Indescribable
What comes to mind when you hear the word “indescribable”? An amazing family event? A stunning sight of beauty? A spectacular moment of joy? A one-of-a-kind experience?
Synonyms for “indescribable” are words like incommunicable, indefinable, ineffable, inexpressible, unspeakable, and unutterable.
It seems that very few things should be able to fit the description of this adjective. As we enter into the Christmas season, we are reminded of the one thing that defies description and that is Jesus Christ.
Paul summed it up with these eight appropriate words: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
God gave us the gift of all gifts so how can we adequately describe the indescribable? Well God can, so I’m going to use the word GIFT to share four descriptions God provides of the indescribable.
Jesus is a grace gift. He is defined by the nature of grace. It is a divine gift (1 Peter 5:10: “the God of all grace”), a free gift (John 4:10: “if you knew the gift of God” given to underserving sinners), and an embodied gift (John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…full of grace and truth.”)
Jesus is an incomparable gift. He is one of a kind and will never break down, wear out, or fall apart. He is the Creator of all things (Hebrews 1:2d: “through who He made the world”), the sustainer of all things (Hebrews 1:3c: “and upholds all things by the word of His power”), and the Ruler over all (Hebrews 1:3e: “He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”). These are just three of many incomparable attributes Jesus displays.
Jesus is a fulfilling gift. He alone brings real and total fulfillment. We understand the momentary experiences of earthly joy, but our Lord represents and gives a heavenly joy that can be “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11).
Jesus is a transforming gift. Only Christ can eternally revolutionize a life. How can you sufficiently explain what a relationship with Christ does for you? Only a miracle-worker like Jesus can transform a sinner into a saint, from being enslaved to sin and then being set free, from being dead in sin to being alive in Christ, from being blinded by Satan’s lies to being enlightened by the glorious gospel, from being helpless to alter your hopeless condition to being enabled to please God, from being under God’s just wrath to being lavished with God’s saving love, from owing an unpayable debt of sin to enjoying a debt paid in full by Jesus Christ.
All we can say is “Thanks be to God for His incredible gift.” It is a gift that keeps on giving!
Pastor Jeff