Then the devotional contact today. Today’ s Bible reading begins in the first
verse of Matthew chapter two. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of the hero king, magicians came from the East to Jerusalem,
saying where is the King of the Jews who was born, for his
star we have seen in the East and come to worship him. Hearing this,
the hero king was troubled and all Jerusalem with him and summoned all the
chief priests and scribes of the people to ask them where the Christ was to
be born. They told him in Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is
written by the prophet, and you are not the least among the princes of
Judah, Bethlehem of the land of Judah. Why shall a guide come out
of thee, how shall he feed my people, Israel? Then, heroes
secretly calling the magicians, he diligently asked of them the time of the EU,
the appearance of the star and sending them to Bethlehem, said go there
and find out diligently about the child and when you find him, let me
know so that I too may go and worship him. When they heard the
king, they went away, and, behold, the star which they had
seen in the east went before them, until it came to rest upon the
child, and when they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy,
and when they entered the house, they saw the child with Mary their mother,
and fell down and worshipped him, and opened his treasures, and offered
him gold, incense, and myrrh, but being warned by revelation in dreams
that they should not return to their land by another way. Why we give
presents at Christmas. When we were children, the gifts were the highlight of
the date and for some of us, the joy of giving and receiving gifts
has not diminished. Some people wonder what all this has to do with the
celebration of Christ’ s birth. But there' s a connection. Although
nothing was wrapped in paper, the occasion was marked by enormous generosity. God
gave his only- begotten son. This was the greatest gift ever given because
his precious son was the only one who could die as a sacrifice for our
sins. Mary gave her body and reputation when the Angel told her that she
would give birth to the son of God, Mary answered," Do me
according to your word" Although this was a glorious privilege, it also included
the loss of his reputation. His commitment to Joseph was as binding as marriage
and getting pregnant before the ceremony was scandalous in the eyes of people. The
shepherds gave a witness. After hearing the announcement of the birth by the Angel
and Veera the newborn messiah. They couldn' t keep the news. They
told everyone what they had seen and heard it. The magicians gave gifts and
worship. Having traveled a long way to find this new king of the Jews,
fell to the ground in adoration and offered him gifts of gold, incense
and myrrh although materialism and commercialism have taken hold to some extent of the tradition
of giving gifts, we must also remember the true generosity that is in the
heart of Christmas.