Christmas Message 2023
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
Christmas is an exciting season here at Stillwater Christian School; we have many different celebrations, gatherings, parties and concerts. We enjoy timeless holiday traditions and focus on the virtues of Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. We look forward to time off with our families and friends, decorating our homes and the giving/receiving of gifts.
Of course, as we eagerly anticipate opening gifts, we think back to the “first Christmas” and the gifts that were given to our Lord, Jesus Christ by the Magi (wise men who traveled by means of celestial navigation).
Sometime after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Magi came to the place where Joseph, Mary and Jesus were staying and “…rejoiced exceedingly with great joy”. As the scripture recounts, they fell on their faces and worshiped. Then, they presented their gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These were not insignificant items that they collected on their journey; rather, they were purposefully chosen elements that represented important clues to the ultimate identity, and purpose, of Jesus.
Gold was a precious metal of exceeding value, fit for the “King of Kings”. As it says in Psalm 19:9-10, “The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold…”.
Frankincense was a rare and beautiful perfume/fragrance (made from trees in India/Arabia), which reminds us of 2 Corinthians 2:15, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”
Lastly, the gift of Myrrh, an antiseptic, anointing oil (made from rare thorn bushes in Arabia and Ethiopia and usually used for embalming), reminds us that Jesus was ultimately born to die for our sins. As it proclaims in 1 Timothy 1:15, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…”.
Through their gift-giving, the Magi “preached” the gospel in a tangible way. Whether they fully understood it, their gifts told the complete plan of salvation. God himself, came down from Heaven as our King (gold), to fulfill his priestly duties (frankincense), and eventually die for our sins (myrrh).
As we prepare for this Christmas season, may we be mindful of the Hope, Love, Joy and Peace available to us through the sacrifice, and grace, of the incarnation. May we be “wise” to worship Jesus Christ; our King, Priest and Savior!
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).