2 Corinthians, 9:11-15
Bob Eckel · Mar 27, 2005
2 Corinthians (2004-05), No. 39
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/48262323121476

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

written, he hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness remains forever. Now he that ministers seed to the sower, both ministers bread for food and multiplies your seeds sown and increases the fruits of your righteousness. And that's where we parted last week. Do we have enough chairs up here? Lindy, we got box seats up here on the on the first base side. Sorry, Hal.

So I think before we begin with verse 11, which is, in everything, this is the interdellinear Greek, in everything being enriched in all liberality, which works out through us thanksgiving to God, we have to have the foundation before us. And I think the foundation is the fact that God is able to make all grace abound. Look at verse 8 again. All grace abound.

It's not a little bit, it's a lot. Was anyone forming any conclusions here about this? It's quite a distraction. All grace abound, rich words, right? And that ye always, notice this, always having all sufficiency in all things. Boy, that doesn't leave much room for error there, does it? All grace, always all sufficiency, all things, every good work. How you doing at that? It's good that we don't have to measure up to that responsibility.

But let's look at verse 11 now, and everything being enriched in all liberality. The theme kind of continues in this kind of everything, and enriched is not a simple term. I mean enriched, think about being enriched with something. Here we're enriched with all liberality, and we'll look at that in a little bit more detail, which works out through us.

Why? So that God may receive the thanksgiving. So in a sense, our walk, what we give, what we do, what we say is in reflection to the Heavenly Father, in fact, to whom the thanks should be given. Now, look at this. This being enriched is a passive participle. It's present tense, meaning it's ongoing, but we're the recipients of this being enriched. It's not that we're enriching ourselves. We are passive participants by our faith in this enrichment.

And if we turn to 1 Corinthians 1.5, you don't have to turn there. I'll turn there and read that for you.

There are a couple of verses where enriched is used. And by the way, this is a great term that is used infrequently in the New Testament. In verse 5, let me begin in 4. I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God, which is given you by Jesus Christ, that in everything ye are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge. So this enrichening process is something that Corinthians had been introduced already in Paul's first letter. And now God's using a different foundation in terms of the ministry to the saints to further enlighten them about this enrichening process. Now in the Greek, liberality can be translated a number of ways.

I think another probably good term to use is bountifulness. So, you know, liberality is, you know, we take a conservative and liberal, you know, you can't kind of get your mindset into liberality as having political connotations, but bountifulness is probably a better term to actually describe what we're enriched in.

And, you know, it's interesting in Romans 12.8, this term is translated simplicity.

So in a sense, simplicity and bountifulness seem to be kind of contradictory, don't they? It seems like they don't hang out together, but this I think the simplicity really relates to the single-minded liberality. And that single-minded liberality, I think that the bountifulness, King James, being rich in everything to all bountifulness, which causes through us thanksgiving to God. So this bountifulness, if you will, the single-mindedness is the glory that God receives out of this being enriched. I think the simplistic aspects relates to the fact that this enriching process brings thanksgiving to the Lord.

But it presumably has no bounds. It's as generous as possible to meet the needs of the works that he has in mind and that delivers the thanksgiving back to him. What does being enriched mean to you? Describe being enriched as it's described here in everything to all bountifulness? First thing I think of is the riches of Christ. All of the riches of Christ.

Okay, and that would be anything in particular? All that He is, His grace and mercy, Passion is the totality of who you are. Okay. Other thoughts? Being enriched. Is that something that impacts you on a day-to-day basis? Enriched bread. Enriched bread, whole grain. Okay, that's good. Not nutrient poor, right? All right, and what's that look like, Jack? Forever rich.

Is that something that we can perceive and tell when we watch one another? How would you describe a person that is walking enriched in all bountifulness? It colors them, if you can see what I'm saying. I think others see it, whereas the person might not, but I think others will see it in them. Another way to describe it is it's very light.

Okay. Mike? A place that he's provided for us. A position. Yeah, a position here? No, seated in the heavens. Alright, okay. So we're thinking then maybe a little bit about translation, right? When we think about translation, we're thinking about our position is at the right hand. But as our condition ultimately reflects our position, that's a translation of positional truth to our walk, is it not? You understand the concept? Translation of position to condition.

So we're enriched in his spirit, his being, his life, just his nature, right? Enriching is not a process by which we are active in. The only activity we have is to respond by faith. Okay. Father, I was thinking about the all-sufficiency up above in verse 8, that whatever comes in life that we have to face from day to day, whatever we need is there already.

