IT’S TIME TO OPEN THE GIFTS!
A bald Black man in a green shirt is looking at a Black woman who is smiling brightly while holding a wrapped gold gift. A Christmas tree with lights is in the background. White text overlaid on the image reads, "IT'S TIME TO OPEN THE GIFTS" and "PLAIN ENGLISH WITH PASTOR JAY."
Merry Christmas! I know what you’re thinking: Jay, it’s not December. But I came to tell you—this is your spiritual Christmas morning!
For me, growing up, Christmas was everything. The excitement, the music, the tree, and most of all—the gifts. That feeling of being shaken awake by my mom while telling me to get out of the bed because it was time to open presents? Unmatched. And that’s the same energy I believe God wants for the church right now.
According to Romans 12:5-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, and Ephesians 4:7-12, every believer has been given a gift. Not earned. Not borrowed. Given. And that gift wasn’t meant to sit under a tree or on the sidelines of your life. It was meant to be opened, activated, and used for the good of the entire body of Christ.
Your Gift Is a Spiritual Superpower
The word "gift" in Greek refers to a spiritual endowment or a miraculous faculty—what I like to call a God-given superpower. Think X-Men. Born with something powerful inside of you, waiting to be awakened. These gifts manifest the presence and power of God. That means when you use your gift, people should walk away saying, "God was in the room."
Healing, prophecy, teaching, generosity, encouragement, leadership—whatever it is, it’s not just for you. It's for the community. And here's the kicker: God energizes those gifts Himself. So you don't have to hustle for what Heaven already handed you.
Jesus Gives the Gifts, Then Sends You as a Gift
Ephesians 4 tells us that Jesus doesn’t just give gifts to people—He gives gifted people to the church. That means YOU are the gift. And the church's job? To open the gifts.
Too many churches are filled with unopened gifts—people with untapped potential because no one ever challenged them to step into leadership. Leaders who do all the work instead of equipping others. That's not biblical. In fact, it's backward.
"God did not give the church leaders to do the ministry but to equip others to do it."
It’s Time to Lead
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about leading well. If you lead worship, train someone to stand beside you. If you run sound, sit someone next to you. If you intercede, bring someone into prayer with you.
Discipleship isn’t just coffee shop meetings. It's inviting others into what you already do and helping them grow in it. The best leaders don’t just serve—they multiply.
Your Mission This Season
God has already delivered the gifts. Now it’s your turn to:
Discover your gift.
Activate your gift.
Equip others to use their gifts.
Because the church doesn’t grow by talent alone—it grows through equipped people doing the work of the ministry. So whether it’s Sunday morning, Wednesday night, at work, or in your neighborhood, I want you to walk in like it’s Christmas morning.
Open the gifts!!!
Because the world needs what God placed inside of you.
Merry Christmas, leaders. It’s time to get out of bed!
Did this message stir something in you? Take a moment to reflect on what gifts God has placed inside of you. Then ask yourself: Who can I bring alongside me as I serve? Don’t keep the gift to yourself—equip someone else. It’s time to multiply.
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