The Magi followed the star to see Jesus. When they found Him, they worshiped Him and gave Him prophetic gifts, which I call "the first Christmas gifts." Here are my thoughts on these gifts:
I. Wealth (Gold) A. It is true that Jesus had "nowhere to lay His head..." Jesus lived a simple life that did not reflect earthly wealth. B. The Bible reminds us that as God, Jesus had wealth far beyond what gold represented. Two examples are given in Psalm 50:9-12 and Colossians 1:16-17. C. The seeming paradox of Jesus is that though Jesus "had nowhere to lay His head, Jesus was really wealthy beyond any wealth that people can have. II. Worship (Frankincense) A. Frankincense was used in worship as a "sweet smelling savor..." B. In Matthew 2:2 and 11, the magi practiced what this gift prophetically reflected, i.e., that Jesus is worthy of worship, and that He is our focus in worship both personally and corporately. C. We should worship Him now, and we will worship Him throughout eternity. III. Weeping (Myrrh) A. Myrrh was used in burials, reminding us that Jesus came to die for us in order to forgive us for our sins. B. This is magnificently illustrated in Matthew 26:6-13. C. Myrrh reminds us that Jesus died as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, and as a substitute for us. He took the wrath of God for us. The gifts of the Magi predict the meaning of the life of Jesus. He is wealthy, as God is wealthy. He is worthy of our worship and devotion. We are to never forget that He died for us.
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