Five Superlative Blessings

Five Superlative Blessings

The Bible is rich in adjectives— words that describe— good, better, and best.

When we say the “ best,” we have lifted this or that experience to its highest degree. You can’t take it any further. You can’t do any better than your best.

Billy Sunday once said: “Lord, I’ll do my best for You today, but tomorrow I’ll try to do better.”

The word “superlative” means of the highest quality - God doesn’t have to try to do better, or have a best day or worst day - God’s blessings are always of the highest quality - superlative

But we find five sprinkled throughout the New Testament that I want to point out tonight - Lets look at these five superlative blessings and rejoice in thanksgiving together tonight.

I. Unsearchable Riches (Eph. 3: 8 )

Ephesians 3:8 “8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”

Jerome said this “unsearchable and hidden” can be given two senses: 1. The riches were previously unable to be searched out are now revealed. 2.) Another sense, perhaps even better: those things which by nature were unsearchable to humanity are the ones that have been made known by God’s revelation.

Handfuls on Purpose for Christian Workers and Bible Students, Series I–XIII The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

This may be regarded as the explanatory title of Christ’s great atoning work. All the difficulties and mysteries of redemption are met and revealed in the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”

The unsearchable riches of Christ. “Riches” an attractive word. Human heart leaps towards them. Ceaseless disappointments of most who follow after them. Here the riches that moth and rust do not corrupt, nor thieves break through to steal.

1. There are in Christ unsearchable riches of compassion. Case of the lost, proper object of pity. Christ’s pity boundless. Human pity often quenched by great wickedness, troublesomeness, loathsomeness. Not so Christ’s! Pity for thief on cross, Saul, Corinthians, and other gross sinners.

2. Unsearchable riches of merit. His blood cleanseth us from all sin. He is “able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him”—Augustine, Bunyan, Lord Rochester, John Newton, and such like.

3. Unsearchable riches of sanctifying grace. Great change needed to make men meet for kingdom of heaven. This includes grace to enlighten, guide, strengthen, and to restore from declension.

4. Unsearchable riches of comforting grace. No sorrow to which we are liable for which the gospel has not a comfort; no wound for which there is no balm. The Third Person, “the Comforter,” is sent by Christ.

5. Unsearchable riches of glorifying grace. Can make provision for the full satisfaction and infinite enjoyment of every soul for ever and ever. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; … for the Lamb in the midst of the throne shall feed them;” “He that hath the Son hath life;” “He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. (1909). Ephesians. Funk & Wagnalls Company.

II. Unspeakable Joy (I Pet. 1:8)

1 Peter 1:8 “8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”

There are actually three points in this verse about the object of faith to a believer of Jesus of Christ

Even those who have not seen Him in person in the past still love Him

Even though we do not see Him now we continue to believe Him

They rejoice with joy unspeakable - a joy that cannot be fully expressed in words, but it is full of glory, a joy that is inspired by that glory yet to come.

III. Unutterable Groanings (Rom. 8:26)

Romans 8:26 “26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

IV. Unspotted Experience (Jas. 1: 27)

James 1:27 “27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

2 Peter 3:14 “14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

Jude 24 “24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,”

V. Undefiled Inheritance (I Pet. 1:4)

1 Peter 1:4 “4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”

The future hope of believers and Peter uses the word “inheritance” to talk about what is in store for Christians

This does not have to do with the idea of perpetuity under Mosaic Law - or the land promised to Israel but in terms of the endtime hope that lies before believers.

This will be a physical and realized inheritance

2 Peter 3:13 “13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

It will not disolve away or be corrupted by politics or crime or defiled by sin

It is an inheritance that will not fade away - it is eternal

This is an inheritance reserved in heaven for you

We are so blessed

Unsearchable Riches

Unspeakable Joy

Unutterable Groanings

Unspotted Experience

Undefiled Inheritance

Oke, Norman R. (Editor), "Preacher's Magazine Volume 38 Number 09" (1963). Preacher's Magazine. 382. https://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/cotn_pm/382 p 42