Unwrapping Jesus: The Gift We Didn't Deserve

Devotional

Day 1: The cross reveals the costly price of salvation

The cross is not sentimental fluff but the painful payment that purchased peace for sinners; Jesus was pierced and crushed for our transgressions so that by his wounds we might be healed. Understanding the gruesome cost behind the gift helps one appreciate that the manger is not cheap sentiment but the arrival made possible by sacrifice. Remembering the price reshapes how one receives and lives in this undeserved gift. [40:02]

Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Reflection: When you picture the cross and the cost paid there, what one attitude, habit, or relationship will you stop treating as cheap or disposable, and what concrete step will you take this week to honor that cost?

Day 2: We were more broken and lost than we realized

All have gone astray like sheep; the reality is spiritual wandering, not mere moral imperfection—sin made people lost who needed rescue, not simply improvement. Recognizing that we were not “almost good” but in need of a Savior invites honest humility and dependence on Christ as the Good Shepherd. This clarity changes the posture with which one approaches Christmas: not self-improvement, but rescue received. [45:42]

Isaiah 53:6 (ESV)
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Reflection: Name one area where you have been “going your own way” this season; what is one practical step you can take this week to stop wandering and follow the Shepherd instead?

Day 3: God loved us and came while we were still sinners

God’s love moved toward people who were still rebelling—Christ died for the ungodly, not for those who had first cleaned up their lives. That kind of grace is unexpected and makes the gift of Jesus shocking: he came before any good work, not because of it. Receiving this truth frees one from the lie that God waits for performance before he offers salvation. [52:03]

Romans 5:8 (ESV)
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Reflection: Who in your life seems least deserving of grace right now? What one unexpected act of kindness or forgiveness could you offer them this week that reflects how Christ reached you?

Day 4: The perfect became sin so we might be righteous

Christ, who knew no sin, was counted as sin for our sake so that in him we might become the righteousness of God; the substitution is scandalous grace. This exchange requires a decision—“that we might”—so the invitation is to receive, not to manufacture, righteousness. Embracing that swap reshapes motives: good works become grateful responses, not bargaining chips. [48:46]

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Reflection: What prideful habit or self-made righteousness are you holding onto? What concrete action will you take this week to stop relying on it and rest in Christ’s righteousness instead?

Day 5: Salvation is a gift of grace, not the result of works

Salvation is received by grace through faith; it is not earned by effort or moral achievement, so nobody can boast in their own doing. This truth is hard to accept because believers often want to prove worthiness, but the call is to open hands and humbled hearts to receive the unexpected gift. When grace is truly received, it frees one to serve out of gratitude, not obligation. [54:50]

Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Reflection: Identify one area where you try to earn God’s approval (performance, volunteering, moral striving). What is one simple, concrete way you will practice receiving God’s grace instead of earning it this week?

Sermon Summary

This December I’m inviting us to unwrap Jesus from the cross to the cradle. I began with the language of gifts—how the unexpected ones land deepest—and then asked us to sit with the most unexpected gift of all: grace. You can’t really value a gift if you ignore its cost. Before there was a cradle, there was a plan; before Mary held a baby, heaven held a mission. Isaiah 53 refuses to let us sentimentalize Christmas: he was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. That’s not a Hallmark card, but it is the reason there’s a Christmas at all.

We faced our need first. We weren’t almost good, edging better day by day. Scripture says we were like sheep who wandered off; without Christ, we aren’t improving, we’re perishing. The problem isn’t that we needed moral polish; we needed rescue. That’s why the Father sent the Son—while we were still sinners. Jesus didn’t wait for us to clean up; he came because we couldn’t. At the cross, the innocent became sin for our sake so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. The manger is beautiful, but the cross was costly.

So how do we respond? Not by trying to pay God back. Salvation is by grace through faith—God’s gift, not our wage. A gift is not earned; it’s received with open hands and a humble heart. And once received, something shifts: we don’t serve in order to be loved; we serve because we are loved. We move from “I have to” to “I get to.”

