What’s the greatest gift you’ve ever received?

I’m not talking about your kids, spouse or even salvation itself…hopefully those are a given. I’m talking about the greatest present you’ve ever received. Over the years, I’ve had some pretty awesome gifts. Four-wheelers, which I wrecked, bikes, which I also wrecked, remote control airplanes, which, wait for it, I also wrecked…all of these were definitely mint gifts. But, my favorite gift I ever received was my first BB gun. There’s just something about a boy and his BB gun that says I AM a MAN, I AM EIGHT…and no, I didn’t shoot my eye out, well, at least not yet.

One of the reasons my BB gun was my favorite was because I had to wait for it, for what seemed like an eternity. From the time I was 5 yrs old I asked Santa for this bad boy every single year and frankly every year Santa dropped the ball. In fact, it wasn’t until I turned 8 yrs old that I finally received my Crosman 760 Pumpmaster. Three whole years I waited, which for a kid is an eternity. Oh, there were definitely times when I thought it was never going to happen, times that I had lost all hope of ever getting my Crosman 760 Pumpmaster. But, then, at the perfect moment, the moment when I could wait no longer…BAM, there it was right in front of me! It was amazing! Looking back, that Crosman 760 Pumpmaster changed my life…maybe, I want go that far. The fact that I had to wait for this gift is what made it my favorite and also now I could shoot things. You see, sometimes it’s in the waiting that you realize just how bad you want something. Or put another way, sometimes it’s in the waiting that you realize how much you NEED something.

This week at Grace Church we are celebrating Emmanuel, God with us at our Christmas Eve Service. God with us. God with us. Can we even begin to comprehend what that statement means for us? The Maker of Heaven and earth, the Creator of all things, the Covenant God, the One who parted the Red Sea and delivered Jonah from the whale, that God is with us and crazier still WANTED to be with us. But, what about for the Jewish nation in the 1st century? What did Emmanuel mean for them?

Throughout the OT, God in His grace is always hinting that something BIG was coming. There are prophecies from the Torah, the Psalms, the Prophets, even the Historical books, which point to the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah. The One would come and finally rescue Israel from her captors, the one who would come and restore Israel back to God once and for all. And then, what would follow would be the restoration of all nations through Israel because the Messiah would come from Israel.

What would the Messiah look like?

Would the Messiah be a mighty warrior like David? Would he, once and for all, destroy Israel’s enemies? Would he be more powerful and wealthy than Solomon and all of his splendor? Could he really be greater than Moses and Abraham? He surely, would come from a powerful and prestigious family; perhaps he would be a Levite?

What would the Messiah look like?

Well, Israel waited and waited. And waited some more. A hundred years pass, five hundred more, even a thousand years. There would be a few Messianic candidates that would rise up yet they failed time and time again. Still, Israel waited. In the meantime, things go from bad to worse. Nation after nation controls and enslaves them. Kingdom’s rise and fall and Israel still remains in Exile. Yet, they hold on to the HOPE God had given them. He would establish a New Covenant, an everlasting Covenant, one that would even transform them from the inside—out. He would set things right. Sometimes it’s in the waiting that you begin to realize how much you want and need something.

Then, after being silent for over 400 yrs, a baby is born in a manger. A baby? Born in a manger? Really? How could this be? How could a baby born in the manger be the Messiah? How could he be the One they had waited for? He was supposed to bring knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of sins (Luke 1:67-80). This baby would be the greatest gift. The greatest gift God has ever given. God gave the gift of salvation through His only begotten Son, the Messiah, the Son of Man, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.

Salvation. Forgiveness. Reconciliation, Restoration. Right Relationship. Atonement. Remember, ‘The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance’. (2 Peter 3:9) God is a promise keeper. He promised Israel that He would one day provide redemption and He did. Not in their timing but in His perfect timing. He does the same for us. He keeps His promises. And He is still offering the same free gift to us. Sometimes, it’s in the waiting that we realize how bad we want and need something.

This Christmas, remember the greatest gift ever given. Christ. Remember to tell your children and grandchildren that the gifts they receive on Christmas are just symbols and reminders of the greatest gift ever given. The good gifts we receive should lead us to the Giver of the greatest gift. I hope and pray you have a wonderful Christmas!

Pastor Campbell