Gifts Are Good
Thesis While all good gifts come from God and giving gifts is good, Jesus himself is the best gift ever given because he offers us forgiveness and eternal life.
The shape of the argument
7 units across exposition, application, illustration, theological claim, and conclusion. The pastor's argument is built from these moving parts.
- personal story · unit #2 — The pastor creates a participatory moment by asking children and one adult to share Christmas gifts they received. This serves as a relatable entry point into the sermon's theme about the goodness of gifts and sets a celebratory, interactive tone.
- Gifts are good, as demonstrated by the valuable and precious nature of the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus. unit #5
- Every good gift comes from God, who created all the raw materials of creation, whether the gift comes through natural creation or human creativity and labor. unit #6
Full transcript
0 · The pastor opens by commenting on a children's Christmas video, creates anticipation for the sermon's participatory elements, and frames the service as celebratory and interactive
Oh man, my favorite's when the kid says, "Then there was Jovis." That's the most adorable mispronunciation of Joseph I've ever heard. Oh man, the star was hilarious, huh? That's great. So, okay, hey, where's Alec? Alec has the mic?
You got the handheld? Okay, so we're gonna read the story of the wise men today. We're gonna finish that. I'm gonna ask some kids some questions in a minute, and then at the very end, kids, you have a super fun part. You're gonna help me read the end of the story, and then just like in the video, we're gonna have a party at the end.
As we sing Joy to the World. Does that sound fun? Oh, and then at the very, very end, you might get a treat. So aren't you glad you came to church on Christmas? Christmas church is so fun.
It's so good. All right, so if you do have a Bible, we're going to read the end of the story of the wise men in Matthew chapter 2, Matthew chapter 2, verses 9 through 12. And this is God's word.
1 · The pastor reads Matthew 2:9-12, the account of the wise men finding Jesus, worshiping him, and presenting their gifts before departing by another route
After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. This is God's word.
2 · The pastor creates a participatory moment by asking children and one adult to share Christmas gifts they received
Well, to start off, I need a couple volunteer kids who are willing to tell me one thing they got for Christmas. So keep your hand up. I'm gonna use a few folks. Do you have the mic, Alec? Do you mind running it to— let's run it to Mr. Kansas City Chiefs right here.
What was one thing you got for Christmas, buddy?
Nothing? Something? A car? The shirt. A shirt?
You got that shirt? Oh, that's awesome. Go Chiefs. This is a Chiefs section, I guess. Okay, that's all right.
What about back here? He got his hand up first. Mr. Small Wilkins in the back row. Oliver, what was one thing you got for Christmas? A Sonic skateboard.
Whoa, a Sonic skateboard? That is pretty cool. Is your daddy gonna teach you tricks on it? Is he gonna do it at church? Yeah, Mr. Bobby's gonna come and teach the kids tricks and how to grind off of the front of the church.
It's great. Okay, need one more, one more kid. A girl. How about somebody in this last section, Alec? One kid to tell us something they got for Christmas.
One kid.
I got a Panda pajamas. Panda pajamas, yes. I thought, I will say this, I thought you said you got a panda and I was like, wow, I got a lot of questions about that. Where's he gonna live? What's he gonna do?
All right, and then I need one last one, Alec. I need an adult who doesn't want to to tell us something they got for Christmas. Look for somebody, maybe over here. Somebody tell us one adult thing. Oh, oh, Brent, what's one?
Did you get anything for Christmas, Brent? An ice maker. An ice maker. All right.
That— listen, man, the stuff you get excited about changes as you grow up. You're like, this thing's finally going to work. It's great.
3 · The pastor announces the sermon's actual focus: developing a biblical theology of gift-giving using the wise men's story
Okay, so we're going to finish the story of the wise men today, but what we're really going to do for just a very brief second is talk about a theology of Christmas presents. Doesn't that sound fun?
How does the Bible tell us how to think about gifts, and how do we see that from the story of the wise men?