We've already got, and we can trust the Lord that it's going to be okay, I'm going to get through this in the way he wants me to, or I'm going to, like the other verse in 1 Corinthians 1.5, where it said in all utterance, we don't have to be worried like I am at work with a security guard that's a Buddhist, and how do I witness to this guy?

Because he loves to talk about everything. And what do I say? I know nothing about Buddhism, you know, and his culture from Mongolia. But in all utterance, the Holy Spirit can give me and use me to say whatever needs to be said at an appropriate time. And I don't need to worry, which I tend to do in a witnessing kind of situation, because I feel so inadequate. The Lord's life is enough. It's all we need.

Okay. That's great. Good. Could we go ahead and do something else? Yeah, sure, Doug. You said gold ore. You enrich it to make it pure. Okay, is that the grooming process then? Here, yeah, we're talking about here. You being enriched because the Christ, our position, we're in that pure, like Him. You know, the interesting thing about it in context here is this is a present tense passive.

That means we're an ongoing part of His process of enriching. I mean, the position is that we're fully enriched, but experientially, this is a present-tense, active process. You know, when we all leave these bodies, these earthly ones, and join our Heavenly Father, ultimately, God will be satisfied that the process is complete, but we will never be satisfied that that enriching is fully accomplished. However, you know, God views us with no condemnation, right? So, positionally, enrichment is complete. But we experientially are undergoing it on a day-to-day basis.

I mean, Mara and I were talking at church this morning. There was a little thing that happened to us last night, which is insignificant really, but the issue is, and so what if what we want to have happen doesn't occur? So what? It's not like you go about life recklessly, as if our life is eternally places, so what what happens down here?

Because we are responsible to the faith. And we're going to get into that. Hopefully, we're going to get done today, but we're going to get into this concept of obedience as to what the obedience is really all about. Okay, great discussion. To the glory of God. Let's turn to 1 Timothy. Everybody turn there. 1 Timothy 6, 17, and 18. And we could probably list multiple, multiple verses that would support this scenario. Larrick, you got that? Yes. Could you read that please?

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to be good and to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share. Okay, so those verses per se really relate to what the topic here is in 2 Corinthians 9 in terms of the giving, you know, the believer being benevolent and ultimately capable of demonstrating his willingness to follow the God's leading and providing resources to others and the glory be to God. I mean, 1 Timothy 6, 17, 18, it really reflects that very nicely.

All right, again in the Interlinear Greek, let's turn now to verse 12. For the administration, this is King James I'm reading, for the administration of this service not only supplyeth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God. I like the Interlinear Greek here a little bit better because the ministry of this service is filling up the things lacking in the saints, lacking of the saints.

Financial, presumably, mostly. but it's also abounding through many thanksgivings to God. So the point here is not only by the Corinthians and others in giving and collecting, but by the apostles in ministering, distributing their contributions to the poor saints produce these two very good effects. And the two good effects are meeting the needs of the saints and secondly abounding through many thanksgivings to God. So those are the two effects of what we see played out here. Now the term service. And the term service is really back in the King James. King James is for the administration of this service. Here it's ministry of this service. But anyway, the term service really implies the term public service. The Greek term is an old Greek term which means people.

And the application here relates to working with people in the public place in a process that today would be best identified as public service. And in this public service, this demonstration of activity and ministry, we find that this can be either in worship to God and or the benefaction of others. And those verses reflect those two interpretations about how public service can be accomplished, either to others and or to the glory of God. So we won't look at those verses this morning. So this term service really relates very much to the public domain and the meeting the needs of others. Now, the verb filling up, remember, for the administration of this service not only supplies or fills up the one of the saints, but is abundant. Filling up is a present active indicative of a double compound word. It means to fill up by adding to.

It's kind of a superfluous kind of verb. I mean, this is kind of the tank is full, so let's put some more in it. You get the idea that this is an insignificant activity, that this is an activity that is overflowing in abundance. And the question is, if you've got a bucket and you've got the tap turned on, how much water goes on the floor? and it relates to how full the tap is turned on.

So, I mean, the issue is this is an overflowing filling up that's taking place here in the lives of these believers. Another excellent double fruit of liberality towards the saints is this, that it gives occasion to praise God and that our faith also is made manifest by this. So, I think that this is the process, if you will, of being enriched in meeting the needs of others. But again, as we saw in the previous verse, there are two things that actually get accomplished here. One is meeting the needs of the brethren, but secondly, bringing glory and or thanksgiving to God. Let's look at a couple of verses that I think exemplify this very nicely.

