Ever been tempted to give someone you love who is born around this time of the year a combined Christmas and birthday present?  In online commentary this phenomenon is known as ‘dual presenting’ or ‘present skimping’.  Apparently it is quite hurtful.  On Christmas Day we celebrate we are born of God – a God who has not skimped on anything when it comes to giving us the full blessing of life in his son Jesus Christ.  Indeed, our Gospel and sermon text today reminds us of our
God-birthday and its significance: 

‘… to all received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural decent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God’ (John 1: 12-13).  

The Christmas message is nothing less than the pure Gospel that we are Born of God. What’s the big deal? Born of ourselves we could not come to terms with the depth of sin in this world through which loss, destruction and rupture occurs in body, mind and soul.  Jesus faced it head on so that once again we can be God’s children: born of him – not us, and therefore secure in God now and in the future.  No skimping there!