As I get older time passes so much more quickly! Just eight years ago I was standing in front of the basinet in the NICU looking at my hours old grandchildren. They were so small being six weeks premature! Today they have grown so much! As we celebrate their birthday I wanted to call your attention to another birth. Matthew recalls it for us with the visitation of the Magi:
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:10-11 ESV).
Often we wonder when Jesus was born. There is some indication in the Scripture that it was during the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles is called "the season of our joy" and "the feast of the nations." The terminology the angel used to announce the birth of Jesus were themes and messages associated with the Feast of Tabernacles.
But there is another matter that I would like to explore. It is the matter of gift giving. Imagine what would happen if everyone invited to Faith and Logan’s birthday arrived with their arms full of presents and suddenly began to exchange these gifts with each other instead of giving anything to them? By the way, birthday celebrations are mentioned only twice in Scripture. In both instances the celebration resulted in a beheading. The first is in Genesis chapter 40 when the Pharaoh had the baker's head removed just as Joseph had foretold. The second mention of a birthday is recorded in Matthew 14:6 and Mark 6:21. It was the birthday celebration of Herod and you may recall that at the bidding of Herodias, John the Baptist was beheaded.
Jesus came into the world to give mankind the greatest gift that anyone could ever imagine—eternal life! The sad thing is that so many have neglected this precious gift. It is there for anyone who will accept it, but many people ignore it or reject it. They prefer other “gifts” offered by our enemy.
Since the Christmas celebration is less than a month away, may I encourage you to focus on the message that it is not the "day" we worship, but Jesus who became flesh and lived for a time as a man in order that He might redeem us with His shed blood and give us the precious gift of eternal life! That is the real gift!
When Mary and I gather to give Faith and Logan their birthday presents, I hope the most important present they receive will be a continued growth into the knowledge of THE gift of Christ on their behalf. And I pray that gift will be yours as well.
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