4 · The pastor corrects a common misconception about the wise men's identity, provides context from a previous sermon, and signals the sermon's three-part structure
Now, as we talked about last week, the wise men were a little different than maybe in the video, or in— we don't endorse every theological accuracy in the video necessarily. It's put on by children, so this is their best recollection of the Christmas story. But these wise men were really astrologers or magicians, and they came all the way to find Jesus, and they brought these gifts. And so for 3 things we'll learn today.
5 · The pastor establishes the first major claim: gifts are inherently good
First, gifts are good. Anybody who got a Christmas present, would you agree, thumbs up, gifts are good? Gifts can be great. The gifts that the wise men give him are very valuable. The first is gold.
It's just gold. I mean, I don't know any culture that that's not, like, awesome. It's just straight up gold, that's the first thing. And then frankincense is this precious resin that was used in places like the temple, and myrrh was used in incense and perfume. It smelled very expensive.
Actually, I was just talking, my uncle and his wife sent me some candles that are, one's frankincense kind of scented and one's myrrh scented. And Ingrid was just sharing, as soon as you walk over near it, you can smell it. And the best way I can describe it is, it smells expensive, right? It just, you walk into the room, you're like, ooh, this room, something here is expensive, you know? That's what they brought to Jesus.
Recent preaching context
The three sermons immediately preceding this one in the preaching schedule.
Discuss · apply · pray
6 questions for your group this week
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What do you notice about the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus in Matthew 2:9-12? What do these particular gifts tell us about how they understood who Jesus was?Matthew 2:9-12→ Why do you think Matthew included the specific detail about what gifts were given rather than just saying 'they brought gifts'?
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According to James 1:17, every good gift comes from God. When you think about a gift you've given or received recently, how does recognizing God as the source change the way you see that gift?James 1:17
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The sermon argues that giving gifts reflects God's generous nature. In what ways does the act of giving a gift—whether it's your money, time, or creativity—actually display something true about who God is?→ What does it say about our hearts if we give gifts grudgingly or with hidden expectations?
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Where do you find yourself tempted to believe that a gift—whether something you receive or something you give—will satisfy a deeper longing in your life that only Jesus can meet?
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The sermon says that Jesus is the best gift ever given because he offers us forgiveness and eternal life. How does understanding Jesus as a gift—something we receive rather than earn—change the way you relate to your own salvation?→ How would your Christmas celebration look different this week if you approached it as receiving the gift of Jesus rather than just exchanging material gifts?
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As you think about giving gifts to others in your life right now, how could you give in a way that points them toward Jesus as the ultimate gift?→ What would it look like to give a gift not as a transaction or obligation, but as a reflection of God's generous character?
5-day reading plan
This week we trace how the wise men's gifts point us to the one gift that matters most—Jesus himself, who came to give us forgiveness and eternal life.
When the wise men opened their treasures and gave gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child, they were giving back what had always belonged to God. James reminds us this week that every good gift—whether precious metals pulled from the earth, spices grown in distant lands, or the talents and labor we invest in gifts for others—originates in the hand of our Father. Before we can give anything, we must first receive from him.
The wise men did not arrive empty-handed. They fell down and worshiped the child, and then they opened their treasures. Their giving was an overflow of devotion, not obligation. When we give gifts to those we love, we are imitating the God who gives—we are showing with our hands and our resources that this person matters, that they are worth the gift we bring. Generosity is not constraint; it is the language of love.
Every gift we have ever received—the warmth of family, the provision of daily bread, the talents we were born with, even the people we love—comes from the Father of lights. He does not give grudgingly or withdraw his hand. When we receive a gift this Christmas season, we are being invited to recognize the giver behind every good gift: a God who loves us enough to bless us with abundance. This is what it means to say that gifts are good—they are proof of a good God.
