God's Unspeakable Gift

As it may please Almighty God, this evening I'll speak to you from the second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians and the ninth chapter and the last verse in that chapter, verse 15. So the second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, chapter 9 and verse 15.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. This was the words that the Apostle Paul was instructed to write, and he knew them well in his heart, because God had worked in his heart that great and glorious work of salvation through God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And he indeed was able to declare the truth of these words. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. It's hard for us to realize the great depth which is contained in such a verse as this.

But yet we should recognise that God the Father sent his Son into this sinful world for the benefit of his Church. And we can remember perhaps the well-known verse in John's Gospel where it's recorded, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son But whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. To realize that God the Father, the eternal God, loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come into this world and to die that sin atoning death on that cross at Calvary, and to bring about that glorious way of salvation. And as we read here, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. May such a statement be a wonderful encouragement and a strength to each one of us because it's a glorious gospel statement. It says that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. And perhaps sometimes we are fearful that we're not among those who are blessed with a believing heart.

And yet, you see, the Bible encourages us to come to the Lord Jesus. And in the end, as we've sung, came to Jesus as I was. We don't have to put on any special pose or position. We can come just as we are. What a wonderful blessing that is, because the Lord Jesus knows exactly where we are in our spiritual life. He knows everything about us. He always has done. And he always will. To us, the way may seem strange. To us, sometimes, the way may seem difficult. But to God, it's an ordained way.

It's a way that was planned, again, amazing truth, before the world was created. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit planned every detail of that which would occur in the world and right down to that which occurs in your life and my life. Sometimes we may find things which seem to occur surprisingly and unexpected, may surprise us. There are no surprises with God. He knows the end from the beginning.

And what a great comfort that should be, as perhaps you and I struggle sometimes with the unknown way. And yet, what a blessing He gives us that grace. to be able to come and commit all our way unto our God, believing, as the Word tells us so wonderfully clearly in the Psalms, and He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. So it should be a real comfort to us to realise, although perhaps the way may appear dark and appear difficult, yet it's ordained by Almighty God. And there will be a good result.

And that result will be to bring all his church, all his people, safe home to eternal glory. Isn't that a wonderful and glorious truth to realize as we read in this 16th verse in this third chapter of John. And so that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Not something that's gonna fade away. Not something that's gonna disappear. It's that which God gives. and that which God gives is everlasting.

It's a wonderful thought, it's a wonderful prospect to the Church of God to realise as you and I pass through this world, pass through time and come into that eternal state, to realise it is an everlasting state of happiness and glory where we shall be with the Saviour No sin, nothing to distract us, nothing to wear us, but glorious peace and favor.

Well, it's a prospect that you and I should look forward to, to realize that as we're told, I go to repair a place for you. And if I go to repair a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also. And these words, my friends, are the word of God. They're sure and certain. There's no doubt about them.

And that's why we can be thankful tonight that the Lord Jesus Christ was willing to come into this sinful world to live those 33 years in this sinful world, try and visualise what a change that would have been from that place, from everlasting he'd been with his father in glory and then willing to come into this sinful world and to pay the price required for the redemption of all his church so that they may be set free, and set free into that glorious freedom, that freedom of God, where there is no sin. And therefore, surely, it's a great statement and a true statement to ponder as Paul tells us, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

He had reason, didn't he, to be able to write such great truths. God had been very gracious to him. God had blessed him indeed. God had encouraged him. God had strengthened him. God had opened to him the Scriptures. He'd been brought up at the feet of Germainiel. He'd had so many glorious truths shown to him. And that's why, by the grace of God, he was able to write such great and glorious truths. You know, as we start the next chapter, he tells us this.

Now I, Paul, myself, beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. You think of that. The meekness and gentleness of Christ doesn't deal with us as we deserve. who in presence am base among you, but being absent, am bold toward you. But I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, We do not war after the flesh. In the Apostle's life, there have been a glorious change. What a wonderful thing in your life and my life if we can see the glorious change which has occurred.

And that change very simply is to bring us from darkness to light. the light of the glorious gospel and find ourselves in that wonderful place of looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, the one who begins the work of grace, the one who sustains us. and one who brings it to a completion. This is the great God that we have.

Nothing is omitted. It's a complete plan, and that plan from eternity past. It's wonderful to think, and it's good to think, and it's good to pause and just consider how great and kind and gracious and merciful God is. to have looked upon us from the moment we were born, and watched over us to the present moment of time, and will watch over us until we pass out of time into eternity. He will not leave us nor forsake us.

We may fear sometimes, and perhaps rightly to fear, But this is the God that by his grace, we are privileged to know and privileged to deal with and to be able to come with the apostle and say, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. It was a wonderful gift. and a wonderful mercy. We read together that first chapter in Timothy, which is a very glorious chapter. And as I mentioned, that wonderful verse in 17, where we're told, now unto the King eternal, that's the Lord Jesus, King eternal, always has been and is and always will be. Eternal and immortal. He never dies. Immortal. Invisible.

