The Indescribable Gift
03/21/10 AM
Text: 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
Introduction:
I happened to be flipping channels the other evening and came across one of those “reality” shows (I don’t really know which one it was) and in this particular moment one of the people involved in this particular show was agonizing over the purchase of a gift for someone else on the show, it was very important that just the right gift be given to impress this other person. The drama captured my attention for a couple of minutes until I had the thought “really, how important can one gift be?” after which I surfed on. But the question stayed in the back of my head and that brings us to our lesson for this evening. We are going to look at the single most perfect gift ever given or received in the history of the world, a gift which Paul called “indescribable!”
I. The indescribable gift
A. A spontaneous expression of thanks by Paul
1. It was not uncommon for Paul to praise and thank God in his writings, this is one of those moments.
2. The word translated indescribable here means, what cannot be related, unutterable. It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament.
a. The idea is that no words can properly express the greatness of the gift freely given to man. It is higher than than language can express.
B. The foundation for the statement
1. The context for verse 15 begins in Chapter 8 with Paul commending the church in Corinth for their intent to provide for the saints in Jerusalem. (Paul had been bragging about it.)
2. Paul is letting the church know that Titus (and at least two other brothers) was coming to collect the “bountiful gift” (9:5) intended for Jerusalem.
3. There is much in chapters 8 and 9 about the proper attitude of giving, and the proper expression of that attitude but our lesson today focuses on what Paul reveals to us in the text concerning the work of the church at Corinth.
a. This gracious work was a way for the saints at Corinth to express their faith and sincere love (8:7-8)
b. Their willingness to sacrifice (in this case, materially) is shown as following the example of Jesus (8:9) who became poor, that they might become rich.
c. Their actions were an outcome of their obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (9:13.)
d. Their actions were evidence of God's Grace within them (9:14.)
C. Paul was moved by the outcome of God's Grace
1. Paul was moved by what the work of the church in Corinth would accomplish for God.
a. The offering was an expression of faith, obedience, and love. The Gentiles were not obligated to share but they did so because of the grace of God. The Jewish believers in Jerusalem would, in turn, would feel themselves bound to their Gentile brothers and sisters. Both the Jewish and the Gentile churches would be drawn closer in Jesus Christ.
b. Their work would result in thanksgiving and glory to God (9:11-13.)
c. Another spiritual bond would be prayer. 9:14 “while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.“
d. Paul envisioned a spontaneous expression of love, prayer, and praise as a result of this good work. A good work done because of the Grace of God at work in the Corinthian believers, a work done because of their love, faith and obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And this leads Paul to give thanks for the indescribable gift of God.
D. God’s indescribable gift is the Gospel of Jesus Christ
1. The most glorious, wonderful, and perfect gift ever given.
a. Ephesians 1:3-6 (NASB) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
b. Man has no claim on God. And the whole of His Grace: the selection of the Savior, sending him into the world, and all the benefits resulting from His work, is an indescribable gift to man.
c. (1 John 4:9-10) By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
d. So Jesus is uniformly represented;
1) (John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
2) Galatians 1:4; 2:20; Jesus gave himself willingly;
3) 1 Timothy 2:6 gave Himself as ransom
4) Titus 2:14 gave Himself to redeem us from every lawless deed.
e. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NASB) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
E. We should react as did Paul
1. This is a gift unspeakably great, which no words can fully express, no heart fully conceive:
a. Because of the incredible love which he showed us;
b. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1) Because of the indescribable sufferings which Christ endured.
2. Thanks should be rendered to God for this. We owe him our highest praises for this:
a. Because it was by His Grace. We had no claim; we could not compel him to grant us a Savior.
b. The gift might have been withheld, and his throne would have been spotless.
3. Because of the inexpressibly great benefits which result from his work.
a. All our peace and hope; all our comfort and joy in this life; all our prospect of pardon and salvation; all the offers of eternal glory are from this indescribable gift.
b. God gave His best; He gave His all. All Christian works should be a humble and joyful response of praise, worship, thanksgiving, and gratitude for God’s wonderful gift, which human words are truly inadequate to describe.
Conclusion
And when we think of our sins, we know they may be washed away; when are thoughts are troubled, we know they may be at peace; when we think of our soul, we know we may live in eternal bliss; when we think of the hell from which we are delivered, and of the heaven to whose eternal glories we may now be raised up we know it is by the gift of God and our heart should overflow with gratitude, and our lips should echo the words of Paul: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”
Invitation
