“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

– Revelation 22:16-17

Merry Christmas! In the true spirit of Christmas, today’s passage invites all to a free gift: “Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” What an amazing offer! And even if you’ve just unwrapped the best gift this morning, this one is definitely better! Jesus is the greatest gift of all.

Today’s passage is from the very last chapter of the entire Bible. Jesus’ words here are the last we are left with from Scripture, and they are very fitting! In verse 16, Jesus says He is both the “Root and the Offspring of David.” A little earlier, in verse 13, He declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Here in the last chapter of the Bible, Jesus declares Himself not just the ending, but the beginning as well. He is the sum of all things, both their origin and their consummation.

It’s easy to think of Christmas as a day right at the end of the year that wraps everything up. We spend the month beforehand hanging up lights, putting up the tree, and buying and wrapping gifts. We spend Christmas and Christmas Eve hosting meals and family, unwrapping gifts and going to church. The week after, we watch the Boxing Day Test on the couch while eating leftovers. We procrastinate on taking down the tree, lights, and decorations, and cleaning up. Then, for the next eleven months, we store away those things in our garages, waiting for the one time of the year when we can get them out.

While Christmas is the amazing day we choose to celebrate Jesus’ birth, our passage today reminds us that the free gift of Jesus is so much bigger than just one day! Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the Root and Offspring of David, the First and Last, the Beginning and the End, and everything in between. And that is the gift we celebrate today on Christmas Day, but also on every day! And just as this gift is available every day, it is also available to everyone! All who hear and all who are thirsty are invited to partake in this free gift, the waters of life, Jesus Christ.

Take a moment today, on Christmas Day, amidst all the busyness of family, food and gifts, to remember the sovereign rule and reign of our King Jesus. The one who is before all things and in whom all things find their fulfillment. The beginning and the end and everything in between. Take some time to simply behold the gift of Jesus Christ, who reigns supreme over our lives and the world.

Lord, thank You for the free gift of Your Son. Thank You for Your plan of salvation and redemption, for Your death and resurrection, and for Your gift of eternal life. Today we behold You as King, both as a humble babe in a manger and as royalty on a throne. We invite You to reign and have dominion in our lives and our world. Thank You, Lord, for Your amazing gift. Amen.