Let's turn to Philemon 1. I think 1 is a contradiction for Philemon, isn't it? It's only one chapter. Verses 4 through 7. And these verses reflect on the character of Philemon. It's after Titus. Sometimes you kind of forget. One thing that always helps me is when you begin with the T books, the first Thessalonians, everything's T until you come to the next one, and that's Philemon, right? So you have first and second Thessalonians, first and second. Timothy and then Titus and then Philemon.

Okay, verse four, I thank my God making mention of thee always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus and towards all saints, that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. for we have great joy and consolation in my love, because the hearts of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother." Doesn't that reflect both aspects? The brotherhood and the fact that God gets the credit. This is the same kind of message that deals with both aspects.

I think to extend that to 1 John 3.17, you don't have to turn there, but I'll read that for you here this morning, this is kind of admonition, if you will, but whosoever hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth up his compassions from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" Interesting. I mean, this says that, you know, our responsibility as we are being enriched in this process of confirmation really reflects how we perceive and meet the needs of our brother.

And one could look at your walk and view it as purposeful and God-glorifying, but then if in fact there are needs that the brethren have that you have been brought to your attention and are not meeting, that would raise concerns about our walk. The love of God is really raising us to position a responsibility of perceiving and meeting needs. Now fortunately, you know, as Hal taught several weeks ago, that God loves a cheerful giver. So, the begrudging giver is really not what the Lord's looking for, but this idea of being enriched and bringing thanksgiving and glory to the Heavenly Father really reflects on the way, in fact, that we respond to the needs of those around us.

Thoughts about that? Do we go out actively looking for these needs, or in fact, does the Lord bring them to us? They're always there. I don't think we have a clue as to what they are until the Lord brings them into our life. Let me kind of summarize this for us. The more one gives to others, the more he's enriched and thus he can be generous on every occasion. Which he. Which he. Because if we put a lot of this, we're never going to meet the needs, right? And Christ himself said, the poor ye will always have with you, right?

I mean, the purpose here is twofold. One, meeting the needs of the brethren, and then secondly, bringing glory to the Father. But in fact, the question is, what's the source of our response to the needs that are around us? Thoughts? The source is him, I mean, his life, his character. It's not him, it's the wrong source. It's the flesh. How do you know a need that comes up and the body is in fact one which you are in a position to have to meet? Well, that's a thorough recognition of the need exists.

Okay. Alright, so is the need really So you've got to do your homework a little bit. Is that what you're saying, Gail? Kind of look into things? The Holy Spirit lays it on your heart sometimes to be aware of something. Okay. Other thoughts about that? Public service, remember. That's in context what we're looking at. Public service. And public, I think, is not to be viewed too broadly here.

I mean, I think we're talking about the body of believers. That's the message that Paul is bringing to us here, meeting the needs of the saints in Jerusalem. Well, if I had the right answer for you, I'd give it to you. But I think the Holy Spirit's in control here. And you must, must, this is the command, you must give cheerfully.

And if you're not giving cheerfully, God, you know, has no need for us to respond. And that's what's so exciting in context about the verses we're reading now, because they have occurred after, you know, first of all, giving ourselves unto the Lord, right? I mean, the three steps that we looked at earlier back in, what was it, verse chapter eight, I think, verse five, in this they said, not as we hope, but first gave themselves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God. in so much that we besought Titus that as he had begun so he would also finish in you the same grace also." So, the first thing is giving ourselves unto the Lord and then unto the knowledge of Him, right? And then finally meeting the needs of those around us. All right, let's turn to verse 13.

This is the New International Version, which I think reflects this verse in a way that is best understood. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves. Okay, so we're about this business of giving unto others, presumably spirit-led and presumably cheerfully. Men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. Seeing that they glorify God seems like an important part of this particular verse.

And this proving can really be fact. It's really an experience that we can actually identify and state it as it was. And it could be ongoing kind of experimentation or trials that come up in our life. So now what I'd like to do is address in some discussion the term obedience. Men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ and for your generosity. So this obedience presumably relates to our sharing or confessing or professing the Lord Jesus Christ and to the financial gifts that have been extended through our capabilities and willingness to share. What do you think of when you think about obedience?

Go back to elementary school days. Do what you know is right to do, I guess. Okay, what motivates obedience? Let's just use the term broadly. Reinforcement, either positive or negative. Alright, so it can be, right, and with children it's often the negative, is it not? The response for not obeying is in fact punishment, typically. In the Christian family, presumably, it's loving. but at times it can be threatening. And that's true of the society. What else brings about obedience?

