Why was Gold, Incense, & Myrrh was the first Christmas Gift to Jesus

Usually when we go to visit a newly born baby we give the gifts required for the baby, like toys, new clothes for the baby etc, but the wise men brought gifts of gold, Frankincense, and myrrh. It may be very strange for us but I am very sure that the wise men were guided by the Holy Spirit to give Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh (Math 2:11). Gold was usually given to the king in those days. Frankincense was usually given to the priest. Myrrh was usually given to embalm the dead body. Why was these gifts given to baby Jesus?

 

Gold—His Sovereign Dominion

Usually Gold was a gift presented to a king. It was the most precious metal and it symbolized royalty. The wise men recognized that this baby who was born in a manger was no ordinary baby but He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev 17:14), the wise men knew this baby was God, and they fell down in worship of Him. Isaiah 9:6 states clearly, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Jesus was not only born a king, He was God in human flesh. (Luke 1:31-33) 

 

Frankincense— His priestly Ministry

Frankincense was also a significant gift. It was used in the temple worship. It was mixed with the oil that was used to anoint the priests of Israel. It was part of the meal offerings that were offerings of thanksgiving and praise to God. In presenting this gift the wise men pointed to Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest, and will be seated at the right hand of the heavenly father as son of God, as the savior of the whole world and as the Great High Priest, that is why Jesus said what ever you want you ask in my name and the Heavenly father will give unto you. (Heb 4:14-16, 5:1-10, Mark 16:19, Luke 22:69, Acts 4:12, John 14:6-21) 

 

Myrrh—His Sacrificial Death

Myrrh was a valuable substance that was used to embalm the dead body. Wise men gave this as gift because they recognized that this little one was born to die as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In the old testament people of Israel used to sacrifice a lamb for the sins of the whole family, but Heavenly father sacrificed His son Jesus as the Lamb of God for the sins of the people of this world (John 1:29, Math 27:45-54), in the sight of God all the people of this world are His children immaterial of which country or religion they belong to, and we all belong to the family of God because every one came from Adam and Eve (Gen 2:27-28), hence John 3:16 says “God so loved all the people of this world, He gave His only son Jesus, so that every one who believes in Him may not perish in hell but have everlasting life in heaven with Jesus.

 

The wise men gave Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to Jesus, what are you planning to give to Jesus this Christmas

 

The star showed the way to the wise men to the manger where Jesus was born to celebrate the first Christmas, (Math 2:9) you too can become the living star to tell the world what is Christmas this may be the best gift that you can give to Jesus.

 

The true meaning of Christmas is divine love. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love. Jesus was born in the human form through Blessed Virgin Mary, but Jesus was in heaven before Mother Mary was born and even before the world was created, all things were created through Him, Jesus is in the bosom of the heavenly father and the father is in Him, Jesus is the Image of the Invisible Heavenly father God Almighty. (please read John 1:1-4, John 14:7-12, John 17:5, Col 1:15-17, Rev 1:8,).

 

I thought Christmas is a season to enjoy life with drinks, dance and parties, but God the creator of Heaven and Earth opened my spiritual eyes to understand what is Christmas. When I was doing my Engineering in 1979, one afternoon around 3 pm JESUS appeared to me and anointed me with His power and told me to read the Holy Bible, after this great Divine encounter I completed reading the full Bible within 19 days, one day during my prayer Jesus directed me to Acts 26:18 and said that He will send me around the world to save millions from darkness to eternal light, from power of Satan to power of God which leads the people to everlasting life, from then on for the past 36 years the Lord took me to more than 45 countries including USA, Russia and China,

 

The real Christmas story is the story of God becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior! to save the people of this world, (John 1:29) Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself. (1john 4:8-12) The true meaning of Christmas is love. God loved His own and provided a way—the only Way—for us to spend eternity with Him. (John14:6) He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sin. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Isa 53:4-6, Romans 5:8).

 

Why do we celebrate Christmas each year?

