What will you give Jesus this Christmas
The Greatest Gift: What Will You Give to Jesus This Christmas?
Christmas morning traditions vary from home to home. Some families wake early to tear into presents. Others linger over coffee and cinnamon rolls. But imagine a family with a unique tradition: before opening any gifts, they gather around a small wrapped box labeled "To Jesus." Inside, each family member has placed a slip of paper describing what they want to give Him that year—not material things, but acts of worship, commitments to serve, steps of obedience, prayers of surrender.
This simple practice captures something profound that we often miss in the holiday rush: Christmas is not just about receiving, but about responding to the One who has already given everything.
Two Responses to One King
The nativity story presents us with a striking contrast. When the Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem seeking the newborn King, their announcement triggered two radically different responses.
The Magi themselves—scholars, astrologers, wise men from distant Persia or Babylon—saw a new star and recognized it as a sign. They didn't dismiss it or endlessly debate whether it was worth pursuing. They responded with faith, curiosity, and action. These weren't casual travelers; they were learned men who left behind the familiar to seek out and worship a king they had never met.
King Herod, on the other hand, heard the same news and felt only fear. His first instinct wasn't wonder or celebration, but threat assessment. Fear quickly morphed into manipulation, deception, and eventually murderous violence. Herod's concern was not worship but self-preservation. He wanted to protect his throne at any cost.
The same truth—the birth of the Messiah—produced radically different responses. One group traveled miles to honor a newborn king. The other plotted in secret to destroy the child who threatened his comfort and control.
The Mirror of Our Hearts
This ancient story isn't just history; it's a mirror for our own hearts. When we encounter Jesus, we face the same choice: Will we respond with faith or fear? With curiosity or indifference? With worship or self-preservation?
Many of us, if we're honest, can relate to this tension in subtle ways. We might hold back our time, resources, or influence because we're afraid of what it might cost to fully follow Jesus. We admire Him from a distance but aren't willing to let Him truly lead our decisions, finances, or relationships. We want the blessings of Christmas without the surrender that worship requires.
The Magi show us what wholehearted devotion looks like. They left the familiar behind, journeyed far, and brought gifts as an act of worship. The question we must ask ourselves is clear: Are we like the Magi, willing to step out of our comfort zones and give our very best to honor the King? Or are we like Herod, protecting our comfort, guarding our control, letting fear or pride dictate our response?
The Gifts That Matter
When the Magi finally arrived and saw the child Jesus with Mary, they didn't just stand in awe. Matthew 2:11 tells us "they fell down and worshiped him. Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh."
Each gift carried deep meaning. Gold symbolized kingship, honoring Jesus as the King of all. Frankincense, a fragrant offering used in worship, represented His priestly role. Myrrh, often used for embalming, foreshadowed His death and sacrifice—reminding us that His life was given for the salvation of the world.
Here's the crucial point: If Jesus had only been born, we wouldn't have hope today. If He had only lived, healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the five thousand, and walked on water, we would still be lost. What makes Christmas powerful is not just the manger but the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus didn't just come to be admired; He came to save, to die, and to rise again.
The Magi understood that worship is never passive. It's not just singing songs or admiring Jesus from a distance. Worship involves an offering—giving our time, our talents, our resources, and ultimately our lives.
The Patient Worshiper
The Magi weren't the only ones who responded rightly to Jesus' birth. In Luke 2, we meet Simeon, a man described as righteous and devout who had been waiting patiently for God's promised Messiah. Imagine the years—perhaps decades—of faithful service, prayer, and hope.
When the Holy Spirit led him to the temple and he saw the infant Jesus in Mary's arms, he recognized Him immediately as the Savior. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying his life was now complete because he had seen God's salvation.
Simeon's worship was the result of a lifetime of waiting and faithfulness. His devotion reminds us that responding to Jesus sometimes requires patience, steadfastness, and a heart tuned to God's timing. Worship isn't only about bold action; it can also be about quietly, faithfully waiting and recognizing God's work when He moves.
Martin Luther once observed that it's one thing to say "Christ is a Savior," but quite another to say "He is my Savior and my Lord." The devil can acknowledge the first; only the true believer can claim the second.
Your Gift to Jesus
As we celebrate this Christmas, the question isn't primarily about what gifts we'll receive or even what we'll give to others. The question is: What will you give to Jesus?
What is your act of worship? Not a physical gift that can be purchased, but a commitment to serve Him in 2026. What step of obedience is He calling you toward? What area of your life needs to be surrendered to Him? Where is He asking you to serve—perhaps not just in church, but at work, at school, in your community?
Maybe it's generosity toward someone in need. Maybe it's forgiveness toward someone who doesn't deserve it. Maybe it's committing your daily choices fully to Him. Whatever it is, your worship should be visible, meaningful, and costly—not because God needs it, but because He deserves it.
Christmas reminds us that the birth of Jesus moves us to respond by giving our very best in our daily lives. Not to earn God's love, but because of His love revealed in the manger in Bethlehem and confirmed on the cross at Calvary.
This Christmas, will you fall down and worship? Will you open your treasures—your heart, your time, your life—and offer them to the King who gave everything for you?
