The Unwrapped Gift
As the Christmas season approaches, our minds naturally turn to gift-giving. We carefully select presents, meticulously wrap them in colorful paper, and place them under the tree. But what if the greatest gift ever given came completely unwrapped?
The story of the wise men visiting the infant Jesus offers an intriguing detail often overlooked: nowhere in Scripture does it mention that the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were wrapped. These precious offerings were presented openly, without concealment or decoration. This simple observation opens a profound truth about God's ultimate gift to humanity—Jesus Christ came to us unwrapped, fully exposed, holding nothing back.
James reminds us that "every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights." Throughout Scripture, we see God's generous nature on display. He gave Adam and Eve covering for their shame, Noah plans for the ark, Moses power to work miracles, and prophets the promise of a coming Messiah. He gave shepherds an angelic announcement, wise men a guiding star, and Joseph the patience to understand miraculous circumstances.
But His greatest gift? Peace incarnate. The Prince of Peace himself.
In 2 Corinthians 9:15, Paul writes, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." This gift is so magnificent, so beyond human comprehension, that words fail to capture its full meaning. Yet to truly appreciate this indescribable gift, we must understand what Jesus unwrapped to give it to us.
Philippians 2:6 tells us that Jesus, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped." Think about that for a moment. Jesus possessed the highest position imaginable—seated at the right hand of God the Father, worshipped continuously by angels, dwelling in the splendor of heaven.
Yet He willingly unwrapped Himself from all of that glory.
Imagine the President of the United States choosing to live homeless on the streets, or the world's wealthiest person giving up everything to dwell in a cardboard box. Even these comparisons fall woefully short of capturing Jesus's sacrifice. He left the perfection of heaven to enter our fallen, broken world. He exchanged perpetual worship for mockery and insults. He traded the fellowship of the Trinity for the company of sinners.
All for us. All for love.
Philippians 2:7 continues: "But emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." The Greek word used here is doulos—bond servant, the lowest of the low, a slave devoted entirely to another's will with complete disregard for personal interest.
Jesus unwrapped every privilege and right that belonged to Him. He left heaven's absolute security to have His life threatened by King Herod. He came from being the Creator and Sustainer of life to experience death. He descended from glory to serve rather than be served. As Jesus Himself declared in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many."
The King of Kings became a servant. The Lord of Lords washed feet. The Almighty God humbled Himself to the point of obedience, even obedience unto death.
The passage continues “And being found in the human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8).
The God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, who possesses everything in heaven and earth, unwrapped Himself from all His heavenly possessions. He entered our world through a poor family, born in a borrowed stable, laid in a feeding trough, wrapped in simple cloths.
Most of us possess more material wealth than Jesus had at His birth. He lived a life of poverty so complete that He once said, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
But what could possibly motivate such staggering sacrifice? The answer is both simple and profound: joy.
Hebrews 12:2 reveals this mystery: "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Jesus wasn't happy about the cross. In Gethsemane, He prayed for another way. But He was joyful about what the cross would accomplish—the salvation of humanity, the demonstration of God's grace, the opening of heaven's gates to all who would believe.
This joy wasn't emotional giddiness about suffering. It was the deep, abiding joy that comes from knowing His sacrifice would result in countless souls receiving God's grace. The Greek word used here shares its root with charis—grace. When one receives God's grace, joy is the natural byproduct.
So what are we suppose to do with this information? Philippians 2:5 commands us: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." We are called to follow Christ's example, to unwrap ourselves just as He did.
The apostle Paul modeled this beautifully. In 1 Corinthians 9:22, he writes, "I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." Paul unwrapped his position as a Pharisee, his privileges as a Jew, and his possessions for one purpose: sharing the gospel.
What positions are we clinging to that prevent us from effectively sharing Christ? What privileges do we refuse to surrender? What possessions do we hoard when others desperately need to hear the good news?
This Christmas, Americans will spend over $630 billion on gifts—an average of $460 per person. There's nothing inherently wrong with gift-giving. But perhaps we should unwrap a few less presents at home so others can unwrap a loaf of bread, a warm blanket, or most importantly, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The idea of unwrapping ourselves isn't popular in our comfort-driven culture. Making sacrifices feels counterintuitive. But when we follow Christ's example—when we unwrap our positions, privileges, and possessions for the sake of the gospel—we discover the same indescribable joy that motivated Jesus.
The most exciting aspect of unwrapping gifts is the anticipation and joy. But unwrapping ourselves so others can unwrap Jesus? That's the greatest present of all.
This Christmas, will you unwrap yourself for Him? He's already unwrapped Himself for you. The gift has been given, fully exposed, holding nothing back. Now the question remains: will you receive it? And having received it, will you give it away?