Out of gratitude for what God did for us, we remember His birth by worshiping Him, giving each other gifts, decorating the house with crib, star, color papers and buying new dresses etc.   It is very easy to give cakes, sweets etc to our friends and neighbors as gifts, but what type of gifts dose God wants you to give to others, gift of love & forgiveness to whom we hate, gift of care and concern to our family members specially to our parents who are old, gift of sharing food, clothes & shelter to the hungry, naked & homeless, (Isa 58:6-8)

 

Christmas is one of the greatest event in the world history, being the celebration of the greatest gift ever given by God to mankind. That gift was Jesus, the Son of God Himself, born into this world in human form and coming to live among us to show us the true nature of God, experience human joy and sorrow along with us, and finally, going of His own will to die a horrible, agonizing death on the cross. In this way the price was paid for all human sin that had cut us off from our Holy God and Heavenly Father, resulting in our complete and total reconciliation with Him.

 

How should we celebrate Christmas?

The first Christmas was celebrated by Mother Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and wise men with real baby Jesus in their midst, by praising and worshiping God for the gift of Jesus the savior of the world, there was no drinks, no dance, and no cakes (Mathew 2:11, Luke 2:20) but today Christmas has become more of celebration with drinks, dance and parties setting a very bad example to the world this is the work of the devil. Jesus who was born in Bethlehem in a manger (Luke 2:4-7) must be born in our hearts so that we can experience Him every day in our life, the manger was a dirty place where many cattle used to live, but today it has become the holiest place because of the birth of Jesus, in the same way If Jesus is born in our heart our heart, mind, body and soul will become Holy and will become the tabernacle of God (Mark 12:30, 1corinth 3:16). By God’s grace the government of Israel has nominated me as the "Good Will Ambassador of Israel" and I have gone many times to Israel to preach the Gospel of Christ Jesus and have celebrated Christmas in Bethlehem, and have preached from the very same place where the apostles of Jesus preached the Gospel, which is a great experience.

 

The star showed the way to the wise men and they were overjoyed and worshiped Jesus and went with great joy, peace, happiness and blessings (Math 2:10-11, Luke 2:20) today millions of people do not know Jesus, they are living in sin, sickness, sorrow, broken in heart, depressed, disappointed have become slaves to drinks, drugs, pornography, bad habits, filled with hatred, vengeance, grudges, anger, lust and evil possessed. We need a star to direct them to Jesus and surely you can be that star to guide your family, friends and many people to Jesus to receive Blessings from Him.

 

Why do we sing Christmas carols, 

Christmas is a time and a season of singing carols, what do we sing and to whom we sing?  The first carol singing was done by the Angels to the Shepherds who never knew about Jesus, later they found Jesus and rejoiced, most of the Christians are singing Christmas carols to another Christian, what is carol singing Angel told the shepherds “fear not I proclaim to you good news of great Joy, peace and salvation as the savior of the world in born” (Luke 2:8-14) Carol singing means to tell about Jesus who do not know Him, not just singing some songs like jingle bells, jingle bells, proclaiming the Gospel of Christ Jesus that is His birth, death, resurrection, His second coming, eternal life and warning the people about sin, hell, devil and his activities and lead the people to repentance, confession and new life in Christ Jesus, (Proverb 28:13, 2Corinth 5:17, Math 28:18-20,Mark 16:15-18).

 

Jesus lives forever and ever.

So many great people like kings, politicians, Inventors and founders of religions were born and they died but Jesus lives even today and forever, the history of the world was divided after Jesus was born and not by birth of any worldly great people, that is why to know the history of the world we have to use AD or BC (before the birth of Christ or after the death of Christ) In the same way your life also must be divided as a testimony, how you lived before Jesus was born in your heart and how you are living now after Jesus is born in your heart, (2Corinth 5:17).

 

The message of Christmas and the cross is foolishness to those who are walking in the broad and worldly way which leads to hell, but the same message is the power of God for all those who are walking in the narrow Divine and Godly way which leads to heaven (1Corinth1:18, Mathew 7:13-14, Luke 16:19-31, Rev 20:14). Let us celebrate the Christmas the way Mother Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and wise men celebrated experiencing Jesus in our personal and family life, Wish you a blessed Christmas and a Christ centered New Year 2016.