I’ve been fortunate to have received many great gifts over the years. As a child, I remember one Christmas where my siblings and I all got a big gift – a Nintendo. (Yes, I no I am dating myself). It was an original Nintendo and we thought that it was the coolest thing ever. I remember playing the original Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt. There weren’t many other games out at that point, it took a while to get more games. We had such fun playing that Nintendo and really thought it was amazing.

I want us each to remember a great gift we have been given, whether at Christmas or some other time. Remember how you felt in that moment. It might have been excitement, elation, gratitude, or maybe some combination of these and other emotions. We all recevied a gift even better than the gift you are thinking of 2000 years ago in a manger in Bethlehem.

For to us a child is born, to 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

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

God sent his Son to this world as a human baby to set his plan of salvation and redemption into motion. God loved us enough to do this for each and every one of us, no one was excluded. This Christmas, let’s reflect on the greatest gift we could have ever been given in Immanuel, God With Us.

Merry Christmas!
~ Pastor Todd