Authority. Okay. Authority can be local, like school, home, or broadly government, right? Governmental authority. So obedience to the law? Respect, I think, can also breed obedience. Okay. Respect for... person of authority or whatever, just out of respect. That's good. Okay. Respecting someone in your domain that ultimately has responsibility over your activities. Other thoughts about obedience? Being submissive to someone. Okay. Submission could be passive or active, perhaps, either way?

Do you tend to think of obedience in the terms of legal systems, or do you have other thoughts about obedience? Just in general. Let's leave the verse out here for a second because we're going to come back to the verse. You want to obey the Lord because you love Him so much. Okay, and to you obeying the Lord would be to be doing what he would want to as far as honor and glory to him. All right. What was the great commandment that Christ gave? In Luke, what, 31 or what? I mean, is... I shall not love thy God with all my heart, mind, soul, and heart. Is that correct?

And what else was connected to that? And you love your neighbor as he has loved us, correct? I mean, the great command of loving your neighbor is ultimately connected to the fact that he has loved us. Okay, so let's come back to obedience. In a sense, obedience reflects a high degree of love. in my opinion, legal principles.

I mean, there's kind of one, two, three, four kind of scenario. It doesn't have to be there. And I think there are other opportunities for obedience in our day-to-day lives that may, in fact, bring about other results. I think, you know, Larry had mentioned this, this idea of positive or negative reinforcement.

I think to the positive end, we can't ignore that either. By being obedient, we get praised, right? And so self can be glorified through an obedient and responsible life. But, in fact, that may bring no glory to the Lord if, in fact, that obedience is self-motivated. And remember, legal matters have been effectively done away with.

What do you think Paul means here when he talks about the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel and for your generosity in sharing with them, meaning the body that's abroad, presumably, and with, by the way, everybody else, too? What kind of obedience is that?

I think this whole passage so far has been talking about positive reinforcement of the obedience, about the blessings from God that if you give, you're going to get from giving. If you break that down in terms we discussed that before, the whole point here is that The whole message so far is that God wants us to give so he can bless us and in turn he gets to give for it. So I think that obedience I talk about there is because of the positive reinforcement that we get from God when we are able to do what he's asked us to do.

Okay, great Larry. Let's now reflect on that by looking at a couple of verses. Let's turn to Romans chapter 1. I've always, not always, but more recently told my kids, basically grown at this point, that the job of the parent and the Lord is to have your children grow up to make right decisions for right reasons. Not to make right decisions for wrong reasons, or not to make wrong decisions for their perceived right reasons, but to make right decisions for the right reasons.

Romans 1.5 Maybe let's start with verse 3. Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead by whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name.

Romans 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness. You notice I did a word study on this. We could just have the rest of the hour simply directed towards this, but here's a verse that I really liked that I thought really pertained to what Paul's talking about here in 2 Corinthians.

1 Peter 1.22, it's on the board for you. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

So what I'd like to do is suggest to you that the obedience for the believer is always obedience to the faith. And if you interpret it in context other than that, you're putting yourself back under a legal umbrella. Obedience to the faith. And you know, it sounds so simple, but in a sense it's so profound. What do you think about when you think about being obedient to the faith? Just describe what that is, being obedient to the faith.

Okay, and how do we know God's will? All right, and how's the Holy Spirit reveal that to us? Putting you on the spot, Winnie. All right, other thoughts about obedience to the faith? How do we know if we're obedient to the faith? that we believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another to be with each other. And by that we can have that sense of whether we're being obedient to the faith, right? Okay. Other thoughts about obedience to the faith? Isn't it just believing what the Lord has promised?

I think it really ties very much into this enrichening process, doesn't it? the faith is active. We do have a responsibility as believers. And how does our faith become active? How does our faith get really enlightened and built upon and ultimately furthered and enriched?

You know, the spirit, I think, you know, I often ask the question, what if our Bibles were taken away and destroyed? What would happen What do you think would happen to our faith? Jack, you're shaking your head. What would happen to our faith if our Bibles were removed?

I have to rely on my memory. Is there anyone whose memory is increasing in this room? Have you ever asked that question? What if you had no Bible? I like to make a statement here. Sure, please. Many here know that bird because he used to attend this church. He thought here became a pastor in Fort Collins. He's suffering from a pretty debilitating condition for a couple of years.

