Lesson Twenty Four

The Unspeakable Gift
(I Cor. 9:15)  

 

Introduction:

This is the gift giving season... a source of consternation for just about everyone who is searching for the perfect gift. There are hints in magazines as to how and where to shop, etc. A missionary in Africa had explained the Christmas holiday to the natives in his village and how gifts were an expression of love and joy. Magnificent seashell brought by native to him... origin was a bay several miles away... only place to find such a shell. Commended for going so far to find gift... said,

"Long walk part of gift."

Why do we give presents? Have you ever thought about your motive? Do you want to???

Stories read tonight tell of a variety of gifts:

{a}. much needed coat

{b}. painted football

{c}. healthy heart

The Bible is full of gifts given with a human motive:

A. (Prov. 21:14) - Gift of appeasement

Motive: Self-protection - Often travelers would carry with them certain commodities that could be used to protect themselves in a foreign country. They could "appease" the rulers of the land. Most common current example is the husband who is in trouble with his wife!

B. (Prov. 18:16) - Gift of prestige

Motive: Self-promotion - More than any other time we live in an age of advancement of self. Some come bearing gifts that will ensure a promotion or at least get them in front of the CEO!

C. (Luke 11:11-13) - Gift of parental love

Motive: Self-love - Now this may seem harsh, but think for a minute... how difficult is it to give something to an extension of yourself. At first it may seem sacrificing and noble, and to a certain extent it is, but in reality, it is like giving a gift to yourself.

D. (I Kings 10:1-2) - Gift of opportunity

Motive: Curiosity - The queen is a true woman... totally motivated by the "I have got to meet this guy" affliction. Not satisfied to just do her hair, her nails and her make-up, she also arrives with a pile of presents to impress him. Little did she know that this was going to be a very hard sell... "thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard."

E. (Luke 21:1-4) - Gift of sacrifice

Motive: Love of others - On some rare occasions we may actually give with no other motive than because we love, and a sacrificial gift is the most obvious proof of that. She didn't put her offering on a credit card... it was literally all she had.

F. (Matt. 2:10-11) - Gift of worship

Motive: Best of all - to honor the babe they realized was the Son of God. Could have cost them their lives.

[1]. Gold - Kingship

[2]. Frankincense - Priest

[3]. Prophet - Myrrh (an embalming spice)

 

These are just a few of the human gifts mentioned in Scripture, but they give us an excellent comparison to the giving of God. Our introduction text says that God's gift is unspeakable: that which cannot be uttered or expressed. Now that's quite a present!

A. What the unspeakable gift gives:

[1]. Unspeakable words In (2 Cor. 12:4) Paul describes heaven as he makes a temporary visit there, and reminds us that we will need our incorruptible bodies to be able to even hear the words spoken there.

[2]. Unspeakable joy (I Peter 1:7-8) reminds us that loving God's gift, the Lord Jesus Christ, now results in joy unspeakable in the present and also in heaven.

B. What the unspeakable gift is:

[1]. Free Romans 5:18

[2]. Without repentance Romans 11:29 God is not fickle in what He offers freely

[3]. Eternal Romans 6:23 Praise God for a gift that keeps on giving through eternity!

 

1. God has offered His unspeakable gift to largely an ungrateful and unfeeling world.
2. Unaccepted, the gift does not disappear, but merely waits for the sinner to "come to himself" and accept it.
3. Accepted, it provides the recipient with a profound knowledge of the love of the Giver.
 

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