The Greatest Gift

Romans 8:32 ³²Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him?

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Amen. (Ephesians 1:3)

I still distinctly remember the disappointment I felt as a child one Christmas. I was with my family at my grandparents’ home on Christmas Eve. We were exchanging gifts. One of my uncles and aunts had my name. I excitedly opened the present. It was a little Hot Wheels truck. Now, Hot Wheels were always cooler than Matchbox, but I was still disappointed. I don’t know what I wanted that year for Christmas, but I guess I didn’t want a Hot Wheels pickup truck.

This past year has been a big disappointment, hasn’t it? So many events have been canceled. So much civil unrest. So much lost time in the classroom. So much loneliness, sniping, accusations and mistrust.

Disappointment isn’t always on a national scale. How many children are going to be disappointed by the presents they open in their living rooms this morning? For weeks, they’ve been looking at those wrapped gifts with anticipation. But then the gifts don’t live up to their expectations. Depending on their age, they may be too ashamed to say it out loud, but internally they wonder, “That’s it? That’s not what I wanted at all.”

There was so much hype leading up to the first Christmas. With thousands of years of prophetic marketing, God’s people couldn’t wait to open the gift God had wrapped for them. They were promised a Serpent Crusher in Genesis 3, a Restorer in Isaiah 11, a Comforter in Isaiah 52, and a Ruler in Micah 5. Jesus was the most-hyped person in the history of the world. But if someone had peeked into the stable that night and seen a tiny baby with two poor parents, they might have thought to themselves, “That’s it? That’s the gift? That’s now what I wanted at all.”

Sadly we, too, may sometimes find ourselves disappointed with God’s Christmas gift. He doesn’t do what we want or give us what we think we deserve. We want to get accepted at that college, get hired for that job, go on that vacation, etc. And our expectations aren’t met. We look around at the suffering and cancellations of this year and we wonder, “That’s it? You can’t do anything better?

Our sermon text for Christmas Day is Romans 8:32. “Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him?” This is not a traditional Christmas text. But St. Paul does mention God giving the gift of his Son. Jesus may not be the gift we want, but he is the gift we need. He is the perfect Gift to deal with suffering and disappointment.

Why do we become so disappointed? Could it be because we don’t fully grasp who Jesus is? Could it be that we temporarily forget what Jesus does for us? This Christmas let’s look again at the manger through the lens of Romans 8:32 and see who this “it” is when we murmur, “That’s it?”

Look at what God gave you. He gave you his Son. More than that, he gave up his Son. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.” God did not spare his Son. Jesus had to endure all the sins of humanity loaded on his perfect back. He received all the wrath of his Father that should have been directed to the people of the world. He accepted the pain of being forsaken by his Father. God didn’t spare his Son, but gave him up for us all.

That baby in the manger was God’s Son from all eternity. Think of all the experiences they shared. They worked side-by-side creating the world. They went through the flood together. They went through the days of Abraham, promising that he’d be a great nation. They served together as they rescued God’s people from slavery in Egypt. Together they received honor and glory from the psalms of David and the worshipers in Solomon’s temple. With all these shared experiences, imagine hohw close the Father and the Won were. And yet, the Father was willing to give up his Son for inners like you and me.

It used to be a Seminary tradition that the professors would share their “Most Memorable Christmas” stories with the students. This was before my time, but the stories were passed down. Professor Siegbert Becker relayed how his most memorable Christmas was the first Christmas he was going to have with his newborn son. The new parents were so excited to celebrate their baby’s first Christmas and with that anticipation he went to the crib on Christmas morning to pick up his son … only to find that his son had died, on Christmas of all days. As Professor Becker shared the story with his students, he then added, “It was then that I knew how much God loved me, that he was willing to give up his Son for me.”

Because Jesus followed through on the promise of giving up his Son, doesn’t that give you the confidence that God will keep all his other promises to you, as well?

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him?” You may be waiting for all these other things and wondering where they are. Because your eyes are often fixated on the here and now, you are asking, “Where is the health I desire? Where is the new gadget I want? How come my relationships aren’t better and my job is so crummy? Where are all these other things God’s supposed to give me?”

When we ask for things like that, we are thinking too small. We are thinking too temporally. We ignore that God doesn’t actually promise us any of those things.

The blessings God does promise are big. They are eternal.

Because of Christ, the Gift God gave you at Christmas, now he keeps his other promises to you. God gives gifts that he knows will have lasting value and bring you enduring joy. Because of Christmas, God chose you to be his child and shaped you into his image. God worked through his Word to call you to faith and declared you not guilty of all your sins. He sends his angels to guard you. He is with you wherever you go. He gives you a real and enduring home with him where you will be free from all sorrow and pain. He works everything out and nothing can separate you from his love.

At times, you will wish for good things you don’t currently have. You’ll experience hurt and loss and disappointment. Don’t worry. Trust God’s promise. Your sins are forgiven. Your home is heaven. Even the worst that life throws your way will be worked for your spiritual and eternal good. God will give you all things.

How do you know all this is true? God did not spare his Son. God gave his Son. God gave up his Son.

Be assured that because God give you the Gift of his Son, he will also graciously give you all things.

As we peek at God’s Gift in the manger, this Gift isn’t just a temporary escape from suffering and disappointment. This is a solution for how we face suffering and disappointment. The Gift of Jesus is the testimony of God’s love and an assurance of God’s promises.

Look at God’s Gift. Look at God’s Gift that he placed into the manger for you. Humanly speaking, the Gift looks small. The Gift looks fragile. The Gift looks dirty and maybe even disappointing. But after what we heard today, I pray that you don’t look at that Gift and say, “That’s it?” Rather, look at this Gift and say “That’s it! That’s what I need! That’s God showing his love to me! That’s God keeping his promises for me! That’s quite a Gift. That’s the Greatest Gift!” Amen.

“Now to the King eternal, to the immortal, invisible, only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)