Gifts and Graces
The sermon emphasizes that our true beauty and adornment come from the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which will be revealed when we meet our coming Lord and King.
A.W. Tozer illustrates the concept of 'Gifts and Graces' by referencing Genesis 24, where Abraham sends his servant to find a bride for Isaac, symbolizing God's preparation of the Church as the bride of Christ. The jewels and raiment given to Rebekah represent the gifts of the Holy Spirit that adorn believers, enhancing their beauty in God's sight. Tozer emphasizes that just as Rebekah received gifts from the unseen bridegroom, Christians are endowed with divine graces that prepare them for their encounter with Christ. The servant, representing the Holy Spirit, plays a crucial role in bestowing these gifts upon the faithful. Ultimately, believers are being prepared for their meeting with the Lord, adorned with the beauty of God's grace.
Text
I go back often to Genesis 24 for the illustration and the figure in the Old Testament reminding us of the adornments of grace and beauty that will mark the believing Body of Christ. Abraham sent his trusted servant to his former homeland to select a bride for Isaac. The adornment of Rebekah's beauty consisted of jewels and the raiment that came as gifts of love from the bridegroom whom she had not yet seen. It is a reminder of what God is doing in our midst right now. Abraham typifies God the Father; Isaac, our Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom.
The servant who went with the gifts into the far country to claim a bride for Isaac speaks well of the Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Comforter.
He gives us, one by one, the gifts and the graces of the Holy Spirit that will be our real beauty in His sight. Thus we are being prepared, and when we meet our coming Lord and King, our adornment will be our God-given graces!
Sermon Outline
- The Illustration of Abraham and Isaac
- The Servant as the Holy Spirit
- Our Adornment as God-given Graces
- Preparation for meeting the coming Lord and King
- The Holy Spirit giving gifts and graces
Key Quotes
“Thus we are being prepared, and when we meet our coming Lord and King, our adornment will be our God-given graces!” — A.W. Tozer
“He gives us, one by one, the gifts and the graces of the Holy Spirit that will be our real beauty in His sight.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should recognize and appreciate the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
- We should be prepared to meet our coming Lord and King by cultivating God-given graces.
- Our true beauty and adornment come from God, not from external sources.