Merry Christmas! Let's Give A Gift to Jesus

Each of us has something we can give.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this week, we remember that the greatest gifts in this season are not the ones we can buy or wrap. They are the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love that flow from the living presence of God with us. In these holy days, we recenter Christ in Christmas, remembering Jesus is our source, our anchor, and our reason to rejoice.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) 

We follow a Savior who had access to everything, yet chose to come as a vulnerable child, born into poverty, raised in an occupied land, and known as “the least” in the eyes of the empire. Jesus lived as one pushed to the margins and still stands with those who are marginalized, dismissed, or treated as the least of these. This is the Jesus who belongs with us and to us, the Jesus who walks with the disinherited and the overlooked. No lie, compromise, or fictional version of Jesus can cancel the truth of who he is. In him, our joy is real, our peace is possible, and our hope still lives.

In this season, we also give thanks for the gifts of the Cleveland Baptist Association and our entire family in Christ. This year, God has shown us what it means to love and to be present across churches and beyond denominations. We have witnessed compassion, shared worship, partnership, and service that testify to the light of Christ in Greater Cleveland. For every congregation, pastor, leader, congregation, partner, neighbor, and friend, we thank God for YOU. You are a gift to this fellowship and to this region!

As we celebrate Christmas, please give an extra hug to your loved ones. Let us remember the intrinsic gifts that no store can sell, the gift of being present, the gift of listening, the gift of encouragement, the gift of forgiveness, and the gift of courage to keep going. Let our hearts rest in the truth that Emmanuel, God with us, has come and is still blessing us with his peace, power, and love.

CHRISTMAS ACTION: GIVE A GIFT TO JESUS 

This Christmas, let us take the opportunity to give gifts to Jesus. Like the wise men who came and opened their treasures, let us offer Jesus what he has already said delights his heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you choose a gift that will truly please Jesus. Here are a few ideas:

• The gift of compassion: support someone in need or visit someone who is lonely

• The gift of justice: stand with someone who is mistreated or overlooked, or support work that protects the vulnerable, as a way of honoring his heart for the least of these.

• The gift of surrender: release one habit, fear, or pattern he has been calling you to lay down and consciously place it in his hands.

• The gift of devoted time: set aside focused, unrushed time in prayer and scripture, not just to “get something done,” but simply to be with him.

We invite you to choose one gift you will intentionally give to Jesus this week and offer it from the heart in prayer. In doing so, we honor the Child who was born for us, and we proclaim with our lives: “Christ has come, Christ is with us, and still, we rejoice!”

Merry Christmas and Many Blessings to You and Yours!

Rev. Dr. TaNikka Sheppard

CBA Regional Executive Minister