Christ's Nature Series

Gift’s of Christmas

12/7/2008 “God’s Indescribable Gift”

Good morning and welcome to Central.

If you are our guest today, allow me to say thank you for worshipping with us today.

It is that time of the year again for the most wonderful time of the year.

It is a time when people reflect on others, more than themselves.

We will go to great lengths and great thought to choose just the right gift for our family and friends.

Have you ever received an indescribable gift?

Have you ever received a gift that was beyond description?

2 Corinthians 9:15

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

This past week, Marlys and I attended the Fire Bible Summit held in Hawaii on the island of Maui.

Could I tell you that Maui is not a bad place to suffer for the Lord.

We spent a little over five days in what is considered to be paradise.

The palm trees, the absolutely beautiful flowers, gorgeous beaches, and all of the things that only grow in tropical places were breathtaking, yet if given a few minutes I could describe all of this to you.

As I was preparing today’s message I thought, what kind of gift would it have to be to be defined as indescribable?

Something that surpasses description.

ILLUSTRATION

A while back, on "Good Morning, America," a co-host featured some gift ideas that might be called indescribable. They were extraordinary gifts that some of you might want to include on your Christmas gift list.

• One of them was a Jaguar automobile, the Jaguar 220. If you care to order one of these, you must go to your Jaguar dealer & put down your $80,000 deposit. Then when the automobile is delivered, you are expected to pay the balance of $507,000. The Jaguar 220 was a $587,000 automobile, & they only make 250 of them a year.

• Also mentioned was that if you were to purchase such an automobile, you might also be interested in a new car wax that promises to give it the ultimate shine. It retails for $3,400 for an 8 ounce can. If you can afford a $587,000 automobile, you can afford $3,400 for car wax?

• A third item she mentioned was a $300,000 gold & silver toilet seat inlaid with precious stones.

• Of course, there were cheaper gifts for those who have everything: an $18,000 Frisbee, a $10,000 yoyo, a $12,000 mousetrap, & even a $27,000 pair of sunglasses.

• And for the proud grandparent who is wondering what to buy the new grandbaby, how about a $28,000 pacifier?

What is the Apostle Paul referring to as “God’s Indescribable Gift” in our passage of scripture this morning, and what constitutes the gift as being “Indescribable?”

v. 15

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

Could it be grace? Could it be mercy? Could it be forgiveness?

Could it be peace? Could be joy? Could it be hope?

Lastly, could all of these things be wrapped up in one gift? YES

Paul is referring to Jesus Christ, who is indeed the indescribable gift of God unto this world, a gift beyond description, a gift we have all reason to celebrate.

People have gone to great lengths attempting to describe God’s gift.

World renowned painters have attempted to describe the indescribable on canvas to no avail.

Sculptor’s have attempted to chisel this indescribable gift in stone and other precious materials.

Writers have attempted to articulate God’s gift with words.

Composers have attempted to describe God’s gift by filling the sir with beauty.

• Handel’s Messiah

• Joy to the world the Lord has come

• Silent night, holy night

• Mary did you know

Yet they can’t even scratch the surface of the indescribable.

This morning, in my best, but also feeble way, I want to attempt to reveal what makes God’s indescribable gift so great.

He is indescribable …

I. BECAUSE OF HIS NATURE

How would you describe Jesus? What words would you choose?

How do you describe the crowned prince of glory, the incarnate of the Father, leaving the throne of glory, coming to dwell among us, being born of a virgin, touching the hearts of mankind and reaching out to the lost, hurting, and void masses of humanity?

Isaiah described Him as Emanuel, "God with us."

Mary described Him as her Savior.

Thomas described Him as, “My Lord and my God.”

John described Him as “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World.”

How do you describe that which is spirit when all we have ever known is that which is either physical or material?

One song writer wrote:

If I could find, the right words to say, to tell you what Christ means to me, I’d say that He’s more than I could show, and more than you’ll ever know.