His Name Shall Be Called (Christmas)

Isaiah 9:1–7

The habit of giving gifts at Christmas reminds us of a deep truth – Jesus Christ wasn’t just born, he was given to us, like a present from God. This idea makes us think about how loving and generous God is, and how we should respond to this amazing gift. Thinking of Jesus as a present can help us better understand both God and ourselves.

1. This gift is a surprise because it comes in weakness

Jesus, the surprise gift, doesn’t fit the world’s idea of a strong savior. Instead, he chose a life of humility and sacrifice. Some people don’t accept him because they expected a Messiah to fix all their outward problems. But the real problem is inside each of us – we all need forgiveness and freedom from sin. A true Christian knows that Jesus is the gift we need most, no matter what we thought we wanted.

2. Because Jesus is a gift, Christian religion is all of grace

Christianity is a religion of grace, which means we don’t earn God’s love or acceptance by doing good things – it’s a gift given to us through Jesus. This is different from other religions that act like a job, where you have to do certain things to be accepted by God. The hard part is accepting Jesus’s gift, and how we respond to this gift shows a lot about who we are and how we’re growing.