“The Indescribable Gift”
Text: John
3:16-21 David Owens
Introduction:
A. For many of us, Christmas
time is a time of giving and receiving gifts.
B. I like the story told of the
uncle who gave his nephew, Chris, an electric guitar for Christmas.
1. The first time Chris saw his uncle after Christmas he said, “Thanks
for the electric guitar you gave me for Christmas, it’s the best present I ever
got.”
2. “That's great,” said his uncle. “Have you learned how to play it?”
3. “Oh, I don't play it,” the young fellow said. “My mom gives me a
dollar a day not to play it during the day and my dad gives me five dollars a
week not to play it at night.”
C. All of us have probably
received, or maybe even given a gift that was not highly appreciated.
1. So, what is it that makes a
gift a good gift?
2. For some people it has to do
with the quality or the cost of the gift.
3. Others judge it a good gift
if it meets the particular need of the recipient.
4. Still others measure the
gift by the motive in the heart of the giver.
D. What do people do with gifts
that they don’t like or appreciate?
1. Some put in it a closet and
later sell it at a garage sale.
2. Some return it to the store
and exchange it for something else.
3. Others wrap it up and gift
it to someone else – I think that’s what happens with fruitcakes.
E. Today I want to talk with
you about the all-time best gift that has ever been given.
1. It is a gift that each of us
must receive. If we don’t receive this
gift, then we will be missing the most important gift ever given.
2. In 2 Cor. 9:15, the apostle
Paul makes a statement that is so powerful, even though it is only 8 words
long.
3. Paul says, “Thanks be to God
for His indescribable gift.”
4. Have you
ever received an indescribable gift?
5. What kind
of gift would it have to be to be called “indescribable?”
F. Several years ago on “Good
Morning America,” Joan Lunden featured some gift ideas that might be considered
indescribable – they are extraordinary gifts that are not likely to find their
way on to your Christmas list.
1. One of them was the Jaguar
220.
a. It goes 0 to 60 mph in 3.6
seconds.
b. It retailed for a cool $587,000.
c. The Jaguar 220 is a limited
addition model, and was only built from 1991 to 1996 only 280 were built.
d. It sounds like a nice
appreciation gift for a preacher, don’t you think?
2. If you were to purchase one
of those cars, you might want to get the specialized car wax. It retails for $3,400 for an 8 ounce can.
3. A third item, Joan Lunden
mentioned was a $300,000 gold and silver toilet seat inlaid with precious
stones. How’s that for pampering
oneself?
4. If those gifts are a little
too pricey for you, you might consider the $18,000 frisbee, the $12,000
mousetrap, or the $57,000 pair of sunglasses.
5. And for the proud
grandparents, how about a $28,000 pacifier for the new grandbaby?
6. Such gifts stagger our
imagination, don’t they? Nevertheless,
such gifts are not indescribable.
7. Even though we may not be able to find words to describe them, I
assure you that the manufacturers can, and they spend lots of money describing
them in TV and newspaper ads.
G. Now, let’s get back to the
Scripture I mentioned from 2 Corinthians 9.
1. In that chapter, Paul had
first been discussing human gift giving.
2. The church in Corinth was
taking up offerings to send to the poor Christians in Jerusalem.
3. Paul commended them for
their eagerness to help, and reminded them that those who sow sparingly will
also reap sparingly.
4. But then Paul shifted his
attention from human gift giving to God’s gift of Jesus that he sent to earth
for us.
5. But Paul could not find words
to describe that gift, so he simply said, “Thanks be to God for His
indescribable gift.”
H. At this time of year we
often give our attention to the wonder of God’s gift of Jesus.
1. Most of us realize that
Christmas is not a Biblically commanded holiday, and that no one knows the
exact day that Jesus was born.
2. Although the Bible records
the birth narratives of Jesus, the Bible does not command that we celebrate
Jesus’ birthday, nor does it tell us that the early church did anything to
celebrate the birth of Christ.
3. The Bible does show the
early church remembering the death of Jesus on the cross in the weekly
communion, and showed that they acknowledged the resurrection of Jesus from the
dead by worshipping on the 1st day of the week, the day of the
resurrection.
4. Nevertheless, for at least
the last 1000 years many churches have given attention to Jesus’ birth in
December.
