The Best Gifts Come in the Smallest Packages

This year Christmas fell on a Sunday, so for the first time in my ministry career, I was blessed to preach on Christmas Day. It was an amazing service with close to 160 coming out to join us in worship and celebration! I wanted to share the sermon here with you with the hopes that it will encourage you.

Last weekend, the church staff and the pre-school staff got together for our staff Christmas party. And one of the traditions we share is that we have a White Elephant gift exchange. Everyone brings in a wrapped gift, we draw numbers, then we pick and open the gifts in numerical order. Now the twist in the game is that if someone opens something that you like, on your turn, you can steal it. I know, not very Christian-like, but it can really be a lot of fun. So this year, once again, we held our white elephant gift exchange. There were gifts of various sizes and wrappings. But there was one gift that was significantly larger than any of the other gifts.

Sometime around the third or fourth round one of the party-goers, make a clear and shameless break for the big box. I believe the comment was made, Go big, or go home!

Well…

The wrapping paper was torn off. The tape holding the box closed was cut, and we’re all wondering, What could there be in such a big box? I mean, really, there could be just about anything in the box. It was a big box. And so your mind just goes crazy thinking, waiting, wondering.

So with all eyes trained on the box, the flap is pulled back, and then we heard it, “OH, NO!!!”

Hangers. Old Wooden Hangers. The box was filled with them. Various sizes. Some with clips to hang pants or a skirt, some without. Well, the room exploded with laughter. Maybe something you had to be there to see, but there’s a lesson or two in this for us. 1. It’s true, bigger isn’t always better and, 2. sometimes when you go BIG, you go home with a large box full of hangers.

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Some of the BEST gifts
​come in the SMALLEST packages

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Do You Believe that?

Some of us might already know this to be true, especially if you’re someone who receives jewelry at Christmas time. I remember early on in my relationship with Amy, we would spend Christmas with Amy’s family. We would sit and practice their tradition of opening gifts and when we were done, Amy’s dad would surprise Amy’s mom with a little package that contained some kind of shiny-something.

​But here’s my question, do we believe that the best gift that’s ever come, has come in the smallest package.

Here’s what we know…

Joseph and Mary have made their way to Bethlehem because of the need to register for tax purposes.
​While in Bethlehem, Mary, heavy with child, has delivered.
The angels have proclaimed.
The shepherds have visited.
The wise guys are on their way.

But beyond that, what we don’t know is, who else might know what has just happened. In fact it’s possible that the only ones who know what just happened, are those who know what just happened. The rest of the city, while packed with travelers, are likely completely unaware of the events of the previous night. And while the owner of the stable might be aware of a baby being born, is he, or anyone else aware of the significance of this particular birth? 

In some ways, we might find ourselves in s similar place, asking similar questions. We know the story. We know what Mary and Joseph were told. We know that Jesus was born. We know what the angels said of him. We know that the shepherd and wise men came.

But do we know what this means? Are we fully aware of the significance of the birth? And…do we believe it? I mean, do we really really believe it?

​As I think about the significance of this morning, this season, the reason we remember and celebrate Christmas, I think of these verses in John 1.

John 1:1-14 ESV

The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John, the Apostle, one of the 12, known as the Beloved Disciple, or the Disciple whom Jesus loved, writes his letter, his Gospel, to offer proof that Jesus is who he says he was. And right here in the introduction, within these first couple of verses, he begins by telling his readers that Jesus was the Son of God.

In the beginning was the Word…Jesus. He was with God, he WAS God. He was there at the start of everything, with God, and through him, Jesus, all things were made, and nothing was made without him.

John says, Jesus is God.

But it’s more than that. John tells us that in him, the Word, Jesus, there is LIFE, as in LIFE. Not that he simply was alive, but that in Jesus was the ability to create and sustain life. More importantly, the ability to give life. And this life-giver is the LIGHT to which all men are to live by.

​So what we have here is this grand declaration of who Jesus is.

Now why is it that we time to consider this?

Because of what we celebrate this morning.

The angel, Gabriel, said it to Mary, in Luke 1:30-33.
30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary asks, “How?”

​Verse 35.
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

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The angel of the Lord goes to Joseph. Matthew 1:20-21.
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

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Then to the shepherds the Angel says. Luke 2:10-11.
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

You see, to Mary, she would give birth to the Son of God. To Joseph, this baby would save his people from their sins. And to the shepherds, a Savior, the Messiah, the Christ.
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Today we celebrate no ordinary baby, nor some ordinary birth. Today we celebrate God, coming to earth with the purpose of rescuing us.

Look back with me to John 1, verse 14. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..."

The Word became flesh.

• God took on Flesh.
• Skin and bone. A heart. Lungs. Stomach. Intestines. A Liver. A brain. 
• His body core tempt was 98.6˚.
• He would cry, get hungry and grow tired.
• He would laugh and make jokes.
• He would eat and drink and spend time with friends.
• And he would feel the hurt of hate and the pain of death.

He was just like us.

And he came to dwell among us. The language here paints the picture of not just a visit, but that he came to live, to take up residence with us. He was the kid down the street, Mary and Joseph’s boy. He was the teenager that you’d high to cut your grass or rake your leaves or shovel your driveway and walk. Is the neighbor that would help you move that heavy piece of furnisher that you hate to move.

He became one of us.

God come down to man.
​Better, God became man.

Today we remember and celebrate that Jesus was born, that his life on this earth began as the best gift in the smallest package; a baby, with wrinkly little toes, curled up little fingers, and a sweet button nose, and all the dependency of a new born.

Today we remember and celebrate that the gift of his life would mean life for us. That a Savior, a Messiah, the perfect sacrifice for all men would lay down his life and die, that his blood would be the complete and sufficient covering for sin.

Today we remember and celebrate that just like his first coming, he will come again. That just as the heavenly hosts appeared and declared the praises of heaven, in the twinkling of an eye, and at the trumpets blast, Jesus will come again. And for those of us who are found in him, we will be raised up into heaven to be with him for ever and ever.

So let me ask you, What are you celebrating this morning? What is it about this day that makes it any different from any other day?

Is it because there are presents to open, family to visit, or food to consume? Or is it because today, maybe more than any other day, there is this longing inside of you that says, I need to be near my Savior, my Lord, my Messiah, my Jesus! Because today is about our Savior.

​Today is about Jesus.

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Jay Higham is a veteran youth worker of over 25 years; having worked with students in the local church and Christian camping settings. Jay is currently the Student Ministry Director at Hickory Church, located in Western PA. Jay has been married to Amy for 20 years. Together, they are raising 5 kids, (4 boys and 1 girl). Jay is an aspiring author, blogger, speaker, a vlogger, and social media junkie. He is passionate about student ministry, family ministry, and training youth workers to love and serve their students with passion and excellence.