The Unspeakable Gift - Part 2 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lacerre Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise, Thou the risen of my God and King, Thou triumphs of His grace. This is Lacerre Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. How I love the great Redeemer who is doing so much for me, With what joy I tell the story of the love that makes men free, Till my earthly life is ended. I will send songs above, then beside the crystal sea, More and more my soul shall be, praising Jesus and His love. He is everything to me, He is everything to me, And everything shall always be, I will never cease to sing, A song of silence in His grace, here and in the world above, My soul shall sing of saving love, life and life, The light and joy is He, the precious friend I foreman for me. Glory be to Him forever, Endless praises to Christ the Lamb, He has filled my life with sunshine, He has made me what I am, Oh that everyone would know Him, Oh that all would adore, Oh that all would trust the love of the mighty friend above, And be His forevermore.

He is everything to me, to me, He is everything to me, And everything shall always be, I will never cease to sing, A song of silence in His grace, here and in the world above, My soul shall sing of saving love, life and life, The light and joy is He, the precious friend I foreman for me. If the program is a blessing to you and you want it to continue on your local station, I hope you will take time to write, let us hear from you, and if you can, help us with the support. We depend on our listeners, and this is a time of very special need.

Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. We'll be continuing our message today entitled, The Unspeakable Gift. The apostle said in writing to the church at Corinth, Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.

And in the first part of the message, we're simply considering the fact that the gift is unspeakable. When we look at the many references to him, and review the marvelous things he did in his life, we know that words are not adequate. We cannot come up with sufficient words to bring forth all of the greatness and beauty of his glory and the marvels of his work, but we can rejoice in what we read as recorded in the scriptures. And so today we go to that passage in John chapter 21 that tells us something about the greatness and expanse of his work. And then in the 21st chapter of the Gospel of John, verse 25, the apostle writes this, And there are also many other things Jesus did, that which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. So after all that is said in these Gospels, after all that is written about his great works, John says, We just got started. If everything that he had done had been written, I suppose he said that even the world couldn't hold the books. No wonder the apostle Paul then says in our text, Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. Just can't say it all.

No way to do it. And then we think of those who would readily confess along with the apostle. He is the unspeakable gift of God. Those who have walked with him for many years. If a person today is walking with Jesus and it's been their experience for a long time, then you go back to a place where a work of grace was done in that sinner's heart.

And when the Holy Spirit moves upon one convicting of sin, he sees himself as he's never seen himself before. Our tendency in human nature is to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We like to feel we're superior. Oh, we have our faults, but we're certainly better than some people. That's the attitude of our human nature. But when the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, you say, I have nothing to plead.

I have nothing to offer. I am a sinner. And when your eyes are open to see that the only hope for a fallen, ruined sinner is Jesus Christ, you come by faith to rest in him. You believe on him as your savior.

There is a joy and a peace and a blessing that cannot be adequately described. So if we were to ask someone here today, some of you who have been walking with Jesus a long time, for some of you it's been 40 years, for some of you 50, for some of you 60, some of you 70 and more, you would indeed say he's a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. He's one who has never forsaken me. I've been able to rely upon him.

I've been able to claim his promises. I've been able to say I'm satisfied with Jesus. Hymn number 590 in our book says, The longer I know my savior, the dearer he is to me. The harder I try to please him, the better I want to be. Oh, wonderful, matchless Jesus, his child I shall always be. The longer I know and love him, the dearer he is to me.

Is that not your experience? The longer I know and love him, the dearer he is to me. Yes, you can say he has never forsaken me. When I've stumbled, when I've sometimes fallen down, when I've sometimes been sinking in the mire, he has lifted me up. And then if you were to speak to those who have gone through the greatest trials, and they would say yes, he has given me a peace at times that I could not understand. The scripture speaks of a peace that passeth understanding. And I've seen people sometimes at a point of deep, deep grief and sorrow.

And you know the pain was just intense. But they're able to say, Bridger, I don't know how to express it, but I've got a peace deep inside. What a blessing when Jesus gives us that peace. You could say, yes, he's been with me in the deep places of the valley. He's been with me as I've passed through the cold waters. Sometimes as I looked ahead it looked so dark I didn't know how I could get through it, but he's brought me through. And he will be with me at the end.

That's a comfort to think about. That when you get to the end of the journey, he's not going to leave you there. The hymn writer expressed it like this, When I come to the river at the ending of day, When the last winds of sorrow have blown, There'll be somebody waiting to show me the way. I won't have to cross Jordan alone. I won't have to cross Jordan alone. Jesus died all my sins to atone. In the darkness I see he'll be waiting for me.

