FW: Christmas Message
george...@optusnet.com.au
From: george...@optusnet.com.au <george...@optusnet.com.au>
Sent: Sunday, 23 December 2018 10:22 PM
To: george...@optusnet.com.au
Subject: Christmas Message
2Corinthians 9:15
Yes, God’s gift is indescribable. We cannot fully estimate the value of what God has given us.
First of all, what is this indescribable gift?
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Therefore we are given to understand that salvation is altogether the gift of God and that Jesus Christ is the gift of all gifts to mankind as the salvation comes to us by the Lord Jesus. If Christ is to come to save sinners, it must be as a gift, a free gift of God. It is a gift because we are told that salvation is neither of works nor of any human merit. It is indeed a free gift, as we, who were rebellious, disobedient and deeply lost in sin, did not deserve it.
Men are saved by faith, and not by works; because it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Faith is appointed as the porter to open the gate of salvation, because that gate turns upon the hinges of free grace. When a beggar receives alms, he does not bless the hand that takes, but blesses the hand that gives; therefore we do not praise the faith that receives, but the God who gives the indescribable gift. There is no way to heaven for you and me, unless all the way we are led by grace, and unless salvation is the gift of God.
Secondly this gift is indescribable.
1. That is Christ; the gift is indescribable in his person.
He is perfect man and glorious God. No tongue of seraph, or of cherub, can ever describe the full nature of him whose name is “Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince of peace.” This is he whom the Father gave “for us men and for our sake.” He was the creator of all things, for “without him was not anything made that was made,” yet he was “made flesh and dwelt among us.” He fills all things by his omnipresence; yet he came and tabernacled on the earth. This is that Jesus, who was born of Mary, yet who lived before all worlds. He was that Word, who “was in the beginning with God, and the Word was God.” He is indescribable. It is not possible to put into human language the divine mystery of his sacred being, truly man and yet truly God. But how great the wonder of it! God gave God for us human! God gave himself to be our savior; surely that is an unspeakable gift.
2. Christ is indescribable in his condescension.
The infinite becomes an infant. Can any one measure or describe how far Christ stooped when he came from the throne of splendour to the manger to be swaddled and lie where the horned oxen fed? The eternal is dandled on a woman’s knee. It is unspeakable and indescribable that Christ who dwelt amidst the glory and bliss of the land of light came here among men to be a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
3. But that is not all. Christ is indescribable in his glory.
The glorious Victim has yielded up his life to put away his people’s sin. Theo-dora, the divine and indescribable gift of God is the heavenly benediction to the sons of men
Finally, for this gift thanks should be offered.
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.” It was the Father that gave Christ. He gave his son because he already loved us. Christ is the exhibition of the Father’s love and the revelation of Christ is made because of “the love of the Spirit.” Hence “thanks be unto God” – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – “for his indescribable gift.” The Apostle thus calls upon the Church, and upon every individual believer, to join him in his praise. And therefore, dear friends, let us join our beloved apostle Paul in thanking God especially when we celebrate the Christmas season and say aloud together,
“Father, we, your humble servants, thank you for this unmerited and indescribable free gift of salvation in Christ, your beloved son.”
AMEN.
G. Philip