The Perfect Gift

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Tis the season for gift giving ... but what to give? At this time of year, conscientious shoppers scour the malls and specialty shops for the perfect gifts for those on their list. The real "perfect gift" though was Jesus. Never before or after has there ever been such a wondrous gift exchange. As we give thanks to God for giving His Son, let's think about why Jesus was the perfect gift.

•    When choosing a gift, we often try to select a present that will fulfill a need of the recipient. Oh how we needed God's gift of a savior - Jesus Christ!

•    We also look for a gift that will show the giver's love, friendship or good will. The ultimate love of the Father for His fallen children was manifested in His willingness to give His own Son. I Jn. 3:1-3

•    We try to select a gift that will bring joy and happiness to the person who receives it. Certainly, we can sing with all sincerity "Joy to the world, the Lord is come!" Joy unspeakable and full of glory!

Jesus was both perfect (Heb. 4:15 & 5:9; II Cor. 5:21) and the perfect gift! He satisfied all of the objectives above. Here are a few reasons why He was the perfect gift:

1.   He offered deliverance from the curse of sin (Gen. 3:15; Gal. 3:13)

2.   He fulfilled His Father's will (Lu. 2:49; Jn. 6:38)

3.   He came to seek and save us (Lu. 19:10)

4.   He came to destroy the works of Satan (I Jn. 3:8)

5.   He became a merciful and faithful high priest (Heb. 2:17)

6.   He became our mediator (I Tim. 2:5)

7.   He fulfilled the law (Mt. 5:17-18)

8.   He came to give us abundant life (Jn. 10:10, 28)

9.   He came to reconcile us back to God (II Cor. 5:18)

10. He came to bring us perfection (Heb. 10:14)

11. He is our source of joy (Lu. 2:10-11; I Jn. 1:8)

12. He is our source of peace (Jn. 14:27)

II Cor. 9:15 - Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!