Do Not Lose Sight of the Message of Christmas

At Christmas, my office organises a series of fund-raising events for charity. One of these was a quiz which had a question 'who brought the Baby Jesus Frankincense'?

Imagine my horror when I was asked by a number of people for the answer. I would have expected this to be one of the easier questions in the quiz. Of course the answer is the 'Wise Men' or the 'Magi' as they are called in Matthew's Gospel.

Yet these people who could not answer a fundamental question on the significance of Christmas, were busy decorating their desks with tinsel, giving out Christmas cards and talking about the office Christmas party.

Message of Christ Forgotten?

Has the message of the Birth of Christ been forgotten in the rush to get organised for Christmas, ensuring the presents are bought and wrapped and the food and drink ordered for the 'big day'?

Judging from the above example, it seems to be true in my office.

Wise Men

So, who were these Wise Men? Their names are not mentioned in either Matthew or Luke's Gospels. It is generally thought that there were three of them but this is not confirmed in the Gospels.

In Matthew ch2 it says that the Magi came from the East to Jerusalem to worship Jesus They followed a star which led them to the infant. Verse 11 says:

'On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh'.

Gifts of the Wise Men

The gifts they gave have significance. Gold is a precious metal which is soft and pliable and can survive fire. It is expensive and traditionally given to kings, representing Christ's role as a King.

Frankincense was added to the incense mixture burned in the temple in Jerusalem and represents Christ's priestship and importance in worship.

Myrrh is an embalming oil and represents the suffering and death of Christ. In other words, these were not any old gifts, but ones chosen with thought and care. Reflect on Message of Christmas

Christmas is not just about buying and receiving presents – it's also about the birth, life and death of Jesus. When getting caught up in all the excitement this festive season, don't forget the true message of Christmas.What will you be reflecting on this Christmas?

Shared by Jane Knox