Living for Jesus: In the Light of God’s Greatest Gift

On December 25, the Christian world celebrates “God’s greatest Gift,” which is God’s Son being born in human flesh at Bethlehem long ago. Jesus’ birth is the wonderful cause for our celebration!
As we hear again the story of Christ’s birth, we stand in awe of God’s amazing love for us, that He would send His Son to be our Substitute who would live in perfect obedience to God’s Law for us. As we gaze into the manger in Bethlehem through the eyes of faith, we also know that Jesus came to be our sacrifice, to lay down His life willingly, as the innocent Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the whole world—yours and mine, too. And through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of this little Baby, we know that we have a forgiveness and salvation that are certain and complete in every way. Such amazing love of the Father for you and me, shown in His greatest Gift to us, is also the motivation and the power for all we do for Him in our daily lives.
One of the best-known Bible verses is: “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Please notice the progression of Jesus’ words: first, God’s greatest Gift is given in love for the whole world; then comes the response of Spirit-worked faith, believing in Jesus as God’s Son and our Savior.
In the Christmas season, where love is so often shown most lavishly to those who already love us, may we stand in awe of the Father’s Gift of Jesus—His greatest Gift. That Gift was given to the whole world before any of us loved Him, whether or not we would receive His Gift in faith and love Him in return. This passage from John also contains a promise, that when the Spirit creates in our hearts faith in the salvation of His greatest Gift, God promises to give us eternal life in heaven!
Since Jesus was born as God’s greatest Gift to the whole world, God desires that the world knows about His Gift and the salvation He brings. Love to others means telling the people around us about the great love God showed them by sending His Gift to save them from sin and death. Through our words, the Holy Spirit can create faith in God’s Son and give them the forgiveness and love of Christ that make Christmas worth celebrating.
What does Christmas mean to you? Whether you celebrate the birth of your Savior and Lord as God’s greatest Gift to you in the blessing of the Holy Spirit, or you hardly know Jesus and have not really stopped to consider Him: may the blessings of this Christmas season—His joy and peace—be yours now and always through Jesus, God’s greatest Gift.
Bradley Kerkow is a home missionary in Austin, Texas.