The Gifts That Jesus Brings

Children's Sermon: The Gifts That Jesus Brings (Matthew 11:2-11)

Look at this calendar! Can you believe it? We are only a few days from Christmas! (Count the days remaining until Christmas.) Have you finished all of your Christmas shopping? I haven’t!

I’m hoping that you can help me figure out what some of the most popular gifts are this year. Will you help me?

Raise your hand if you’re hoping to get a doll or stuffed animal for a Christmas gift.

Raise your hand if you’re hoping to get a super-hero toy for a Christmas gift.

Raise your hand if you’re hoping to get an electronics or techy toy for a Christmas gift.

Raise your hand if you’re hoping to get socks for a Christmas gift.

Those are a lot of gifts that we’re all hoping for--except for the socks. Thanks for helping me.

Those may be some of the most popular gifts that children will find under their Christmas tree this year, but they don't compare with the gifts we receive from the Christ of Christmas.

In our Bible lesson today we learn that John, even though he was in prison, was hearing about all the wonderful things Jesus was doing. He sent a message to Jesus by some of his friends. "Ask Jesus if he is the Messiah we have been expecting, or should we continue to watch for someone else?"

When they asked Jesus that question, he answered, “Go back to John and tell him about the things you hear and see: The blind can see. The crippled can walk. People with harmful skin diseases are healed. The deaf can hear. The dead are raised to life. And the Good News is told to the poor.” 

If you were blind, what better gift could you receive than to be able to see? If you were crippled, what better gift could you receive than to be able to walk? If you were dead, what better gift could you receive than the gift of life? Jesus is God’s gift to us. Jesus came to earth to give us life -- eternal life! What a gift!

Dear God, thank You for Jesus! We know that every good gift we receive comes from you and the greatest gift is eternal life brought down to us through your Son. Father, we thank you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.