The choice is yours. The season is now. And the world needs it more than ever before.
Merry CHRISTmas
Dr. Christopher Young
The story of the wise men visiting the infant Jesus offers an intriguing detail often overlooked: nowhere in Scripture does it mention that the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were wrapped. These precious offerings were presented openly, without concealment or decoration. This simple observation opens a profound truth about God's ultimate gift to humanity—Jesus Christ came to us unwrapped, fully exposed, holding nothing back.
James reminds us that "every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights." Throughout Scripture, we see God's generous nature on display. He gave Adam and Eve covering for their shame, Noah plans for the ark, Moses power to work miracles, and prophets the promise of a coming Messiah. He gave shepherds an angelic announcement, wise men a guiding star, and Joseph the patience to understand miraculous circumstances.
But His greatest gift? Peace incarnate. The Prince of Peace himself.
In 2 Corinthians 9:15, Paul writes, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." This gift is so magnificent, so beyond human comprehension, that words fail to capture its full meaning. Yet to truly appreciate this indescribable gift, we must understand what Jesus unwrapped to give it to us.
Philippians 2:6 tells us that Jesus, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped." Think about that for a moment. Jesus possessed the highest position imaginable—seated at the right hand of God the Father, worshipped continuously by angels, dwelling in the splendor of heaven.
Yet He willingly unwrapped Himself from all of that glory.
Imagine the President of the United States choosing to live homeless on the streets, or the world's wealthiest person giving up everything to dwell in a cardboard box. Even these comparisons fall woefully short of capturing Jesus's sacrifice. He left the perfection of heaven to enter our fallen, broken world. He exchanged perpetual worship for mockery and insults. He traded the fellowship of the Trinity for the company of sinners.
All for us. All for love.
Philippians 2:7 continues: "But emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." The Greek word used here is doulos—bond servant, the lowest of the low, a slave devoted entirely to another's will with complete disregard for personal interest.
Jesus unwrapped every privilege and right that belonged to Him. He left heaven's absolute security to have His life threatened by King Herod. He came from being the Creator and Sustainer of life to experience death. He descended from glory to serve rather than be served. As Jesus Himself declared in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many."
The King of Kings became a servant. The Lord of Lords washed feet. The Almighty God humbled Himself to the point of obedience, even obedience unto death.
The passage continues “And being found in the human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8).
The God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, who possesses everything in heaven and earth, unwrapped Himself from all His heavenly possessions. He entered our world through a poor family, born in a borrowed stable, laid in a feeding trough, wrapped in simple cloths.
Most of us possess more material wealth than Jesus had at His birth. He lived a life of poverty so complete that He once said, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
But what could possibly motivate such staggering sacrifice? The answer is both simple and profound: joy.
Hebrews 12:2 reveals this mystery: "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Jesus wasn't happy about the cross. In Gethsemane, He prayed for another way. But He was joyful about what the cross would accomplish—the salvation of humanity, the demonstration of God's grace, the opening of heaven's gates to all who would believe.
This joy wasn't emotional giddiness about suffering. It was the deep, abiding joy that comes from knowing His sacrifice would result in countless souls receiving God's grace. The Greek word used here shares its root with charis—grace. When one receives God's grace, joy is the natural byproduct.
So what are we suppose to do with this information? Philippians 2:5 commands us: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." We are called to follow Christ's example, to unwrap ourselves just as He did.
The apostle Paul modeled this beautifully. In 1 Corinthians 9:22, he writes, "I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." Paul unwrapped his position as a Pharisee, his privileges as a Jew, and his possessions for one purpose: sharing the gospel.
What positions are we clinging to that prevent us from effectively sharing Christ? What privileges do we refuse to surrender? What possessions do we hoard when others desperately need to hear the good news?
This Christmas, Americans will spend over $630 billion on gifts—an average of $460 per person. There's nothing inherently wrong with gift-giving. But perhaps we should unwrap a few less presents at home so others can unwrap a loaf of bread, a warm blanket, or most importantly, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The idea of unwrapping ourselves isn't popular in our comfort-driven culture. Making sacrifices feels counterintuitive. But when we follow Christ's example—when we unwrap our positions, privileges, and possessions for the sake of the gospel—we discover the same indescribable joy that motivated Jesus.
The most exciting aspect of unwrapping gifts is the anticipation and joy. But unwrapping ourselves so others can unwrap Jesus? That's the greatest present of all.
This Christmas, will you unwrap yourself for Him? He's already unwrapped Himself for you. The gift has been given, fully exposed, holding nothing back. Now the question remains: will you receive it? And having received it, will you give it away?
The choice is yours. The season is now. And the world needs it more than ever before.
Merry CHRISTmas
Dr. Christopher Young
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