THE GREATEST GIFT
II Corinthians 9:15
The Christmas season seems increasingly swallowed up by shopping for gifts. Everyone is looking for the perfect gift. People are shopping for the best gift but the one that cost the least; however, gifts are becoming more and more expensive.
In an investigation that was done in the 2007 holiday season, the average amount of money spent on gifts was about $924. Last year’s Christmas shopping will cost the average consumer closer to $6,458.87 when interest and finance charges are included.
Who will give the world’s most expensive Christmas gift this year? What will it be, and how much will it cost? Will it be given by a king or prince or billionaire?
No one knows, of course, but we do know about the world’s most costly gift — a gift with you in mind. It was given to the whole human race over 2,000 years ago. This precious gift was a child, born in a stable in Bethlehem and laid in a manger.
The most costly Christmas of all time brought the gift we need the most: a Savior, the holy Son of God.
God gave the greatest gift of history to keep that greatest promise of history. The greatest, most costly gift since time began is the Savior. "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (II Cor. 9:15). Here is a gift that cannot be expounded fully. Words fail Paul to describe the gift of Christ to and for us.
If there is any thing that is a challenge to an expositor of the Bible, it is this gift.
Here is the gift that inspires all gifts, the gift which is so glorious human words fail to be able to describe it, fail to be able to comprehend it. It is the indescribable gift. It is so big. It is so great. It is so glorious. It just fails to be able to be described in human language. It cannot be described in human language. It is inexhaustible; it is like an Artesian well that springeth up for ever and ever.
Was e’er a gift like the Saviour given?
No, not one! No not one!
This is not just a gift; it is THE gift. This is the gift of all eternity.
The most familiar verse in all the Bible is John 3:16. In that single verse, John tells us about God’s gift to humanity.
I. It is UNSPEAKABLE IN ITS NATURE
Due to the nature of this gift, it cannot be fully expounded. Human tongue cannot fully explain this gift.
A. It was a gift of love.
Love prompted the giving of this gift.
1. SO LOVED exceeds description
How weak are the words of men when defining love but how much greater the difficulty when it is joined to the little word “SO.”
2. SO LOVED excels illustration
This love surpasses all human love.
3. SO LOVED eludes comprehension
a. Unmerited love (Romans 5: 7-8)
The Lord loved us simply because He loved us.
b. Unending love (Jer. 31:3)
4. SO LOVED effected salvation
We never know how much one loves till we know how much one is willing to suffer and endure for us; it is the suffering element that measures love.
B. It was a gift of Life
1 John 5:11,12,“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
II. It is UNSPEAKABLE IN ITS MEASURE
God SO LOVED the WORLD!
A. It is incredible.
None are excluded; all are included.
1. Here is the gift for men in all
conditions
2. Here is the gift for men under all circumstances.
3. Here is the gift for men of all
climates.
4. Here is the gift for men of all
colors.
Here is a gift where none are omitted, and none are overlooked.
B. It is indisputable.
" He gave his only begotten Son."
God gave his son that we might be saved.
Oh what a gift the Father gave
When he bestowed His son
To save poor, ruined, guilty man,
By sin defiled, undone.
III. It is UNSPEAKABLE IN ITS PLEASURE
There are some gifts that bring pleasure for a while…sometimes the pleasure last for days and maybe even months. However, God’s gift of salvation that is found in Jesus is unspeakable in the pleasure it brings.
“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,” I Peter 1:8.
A. It brings peace (Rom. 5:1).
B. It brings pardon.
It is unspeakable gladness springing from the possession of an unspeakable gift.
Our joy surpasses our ability to describe it. We cannot express properly our joy in the gift of God. It passes all human speech.
We cannot count our riches in Christ. He is a limitless resource.
We can cram shallow joy into the limits of human vocabulary. However, deep joy cannot be fully expressed. How can we explain the love for our spouse or child? We can approach the subject but we can never fully describe that kind of love. It is impossible to describe to others precisely how much and what kind of love we have for them.
In shallow streams, we can see pebbles below the water, but in the ocean there are depths that have never been searched by men. So it is with the gift we have in Christ.
Conclusion
This Christmas season, let us take time out of our busy holiday schedules to thank God for the most wonderful gift anyone could ever receive?