Across the next weeks we’ll keep rewinding—from Calvary to the empty tomb, to his ministry and baptism, to Bethlehem—so that when we arrive at the cradle, we won’t treat it like spiritual cotton candy. We will feel the weight before we celebrate the wonder. And today, I extended two invitations: come to Jesus if you’ve been wandering, and let the church carry your burdens if you’re weary. He is the gift we did not deserve—and the only one that can’t be exhausted.

Key Takeaways

1. The cross explains Christmas best The cross shows what was finished; the cradle shows why he came. When I honor the cost, the gift no longer feels casual or seasonal—it becomes life-defining. Christmas clarity grows as Calvary comes into view. Wonder deepens when weight is felt. [42:51]
2. We weren’t bad—we were lost Isaiah says we wandered like sheep; that’s more than misbehavior, it’s dislocation from the Shepherd. Without Jesus we aren’t getting better, we’re slowly breaking ourselves. Rescue, not self-improvement, is the starting point of hope. Sanity begins when I admit I can’t save myself. [45:42]
3. Grace moves toward us first God didn’t wait until we behaved; he stepped toward us while we were still sinners. At the cross, the Innocent carried the guilty so the guilty could be called righteous. Grace is unjust in the best possible way—it gives me what Christ earned, not what I deserve. That’s why it humbles and frees at the same time. [48:46]
4. Salvation is received, not achieved You cannot buy or balance this ledger; Jesus already picked up the bill. Faith opens the hands; pride keeps them clenched. Works don’t earn grace—they express gratitude for it. When I receive, I’m set free to serve without striving. [54:50]
5. Let the cost shape your posture The blood of Jesus is the most expensive gift ever given. If I forget the price, I’ll treat forgiveness like a coupon; if I remember it, I’ll treat it like a covenant. Gratitude grows when the bill he paid comes into focus, and love naturally follows costliness. Love like that makes worship reasonable. [52:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:15] - Story: Unexpected gifts
[40:02] - Why start at the cross
[42:51] - Cross to cradle: the plan
[45:42] - Our true need, not “goodness”
[48:46] - For our sake: substitution
[52:03] - The costly gift of salvation
[54:50] - Grace is received, not earned
[57:01] - Calvary before Christmas
[59:17] - Invitation to respond
[65:35] - Community, caroling, and next steps

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Observation questions

What concrete images does Isaiah 53:5 use to describe what happened to the Servant? How do those images shape your first impressions of why the Servant came?
Isaiah speaks of being “pierced” and “crushed.” What actions or words in this message connect that language to the costliness of salvation? [52:03]
The Bible says “all we like sheep have gone astray.” In what ways does that description fit actual behaviors or decisions people justify as “not so bad”? [45:42]
The claim was made that “the cross explains Christmas better than Christmas explains the cross.” What does that statement point you to when you read Isaiah 53:5? [42:51]

Interpretation questions

What does it mean the Servant was pierced “for our transgressions” and crushed “for our iniquities”? How does substitutionary language (one suffering for many) change how one understands guilt and forgiveness? [48:46]
If the punishment that brought peace was “upon him,” what does that say about the nature of righteousness as a gift rather than something earned? How should that affect a person’s understanding of moral effort? [52:03]
The verse ends “with his wounds we are healed.” In what ways should spiritual healing change a person’s day‑to‑day priorities and relationships? [54:50]
The phrase “so that we might become the righteousness of God” implies a response. What internal obstacles might prevent someone from receiving that offered righteousness? [48:46]

