Sermon notes from Sunday 17 December 2017
Matthew 1 verses 18 - 25, 2 Corinthians 9 verse 15
I want us to think tonight of this season for giving and receiving. It is with love and gratitude that we both love to give and receive. Paul was speaking about giving in 2 Corinthians 9. He was asking them to do it without a grudge, with warmth and love in their heart. He compares it with the God of heaven and what he has given. Let`s thank God for his unspeakable gift. That goes back to John 3 verse 16. He looked on this sin cursed world, looked down on us in that plight, he loved us when there was no love coming from us. He loved us while we were yet sinners, rebellious, going against his law day by day. He sent his only begotten son into the world that we should not perish. He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us. We are looking at the most wonderful gift we could ever receive. Paul says "thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." It is as if he couldn`t find the words. There are no words I can put in. It is just an unspeakable gift - that God would do for us.
Yes it is unspeakable because it is unequalled. What God has done for you is unequal. You may give little talent, time, finances, witness, all sorts of things but it is nothing in comparison to what God has done. He has done something very special for us. He took his only son and sent him down into the world. On the cross of Calvary he redeemed your soul. There was no hope for our souls. When Adam and Eve in the days of creation were tempted sin entered into the world. Every generation since then has been born in sin and shapen in iniquity. God saw a world going far from himself. Jeremiah said "run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in the broa places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it."(Jeremiah 5 verse 1) Such a sin God looked down on, nothing I can do but send my son that he woud take every sinful act and placed it on his body. There on Calvary to make a sacrific for it. Can you imagine the love that was in the father`s heart when he saw the prodigal returning home. He couldn`t wait until he got his father`s inheritance, he went out to the far country and spent it all until he was left lying at the pigs dregs. He raised in his mind the thoughts of his father`s house. Can you think of the love the Lord had for him. He went out to meet him. Unmerited love, unthought of. He was not going to reject him, turn him away. God will not turn you away. This gift was unequalled.
This gift is unspeakable because it is unmerited. He could find no words of appreciation for it. You and I did nothing to earn this gift. There was nothing in man that could deserve such a gift. Can you imagine God tonight, nothing we could ever do to seek the merit of God. We have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Our own righteousnesses are as filthy rags. That is the picture God paints of you and I today. That is how God describes it. What God has done for us is unmerited. He took every sin on his own body. Your sin has been placed on the Lord. As you come into the meeting tonight your sin has been placed on him. He has died for you tonight but you must come and trust him tonight, accept his gift to you tonight. Romans 5 verse 8 "God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners he died for us." You have to ask for this salvation. Many of us go without God`s salvation because we simply will not ask. The only way we can receive him is to ask him for his salvation.
God`s gift is unmistakable. This gift is so clear tonight. His son has died to save you and me. We can take up that red lin throughout all of scripture, back to Genesis and Adam and Eve snning in the Garden of Eden. There God came down and searched for them. He had to take those animals all around that day and kill them for their skins. That is grace. Think of the lamb Abel brought. God received it and he was pleased. His brother brought the first fruits but God was not pleased. The lamb was sacrificed. The Lord has paid it all. It was so clear on the day when John the Baptist walking in the midst of the people saw Jesus coming towards him and he said "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." Where do you stand tonight? We are talking about something very serious - your soul within your bosom. It brought the Lord from heaven`s glory to the cross of shame to save you.
The gift of God is unreserved. The gift God has given is complete. There is nothing held back in this gift. Christ gave it all. In the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed with great drops of sweat dropping from his forehead. He prayed to his father in heaven "if this cup can pass from me let it be so, nevertheless not my will but thine be done." He did not withdraw in Pilate`s hall, nor when he saw Peter walking afar off, or when the soldiers sat and beat him. He did not hold back when he was nailed to the cross. Here is a gift that is unspeakable. Have you received that gift? The God of heaven wants to give you a gift that is unspeakable. He wants you to have his son tonight. "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in and I will sup with him and he with me." As we think of the Lord coming as a baby in the manger and dying on the cross of Calvary for us will you accept this gift tonight?
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