Christmas morning traditions vary from home to home. Some families wake early to tear into presents. Others linger over coffee and cinnamon rolls. But imagine a family with a unique tradition: before opening any gifts, they gather around a small wrapped box labeled "To Jesus." Inside, each family member has placed a slip of paper describing what they want to give Him that year—not material things, but acts of worship, commitments to serve, steps of obedience, prayers of surrender.
This simple practice captures something profound that we often miss in the holiday rush: Christmas is not just about receiving, but about responding to the One who has already given everything.
Two Responses to One King
The nativity story presents us with a striking contrast. When the Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem seeking the newborn King, their announcement triggered two radically different responses.
The Magi themselves—scholars, astrologers, wise men from distant Persia or Babylon—saw a new star and recognized it as a sign. They didn't dismiss it or endlessly debate whether it was worth pursuing. They responded with faith, curiosity, and action. These weren't casual travelers; they were learned men who left behind the familiar to seek out and worship a king they had never met.
King Herod, on the other hand, heard the same news and felt only fear. His first instinct wasn't wonder or celebration, but threat assessment. Fear quickly morphed into manipulation, deception, and eventually murderous violence. Herod's concern was not worship but self-preservation. He wanted to protect his throne at any cost.
The same truth—the birth of the Messiah—produced radically different responses. One group traveled miles to honor a newborn king. The other plotted in secret to destroy the child who threatened his comfort and control.
The Mirror of Our Hearts
This ancient story isn't just history; it's a mirror for our own hearts. When we encounter Jesus, we face the same choice: Will we respond with faith or fear? With curiosity or indifference? With worship or self-preservation?
Many of us, if we're honest, can relate to this tension in subtle ways. We might hold back our time, resources, or influence because we're afraid of what it might cost to fully follow Jesus. We admire Him from a distance but aren't willing to let Him truly lead our decisions, finances, or relationships. We want the blessings of Christmas without the surrender that worship requires.
The Magi show us what wholehearted devotion looks like. They left the familiar behind, journeyed far, and brought gifts as an act of worship. The question we must ask ourselves is clear: Are we like the Magi, willing to step out of our comfort zones and give our very best to honor the King? Or are we like Herod, protecting our comfort, guarding our control, letting fear or pride dictate our response?
The Gifts That Matter
When the Magi finally arrived and saw the child Jesus with Mary, they didn't just stand in awe. Matthew 2:11 tells us "they fell down and worshiped him. Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh."
Each gift carried deep meaning. Gold symbolized kingship, honoring Jesus as the King of all. Frankincense, a fragrant offering used in worship, represented His priestly role. Myrrh, often used for embalming, foreshadowed His death and sacrifice—reminding us that His life was given for the salvation of the world.
Here's the crucial point: If Jesus had only been born, we wouldn't have hope today. If He had only lived, healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the five thousand, and walked on water, we would still be lost. What makes Christmas powerful is not just the manger but the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus didn't just come to be admired; He came to save, to die, and to rise again.
The Magi understood that worship is never passive. It's not just singing songs or admiring Jesus from a distance. Worship involves an offering—giving our time, our talents, our resources, and ultimately our lives.
The Patient Worshiper
The Magi weren't the only ones who responded rightly to Jesus' birth. In Luke 2, we meet Simeon, a man described as righteous and devout who had been waiting patiently for God's promised Messiah. Imagine the years—perhaps decades—of faithful service, prayer, and hope.
When the Holy Spirit led him to the temple and he saw the infant Jesus in Mary's arms, he recognized Him immediately as the Savior. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying his life was now complete because he had seen God's salvation.
Simeon's worship was the result of a lifetime of waiting and faithfulness. His devotion reminds us that responding to Jesus sometimes requires patience, steadfastness, and a heart tuned to God's timing. Worship isn't only about bold action; it can also be about quietly, faithfully waiting and recognizing God's work when He moves.
Martin Luther once observed that it's one thing to say "Christ is a Savior," but quite another to say "He is my Savior and my Lord." The devil can acknowledge the first; only the true believer can claim the second.
Your Gift to Jesus
As we celebrate this Christmas, the question isn't primarily about what gifts we'll receive or even what we'll give to others. The question is: What will you give to Jesus?
What is your act of worship? Not a physical gift that can be purchased, but a commitment to serve Him in 2026. What step of obedience is He calling you toward? What area of your life needs to be surrendered to Him? Where is He asking you to serve—perhaps not just in church, but at work, at school, in your community?
Maybe it's generosity toward someone in need. Maybe it's forgiveness toward someone who doesn't deserve it. Maybe it's committing your daily choices fully to Him. Whatever it is, your worship should be visible, meaningful, and costly—not because God needs it, but because He deserves it.
Christmas reminds us that the birth of Jesus moves us to respond by giving our very best in our daily lives. Not to earn God's love, but because of His love revealed in the manger in Bethlehem and confirmed on the cross at Calvary.
This Christmas, will you fall down and worship? Will you open your treasures—your heart, your time, your life—and offer them to the King who gave everything for you?
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