AS CHRISTMAS DAY DAWNED and smiling faces entered the halls of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic to take part in the Trinity Outreach Ministries International 6 a.m. service, it was almost evident from the start that the congregation would be in for a great time in the presence of the Lord.
The worship team raised the popular hymn Oh Come Let Us Adore Him, as voices joined in chorus giving praise and worship to Almighty God.
Other traditional hymns – including Hark, The Herald Angels Sing; Whose Child Is This; The First Noel; and Joy To The World – seemingly took everyone to a higher plane as the praise and worship intensified.
By the time Pastor Dr Michael Crichlow took to the podium to deliver his sermon, entitled Thanks Be To God For His Indescribable Gift, it was clear that Jesus was indeed the centre of the day.
Crichlow first sought to bring to attention that “while Christmas is to be about Jesus Christ”, many have removed Jesus from the airwaves and greeting cards. In fact, according to him, even “the supposedly top Christmas songs have nothing to do [with] Christ”.
In his message, he read from 2 Corinthians 9:6 – “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously,” before focusing on Verse 15 – But thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.
Noting that “Christmas is about love and giving”, he pointed out that that it was God who started the gift of giving when He gave His only begotten son to a lost and dying world.
“If there is going to be giving and receiving of gifts, there must be a giver. When you see a gift this Christmas, it should remind you that it was God who started the giving,” Crichlow stressed.
He added, “God is the one who gave us the gift that we are celebrating today. God – Yahweh, Elohim, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Rapha, the covenant-keeping God – He is the one who sent the gift.
“This gift is beyond the mind, yet we take Christ, The King of all Kings, and the God of all Gods out of Christmas,” he preached.
Crichlow noted that “the giver of the gift gave His best and man has taken God’s best and rejected it – we want Christmas without Christ”.
He told the congregation: “If there is no other [reason] to celebrate today, it is that God who spoke and promised [His son] kept His promise. Today, the gift keeps on giving – giving life, energy, health and sight to the blind. Today our lives are changed because of Jesus, the indescribable gift.
“When the gift has arrived, old things are passed away and all things are made new. The gift makes a difference in our lives,” he added, erupting in a chorus of He Giveth And Giveth And Giveth Again, and Mine, Mine, Mine, Jesus Is Mine.
Crichlow told about those who were healed, delivered and made whole as a result of the gift of Jesus.
“If you have Jesus, you have the reason for the season,” he contended.
“An ordinary man would have to preach the Word of God, but Jesus came and He was the word; He preached himself. Some people would love to tell us the truth, but Jesus is the truth.
“So many people would come and point you the way, but Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
“Preachers today are preaching the gospel, but without Christ there would be no gospel. Without Jesus you are nothing at all.
You need this gift from God,” Crichlow explained.
He concluded his message by asking, “Do you have the gift?”
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