The Greatest Gift of All

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

Luke 2:6-7

We are exactly twelve days away from Christmas, and many of us are making sure that we have just the right gifts for our friends and loved ones.

An American Express survey about Christmas gifts found that fruitcake was chosen most often (31%) from a list of "worst" holiday gifts. It even finished ahead of "no gift at all." When asked how to dispose of a bad gift, 30% would hide it in the closet, 21% would return it, and 19% would give it away.

Have you ever had problems with finding the right gift for someone? Is there someone on your Christmas shopping list who is hard to shop for? Maybe they are really picky or they seem to have everything! One night so long ago, God gave us the greatest gift that could have ever been given-His only begotten Son in the form of an innocent child who would one day die on a rugged tree to pay for our sins.

In the opening chapter of Luke's Gospel, we see the promise given to Mary that she would bring forth a Son whose name was Jesus. This was a great honor to be able to bear baby Jesus and to be entrusted with His upbringing. Here we see the significance of the Babe in the manger-this was the Son of God! Second Corinthians 9:15 says, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." When Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid him in the manger, she was presenting God's gift to the world-the greatest gift of all.

I once read that about 33 million American homes will purchase a fresh cut Christmas tree each year. The most significant tree of the Christmas season is not the one in your family room. It's not the one you have on your Christmas card or the one in the mall. The most important Christmas tree this season is the tree that was formed into a cross on a lonely hill just outside Jerusalem-the tree that Christ died upon to take away the sins of the world.

You may get your family or friend the best gift this Christmas season and they may be so excited about it. But imagine how happy someone would be if you were to give them the greatest gift of all-Jesus Christ. Imagine how grateful they would be if you were to give them the gift of knowing where they would spend eternity when they die. Don't just spend your time buying temporal gifts for people! Invest in telling someone of God's wonderful gift of salvation today.