He's still teaching, but he said that he can't use his hands. So therefore he has to remember, he relies on his memory when he teaches and he teaches from memory the scriptures. And I couldn't help but think about that when he said what if our Bibles were taken away because in essence Dick, you know, doesn't have the use of his Bible like he used to when he teaches and he has to rely on what he's memorized over time or memorizes before the study. But I would say that's what we would all have to do If our Bibles were taken away, would it cause us to try to remember how much Scripture we've learned over the years and continue functioning in that respect?

That's a great comment. You know, we'd make it without our Bibles. God hasn't put us positionally in the Lord Jesus Christ and saved us by His great grace and mercy without the knowledge of that salvation. And if our Bibles were taken away, our faith would be would not be precluded from growing.

But I don't know about you, how many times have you gone back in the Word of God and then reflected again in new ways on verses that you thought you had done from previous experience? You know, the Word of God allows our faith to ultimately become enriched. And it becomes enriched with the Lord Jesus Christ.

And the Word of God is, as Romans 10.9 suggests, is such a, or is it 9.10? Is it 10.9 or 9.10? Anyway, It's, you know, the Word of God is, you know, our faith is built on the Word, and the Word is essential, I think, for us in terms of our understanding of our position and how that position gets enacted in our condition. However, you know, without our Bibles, our faith would still be alive.

But yet, the obedience to the faith, I think, is getting to know the Lord Jesus Christ increasingly, because to be conformed to His image, we have to know what that image is all about. and the Word is in fact the source of that truth. So anyway, what we see here is that the worker Paul is encouraging the believers to be involved with is in fact bringing glory to God.

They should be confessing. And as we reflect on confessing here, the Greek term can be confess or profess. So how would you distinguish professing from confessing? The term is interpreted liberally to declare openly or declare fully. Both confess and profess are used to translate the verb and only the context can decide actions speak louder than words.

And a little note I put here from my readings is the brethren in Jerusalem will know by this collection that Gentiles make as good Christians as Jews. I thought it was a cute comment. So when we confess something, what do you think versus professing it? Is that important here?

Paul says, while by the proving of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ. That's a King James. When you think of confession, what do you think of? Something you do with your mouth. Is it typically something that reflects a positive statement or is more likely to be a bit neutral or even... Yeah, I mean, think about confessing. You think about being open to the Lord about what's occurred in a way that you get that fellowship with Him in terms of forgiveness and moving right on. And I don't think that confess is good here.

I think they're professing what you know, the task is all about in terms of the gospel of Christ and the ministry of giving and reconciliation. And then the verse goes on to say, for the liberality of your contribution gives you an idea that there's much in the way of giving that's going on. And if you turn back to chapter 8, verse 4, Let me begin in 3, this is 2 Corinthians now, chapter 8, verses 3 and 4.

For to their power I bear witness, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves, beseeching us with much entreaty, that's kind of King James language, that we would receive the gift. So in other words, much entreaty, this bountifulness, this kind of really tremendous pot of financial glory, if you will, brought to the Lord is there and abundant among them. So the liberality of their contribution means these people gave not only with a cheerful heart, presumably, at least ultimately, but in fact they had much to give.

And I think here's an important point of this text. Although they were truly grateful and heartily thankful for the favors they themselves received, we're talking about now the recipients of these gifts. They're thankful for these gifts that the believers have reached out to them. They were also thankful for what other poor saints in other places were partakers of. And I noted a few things here. In the first place, they were more sensibly affected with and more especially thankful for the grace of God that was bestowed upon the Gentiles. And let's turn to Acts 21 verses 19 and 20 to reflect on that contention here for a second. And maybe we'll drop back to verse 17. Margaret, could you read that, please? Yes, 17 through 20, please.

And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following, Paul went in with us unto James, and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, He declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are all zealous of the Lord. OK, so we see both the ministry to the saints and then the glory given to the Father.

In 1 Peter 4.11, it says, If any man speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. I think it's a very appropriate verse to kind of reflect on, not us, but the Lord himself. Okay, verse 14.

New International Version, and in their prayers for you, their hearts will go out to you because of the surpassing grace God has given you. The text says, you know, although they're longing after you, I think the fellowship and the brethren cloud of heavenly atmosphere that surrounds them, and they long greatly by the way, this is a very pronounced term and very very admonished in the Greek, while they themselves long after you, they know that it's the surpassing grace that God has given you. So there's a recognition that men act by the power of the Spirit to meet earthly needs, but that the surpassing grace is what God has given for this to occur. And a number of verses I cited there for you. I encourage you to look at some of those. They're very good.