The only wise God. There's only one wise God. There's other gods who people worship. There's only one true God, only one wise God. and what a mercy it is to have a good hope that that almighty God, that wise God has looked down from glory and has come and touched our heart, turned us from an evil way and brought us to that position where we can say from our heart, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift of sending into this sinful world. his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. There are so, so many encouraging words in the Word of God to strengthen our faith and to support us and to encourage us and to perhaps enter in a little to what the Apostle tells us when he wrote to the Philippians, he wrote some wonderful words and he explains in the third chapter his position. He commences by saying, finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. And by God's grace, you and I have reason to rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord because we're even gathered here tonight to worship the ever-living God.

How many there are who pass by these doors? How many there are who care nothing for the condition of their soul? How many there are who know nothing about the reality of a soul. What a mercy if the Holy Spirit has given us that spiritual life so that we understand again what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians when he said, and you hath he quickened, who means spiritually alive, knew Hathikvagen who were dead in trespasses and in sins.

A dead person doesn't know anything and that's just how we were until the Lord came and touched our hearts and gave us the gift of eternal life. Oh, how wonderful it is to realize that we have such a kind, gracious God, who's given us that which we never deserved. We never deserved any notice. And yet, as we read in the Old Testament, when he saw us in our blood, he passed by and say live, live the life of God given to us so that we can indeed rejoice in his goodness and his mercy. Well, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

And yet, you see, here we have the apostle writing to the Philippians and explaining his position. He tells us what he was doing, contrary to God, and he was brought to that position to be able to come and say, but what things were gained to me, those I counted, loss. for Christ. All things lost for Christ. And then he just confirms it by saying, yea, doubtless. And I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do countenance but done that I may win Christ and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

And he goes on, it's just one sentence, that I may know Him, that I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings be made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Well, we should thank God today that the Spirit of God ordained that the Apostle should write such grand and glorious truths and to express his own heart's desire and that you and I today may indeed have the same desires and be able to come in and say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Well, the Apostle was wonderfully favoured, but he gave all the honour and all the glory.

He tells us, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, he looked forward. There was a prospect before him. He sets it before the Philippians, and it's set before us today. And he tells us, not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend.

That means he may understand that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do. forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ. Well, what a blessing it is if you and I tonight are found pressing forward to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. There's only one way, in Christ Jesus.

And therefore we can come shortly and say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Oh, my friends, what a God we have. What a wonderful plan of salvation. Have you often sat and pondered the plan of salvation, God's plan? How it was planned before creation, that in itself is something our little minds cannot really comprehend. And yet it was ordained. God planned every detail that would occur in your life and my life. The things that we've done today, the thoughts, the thoughts that have passed through our mind, known to God. And the desires, that God has placed there, the heavenly desires, the desires after Christ, they are put there by the work of the Spirit.

How wonderful it is to think that this is the God. that we adore. And I hope we do, I hope we do truly desire to honour and glorify this great God who, as we've already said, is indeed the King Eternal, not a king who passes away. Natural kings come and go. The King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. is eternal and what a wonderful, wonderful blessing to think that is the case and we can rely upon such a truth. We have no need to ever doubt the Word of God. There are so many proofs we have of the Word of God being true. You only have to look back at the prophecies which are revealed from the Old Testament and come to pass. In every detail that they spoke of, nothing failed. And my friends, nothing will fail. because we have to deal with an eternal God who never makes any mistakes. He never makes any wrong judgments. But my friends, what he says is true.

And what a mercy it is that we have a God that is able to do for you and me far more exceeding abundantly. than we can ask or even think. In the epistle to the Hebrews, we read in the seventh chapter this, and start at 23rd verse. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death, but this man. the Lord Jesus Christ. But this man, because he continued ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Wherefore, he is able. I think those are glorious words. We can read them a number of times. He is able. He is able. That's the God that we have to deal with. And what a great privilege it is to have such a God like that. He is able also to save them to the uttermost. That's a very comprehensive word, isn't it? Uttermost. There's no one beyond that can save to the uttermost. You may feel I'm beyond any hope. No one is beyond any hope because of such a great truth.

He is able also to save them to the uttermost. that come unto God by him, seeing he liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, who needeth not daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the people's, for this he did once when he offered up himself. You think of that Calvary, that glorious place where the blessed Saviour offered up himself. He gave himself as that complete sacrifice to take away the sins of his whole church, everyone. What a mercy. If you and I have a good hope that we form part of that church, the church of God, to realise therefore that he's offered up himself on our behalf to redeem us from all our sins.

And again, it's always a good thing to ponder how that occurred and what it cost. The only begotten son of God had to endure all the opposition throughout his life, which then culminated in the judgment hall and in Calvary. He never turned his back. We're told he set his face like a flint to Jerusalem. He knew what was before him.

