The Greatest Wish

… as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. – 2 Corinthians 6:10

Text: John 14:12-14; Colossians 3:2

Prop: birthday candles

Summary: If you have asked Jesus into your heart, you have all you will ever need.

Today I want to talk about wishes. I brought some birthday candles with me. (Show candles.) By show of hands, how many of you have ever made a wish before blowing out the candles on your birthday cake? [See show of hands.) Let me ask one of you (select a child], what did you wish for? [Listen to answer.) Now I want all of you to pretend for a moment that you found a magic lamp and a genie popped out and is willing to grant you one wish. You can wish for anything at all. What would you wish for? (Listen to answers.)

The Bible tells us about something better than wishes. It is called prayer. The Lord Jesus told his followers (disciples) that after he went back to heaven he would do anything they asked for in his name. Let us read about it.

(Read John 14:12-14.)  Jesus told his followers that they would do greater works than he had done. Remember that Jesus had done miraculous and marvelous works: healed the sick, made the lame walk, gave sight to the blind, cured diseases, raised the dead, and much more! He told them whatever they asked for in his name that he would do it. And he did not tell them they could only ask one time. The reason Jesus wants us to ask in his name is because God the Father receives glory every time we ask through his Son, Jesus. When you hear a Christian pray and ask God for something, you almost always will hear words such as this: “I ask it in the name of Jesus.” This prayer gives respect (honor) to the Lord Jesus as God’s only Son.

Rather than asking for riches and gold, or great power or fame, the Bible tells us we ought to set our minds on the things of God.

(Read Colossians 3:2.) If we owned everything on earth, it would not be worth anything compared to eternal life with God. Something better than the greatest wish in the world is to ask Jesus to be your Savior. That means to be truly sorry for all the bad things you ever did or ever will do and to trust Jesus to forgive you. If you have asked Jesus into your heart, you have all you will ever need. That is worth more than all the money in the whole wide world!

Let us pray. Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for these children. Help us to realize that all we ever need is you. Amen.

©2003 by Jim Kerlin. All rights reserved.

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