The Greatest Christmas Gift

by Rick Brentlinger
(Pace, FL, USA)

Adoration of the Shepherds<br>by Guido Reni, 1575-1642

Adoration of the Shepherds
by Guido Reni, 1575-1642

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
- Isaiah 9:6

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:11


Above a rocky windswept hill,
Beneath a starry sky;
God’s angels sang the joyful news,
The Christ child born to die.

A lad who grew and never sinned,
A teen who loved his Lord;
A man who freely chose the cross,
A God who kept his word.

The Christmas story does not end,
On a cold Judean hill;
It continues on Mt. Calvary,
Where he did his Father’s will.

The tiny babe, the growing boy,
The honest faithful man;
Gave up his life our souls to save,
Fulfilled his Father’s plan.

He shed his blood upon the Cross,
In darkness all alone;
Bore all God's wrath against our sins
And for them did atone.

We celebrate at Christmas,
Because he lived and died;
We now can live a joyful life,
Through Christ the crucified.

We serve a risen Savior,
And carry wondrous news;
Of God’s amazing Christmas gift
For all who freely choose.

God’s greatest gift at Christmas,
Was not the baby boy.
God greatest gift at Christmas
Is resurrection joy.



Christmas is not just about the baby in the manger. It is also about the Savior on the Cross, dying alone and in shame, shedding His blood to pay for our sins. Without the Cross, the Christmas story has no meaning. Mary's wonderful baby boy was born to die. That is precisely how awful our sins are to God. He cannot ignore our sins. Instead, Jesus willingly paid for our sins to reconcile us to God.

The resurrection of Jesus is the real meaning of Christmas. The resurrection of Christ is God's extravagant Christmas gift to everyone who will receive it.

Have you ever complained that God never gives you anything you ask for? If you ask for the gift of God, He WILL give you eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And that gift keeps on giving for eternity.

God loves you extravagantly, just as you are, right where you are. Have you accepted His free gift of everlasting life in Jesus Christ? Will you receive God's gift of eternal life right now? Merry Christmas dear friends!


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The painting is in the public domain.

This poem was written in 2007 for my friend JD Beeks and is published here for the first time.

Comments for The Greatest Christmas Gift

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Dec 22, 2015
 Finding Truths
by: Ryan

Thank you very much Rick. I am not, nor have I ever been a Jehovah's Witness. My intention or motivation is not to destroy Christmas but to define it for what it really is. I really appreciated the poem you shared. The poem clearly shows us that Christmas is every day of the year. We justify the holiday by our own intent by asserting that we are focused on Christ and honoring Christ. Here lies the problem. It is the tradition of man. God clearly commands against it. Christ said, "But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:9). Christmas is not a command of God, it is a tradition of men. Christ says, "Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition" (Mark 7:9). Every year on December 25th, is this not what we do? God clearly commands, "Follow not the way of the heathen." This is taught in the gospels. I do see that our job is to be soul-winning disciples of Jesus. We are to fear God and yet are we not ignoring the Word of God? I'll be the first to admit, I am not very good at being a soul winner. As someone with a learning disability, I struggle in my own faith, trying to learn the truth. I have not been able to overcome my own fear of persecution to attend a Church in my community as someone who is known to be gay. I understand that we are trying to live, witness for Jesus every day and rejoicing in the grace of God our Savior every day. Should we not also search out and teach the truth even if the truth is not what people want to hear? I think you are searching out the truth for gay people and showing us that we are not the abomination that is being preached so radically today. These people are being empowered because their congregations don't search out the truth. Many don't even study or read the Bible. All these things are even talked about in Revelations. I can see how we the world is becoming the new Babylon even if the last days are still centuries away. Thank you again for helping me in my journey in Christ.

Rick's comment: Hi Ryan - On my Home Page, I have links to FREE Online Bible study courses, from beginner level to Seminary level taught by Seminary professors. I hope you will take a look and see if you find some courses you'd like to take.

On my Find a Gay Church page, I have links to help you find a gay church or gay friendly church in your area. There may be one that you don't yet know about.

Please keep in touch and let me know how things are going. God IS going to use you, Ephesians 2:10.
Dec 20, 2015
 Christian Holidays
by: Ryan

The "Christian" holidays that we celebrate are not Christian at all. It was the Roman Catholic church that decided to make the 25th of December a Christian holiday. By doing this they were simply adopting a long standing holiday celebrated in many pagan traditions, and they even kept many of the symbols of pagan celebrations. In 350 AD, Pope Julius I declared the birth of Jesus to be Dec.25th. This made conversion to Catholicism an easier process for pagans.

Then we have Jeremiah 10:1-44 that tells, "Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of the people [are] vain: for [one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe..."

All these holidays we celebrate as Christian, are we not doing exactly what God told us not to do? I know this can be said about birthdays and Halloween and many others. How is it this is "ok" to do even though God forbade it, but that is "ok" now? I find many other things that are "ok" now that are not "ok" Biblical. In a time when Christians (no matter who I seem to talk to) continue on about homosexuals and it seems to consume them more than any other passages in the Bible.

What are the real Christian holidays?

Rick's comment: Hi Ryan - I agree with you about Christmas but we must be careful not to adopt the views of Jehovah's Witnesses, about holidays and birthdays. Remember, Jehovah's Witnesses don't even believe Jesus is God so of course, Christmas wouldn't mean much to them.

For me as a Christian, Christmas isn't about trying to get everyone to quit celebrating the birth of Jesus because they've got it on the wrong day or because it is associated with Santa Claus. Christmas is a time when people are open to the life-saving gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is a time to share the gospel and pass out gospel tracts and lead people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. If we get too preoccupied with the date of Christmas, we lose focus and forget that our job is to be soul-winning disciples of Jesus.

I don't think looking for real Christian holidays is the issue. The issue is, Are we living for Jesus every day, witnessing for Jesus every day, rejoicing in the grace of God our Savior every day?

You sound like a guy who is serious about following Jesus, serious about knowing and obeying what the Bible says, serious about living a holy life that pleases God. I think that is wonderful. The world could use more people like you. God bless you brother! I hope you'll keep in touch and let me know what God is doing in your life.
Dec 23, 2012
 Did you know?
by: Suhndog

I grew up in a Jewish home. On March 8, 1974 at 8:30 pm, I became a Gay Messianic Jewish Christian. I always liked Christmas, and when I became a Christian - 'completed Jew' - I discovered something Wonderful: Christmas is a Jewish Holiday, after all! I pray that everyone will have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah!

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