God's Unspeakable Gift Series

Theme: The Unspeakable Gift

Text: Matthew 1:21-23

Intro.

A. Greetings

B. Praise God for this privilege we have this morning to celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord as a group and a family. Though, by principle of Christian living, everyday is a celebration for the Presence of Christ in our life.

C. For me, the historical birth of Jesus is really very important, but what matters most is His Personal Incarnation in us. We can never appreciate the wonder of His condescension until He finds a place in our heart.

D. Our theme this morning is very relevant to our occasion: “The Unspeakable Gift.” Yes, Christmas is a time when we express our heartfelt thanks to God for His Unspeakable Gift to us. We may not receive any material or financial blessings this season, we should not be disheartened because what we receive from God is beyond comparison.

E. Well, we all understand that this Unspeakable Gift we are referring to is the Son of God, our Savior and Lord. Jesus is the unspeakable gift of God to us. In Him we find everything we need.

F. Now, let’s turn our minds to the passage where the Conception of this Unspeakable Gift is being told to Mary first then to Joseph by an angel. I think there are very wonderful lessons that we can get from this passage.

G. Background:

1. Mary was told that she would conceive a child. Mary could not believe it, but she trusted anyway. It was totally impossible to the eyes of men, but the angel assured her that the situation is a wonderful occasion for God to display His awesome power.

2. She told it (perhaps merrily) to Joseph that she has conceived the gift of God to them.

3. Joseph would have been so surprised of the “good news”. To him Mary’s claim is unbelievable so that he wanted to put her away privately.

4. But an angel spoke to him in a dream and told him about Mary’s conception and about the Child to be born. As he listened to the message of the angel regarding the Child, Joseph was overwhelmed and realized that Mary’s conception is really wonderful, and that the Child to be born is indeed the “unspeakable gift of God” to mankind.

5. I know, like Joseph, all of us were astounded when we first heard the message of the Savior, but as we listened to the voice of God we happily accepted His Unspeakable Gift that resulted to a devotion of ourselves to live with this Gift in our lives. This is the reason why we are here. This is the reason why we are in the ministry. The Unspeakable Gift of God is within our hearts. We lived our lives with and in Him! And I just hope that for the rest of our lives, we shall all live like Joseph; that is, having and being in the presence of the “Unspeakable Gift of God” regardless of what the sacrifices involved.

H. At first, Joseph was not able to understand the situation until God’s angel told him so. Through a dream, God had him seen the whole picture of this “Unspeakable Gift”. Now Joseph understood, the Child is “God’s Unspeakable Gift” because:

I. The REDEEMER OF HIS PEOPLE FROM SIN (v.21)

a) The first message of the angel to Joseph was about redemption. He said in verse 21: “Call his name Jesus for he will save his people from sins.”

b) Redemption is the most important thing about the Incarnation of Jesus. His birth is so glorious and wonderful because of its redemptive purpose. Outside the context of redemption His birth is no different from ours. He is God’s unspeakable gift because of the purpose of redemption. He is the Redeemer. He came to provide the atonement for sins.

c) But being a redeemer is not very wonderful. The Redeemer shall pay something so that redemption will take place. That’s the reason why Jesus had to offer Himself. Atonement for sins is by blood. The price that Jesus had to pay is his own life. Redemption never happened had not Christ given his life. He is indeed our wonderful Redeemer. He is indeed the unspeakable gift of God.

d) After the angel explained to Joseph the truth about the Child to be born, he took Mary right away. He was overwhelmed with joy of the divine privilege given him by God to accommodate the Presence of the Redeemer into his personal life.

e) Well, it’s sad to say that many Christians are no longer overwhelmed with joy in the Presence of the Redeemer. The passion for His presence was no longer there. Look at what spirit we have in Christmas? When December comes, we are more concerned to receive material and financial blessings instead of happily expressing our thanks to God for the Redeemer and enjoying His Presence. Where is our joy that we ought to have in His Presence?