5. And I see no good reason to
miss such a wonderful opportunity to teach people about Jesus and his birth.
I.
For centuries mankind has tried to express the inexpressible. We have tried to describe the indescribable.
1. And so musicians have
composed some of their greatest music on the theme of Jesus’ birth – Handel’s
“Messiah,” Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio, and the beautiful, classic hymns – “Joy
to the World,” “Silent Night,” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
2. Painters and sculptors have
taken up the tools of their trade to pay tribute to Jesus, the gift of God’s
love.
3. But all of our attempts to
describe the indescribable fall short.
I. Why is the indescribable gift of Jesus so indescribable?
A. First of all, because of His
Nature.
1. How do you describe
Jesus? What words would you choose to
describe a baby born of a virgin?
2. Isaiah said He would be
called “Emanuel – God with us.” How do
you explain that?
3. Listen to these words of Max
Lucado as he discusses the incarnation, “That particular moment was like none
other. For through that segment of time
a spectacular thing occurred. God became
man. While the creatures of earth walked
unaware, divinity arrived. Heaven opened
herself up and placed her most precious one in a human womb. The omnipotent, in one instant, made Himself
breakable. He, who had been a spirit,
now was pierce-able. He who was larger
than the universe became an embryo. And
He who sustains the world with a word, chose to be dependent upon the
nourishment of a young girl. God as a
fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, two kidneys and a
spleen. He stretched against the walls and
floated in the amniotic fluids of His mother.
God had come near.”
4. Try to explain or describe
that and you find that words just aren’t adequate and our minds cannot really
grasp the wonder of it.
B. Second, the gift is
indescribable because of the grace by which Jesus was given.
1. Most, if not all, of the
gifts we give not only at Christmas time but on other special occasions, are
given because the recipient has some claim on our lives.
2. I buy gifts for my wife,
because she is my wife and I love her. I
don’t buy gifts for any of your wives.
3. I buy gifts for my children,
because they are my children and I love them.
I don’t buy gifts for your children.
4. So, we buy gifts for our
family and friends, because they are our family and friends.
5. We usually exchange gifts
with those who have exchanged gifts with us in the past, and so the cycle
continues.
6. If any of us give gifts for
the hungry or homeless, we do so because we feel a call from God to do so, or
we recognize that we owe a debt to God and to humanity.
7. But for God, all of this is
different and that’s what makes His gift so special.
8. God doesn’t owe any of us
anything, yet in Romans 5:8, Paul wrote, “But God demonstrates his own love for
us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.”
9. God does not owe us a
gift. He was not obligated to do what he
did, but He did so, because of His incredible love.
10. God’s gift of Jesus was
indeed a gift of grace. We certainly
didn’t deserve the gift.
11. That’s why we thank God for
this indescribable gift!
C. Third, the gift is indescribable
because of the wonderful effect it brings.
1. When we open the gifts we
receive from family and friends do they change our lives? Not usually.
2. However, when we receive
God’s indescribable gift it changes us and keeps on changing us in three ways
for the rest of our lives.
a. First, God’s indescribable
gift brings us justification.
Justification is the divine pronouncement that we are acquitted from
sin’s penalty. Freed from the punishment
that our sins deserve.
b. Second, God’s indescribable
gift brings us reconciliation.
Reconciliation is the process that brings us to a place of peace with
God and peace with others.
c. Third, God’s indescribable
gift brings us sanctification.
Sanctification is the process that purifies and perfects us for service
to God.
3. None of these three
(Justification, Reconciliation, and Sanctification) are things that we can
accomplish on our own - they are a gift from God.
II. How does a person receive the indescribable gift of God?
A. First of all, before the
gift can be received, a person has to recognize how valuable it is and
recognize their need for the indescribable gift.
1. There are three types of
people who have a difficult time recognizing the value of God’s gift and their
need for it.
2. The first of these types of
people are the proud. They want to do it
themselves. They feel there must be some
way for them to earn their salvation.
They refuse to humble themselves and admit their need.
3. The second kind of people
who don’t recognize their need for God’s gift are the powerful. Like the proud they don’t need anyone’s
help. They are self-sufficient and are
successful.
