Indescribable Gift

This is the time of year when we are concerned about choosing just the right Christmas gifts to give. But, “Have you ever received an indescribable gift?” Have you ever received a gift that was beyond description? What kind of gift would it have to be to be called “indescribable?” Maybe it is a gift that carries a lot of emotional feelings with it. It was given to you by someone very special, & it was a complete surprise when it was given. You’ll treasure it always because of the memories. Would that make it an indescribable gift?

Retailers will seek to describe the gifts they want to sell in such appealing ways as to entice you into believing that you simply can’t live the rest of your life without them. You see, every human gift is describable by someone.

What about this one? A wooden cross. No diamonds or gold just wood, worthless.

In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul at first is writing about human gifts. The church in Corinth is taking up offerings to give to the poor Christians in Jerusalem. He commends them for their eagerness to help, and reminds them that those who sow sparingly will also reap sparingly, but those who sow generously will reap generously. Then he shifts his attention from human gifts to God’s gift of sending Jesus to earth for us. And he cannot find words to describe that. He simply says, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”

Musicians have composed some of their greatest music on this theme: Handel’s “Messiah,” Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio,” & the hymns, “Joy to the World,” “Silent Night,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” etc. Poets & painters & sculptors have paid tribute to Jesus, the gift of God’s love.

Why does Paul call Jesus “indescribable?”

First of all, Paul calls Jesus “indescribable” because of His nature. How do you describe Jesus? What words would you choose? How do you describe God in flesh, walking upon our earth & reaching out to the hurting masses of humanity? Isaiah said He would be called Emanuel, “God with us.” How do you describe that? What words would you choose? How do you describe that which is spirit when all we have ever known is that which is either physical or material? How do you describe God who has all knowledge when all we have is limited knowledge? How do you describe God who is all powerful? How do you describe the eternal? How do you describe the indescribable? Paul says that we can’t. Words aren’t adequate. But many of the wisest men in the world have tried to describe Jesus.

Listen to the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. The greatest theological minds of the time came together & tried to describe Jesus. Here is their description:

“Perfect in Godhead & also perfect in manhood. Truly man of a reasonable, rational soul & body. Consubstantial, co-essential with the Father according to the manhood. In all things like unto us without sin. Begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead. And in these latter times for us & for our salvation, born of the virgin Mary & of the mother of God. According to the manhood – one & the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten to be acknowledged in two natures. Inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably & the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved.”

Did you understand that? Neither did I. That’s man’s attempt to describe the indescribable. Our greatest minds & most extensive vocabularies, cannot adequately describe Jesus. Secondly, Paul called Jesus indescribable because of His purpose in coming to earth. The angels announced to the shepherds, “To you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.” We celebrate the fact that Jesus came into our world to save us. Hopes of world peace have been shattered by more and more wars and conflict.

God knew that our greatest need is not for more wealth, nor better schools, not even a better welfare system. Our greatest need is for a Saviour. How do you describe that? How do you put into words what God accomplished when He sent His only begotten Son into the world? If you get me a gift I feel like I’ve got to get you a gift – is it a gift then?

That is what makes God’s gift so special. He doesn’t owe us anything. Indeed, we are in constant rebellion against Him & His will for our lives.

With that in mind, Paul says something remarkable in the 5th chapter of Romans. He says, “While we were yet in our sin, while we were yet the enemies of God, Christ died on the cross for us.” God gives a gift, not because He feels obligated to give a gift but because His love is so overwhelming. It’s a gift of grace. And there are no words adequate enough to describe God’s grace towards us in Jesus.

Now what happens when I receive God’s gift? When you open your gifts this Christmas will your life be different? When you receive the gifts that have been purchased for you will this change your life and make you different? Or will you be the same as you have always been? When we accept Jesus, the indescribable gift of God, we will never be the same again because of how He affects our life.

The first effect of becoming a disciple of Jesus is that we are forgiven of our sins. Now that may be so old & so elementary that you think, “So what else is new?” But don’t dismiss it that quickly because when our sins are forgiven, God forgets them, will not remember them, & buries them as deep as the sea. When we become a disciple of Jesus I am adopted into His family and I am guaranteed citizenship in His kingdom. Before, I was a foreigner, separated from God. But now, because I have accepted Him, I am an adopted son of Almighty God. Everything that belongs to Jesus also belongs to me. We are brothers & sisters in God’s family because we accepted His indescribable gift. When we become a disciple of Jesus we receive the gift of His Holy Spirit to live within us.

We are also given His peace. Not the peace of the world, but the peace that passes all understanding. Peace that allows me to cope with everyday situations. Peace that allows me to look beyond the fog & smog of our world to see the great pure air of Almighty God in heaven. Because of Jesus my mansion in heaven is paid for, no mortgage, no maintenance a dwelling place that will last for all eternity. And that’s indescribable, too.

I knew I would fail in my attempt to describe Jesus because someone else failed before me and he was better at it. The apostle Paul looked at Jesus & said, “I can’t describe Him. All I can do is fall on my knees and thank God for His indescribable gift.” How do you explain, how do you describe, a love that runs from east to west and runs as deep as it is high? How do you describe that which is indescribable? God said, “I know. I will send a baby. Babies don’t frighten people. Babies are tender, soft and helpless.

So in the fullness of time God sent His only begotten Son, as a baby. Indescribable! The good news is that you don’t have to be able to describe Him to accept Him. You just have to be changed by Him. Jesus went from the manger to the cross to demonstrate God’s love. We might not fully understand and we certainly can’t describe the gift but his life was given for you, you unwrap the gift by submitting to him and making him king of your life by turning from your sin and being immersed in water to claim all his wonderful, indescribable promises.