Application questions

The cross is costly; remembering its price prevents a casual view of forgiveness. When have you treated forgiveness as less serious than it is? What specific step will you take this week to remember the cost (read Isaiah 53 again, pray, observe Communion, journal)? [52:03]
The Bible describes people as sheep who wander. Are there areas in your life where you’re drifting rather than following the Shepherd? Name one practical change you will make this week to stop wandering. [45:42]
Grace comes while people are still sinners. What keeps you from receiving grace with open hands (pride, guilt, self‑reliance)? What is one honest sentence you can say to God or a trusted friend that opens your hands this week? [54:50]
Receiving salvation frees a person to serve out of gratitude rather than obligation. Pick one concrete way you can move from “I have to” to “I get to” in the next seven days (help a neighbor, join a ministry, serve in a short‑term way). What will you do and when? [54:50]
The church is invited to carry burdens together. Is there a burden you have not shared because of shame or loneliness? Will you ask someone in the community to pray with you or meet with an elder this week? If yes, who will you contact and when? [59:17]
The series invites “calvary before Christmas” — feel the weight before the wonder. What is one new family or personal practice you can adopt this Advent to keep the cross central (a short daily reading, a weekly reflection on Isaiah 53, focused worship time)? [42:51]

Sermon Clips

but you can't appreciate a gift if you ignore the price right you ever get a gift that you just said that cost a lot of money right and you're just like wow that was unexpected and that gift cost a lot of money and you can appreciate a gift when you know the cost of itbut we can't appreciate the gift if we ignore the cost of that and so before there was a cradle there was a plan and before mary held that baby on that night that silent night heaven held a mission [00:40:46] (39 seconds) #KnowTheCostOfGrace

and so suddenly we watch these movies we get pulled back and you ask yourself how did we get there why did this happen what was the purpose behind all of this that's exactly what we're going to do in this series we're going to start at the cross the end of the mission and then we're going to hit that spiritual rewind button 33 years earlierback to his ministry back to his baptism back to bethlehem back to the night god stepped into our chaos wrapped in flesh because if the cross shows us what he finished the cradle is going to show us why he came [00:43:06] (40 seconds) #FromCrossToCradle

sin didn't make us bad people who needed improvement it made us lost people who needed rescued we weren't almost good i talked about this last week we were not almost okay when we didn't havethe lord we weren't even close to being okay we weren't even close to being good without the lord we weren't even getting better every day without the lord we can't get better without the lord so we can't say oh i'm improving today i'm better than i was yesterday well maybe maybe you feel that way but without christ you're lost [00:44:52] (35 seconds) #LostNotAlmostGood

and we we're not good people and we can't be good people and even when we come to christ we still can't be good enough and that'swhy we have this gift that we didn't deserve so christmas isn't god uh boosting our self-esteem it's god launching a rescue mission for his people point two god's love he came when we leave he came when we least deserved him [00:46:18] (25 seconds) #HeCameForTheLost

god didn't move towards us because we finally were behaved like he didn't just say oh you're being such a good kid now i'm gonna i'm gonna give you jesus he moved towards us while we were still rebelling the cross wasn't god punishing uh the innocent it was god rescuing the guilty the cross the price paid was greater than the gift wrapped [00:48:05] (36 seconds) #RescueNotPunishment

the hardest thing for people in church is to sometimes is to accept that is that the grace that we have is we didn't deserve it the gift that we got we didn't deserve it but we still got it you can't earn this you can't behave your way into this grace you simply have to receive it with open hands and a humble heart it's like getting that unexpected gift i don't know about you but i'm not a good gift taker i don't like taking gifts very often [00:55:21] (30 seconds) #GraceNotEarned

``christmas isaiah didn't describe a baby he described the savior he described the mission behind the miracle so before wecelebrate his birth we're going to first of all learn to understand his death and before we appreciate the cradle we're going to appreciate and go back and look at that crossbecause you can't celebrate his birth until you comprehend his death [00:57:28] (26 seconds) #CrossBeforeCradle

because he's the gift that you're going to unwrap that you did not deserve and again youcan't tell yourself i need to fix a few things before i come to jesus that's that's the oppositeof what this grace looks like that's the opposite of what this gift is like this gift is you come to him as you are and he'll save you [01:00:39] (29 seconds) #ComeAsYouAreSaved

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