God’s Unspeakable Gift
25 December 2016 AM – 2 Corinthians 9:15 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Have you ever tried to explain something, yet you just could not find the words to describe it? Our text today is about that kind of subject. Read 2 Corinthians 9:15. The word “unspeakable” does not mean that it cannot be talked about. It simply means that it is not able to be fully described. It cannot be wholly explained. It is inexpressible. The question that comes to mind is this, “What is it about God’s gift that cannot be fully described and makes it inexpressible?”
Transition: This morning we are going to answer that important question by noting three facts that give God’s gift this quality.
The first fact that makes God’s gift unspeakable is that …
1. Jesus is God’s Gift
a. God sent His Son Jesus to earth
1) Some may claim that God’s gift is the gospel or His salvation, but at their root of both the gospel and salvation is Jesus Christ. If He had not come, we would have no gospel or salvation. (John 3:16a) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…”
2) (Matthew 1:23) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
3) (Luke 2:11) “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
4) (1 Timothy 3:16) “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
5) Since Jesus is God the Son, He is beyond human comprehension. No one can fully understand God.
b. God coming to this earth is hard to comprehend.
1) Jesus is the creator of all things. (John 1:3) “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
2) He was miraculously place in the womb of Mary who was just a poor virgin woman. (Luke 1:34-35) “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
3) God humbled Himself to become like one of His creation. (Philippians 2:7) “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”
4) He was born in an animal shelter and slept in a feed manger. (Luke 2:16) “And they [shepherds] came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”
O Jesus becoming the God/man is an unspeakable truth. We cannot fully explain how God could become a man. Yet, the Bible says that He did.
The second fact that makes God’s gift unspeakable is that …
2. Jesus Did so Much for Us
a. We all have a problem that we cannot fix ourselves.
1) We are all sinners. We have all sinned MANY times. Our sin debt is huge. (Ecclesiastes 7:20) “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Even the Apostle Paul said, (1 Timothy 1:15) “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
2) Our sin condemns us. (Romans 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death;” (John 3:36) “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
3) Our sin debt is eternal. (Matthew 25:46) “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
b. Jesus came to earth on a mission.
1) He came to earth to make a way for us to escape the judgment of hell that we all deserve. (John 3:16-17) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (17) “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
2) There was nothing good about mankind to compel Jesus to come. We are sinners who deserve to pay for our sins in hell. Yet, God sent His Son Jesus to take our punishment for us. (Romans 8:32) “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”
3) The words of the special music this morning were “Born to die upon Calvary”. Jesus was not born just to be a good example to us. He was not born just to do miracles and help people. He was born to die for me and for you. That is unthinkably amazing!
c. Jesus fully satisfied God’s wrath toward our sin.
1) Knowing our sinful condition and helplessness, God loved me and you so much that Jesus died in our place. (Romans 5:8) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
2) Jesus’ death fully satisfied God’s wrath against our sin. (1 John 4:10) “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
d. Jesus offers us full forgiveness, justification and eternal life,
1) (Colossians 1:14) “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”
2) (John 5:24) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
O The fact that Jesus, God’s gift, died in my place to pay for the judgment in hell that I deserve is unspeakable. I cannot begin to fully explain it. It is amazing!
The third fact that makes God’s gift unspeakable is that …
3. We owe God unlimited thanks
a. His gift is priceless
1) Jesus paid my debt that would have taken me an eternity in hell to pay. That is a priceless gift.
2) Though I cannot begin to fully explain all that Jesus did for me, I owe Him unlimited thanks.
b. His gift is free
1) Perhaps the most amazing fact about God’s gift is that at exceeding cost to Him, Jesus offers me and you forgiveness and eternal life for free. (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (9) “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” We cannot earn it!
2) If you have received God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ, you owe him unlimited thanks. This reminds me of the chorus that we often sing. “Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul, Thank you, Lord, for making me whole; Thank you, Lord, for giving to me Thy great salvation so rich and free.”
O We cannot fully comprehend or express all the thanks that we owe to God.
Conclusion: This morning I have showed you from the Bible three facts that make God’s gift so impossible to fully describe and totally amazing. 1) Jesus is God’s unspeakable gift. No one can fully explain God! 2) Jesus did so much for us. He paid our sin debt in full, satisfied God’s wrath against our sin, and then offered to us forgiveness and eternal life. 3) We owe God unlimited thanks. None of this can be fully explained!
Like any gift, God’s gift only becomes ours when we take it. Jesus did all that God requires to forgive you and give you eternal life in heaven. He offers this to you as His gift. To receive it, you must humbly admit to God that you are a guilty sinner deserving of hell, unable to save yourself. You must believe that Jesus died and rose to life again to pay for all of your sin. If you desire for God to change your sinful life, you must ask Him to give you the gift that cost Him so dearly.
Song: Thank you Lord 221 or Have You Any Room – 241