THE GIFT

2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”

Colossians 2:3 “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Let’s look at some words that Paul has used here in these two verses of scripture. I always try to picture in my mind what Paul is doing at the time he is writing these letters, try to see maybe where he is at and what the circumstances are as he is writing or as he is dictating to someone else who is actually doing the penmanship. Paul is probably sitting in some dank dark jail as he serves the LORD or maybe on some lonely island in a storm, huddled under some bare shelter, or in some other dire situation. So let us first look at some words in this first verse where Paul was writing to those Christians at Corinth. The first word I want to look at is “UNSPEAKABLE”  

The Greek word that was translated “UNSPEAKABLE” means, that which cannot be told out to the end; what cannot be told in detail, or related. Paul is wanting these Christians to know that this person, this JESUS the CHRIST, is no ordinary person but is GOD HIMSELF in the flesh, who has came down from heaven above to help HIS people, to deliver them, to comfort them, to be near them in there time of need. In the Bible in the book of Matthew in Matthew 1:23 says: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD with us.”  The word unspeakable means “Indescribable” which really “reminds me of the candy bar named “PETER PAUL MOUNDS”, because back in the day, when I was still a very young boy, this company’s advertisement used that word “indescribable”. It is fitting isn’t it that the man that concocted that formula and started that company was an “imigrant” from a far country, who had come to this new nation to realize his dream. Which brings me to the book of Luke where the greatest gift ever, the most “UNSPEAKABLE GIFT” was prophesied to happen in Luke 1:26-33 “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, name Nazareth, To a virgin expoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever: and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” GOD came to HIS people and became flesh so that HE could deliever them by becoming the propitation for their sins and the sins of the whole world. The word:

Gift: Suggests and means that they and we did not earn it, that we were not even thinking about GOD at the time. It was not any sense of duty that brought GOD to this sin-laden earth but it was HIS GREAT LOVE that moved HIM to come and deliver HIS people from there sins. The Bible declares in:

Romans 5:18 “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righeousness of one the FREE GIFT came upon all men unto justification of life.” JESUS HIMSELF said in the Gospel of John in:

John 4:10 “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

A gift is something presented to you without payment from you, a present that you did not earn or buy but it did cost something to the one giving the GIFT and in this case it cost GOD HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to come and die a horrible death upon the CROSS so that you and I and that ALL (WHOSOEVER WILL) could be SAVED.

Have you received this GIFT, just as we celebrate CHRISTMAS with the giving of gifts, you don’t just leave the gifts unwrapped and laying around but you open it and take unto your self. You must receive this “UNSPEAKABLE GIFT” into your heart and do with it as GOD would have you to do.

Now in this next scripture which is in Colossians 2:3 “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” The first word I want us to take note of in this verse is the word “HID”. Which says to me, that we have to open it so that we can see what this GIFT is, in our lives today when we celebrate CHRISTMAS, we don’t just leave the presents unwrapped or tossed in a corner or thrown in a drawer somewhere, but we open them and use them for what they are intended for. What is HID in GOD? The word HID does not mean that it is placed somewhere so you can not find it, but that it is placed as a treasure, so to keep it safe till you dig it up, or unwrap it, to see what it is. The word “TREASURES” simply means “WEALTH”. We search or work for wealth most of lives but the Bible says that “ALL” the “TREASURES” all of the “WEALTH” that is worth having is in JESUS. All of the “WISDOM and KNOWLEGE” that you will ever need has been given to anyone and everyone who wants it, who is willing to SEEK it. The Bible says to “SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND”, so may I offer to you these suggestions or these options of what we must do with this “GIFT”? First:

We most “OPEN” this GIFT: We must open our HEARTS and receive JESUS in as our SAVIOR. HE is available and ready to save you from your sins: He is availble and ready to “change your life”, OH!! The pain and shame we bear needlessly because we delay coming to CHRIST. Reach out this day and “OPEN” your HEART to JESUS and receive HIM today as your SAVIOR. 

Secondly, after you have been saved:

We must OBEY: We must obey GOD and be about doing ALL that HE has commanded US to do. And, of course the greatest commandment, the greatest task that HE has given us, is to LOVE, to LOVE GOD, to LOVE ourselves, and to LOVE others. When we obey these commandments all of the others just fall in line right behind them. Remember 1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of GOD, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not greivous.” Then last but not least:

We must OFFER our lives to HIM: We must offer our lives as a LIVING SACRIFICE unto GOD to be used of HIM. When we offer our lives to HIM, it is only our reasonable service. Listen please, think of it this way, SACRIFICE for SACRIFICE, HE gave is life for you, and, you give your live to HIM.

Whereever you are at, whatever you are doing, or whenever, “LIVE FOR HIM” GOD has all you need, “WISDOM” “KNOWLEDGE” “STRENGTH” “PROTECTION” “LOVE” and “COURAGE”