The Hidden Gift: Birth of Jesus Christ

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. – Matthew 1:18 

 It was the greatest gift ever given!  It was the most valuable and rare gift known to man.  It sparked gift-giving for millenniums to come. But it was hidden so well that no one spotted it until it was miraculously announced to them.  Even then, it was hard to believe. Since the story is not told nearly as often as it used to be, maybe we should glance back at the historic events that changed the entire world – to the extent that we measure all time with reference to the coming of this one hidden Gift. 

Luke records the birth of Jesus Christ:

“… because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.  And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.  That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said.

“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”  When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.  After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.  All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.  (Luke 2:4-19 NLT)

 God’s greatest gift to us was the gift of himself in shoe leather.  He came as a baby, hidden in a cave.  The way He came speaks volumes about who God is and how he thinks.  Here are just a few observations you may have spotted in this account:

  • God doesn’t need approval or the help of the rich and famous.
  • God uses ordinary people, but often asks them to take extraordinary risks.
  • God shares his plans with unimportant and obscure blue collar workers.
  • People who recognize a valuable gift will wrap it carefully and care for it.
  • People who believe in the supernatural will have amazing experiences.
  • People who experience God’s gifts will praise and glorify God.
  • God is so confident, He will hide Himself from the proud or self-involved and offer himself to humble believers.

Sometimes the best things in life are hidden. Sometimes the best celebrations are private.  This Christmas may be challenging like the first one was for Jesus’ parents, but you will find God’s hidden treasures if you search diligently and believe.