The Cost Of Christmas – A Priceless Gift That’s Free

by Pastor Ron Tipton

Remember the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”?  A partridge in a pear tree and five golden rings are the ones I most easily remember.  What is the gift for day 11?  Got it??  (I will give you the entire list at the end of this blog.)  I have found it interesting over the last decade to follow what actually giving the 12 Days of Christmas gifts would cost.  This year the total is just short of $50,000 (actually $49,263.47).  The cost in 1984 was a “mere” $20,000. 

The price increase of the various items was greatest on those of the “service” areas, such as leaping lords, drummers and pipers.  We have seen an increase in other Christmas traditions such as baking and making cookies.  I stopped Saturday to pick up one item needed for one of our family favorites only to find the cost had greatly increased since the last time I had needed to purchase it.  But our family favorite is worth the cost and I gladly bought the ingredient.  

As I think about the cost of Christmas, the cost of the greatest gift given at Christmas hasn’t increased any in 2,000 years.  The reason is there is no way to increase the cost for God the Son to empty HImself and take on flesh like us, to be born and placed in the most humble of cribs, a manger used to feed animals.  This was the opening act of God’s plan for our salvation.  He willingly paid the debt to redeem and save us.  The birth brought Immanuel (God with us) into our daily living.  And then we are told  Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).  Eventually Jesus died on a cross, paying the ultimate price and the only price that could save us.

When we talk of “someone paying the ultimate price or making the ultimate sacrifice” we are speaking of them giving their life for someone or some cause.  In the case of Jesus Christ, this was the plan of God.  Galatians 4:4 reminds us, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”  The birth of Christ was His fleshly entrance in our world of sin so that His death could provide the means of our exit from the bondage of sin and death.  As you celebrate Christmas, make sure you count the cost, not just of the gifts you give, but of the one given for all those who will trust and follow Christ.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

A partridge in a pear tree

Two turtledoves

Three French hen

Four calling birds

Five golden rings

Six geese a-laying

Seven swans a swimming

Eight maids a-milking

Nine ladies dancing

Ten lords a-leaping

Eleven pipers piping (did you get it right??)

Twelve drummers drumming