HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (KJV)

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

I have tried, for most of the month of November, to bring messages on the subject of Thanksgiving.

I began with a message on the foundation of Thanksgiving – salvation in Jesus Christ.

Last week’s message focused on Apostle Paul and his example of giving thanks in everything

This morning’s message will transition us from Thanksgiving to the Christmas season and the gift of Jesus Christ.[1]

2 Corinthians 9:15

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

I want to begin by taking in

I. THE CONTEXT OF HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT

2 Corinthians 9:2-5 (KJV)

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

The context leading to Paul’s expression of thanks begins way back in 2 Corinthians 8:1-3 (KJV)

Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

He is writing to this church in Corinth to tell them about the amazing grace of the churches in Macedonia.

These Christians, though poor and suffering for their faith, wanted to be a part of Paul’s care for the saints in Jerusalem.

He said they practically begged him to let them give and then, when they did, they gave liberally and even beyond what they could give.

He then describes how he had told those churches in Macedonia about the church in Corinth and said that, knowing them, they had been preparing to give to this need for a whole year.

Some of the believers in Macedonia decide to go with Paul and meet these believers in Corinth and, to give the Corinthians fair warning, he had sent word ahead so that they would indeed have that offering prepared.

So he is bragging on these Christians.

·   He is bragging how the churches in Macedonia gave beyond their ability to give

·   He is bragging how the church in Corinth was forward and anxious to give

And in thinking about how giving these churches were, Paul’s mind was then drawn to the greatest gift and the greatest giver of all time.

·   He was thankful for the churches of Macedonia and their gift

·   He was thankful for the church in Corinth and what he knew would be their gift

But he was most thankful to God and what was His gift.

One of the greatest reasons to be a giving church

·   The sort of church that gives to missions

·   The sort of church that cares for those in need

·   The sort of church that reaches out to help church planters

Is that, as we give in the name of the Lord it tends to bring people to give praise to the God who motivates our giving.

The heart moves from the one who has given liberally and even supernaturally, to give thanks to the One who gave the gift of His only begotten Son.

Now I want to draw your attention to

II. THE CHARACTER OF HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT

2 Corinthians 9:15

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Think of this a moment.

The Apostle Paul:

·   A man trained by one of the greatest minds of his day, Gamaliel

·   The man who wrote better than half of the New Testament

·   The man who preached all night so that one fell asleep and fell out of the window

This man tells us

I can describe to you the generosity of the churches in Macedonia

·   They gave liberally

·   They gave beyond their ability and

·   They gave themselves

I can describe for you the forwardness of the church in Corinth

·   They were forward

·   They were prepared

But I have no words to describe for you the full measure of the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation!

We live in such a wicked and depraved world that Christ is:

·   Denigrated,

·   Maligned and even

·   Hated

Worse, He is often spoken of in casual and indifferent terms by those who claim to know Him.

The salvation that is offered in the Gospel message is so often preached these days by men who have little sense of reverence and presented to congregations who half listen with dull ears.

How unlike the heart of the hymn writer[2] who prayed,

Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus,
Sang as they welcomed His birth,
“Glory to God in the highest!
Peace and good tidings to earth.”

Fasting alone in the desert,
Tell of the days that are past,
How for our sins He was tempted,
Yet was triumphant at last.
Tell of the years of His labor,
Tell of the sorrow He bore;
He was despised and afflicted,
Homeless, rejected and poor.

Tell of the cross where they nailed Him,
Writhing in anguish and pain;
Tell of the grave where they laid Him,
Tell how He liveth again.
Love in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see;
Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
“Love paid the ransom for me.”

Tell how He’s gone back to heaven,
Up to the right hand of God:
How He is there interceding
While on this earth we must trod.
Tell of the sweet Holy Spirit
He has poured out from above;
Tell how He’s coming in glory
For all the saints of His love.

Oh, Paul said this gift of Jesus Christ is unspeakable.

It was beyond his gifts of language to adequately describe!

And it leaves me with one last point I want to give you,

III. THE CONSIDERATION OF HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT

What do we do with such a gift as this?

Surely a gift of such worth that so great a preacher as Paul cannot describe it, demands a response.

Surely we cannot consider this gift, so unspeakable as that God:

·   Became a man,

·   Dwelt among us and then, wonder of wonders,

·   Died in our place

And walk away without asking, as Saul of Tarsus did, Acts 9:6a 

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?....

There is something you can do!

A. If you have not accepted it, do that today

2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

To be presented a gift and then to refuse to accept it, is useless to you and an affront to the one who has offered it.

