The Gifts

This message invites us to rediscover the profound theology hidden within our Christmas traditions, particularly the giving and receiving of gifts. We're reminded that every wrapped present under our tree echoes a deeper spiritual reality: we give because God first gave to us. The sermon traces this theme from the Garden of Eden, where God provided abundantly for humanity, through the wilderness where manna appeared each morning, to Bethlehem—literally 'the house of bread'—where Jesus was born and laid in a feeding trough. This isn't coincidence; it's divine poetry. Jesus declared Himself the Bread of Life, offering not just physical sustenance but eternal nourishment for our souls. The message challenges us to see that God's provision always points to His presence, and that His common grace—the rain, the crops, the daily blessings we often overlook—is His kindness leading us to repentance. When we grasp that life is received before it's achieved, that grace comes before effort, we begin to understand the true meaning of Christmas. The gifts under our tree become sermons preaching that God has already given His greatest gift: Himself, not something to open and forget, but Someone to receive daily and celebrate forever.