How willing was Jesus to die? Oh, my friends, that we fellow sinners might live the life they could not take away. How willing was Jesus to give, to give his life, for us to give his life, to pay for our sins. Every sin, every sin needs to be paid for. The Lord Jesus Christ came to willingly pay for that price that was required. And that price that he paid was a culmination when he gave his life. When he gave his life upon that cross at Calvary and was able to utter those wonderful words, it is finished.

The work that his father had given him to do, he did not fail in. However hard it was, and of course we have a little sight of how difficult it was when he prayed to his father, if it be possible, Let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will, but thine. It wasn't possible. He come into this earth for that divine reason, to redeem his church, to pay the price that was needful, and how wonderful it was. that the blessed Son of God was willing to fulfil all that His Father had set before Him.

What an agony it was, here being in agony, as we're told, a sweat as it were, great drops of blood. It was no light thing. Never underestimate your salvation. Recognise be enormous cost. And what it means, does it not, that you and I owe a great debt that we shall never be able to repay.

But yet how wonderful it is if God gives us that desire to truly do His will in our lives, to follow His teaching, to follow His example, to be able to come and say with the Apostle, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Well my friends it's a wonderful wonderful gospel that we have, a wonderful truth that we have, and how good it is if, therefore, God enables us to meditate on these great and wonderful truths. Well, you know, we have some amazing testimonies in the Word of God to encourage us and We can think of that statement by Isaiah so many many years ago contained in that 53rd chapter in Isaiah and we have a little picture of what the Lord Jesus had to endure, and we're told, who hath believed our report? Well, it's a blessing if you and I, by God's grace, have believed the report contained in the Word of God, and to know unto whom is the arm of the Lord revealed. To have the evidence that God's arm has been stretched out on our behalf, to redeem our souls.

And then we're told, for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. He has no form nor comeliness. And when we shall see him, there is no beauty, but we should desire him. Naturally speaking, his face was more mild than any man's. The agonies that he'd passed through, And yet how willing was the Saviour to pass that way.

And then we're told He is despised. Sometimes we may feel despised. What does that mean? It means fellowship for the Lord Jesus Christ. And that puts everything in a right perspective. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. In the days of our unregeneracy, before we knew the mercy and favour of God, we were just like that. We didn't understand, we didn't appreciate. And yet, here we have these great words.

Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken of God and afflicted, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The justicement of our peace was upon him And with his stripes, we are healed. It's an amazing truth, isn't it? Lord Jesus Christ was chastised for us. And to think that with his stripes, we are healed. And then Isaiah goes on, and remember, these were prophetic words. a wonderful evidence of the truth of God's Word.

The detail which we have here set before us depicts so very clearly what the Saviour was going to pass through and what he did pass through. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. The whole Church of God, all our sins laid upon the Saviour. What a load, what a burden.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth, He has brought us a land to the slaughter, and as the sheep before her shearers is done, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generations? For he was cut off as the land of the living, for the transgression of my people was he stricken." He was 33 years of age, the prime age of life naturally, and he was cut off. cut off.

He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin.

He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days. and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the trouble of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.

This is almighty God. This is the creator of all things, the ruler of the universe, willing to pass this way in order that unworthy souls might be eternally saved. It's amazing, isn't it, if you and I consider it and remember the Lord Jesus Christ He took our form upon him, our human form. Yes, and he agonized in that human form.

How wonderful it was that we have such a detailed account to encourage us in our life and to believe that we can come like the Apostle Paul, who quite clearly in great detail, entered into these great truths and was able, therefore, to say thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.

And that gift, of course, is the wonderful gift of eternal life. The wonderful gift of eternal life. It's hard for us to comprehend really because we're people of time and we understand time, we don't understand eternity. And yet that's what is said before. the Church of God, a long eternity to spend in singing, God is love.

Oh, my friends, what a saviour. How wonderful it is to know that we do have such a great and glorious saviour, who is indeed the one who died for us, the one who mediates for us as we pray. He mediates for us. before his Father in heaven, and surely we can rejoice in such a God. Well, my friends, there's very much that can be said, I'm sure, on this great and glorious statement, but it's good if you and I, in our hearts tonight, can come and say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift in sending his only begotten Son into this world, but whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. What a prospect, my friends, to think. Unworthy sinners, by the grace of God, will be found one day in glory, worshipping and praising the Saviour forever and ever, where there will be no sin, No sadness, no sorrow, but eternal peace and happiness. It's something beyond our natural mind, but it's the truth spelt out in the Word of God, and how encouraging it should be for you and me to meditate upon these great truths and to praise God from the bottom of our heart and be able to come and say, with the apostles, he wrote this great statement to the Corinthians, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Amen.

God's Unspeakable Gift

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God's Unspeakable Gift

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