The star led the wise men. Their hearts burned with longing. They traveled far, asked hard questions, and when they found the child, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Then they worshiped and gave. This is what it looks like to truly receive a gift: not passively, but with hunger, with seeking, with the willingness to be changed by what we find. How do we receive Jesus? With the same whole-hearted devotion the wise men showed—acknowledging that he is worth everything, and that knowing him is better than gold.
The wise men brought precious gifts to a child, but that child was God himself, come to live and die and rise for our salvation. No gift we give or receive this season compares to what Jesus gave us: his life for our sins, his forgiveness for our shame, his resurrection life for our eternity. This Christmas, as we open presents and give thanks for good gifts, let us remember the greatest gift—the one that cost everything and gives us everything. Jesus is the gift we needed most, and he came for us.
The Gift That Gives Forever
Father, we gather this Christmas morning to thank you for the gift of your Son. You are the giver of every good gift—the gold and frankincense and myrrh, the raw materials of creation itself, the skills and love that move our hands to give to one another. We adore you for your generosity, and we confess that we often receive your gifts with a divided heart, treasuring the wrapping more than remembering the giver. We wrap ourselves in what is temporal and forget what is eternal. We receive presents with joy and then set them aside, forgetting that they point us back to you (James 1:17).
But here is the good news we celebrate today: Jesus himself—the giver made flesh—came as the greatest gift ever given. He did not come wrapped in gold alone; he came to lay down his life for our sins, to offer us forgiveness and eternal life, to rescue us from death itself. Where every other gift will fade and break and be forgotten, Jesus gives us a relationship with you that cannot be lost, a kingdom that cannot be shaken, a hope that will never disappoint us.
Father, grant us the grace this week to receive this gift with open hands and grateful hearts. Teach us to give to one another not out of obligation or comparison, but out of joy—knowing that every good gift we offer reflects your character and points others toward Jesus. Help us to see in every wrapped present a small echo of the scandal of your love. And when the season fades, when the decorations come down and the year turns, bind us to the one gift that lasts forever. We commit ourselves to Jesus, the best gift, today and always. Amen.
What's the Best Gift You've Ever Received?
After dinner, invite each person at the table to name one gift they've received that meant a lot to them—not necessarily the most expensive, but the one that mattered most. Listen for what made it meaningful (who gave it, what it represented, how it changed something). Then gently turn the conversation toward Jesus as the gift that changed everything.
Tonight, let's think about gifts. You can pick any gift you've ever gotten—a toy, a book, something someone made for you, anything. Tell us what it was and why it mattered to you. What made it special? And here's the thing: the wise men brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh because they knew he was the most important person who ever lived. But here's the question: What gift did Jesus bring to us?
The Gift We Give Each Other
- What gift—material or otherwise—have you received from each other this year that pointed you toward Jesus?
- Where do we tend to make gift-giving or receiving about what we want rather than about worshiping Christ together?
- How can we pray for each other to receive Jesus himself—not just his gifts—as the treasure of our marriage this week?
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Why this verse: This verse captures the sermon's central theological claim: all good gifts originate from God's character and provision. It anchors Christmas gift-giving in the doctrine of God's generous nature, preparing the listener to receive Jesus himself as the ultimate gift.
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# Cross of Grace Church A church preaching expository sermons through the books of the Bible. ## Sermons - [Stop Vandalizing Art (Ephesians 4:1-6, 2022-11-20)](/CoGElPaso/sermons/2022/11/stop-vandalizing-art) - [New Year, New You (Ephesians 4:17-24, 2022-12-11)](/CoGElPaso/sermons/2022/12/new-year-new-you) - [Come and Behold Him (Matthew 2:1-10, 2022-12-18)](/CoGElPaso/sermons/2022/12/come-and-behold-him) - [Gifts Are Good (Matthew 2:9-12, 2022-12-25)](/CoGElPaso/sermons/2022/12/gifts-are-good) ## About - [About the church](/about) - [Plan a visit](/visit)
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