- The Gifts We Bring
- No comments
Devotion by Brett & Karlee Harbaugh
Download CBC’s Advent Devotional, The Gifts We Bring
When the Magi arrive to see Jesus, they come to present gifts to the King. Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Myrrh may be the last item listed; however, it might be the most significant gift to foreshadow the sacrifice Jesus would later make on the cross.
Historically, the use of myrrh dates to the Old Testament when the Israelites would use myrrh as a holy anointing oil for priests before entering the holy of holies to perform sacrifices. When Jesus was born, myrrh had a greater value than gold. It was used as a perfume, immune system support, and a key ingredient in embalming liquid to prepare a body for burial. I don’t think embalming liquid appears on the top of a baby shower registry in society today. Right? I think I would be pretty freaked out if it did! Although myrrh may have these uses, it was probably not what the Magi intended it to mean. Why would the Magi unintentionally remind Mary and Joseph that in roughly 30 years, they would lose their son? Perhaps God used this gift as a reminder about Jesus’ true calling on earth: to rescue us from our sins through His death and resurrection. (Isaiah 53)
In (Mark 15:23), as Jesus hung on the cross, he was offered wine mixed with myrrh. In (John 19:39-40) we see those who came to bury Jesus bring myrrh for part of the embalming process after his death. So, throughout Jesus’ life, the gift of myrrh comes full circle. The Magi present it to him at his birth. He is offered a taste right before he dies, then is embalmed in it after his death. So, as we prepare our hearts for this Advent season, let’s focus on Jesus’s sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:1-18). Christ’s sacrifice once and for all. “I have come to do your will, O God,” “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
God’s rescue mission to give us an eternal relationship with Him began with the birth of Jesus, was symbolized by the Magi’s gift of myrrh, and ended with Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Jesus was born to die, and He was born to die for us (Matt. 1:21). We can never fully appreciate the birth of Christ unless we see it through the lens of the cross. Christmas is ultimately about Christ’s love, seen most clearly in His sacrifice for us.
Discussion Guide
- Share a story of a gift you gave someone else, and the person responded, “Well, it’s the thought that counts.”
- As you reflect on the passage from Matthew and this week’s devotional, what do you hear God say? Where do you see God at work?
- This week’s devotional spoke of the sacrifice of Jesus. How does the cross narrative shape or reshape your perspective of the birth narrative of Jesus?
- The Christ child would one day grow and offer himself as a sacrifice, once and for all, for all people. What does it mean for you that the sacrifice of Jesus was enough, and there is no more sacrifice needed from you, just your faith and trust?