·   It doesn’t matter how thankful you might act like you are

·   It doesn’t matter how much you might say you appreciate the one who offered the gift

·   It doesn’t matter how often you come to visit the one who has offered the gift

If you don’t take the gift, it is useless to you and presents a problem between you and the one who gave it.

Can you not see how, to refuse to come to Christ for salvation is an affront to Almighty God?

Can you see how this would set you at odds with Him?

Romans 8:7 (KJV)

…. the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

God offers you this unspeakable gift.

·   It is eternal life with Him in heaven

·   It is forgiveness of the sins you have and you will commit

·   It is acceptance into His own family

It is free for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord.[3]

And today is the best day of your life to receive it.

Are you a believer already?

B. As a believer, be devoted to Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 8:3-5 (KJV)

For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

The Macedonian churches, Paul said, “…first gave their own selves…”

That is true love for God and appreciation of His unspeakable gift.

There is no way we can give to God what He gave to us.

But we can give our own selves.

Notice that the Macedonians “…first gave their own selves…”

There are other things that can be given, but none of them make as much difference as when we first give ourselves, and then give whatever else we desire to give Him.

Finally

C. As a saint, serve Him in this earth

The Macedonians “…first gave their own selves…” but then they gave liberally and beyond their power.

God’s plan is carried out, in this earth, by God’s people:

·   Giving themselves to the cause and

·   Giving of their means to those who carry out the cause

Conclusion

True thanksgiving looks to God’s unspeakable gift and responds:

·   With salvation

·   With devotion

·   With Service and

·   With generosity

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[1] At this moment I am not convinced that the Lord’s leading is for a Christmas series in December.

[2] Fanny Crosby, Published 1880

[3] Romans 10:13

WORK

Matthew 21:28-31 (KJV)

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Thanksgiving day I received an email from someone who is going through a rough patch at work right now.

Apparently the company he works for has reorganized and he has a new manager over him –

He said that his new boss is:

·   Eager to make a good impression with his superiors and

·   Critical of my friend and his performance

It’s making work a miserable place to be these days.

I wonder,

Has anyone here ever gone though some rough days at work?

My friend asked me, “Is there anything that has helped you when in a crisis?”

Note number one; he understands that, even as a pastor, I go through periods of crisis.

In fact, I think pastors may go through more than their fair share of crises just so we are better equipped to be a help to others in their times of crisis.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (KJV)

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

The ministry is a supernatural place.

·   It is a supernatural calling

·   It provides supernatural enabling but

·   It brings with it supernatural struggles

My friend asked me, “Is there anything that has helped you when in a crisis?”

I wrote back to my friend just a few lines I prayed would be an immediate comfort and a platform for his own spiritual meditations.

But then, as I thought it over, I believe the Lord led me to prepare a message on the subject of work.

I. THE ORIGIN OF WORK

Genesis 3:17-19 (KJV)

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

I will never forget, just after I moved to Astoria to plant the new church there, a man visited our church who was a marine biologist.

Everything about that sounds interesting to me.

·   He was well educated

·   He had a secure job, working for N.O.A.A.[1]

·   He was well paid

·   He lived in one of the coolest houses in the area – it was former officers housing on what used to be Fort Stevens, in Warrenton

I thought this guy was “livin’ the dream” and told him so. His answer to me was, “It’s just like any job, under the curse.”

His answer reminds me of what I think are two misinterpretations of Genesis 3:17-19

A. Work is not a curse

Work was created under a curse, that is true, but work is not a curse.

I liken it to Genesis 2:17 (KJV)

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

That death is a result of the curse is true, but death is not a curse. Death is the door out of the sin nature.

If it had not been for the judgment of death mankind would have been eternally locked into a state of corruption, without any hope of rescue.

While work itself began as a result of the curse of sin, God’s purpose in giving us work is not to punish us.

Even the fact that work is difficult is meant for our good and not for evil.

I view struggles, especially in the workplace, as tools of the Lord to conform us into the image of His Son.

Romans 8:28-31 (KJV)

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

The whole idea of being conformed or reshaped sounds:

·   Difficult

·   Hard and even

·   Painful

But can you agree with me that the end product is good?

It’s like Romans 5:3 (KJV)

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Who could ever say that tribulations are good?

Yet Paul said, “we glory in tribulations” why “knowing that tribulation worketh patience” and the Bible says we need patience.

The struggles of work is one of the most useful places for us to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

It should not be thought of as a bad thing, but a good one.

Misunderstanding two,

B. Men are to work, but not women

It is true that the specific curse in Genesis is to Adam and that Eve has her own very specific curse.

But this does not mean she doesn’t work.

1. For one, raising children is definitely work

The work of the mother is as close to the work of the pastor as I think there is.

