The Perfect Gift
Pastoral | December 3, 2025 | By: Michael Tooker
The Apostle Paul quotes Jesus as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Who better to know the joy of giving than Jesus—having given up His very life for you, me, and all those who place their faith in Him as Lord and Savior. What an amazing act of service—such an extravagant gift.
Speaking of gifts, as Americans we often misappropriate this passage. Rather than thinking about the acts of service to others Paul was speaking of, we often approach this passage with a consumeristic mindset. We think mistakenly about tangible (often perishable) gifts we give. Something like, “It’s better to give a friend a gift card to a steakhouse than to receive a fruitcake for Christmas.”
Having just turned the page on Thanksgiving, I’ve found my attention focused upon Christmas. More specifically, Jesus. Twenty-one years ago, I accepted Christ as my savior at age 34. On that early summer morning in 2004, when I fell to my knees and accepted the gift of Christ’s life sacrificed, everything changed. My marriage changed. My parenting changed. My mindset changed. The very heart within my chest even changed—from stone to flesh. When I then think back to Jesus’ words (through Paul), I ask myself, “How could giving possibly be better than receiving, when what I received was so precious?”
When I accepted the gift of Christ’s life sacrificed, everything changed.
It occurred to me that when it comes to Jesus, and the gift He gave us, giving and receiving are both essential…but in opposite order. We must receive and then give.
When we receive the gift of salvation that is offered to us through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we become new creations. Paul states this clearly in his second letter to the church at Corinth.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
It defies all logic that God would entrust someone like me to assist in reconciling the world to Himself. But it’s true. This gift empowers everyday followers like you and me to do extraordinary things.
All told, the value of this gift we receive from Christ is incalculable. After all, what value can you place on eternal salvation? And how much more value would you assign to the gift of the Holy Spirit living within you? The Holy Spirit that will do a work in you to cause your life to bear fruit. Fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The value is infinite!
We learn from the parable of the talents that when God gives us good things, He wants us to steward them wisely. To invest them. Not to bury them in the backyard. So therein, I believe, lies the answer to why it is better to give than to receive. How much more profound is the gift if we give it away again and again to those around us for them to enjoy? Wouldn’t it be amazing if all the people in our midst who don’t know Jesus could come to know Him…simply by us telling them what Christ did in our lives?
How much more profound is the gift if we give it away to those around us?
This month, our Senior Pastor, Jamie Rasmussen, will be preaching a sermon series called Christmas Foretold. He’ll share how the coming of Christ was prophesized in the Old Testament and what that means for our lives today. It’s a series you won’t want to miss.
But the other thing you won’t want to gloss over this Christmas season is all the people in your midst who don’t have what you have. The people who never received the gift of salvation. People who have yet to hear or receive the good news of Jesus Christ. Don’t worry about whether to send them your family Christmas card, or if you should buy them something for Christmas. Just regift them the gospel. It’s the best gift you can give. It’s one size fits all. It’s timeless. It lasts forever.
Merry Christmas,
Michael Tooker
Pastor of Campus Ministries
If you’re not sure how to share your story and the gospel with others, join us for How to Talk About Jesus in January or consider inviting your friends to Alpha, a judgment-free space where questions are welcomed.
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