The Gift
John 1:9-14 9The real light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not recognize him. 11He came to what was his own, yet his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They were born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or of a husband's will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
It’s Christmas morning. The kids are up before sunrise. They burst into their parents’ bedroom. They jump on mom and dad, telling them it’s time to open presents. Then the kids run downstairs to the Christmas tree. They are excited as they see all the wrapped presents stacked under the tree. They look at the tags to see which ones are theirs. They shake the presents to guess what they’re getting.
Mom has started brewing coffee. Dad has turned on Christmas music. Finally, it’s time to open presents. Then the five-year-old stands up, waves his hand, and says, “No thanks.” He walks away to find something else to do.
That’s not realistic at all, is it? That’s like Ralphie not wanting a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas. Or Kevin not wanting to be with his family at Christmas. Or Buddy not wanting to see Santa at Christmas.
Who doesn’t love opening gifts? Especially at Christmas? Who doesn’t love receiving gifts from loved ones – gifts that are unearned and undeserved?
Yet, that’s exactly the way most people treat the greatest gift ever given. John writes about the gift of Jesus, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, yet his own people did not accept him” (John 1:10-11).
It’s true that people in John’s day in the first century and also in our day in the twenty-first century have no interest in the gift of a Savior. That’s why so many oppose Christ, his words, and his morals in society. That’s why Christians are arrested and put in prison for praying outside of abortion clinics. That’s why there are statues glorifying Satan set aside nativity sets glorifying the baby Jesus in government buildings. People are not interested in Jesus. They don’t recognize him as God. They do not accept him as Savior.
Even those who are Christians who know Jesus as God’s greatest gift are sometimes not interested in spending the time with him that he deserves. That’s why churches are empty while basketball courts and soccer fields are full on Sunday mornings. That’s why we spend more time stressing about the decorations and presents of Christmas than spending time with Christ in his Word and in prayer. That’s why we like watching secular Christmas movies and listening to secular Christmas music than filling up our music playlist with “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and “Joy to the World.” We have so much going on in our lives and we are so busy that we set aside this greatest gift. We’re not always excited to open up this gift. We don’t make time to use this gift.
That’s about as ridiculous as a five-year-old not being excited to open presents on Christmas morning.
Let’s change that. Let’s spend more time with the One who always has time for us. Let’s receive and appreciate this gift. Let’s spend time with Jesus and his Word.
Why? John tells us why. “But to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. They were born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or of a husband's will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13). We receive him who came down to earth to receive us. We were born belonging to the devil. Through faith in Jesus as our newborn Savior, we are reborn and made children of God. This isn’t a birthright that’s ours because of our parents’ DNA or last name. This is a gift that God gives us simply because he desires it.
What is this gift? John tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
What has all our busyness gotten us? Has it lessened our stress? Improved our health? Strengthened our marriage and family life? Nope. Our busyness usually adds to our stress, hurts our health, and causes rifts in our marriage and family.
That’s why God sent his Son in the flesh to dwell among us. We can’t fix our problems on our own. We just make things worse. So, “the Word became flesh.” God’s Son didn’t wait for humanity to clean up our messes. He just came. He became one of us. He took on our flesh and blood in the womb of a woman. He was born to die. He was laid in a manger so he could be laid on the cross. He was wrapped in strips of cloth so he could clothe us with his righteousness. He took all our sins upon himself so he could give us his perfection. He came to fix our human problems by providing divine solutions. He came so we could set aside our busyness and be about his kingdom business.
What does this good news about this great gift do to us? Hopefully, you’ll be as excited to receive Jesus as Mr. Parker was excited to receive his leg lamp award. Hopefully, you’ll be as protective of your time with Jesus as Kevin as protective of his house against the Wet Bandits. Hopefully you’ll be as anxious to meet Jesus every Sunday as Buddy was anxious to meet his dad.
Let’s be as excited to open this gift of Jesus as a real five-year-old is excited to open his Christmas presents. Because this gift of Jesus is the Son of God becoming man so that the sons and daughters of men could become children of God. This gift of Jesus came to make his dwelling among us so that we might go to have our dwelling made with God. What a gift! Amen.
The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Amen.