·   She does her job 24/7

·   She carries the burdens of all of her children at the same time

·   She never stops thinking about the next meal and

·   She’s likely to kill anyone who messes with her “flock”

2. But secondly, the Bible praises the working woman

Proverbs 31:10-22 (KJV)

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

·   She works with her hands

·   She rises very early in the morning

·   She researches and buys properties

·   She strengthens her arms and legs[2]

·   She researches the value of goods

·   She makes clothing and

·   She provides for the poor

In today’s terms she is:

·   A laborer

·   A manufacturer

·   A real estate agent and

·   An import exporter

Lydia[3] is almost exactly what Proverbs 31 describes.

·   She is a business lady

·   She owns a home and

·   She has a household

There is no husband mentioned but there is no reason to assume she is unmarried.

Work is not a curse – for either the husband or the wife.

Secondly there is

II. THE COMMAND TO WORK

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (KJV)

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

2 Thessalonians 3:10 (KJV)

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Work is nothing to try to get out of.

It is good for us to work, and work, even hard work, is honorable.

Think about that passage we began with Matthew 21:28-31 (KJV)

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Jesus used a earthly story to teach a heavenly truth and the earthly story he used had to do with a father putting his sons to work.

There is a spiritual meaning that has to do with the Jews but for now consider

This is a father says to his son, “Go, work today.”

A good dad is going to do that!

He is going to give his children work to do.

·   He is going to create an environment where there is work for the children to do

·   He is going to instruct his children to work and

·   He is going to expect that they do their work

It’s the best gift we can give our children outside of an opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as Saviour.

The reason it’s good to give your children work and expect them to do it?

To teach them that, in this world, they do not deserve anything but what they have earned.

Nobody deserves

·   A car or

·   A house or

·   To be happy

or anything else.

We earn them or we are to do without them.

That means to have a job, any job, is a blessing and not a curse.

Thirdly,

III. THE FRUIT OF WORK

Colossians 3:22-23 (KJV)

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Work –

We have to do it, but it is always to be seen as secondary to our Christian profession.

We work “as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

God places us in the work force

·   As a means to provide for ourselves and our families

·   As a tool to shape us into the image of Christ and

·   As a testimony for Jesus Christ

Paul’s experience in the shipwreck of Acts 27 is applicable.

Acts 27:10-14 (KJV)

… Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.

And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

·   Can you agree that Paul’s “work” was as an apostle to the Gentiles?

·   Can you also agree that it is because of his “work that he was arrested?

That means, then, that, while he was in that ship in the midst of the storm on the way to Rome, he was “on the clock.”

So there is Paul, on board a ship, in the middle of a storm, with perhaps more than 200 other people.[4]

He was there, in the same peril as everyone else, just so he who proclaim, “be of good cheer, for I believe God.”[5]

Who knows how many of those would have been lost if there had not been a Paul onboard to talk to God and tell them all what He had said?

Others in the storms of life need to see someone who believes God in the storm.

God scatters us in this workplace and that one like the sower scattered the seed:

·   Some of us go on the wayside

·   Some of us go into the stony ground

·   Some of us go into thorny ground and

·   Some of us get sown into good ground

But all of us need to be wherever we are or else the Word of God will have no chance to make a difference.

One last point and I will be done

IV. HOW TO HANDLE A WORK STORM

Acts 27:23-24 (KJV)

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Paul was in the middle of a storm that was no his choosing. But

·   He knew God was there and

·   He had spoken to him

Practically speaking, the most vital tool I have personally used to navigate my storms has been my “daily visit with God”.

I spend some time every day, no exceptions,

·   Letting God speak to me through the Bible,

·   Speaking to Him in prayer and

·   Journaling my walk

It doesn’t have to be a long walk – each of us are capable of more or less time than others. But all of us can walk some time, every day with God – if we will.

Just make it something you can do and enjoy every day.

Don’t overwhelm yourself with expectations that can’t be consistently met.

A. Read some part of the Bible every day.

Meditate and think about it enough that it makes some sense to you

B. Let your prayers begin from what you learned in the Bible,

Talk to God about what he taught you before you start asking for things. And then,

C. Write down some little bit of all that,

Just to get it stuck in your head a little bit better.

It won’t make the storm go away, but

·   It will give you something to hold on to when the waves get roughest and

·   It will give you something to help others in the storm with you

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[1] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[2] Think “Rosie the Riveter.”

[3] Acts 16:14-15 (KJV)

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

[4] http://www.bible-history.com/past/pauls_ship_to_malta.html, accessed 11-25-17

[5] Acts 27:25 (KJV)

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.