But let me just read 1 Timothy 1.14.

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love, which is in Jesus Christ, or Christ Jesus. So, you know, nothing, you know, really overly revealing to us. I mean, we all realize that he's the source. But yet this point is repeatedly portrayed in this section and throughout the New Testament. I don't know about you, but do you get kind of a sense of rest here? Well, it's identification. I mean, there's nothing in the way of a command going on here.

The fact that believers who are in a position to understand God's great grace give credit to the source of what's happening, and as people in a position to give, to meet needs, there's just this kind of comfort that His surpassing grace is ultimately what ultimately makes this occur. And the prayers, I think, go in both directions. These are prayers of the recipients back to the people who have been, in fact, giving to meet the needs. But ultimately, it's surrounded by this great sea of God's grace.

Now, notice the term surpassing. I mean, that's not a weak term either. It kind of takes you back to verse 8 where God is able to make all grace abound that ye always have all sufficiency in all things. I mean, this is not a small-time God. I mean, this term all in an everything and abounding is also reflected here in verse 14 in surpassing. And I like the literal interpretation to throw over or beyond. exceeding, excella, passes, passeth, surpasseth, which probably is the best meaning here.

And 2 Corinthians 3.10, and I'll just turn there for you here a second to just read that to you, maybe verses 9 through 11, for if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious."

So we're here looking at this kind of comparison between the Jewish law and ultimately the New Testament truth. But this is an endless, abounding, surpassing grace. It's really tough to get our arms around it. All right, so the last verse then is one that we'll reflect on here by reading a few scriptures. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. And what a day to look at that verse in terminating our study here. This is the third time that thanks have been given to God in this section we studied today, verses 11, verses 12, and now 15 again. And in fact, really it's, you know, the other verses, verse 14 and also 13, kind of reflect on this too. I think this is potentially a warning in that the praise not be given to the Corinthians so that they would be puffed up, but in fact that this is an exhortation that the Lord is the source of this unspeakable or indescribable gift.

And what gift are we talking about? Well, whatever it is, it denotes a term that is really, I think, ultimately unspeakable is really even better than indescribable, but they both very much relate to it. And this is a gift that man can't even put words on. It's such a powerful gift. Words really fail him to describe this gift adequately. So the term that he's used here, one reflects just the fact that the gift can't be described sufficiently. It just is beyond earthly description.

And by the way, these verses at the bottom reflect that after this unspeakable gift, all the other gifts follow. So everything else you think of about a gift from God really connects to this indescribable gift that he's talking about in this particular verse. So what I'd like to do here in closing is really reflect on this gift by reading some verses.

So I'd like to just, Bill, could you take the two passages in Isaiah? Actually, why don't you just take Isaiah 9-6? Harry, could you take Isaiah 49-6, please? And Margaret, John 1-16? And Jack, John 3-16? Winnie, Romans 6-23? And let's see, Doris, Romans 8, 32, and 1 John 4, 9, and 10, and Letter 1 with you at 1 John 5, 11, and 12. So let's just read all these verses that I think all reflect on the indescribable gift. Go ahead, Bill.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. He says, It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel. I will also make you a light of the nations, so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. 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. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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? First time. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. And this is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. It witnesses this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Alright, well thank you everybody. I think that this indescribable gift is in fact indescribable. As we talked about this enriching process as being the life of Christ living out in a believer, write books that reflect on what God has shared with us, what that life looks like, but yet it would still be insufficient. I love the Gospel of John. You remember how it ends? How's the Gospel of John end? Can anybody think what the terminal verse or two is in John? Isn't that indescribable?

Let's turn to the Lord in prayer. Father, we're thankful for the words that are portrayed in this section of 2 Corinthians, that it reflects on an attitude that's more than obedience to any kind of legal principle, but it's an attitude that reflects a life and an obedience to the faith, and that faith is the fact that each and every one of us are identified with and empowered by the Lord Jesus Christ. And as we think about the needs of those around us, we'll trust you to bring them to our attention, that we might be responsible generous and liberal in our thought and giving that you might be glorified through that act. Father, this indescribable gift is truly that, that the Lord Jesus Christ, you've given us a picture of him and given us an opportunity to respond by grace to the great truth that you've revealed about him, but he is so much more and he goes beyond our ability to speak about his sufficiency and as John had indicated, we would have an infinite number of books necessary to describe the great and unspeakable gift of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we increasingly live by faith to learn of Him and have His life revealed through us. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.