I won't have to cross Jordan alone. He's the unspeakable gift of God. And then inquire of those who have preached him most. Paul had faithfully preached Jesus Christ and him crucified.

There was no compromise. He spoke against those who were disturbing the churches of Galatia, trying to interject their Judaistic ideas, and trying to bring people back under the bondage of law service. This, he said, cannot be tolerated.

False teaching must be rejected. He was faithful, faithful in preaching it. And so here's one, an outstanding preacher, used in a special way of God.

What does he conclude? He said, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. In spite of all that he had said and all that he had preached and all that he had written under the direction and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he had to say, he's the unspeakable gift of God.

As any true preacher of the gospel, they've talked about the types that foreshadowed him, talked about the prophecies that declared that he would come. They've preached many times concerning his birth, the account of his entrance into the world, given vivid descriptions of his life, talked about the content of his messages, spoken over and over again about his death because it was at the cross by his sacrifice, his substitutionary death that sinners were redeemed. Talked about that final cry from the cross.

It is finished. It finished the work given to him with the Father to do. Isaiah had said, he shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.

And though he dreaded the anguish of having the sin of all of his people put upon him, he was satisfied to know the outcome was a success and he would have them all with him and so he could shout, it is finished. And every true preacher of the gospel has talked repeatedly about his resurrection, victory over death, talked about his ascension to glory and his royal welcome there. But those who have preached him time after time after time will say with the apostle Paul, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. I've been preaching for seventy years. I've literally preached thousands of sermons. And I've tried through the years to lift up the name of Jesus. There have been times I've walked away from a service feeling low.

Feeling, oh Lord, I wish I could have done better. But there's been some of those special times when the Lord was there in a unique fashion and blessed to be able to lift up the name of Jesus. I remember once preaching to a congregation of about fifteen hundred people and talking about Jesus Christ as the conquering king, talking about his victory over sin, over Satan and over death.

And to see that congregation lifted up with amen's heard all over the house and shouts of praise, it was a thrill to me to know that people were so touched and affected by the preaching of the gospel and delighted to hear the name of Jesus extolled. But after all these years of trying to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified, I have to say indeed he is the unspeakable gift of God. Christ is a gift.

The scriptures certainly declare it. John 3 16 says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Romans chapter 8 verse 32 says, He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? God gave up his son.

He is the gift. None could possibly merit Jesus Christ and the salvation that he gives. Man is described in scripture as being in deep trouble. He is in bad shape. Just a few of the descriptive phrases concerning him say he is not righteous. He has no understanding. He is not seeking God.

He has gone out of the way. He is full of bitterness. Destruction is in his way. He is ungodly.

There is no fear of God before his eyes. He is without strength. He is at enmity against God.

He is under condemnation. He is ignorant. He is blind. He is deceived. He is serving many lusts. He is disobedient. He is foolish, living in malice and envy, full of uncleanness and greediness.

Now you can see the impossibility of anybody in such condition to merit the favor of God. He is far removed from God. He is at enmity against God. He doesn't love God. He doesn't fear God.

He doesn't seek God. So, salvation must of necessity be all of grace. Not in part, but all of it.

Every detail of it. All by grace, because it is the gift of God through his son Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9.

For by grace are you saved through faith. And that, not of yourselves, it is what? The gift of God.

Not of works, lest any man should boast. He is the gift. Nobody deserves such a gift. Nobody can earn such a gift. No way that something can be laid out and say, well if you want to be sure of having a relationship with Jesus Christ, here is what you must do.

You must improve yourself. You must reach this higher place. No, he is the gift of God. Salvation is a gift.

It is about free and sovereign grace. And so the fact is, having considered that Christ is unspeakable and Christ is a gift, we should be thankful. Thankful. Thankful that God gave his son.

1 John 4 verse 9 says, In this was manifested the love of God toward us because God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him. Isn't that reason to be thankful? Thankful that God gave his son? How often do you remember to give thanks for that? I am sure most of us give thanks on a daily basis that God has blessed us with another day.

His mercies are new every morning. He has blessed us to have food to eat and a place to live. He has blessed us with family and friends. And we can go down the list of the many things for which we are thankful. We are thankful for his mercy, for his grace, for his love. But do we ever say, thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. I thank the Father for giving his son.

I am thankful that Jesus Christ is my Savior. And we ought to be thankful because of the deliverance that he has wrought. Paul writing to the church of Thessaloniki says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10, Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come. You talk to many people today about judgment saying there is going to be wrath poured out upon the wicked in days to come and they scoff at it. But Jesus himself had a lot to say about that wrath that is to come.

