WHY DO WE GIVE GIFTS AT CHRISTMAS?

        The very first Christmas gift was from God to “whoever will believe” (in the Bible read John 3:16.)  Into this dark world, God sent His son, as a baby, so that as an adult, He would die for the sins of anyone who would believe and take Him as their Savior.

        You can read the incredible, sometimes tragic accounts in the Bible, written by Matthew, who was an eye witness, and by Luke, who was a physician, and interviewed Mary and everyone who had been part of, or witnessed the events that happened.  Read Luke Chapter 1, verses 26 to 38 – the angel visited Mary and she agreed to do whatever God wanted her to do.  In Matthew 1:18-25, Mary was pregnant and Joseph didn’t believe her, but God . . . . . . In Luke 2:1-20 the Bible tells us that because of a Census Joseph had to go to Bethlehem, and he took Mary with him, and there was no room at the inn.  This special baby, God’s son, Immanuel, was born in a stable—and God announced the birth to shepherds in the fields and with a new star in the sky. 

In Matthew, Chapter 2, verses 1 through 23, wise men (magi) arrive from afar, who saw the star.  They went to Herod in Jerusalem to ask where the Messiah was to be born.  Herod called the religious leaders, who said, “The prophet Micah said he would be born in Bethlehem.”  The wise men went to Bethlehem and found him and presented their gifts.  After they left, God woke up Joseph, saying, “Get up, take the baby and His mother and the flee to Egypt.”  Joseph obeyed, he got up in the middle of the night and they left for Egypt, thus avoiding the “bloodbath of babies in Bethlehem,” because Herod sent his soldiers and killed every male baby in Bethlehem two years old and younger. The prophet Jeremiah had prophesied this would happen (Jeremiah 31:15).    

        After Herod’s death, God told Joseph, again, “Get up and return to Israel.”  All of this is from the Bible.  The books of the Bible were recorded because God said to different men, “Write this down . . .”  (2 Timothy 3:16).  God also said, through His prophet Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 8, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.”  In other words, God is powerful enough to protect His Word. 

        If you don’t have a Bible, but have a computer, you can google, “What does the Bible say in John 3:16?” or “in Luke 2:1-20?”  You can also download a free Holy Bible from the internet.    

        God gave the first gift at Christmas.  The second gifts were given by the wise men to the baby Jesus.  That’s why we give gifts at Christmas!  Don’t miss the gift God sent for you!  You can talk to God silently and He will hear you anywhere you are, at any time.  If you are sincere and mean it with all your heart, God will guide you to find His gift of love, peace and hope!  He even promises to meet all of your needs (Philippians 4:19).