Jesus Is the Gift (1 Corinthians 5:19)

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (1 Corinthians 5:19)

Ever got a gift so great it was hard to put into words?

A Selfless Gift

Just a week ago, my wife and I came back from a short anniversary trip. In our absence, my son and his girlfriend had put up Christmas decorations outside the house. They also put up a Christmas tree inside the house, fully decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments.

For a moment, we were truly speechless. It was such a sweet and unexpected thing for them to do.

Turns out, they had to overcome several obstacles along the way. They had to borrow a ladder because we had locked our crawlspace where the ladder was kept. They also had to go and get a Christmas tree stand, because it, too, was inaccessible. But true love is not deterred by such obstacles, and they persevered.

Jesus’s Gift of Grace

Our son’s Christlike act is a pale reflection of what Jesus did when he came from heaven to earth to die for us on the cross. Christ’s love for us was so great that he overcame rejection, hostility, and betrayal.

This Christmas, let’s remember that there is no greater gift than the one Jesus gave us by sheer grace.

Now Paul says Jesus himself, in his very own person, IS God’s gracious gift!

The 6 Attributes of Grace

But what is grace? We often think of grace simply as a free gift, but in Paul and the Gift, John Barclay shows that grace is multi-faceted. Barclay lists six attributes of grace: its

1. “Superabundance” – highlighting the extravagant nature of the gift
2. “Priority” – the fact that the gift was given prior to any initiative on part of the recipient; Jesus took the initiative!
3. “Singularity” – the gift of salvation and eternal life is utterly unique
4. “Incongruity” – the fact that a gift is given regardless of the worthiness of the recipient; there is nothing in us that compelled the gift
5. “Efficacy” – the intent that the gift engender a positive response in the recipient; and
6. “Non-circularity” – the fact that the gift is granted regardless of the recipient’s response; the gift is unconditional!

Conclusion: Jesus is the Gift

This Christmas, remember: Jesus is the gift! The gift is JESUS!

As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”