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2014 Worship Guide
A Lincoln Daily News.com Publication
fulfilled a long term wish or need? Each
person who receives a gift may measure
its greatness differently.
Consider the young man who announced
to his family that he wanted no one
to bring him any gifts for Christmas
because he already had the greatest
gift. He wanted all of his young nieces
and nephews to come to his house on
Christmas as well as the rest of his family,
to see the great gift.
When the family arrived they were
surprised to find nothing under the tree;
not a single present.
“Where’s the great gift you said you have
received, we want to see it?”
The young man said, “It’s not under
the tree, but it’s the greatest gift in the
world!”
Better than Power Rangers? Better than
Spider Man or Super Man? Better than
Transformers? Better than an Xbox?”
they asked.
The young man told them that he spent
his teenage years with the wrong crowds.
He lived wildly, used drugs and was
finally arrested and served several years
in prison.
He said one night he listened to a
preacher tell him about Jesus and His
grace. That night he accepted Christ as
his savior, and Jesus gave him a new
spirit. “He took away my wildness,
calmed my spirit, and gave me eternal
life. A few months later I was granted
a parole. The greatest gift I have is not
under the tree, it’s the love of God in my
heart. There’s nothing anyone can give
me that can top that!”
The bible tells us that God loved the
world so much that he sent His only
begotten Son to offer all salvation.
In the past He sent Moses, Elijah, Samuel
and many other great prophets, all with
a message of reconciliation. When that
didn’t resolve the issues of the world, He
sent His Son to the world to bring the gift
of eternal life. We are eternally thankful
to God for the gift of His Son.
The wise men brought gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh. But, He brought
the world the opportunity for eternal life
with Him; that’s the greatest gift of all;
it’s too big to fit under the tree.
Reverend Glenn Shelton
Pastor at Second Baptist Church