4. The third kind of people who
don’t recognize their need for God’s gift are the pacified. This group is too comfortable to need a
Savior. If you’re full, food doesn’t
look very good to you. If you feel like
you have everything you need, then God’s gift of love means very little.
5. Do any of these categories
describe you, either in the past, or even today?
a. The
proud need to realize that they are not as great as they think.
b. The
powerful need to realize that they are not as powerful as they think.
c. And the pacified need to realize that they may be full and
contented in many ways, but they are empty in a critical area – their souls.
6. And so, for starters, we
have to recognize the value of God’s indescribable gift and our need for it
before we can receive it. Once we have
recognized these things, we are ready for the next step.
B. Second, we must realize that
the gift cannot be earned or bought- it is a gift.
1. The indescribable gift
cannot be earned.
a. No matter how many times we
may hear that the gift of salvation is free, some of us continue to try to earn
our way into heaven through good works.
b. Remember, if you have to
earn something, then it’s not a gift; it s wage.
c. The Bible says that the only
thing we can earn as a result of our efforts is death.
d. Romans 6:23, “For the wages
of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
2. So, the indescribable gift
cannot be earned, neither can it be bought.
a. Salvation is not for sale,
because the price has already been paid.
Imagine taking a gift you received back to the store where it was
purchased and trying to pay them for it again.
They would think you are crazy!
b. Jesus already paid the price
for us, it doesn’t need to be paid again.
c. And so, we have done nothing
to deserve this gift, and if it could be bought it could never be afforded.
3. The indescribable gift is
free, but it is not cheap. It cost Jesus
everything, and it cost His Father the death of his one and only Son.
C. I read about a preacher who
once tried to illustrate that God’s gift of salvation is free.
1. He stood in the pulpit one
morning and pointed to a poinsettia plant on the table and said, “Whoever wants
this beautiful plant may have it. All
you have to do is come and take it.”
2. The people stared at him and
he waited.
3. Finally a mother raised her
hand and said, “I’ll take it.” “Great!”
said the preacher, “It’s yours”
4. She nudged her son and said,
“Go get it for me.” But the preacher
said, “No, whoever wants this gift must come and get it personally. You can’t send a substitute.”
5. She shook her head, not
wanting to come forward and risk embarrassment, and the preacher waited again.
6. This plant was
gorgeous. It was unusually large,
wrapped in red cellophane with a gold satin ribbon. Before he had made this offer, several had
commented on how pretty it was.
7. Someone snickered, “What’s
the catch?”
8. “No catch,” he replied. “It’s free.”
But no one moved.
9. A college student asked, “Is
it glued to the table?” Everyone
laughed.
10. A teenage girl asked, “Can I
take it after the service?” The preacher
shook his head, “No you must come and get it now.”
11. Finally, a woman from the
back strode quickly to the front and picked up the plant. “I’ll take it,” she said.
12. The preacher then went on to
talk about Rom. 6:23 and that how the gift of God is eternal life.
13. When the service ended and
most of the people had gone home, the woman who claimed the poinsettia came to
the preacher and handed him a piece of crumpled paper. She walked away saying, “This flower is too
pretty to just take home for free. I
couldn’t do it with a clear conscience.”
14. The preacher looked at the
crumpled piece of paper in his hand. It
was a $10 bill.
D. Third, like the poinsettia
plant, the gift of God really is free, but it must be personally received.
1. The NT explains by command
and example that the indescribable gift is personally received when a person believes,
repents, confesses their faith and is baptized.
2. Jesus said, “For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (Jn. 3:16)
3. Jesus said, “Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved.”
(Mark 16:16)
4. Peter preached, “Repent and
be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins
may be forgiven. And you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit…Those who accepted his message were baptized and
about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:38, 41)
Conclusion:
A. I hope and pray that every
one of us will recognize the value of God’s indescribable gift and realize our
need for it.
1. I pray that you will believe
in Jesus, God’s indescribable gift, and I pray that you will receive it today
through repentance and baptism.
2. Once you receive God’s gift,
then embrace it. Never let it go, and don’t
neglect it.
3. But by all means, share
God’s gift with others. Testify to the
wonder and work of Jesus in your life.
4. And spend everyday thanking
God for His indescribable gift.
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