper and Christmas bows flying hither and yon, as the gift is excitedly extracted from those things that have concealed it; and so often (especially with children) it is immediately evident how that gift has been received …

Usually a gift of something we truly need is received politely - oh I needed new socks or thanks for the book or I can really use that frying pan or those tea towels.

But a gift of something we really wanted, you know something we really really wanted is received in flourishes of excitement - gasps and exclamations and smiles and sometimes even jumping up and down or dancing… it’s what I’ve always wanted! I can hardly wait to tell everybody!

And of course we understand … It is wonderful and exciting to receive a special gift, especially at Christmas.

Yet all too often all those“izations” we mentioned earlier seem all too near and tucked oh so neatly under our Christmas trees that we hardly even notice them as they conceal the Gift of Christmas.

I have spent more than a few Christmases surrounded by economic poverty. I spent those days with congregations worshipping God. The gift unwrapped and revealed and celebrated those mornings was the gift of Jesus - the gift of God who so Loves this world.

In economic prosperity, we spend hours upon hours pondering, planning and purchasing gifts - a huge investment of time  … yet the vast majority of church buildings are locked up tight, no time for church on Christmas morning. Why?

At Christmas fortunes are spent in Christmas retail, while Church givings at Christmas tell a different tale. Why?

I don’t want to trivialize God and I certainly don’t want to cast Him in our fallen, sinful image … but sometimes I wonder.

God is infinitely omnipresent - He is everywhere at all times. So He is there, gathered with us around the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.  He sees into our hearts and knows our excitement over gifts given and received. He is waiting for us to receive His Christmas gift to us. But I wonder - what does He see as we receive it? 

The greatest Gift of Love ever given is God’s only begotten Son. Such an extravagant Gift - such a sacrificial costly Gift. A unique Gift given to meet our greatest need. A Gift that reveals the unsurpassed Love God has for us - but how is it received?

Is it even remembered as it is given and regiven in every moment of our lives?

Is it politely acknowledged or is it intimately received … is it soon tucked away, or can we hardly wait to tell everybody about it.

I wonder. Yes Jesus is given, but is this gift of Love received, or is it refused? Do we accept God’s Christmas Gift?

This Gift is God with us - Immanuel.

This Gift is God in us.

This Gift is God for us.

This Gift is Grace - God’s willing, merciful forgiveness.

This Gift is Love.

This Gift is Life eternal.

This Gift is the right to be called children of God.

I’ll ask again, is it received with excitement and celebration? Or merely with politeness? Is it received at all?

Can we hardly wait to tell everybody about it? Or is it somehow lost behind our locked doors, hidden away and obscured in our life?

…

And so this is Christmas. And yes, certainly celebrate - be childlike in your awe and wonder of the day. Enjoy each other in love and fellowship.

But from time to time, lift your gaze from those packages, boxes and bags tucked beneath the tree. Look beyond the chaos of this world. Lift your gaze above the ornaments and lights hung on evergreen bows. See that angel, remember what was proclaimed - see that star and Who it points us to - lift your eyes still higher yet, see beyond those things that obscure and conceal the Gift … see the One at the crux, the very heart of Christmas… and then close your eyes and fix your heart and mind on that Gift. Unwrap the eternal implications of the Gift - receive that Gift of perfect Love; let Him fill you; embrace Him as He reaches out for you.

And give God thanks, and praise Him for His precious Gift of Christmas.

"How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given

So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of His heaven

No ear may hear His coming. but in this world of sin

Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in."

Be blessed this Christmas day.

Let us pray:

Loving God, though we rebel against You, You do not refuse us. Because of Your infinite Love for us, Your desire is to redeem us and restore us to a right relationship with You.

Today, help us to know You and receive You and claim the right You offer to be called Your children - Your people.

Dearest Father, we thank You for the Gift of Love, the Gift of Yourself in Jesus, God the Son our Lord and Redeemer. We thank You for Your persistent Loving presence among us and Your work in us through God the Holy Spirit.

Your desire is to be known among us. Give us tender hearts that are open and receptive to You.

We pray in the mighty name of our incarnate Lord Jesus and by the power of God the Holy Spirit.

Amen.