And a lot to say about hell. Mark chapter 9 verse 43, Hell, the fire that shall never be quenched. You talk about things that are difficult to grasp. The nature that this is for us all. You think of somebody being cast from the presence of God into a lake of fire where there is suffering forever.

See I can't get my mind around that. We have difficulty trying to think about eternity whether we are thinking about eternity in heaven or eternity in hell for the wicked. But the scripture presents it repeatedly.

It cannot be denied. Matthew 22 verse 13 speaks of them being cast into outer darkness and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew chapter 13 verse 42 says, and cast them into a furnace of fire. And Luke chapter 16 which describes the rich man in hell that lifted up his eyes. He was in torments and he begged for mercy. But there is no mercy. No mercy after one comes under that final judgment and is cast into the lake of fire.

He begged them that somebody might come and speak to his brothers. But Abraham said if they will not hear Moses and the prophets they would not hear one risen from the dead. Aren't you thankful today that you can expect peace and joy at the end of this life and not have to dread what the wicked will face in being cast away to suffer the vengeance of God's wrath forever? And be thankful for the benefits that he brings. He gives the forgiveness of sins.

Oh, nothing to be taken lightly, nothing to be taken for granted. How many times I've heard somebody say, Oh, I just struggle so with guilt I can't get over some of the things I've done in the past, some of the horrendous things haunt me continually. But friends, there is forgiveness, forgiveness of sins. You come confessing them and his promise is that if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins. Think of the benefit that now that our sins are forgiven, now that he has purchased us, now that he has redeemed us, we are now considered sons of God. We've been adopted into his family, not just pardoned, but now made an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ.

How can that be? Here I am, one poor little pitiful human being, one little unworthy sinner and that I would be a joint heir with Jesus Christ. That's what happens as a result of his wonderful saving grace. And then should be thankful demonstrated by the way that we live. If we're thankful we're going to be yielding ourself to him. To be saved by Jesus Christ not only means to believe in him as our savior, to trust him for the saving of our soul, but it means that we're surrendered to him as the Lord of our life. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do with the words of Saul on the road to Damascus and let that be the sincere cry of our hearts.

Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? We're going to find the answer to that question as we examine God's Word, as we listen to his Word preached, want to do what he would have us to do, walking in harmony with our position in him. If you're in Christ, Christ is in you. You carry his name, you're part of his family, you want to live in such a way that somebody can recognize you're a follower of Jesus Christ.

You can be thankful by being firm in your faith and standing firm in your appreciation for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as the apostle Paul was never willing to compromise it, never willing to have it watered down, always taking a bold stand, we must proclaim it. And when you hear other ideas presented, as you hear some who would try to water it down to make it more popular, may you stand firm to say there is no other way. Return to the fourth chapter of the book of Acts and read that there is no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved. And Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

May we stand firm in it. We're going to be thanking him if we stand firm in our acknowledgement of that truth that salvation is of the Lord, by his grace all in Jesus Christ. And then Paul was writing to the church at Corinth specifically to encourage them to be a generous giver. Chapter 8, 2 Corinthians verse 7 says, God loves a cheerful giver. And the eighth verse says that he may abound in every good work. And so if you really are thankful, you'll not only verbally express it, and you ought to do that, to say thank you Lord.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. And being thankful that as you look toward the end of the journey, you're looking to that time on the other shore where there will be no more sin, no more sorrow, no more heartache, waving palm branches of victory, shouting praise to Jesus Christ, singing thou art worthy for thou is slain and has redeemed us to God and singing those praises forever. When this passing world is done, when has sunk yon glaring sun, when I stand with Christ in glory, looking o'er life's finished story, then Lord shall I fully know, not till then, how much I owe. When I stand before the throne, dressed in beauty, not my own, when I see thee as thou art, love thee with unsinning heart, then Lord shall I fully know, not till then, how much I owe. My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine, for thee all the follies of sin I resign. I hope as we have brought you this message entitled the Unspeakable Gift, that the Lord has used it to stir your heart to see what an important thing it is for us to continually come before Him, giving thanks, thanking Him certainly for the daily blessings and mercies of life, but above all, thanking Him for the greatest gift, Jesus Christ our Savior. I hope that you will write us and until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. I love thee because thou has first love in me, and purchased my pardon on Calvary Street.

I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow. If ever I love thee, my Jesus is now. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to The Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's The Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. In mansions of glory and endless delight I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright I'll sing with a glimmer of light.