“Unto Us”

Group gifts are not always enjoyable. A family we know got a new jigsaw puzzle each year at Christmas. Some family members loved to work on puzzles and would sit at the table for hours getting the pieces to fit. But several other family members disliked puzzles intensely and refused to participate. Some gifts are intended for everyone in the family or office group, but often not every individual appreciates the gift.

Jesus came to earth as God’s gift for everyone—the group gift that can be appreciated by every person. Isaiah wrote, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6 KJV). Who is “us”? Initially, it was the people of Israel. But it was always God’s plan to bring salvation to all the peoples of the world through the nation of Israel.

On the night Christ was born, the angel said to the shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 KJV). The “you” was the shepherds, who were Jews; and the “you” was the Jewish nation. But the angel had also said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (v. 10). We find the word people in the phrase “people of God.” In the Old Testament “the people” or “my people” refers to the Jews (Exod. 5:1). But in the New Testament the phrase “people of God” means those persons who belong to God’s family through saving faith in Jesus Christ (see Acts 15:14—“how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself”; see also Titus 2:14, 1 Pet. 2:9–10).

Jesus came to the world for God’s chosen people, Israel; He is their Messiah. But He also came for the “other sheep” (John 10:16), the Gentiles who would join the Jews in making up the Church (Rom. 9:24–25; Eph. 2:11–18). Jesus came for the sake of every ethnic group and every person.

Is there someone you don’t want to have the gift of salvation? Those we consider enemies are usually people we want to punish. In today’s world some Christians don’t want to share the gospel with terrorists or criminals or those who are in any way different from them. But God put no restrictions on His gift of Jesus; neither should we.

“Unto us” a child is born—unto Jews, Gentiles, the human race, the whole world of people. “Unto you” is born a Savior—unto you personally.

What will you do with God’s gift?

 See: Gifts, Redemption, Songs, Tidings