Before the Sermon, The Gifts Preached

Listen, can I share something with you that just blew me away?

Jesus had the most meaningful baby shower in history. Yes, I said it. While most baby showers today are filled with pastel decorations, baby bottles, and games, His came with divine revelation and prophetic purpose.

You see, when they arrived, they didn’t just bring Him random gifts from a registry. No, they brought gifts that told His story before He ever spoke a word. Matthew 2:11 says, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

Now, pause with me here and let that sink in.

These weren’t just luxurious offerings. These were symbols. Prophetic declarations wrapped in boxes. God was speaking, loud and clear—through what was given to His Son.

Gold meant He was King. Not just a king, but The King. Ruler over everything. The One with divine authority. That gift said, “This child may look ordinary, but royalty has entered the room.”

Frankincense was used by priests in temple worship. So when they laid that before Jesus, it proclaimed: “This baby isn’t just here to rule, He’s here to stand in the gap for us. Our High Priest. Our Intercessor.”

And then there was myrrh. Myrrh was used to prepare bodies for burial. I imagine every mother’s heart would drop at the thought of receiving burial spices for their newborn child. But even that gift had purpose. It revealed the reason He came, to die. Myrrh pointed straight to the cross. It whispered, “He came to give His life for ours.”

Isn’t that amazing?

Before Jesus ever performed a miracle, cast out a demon, or delivered a sermon, His gifts preached His purpose. Those treasures declared His identity, His mission, and His destiny.

And here’s the part that gets me every time: God is always speaking.

Sometimes He speaks through scripture. Sometimes through a quiet whisper in our hearts. And yes, sometimes through gifts.

It made me reflect on the gifts God has placed in my own life. What are they declaring? Are they just for my comfort and convenience, or do they carry purpose? Do they preach before I ever open my mouth?

I believe God is intentional with everything He does. The gifts He gives you, your talents, your experiences, even the challenges you’ve walked through, are speaking. They’re telling a story. His story, through your life.

That gold in your life? That’s your authority, your calling to walk boldly in the place He’s positioned you.

That frankincense? That’s your connection with God. Your worship. Your role in helping others draw closer to Him.

And that myrrh? It may represent the hard parts, the losses, the sacrifices—but even those speak. They remind us that our lives have eternal purpose. They point us back to the cross.

So today, I’m challenged, and I hope you are too, to look again at the “gifts” in your life. Ask the Lord, “What are You saying through these? What purpose do they carry? How do they reflect Your glory?

Because if a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes could receive gifts that preached His entire life story, how much more is God speaking through our lives today?

Let’s not overlook the gold, dismiss the frankincense, or despise the myrrh. Every piece has meaning. Every gift has a message. And when we pause long enough to listen, we realize God has been speaking all along.