GRACE—DON’T ROAM THE HALLS WITHOUT IT

GRACE—DON’T ROAM AROUND WITHOUT IT

It is reported that John Newton said "when we get to heaven, there will be three wonders: (1) who is there, (2) who is not there, and (3) the fact that I’m there

Gods Gift Received At Christ’s Expense

Intro: nothing to fear but fear itself nothing to fear but God

Talked about Faith fear and the gospel!

Have you ever heard someone say something like" but for the grace of God there goes me?" Whats up with that, what does it mean!

What does grace mean to you? Something you say before you eat? Name of some girl you used to know? Is it the name of a song we sing—Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound? What? I want you to ponder that thought today.

Greek word "charis" original Greek, that which gives joy and pleasure and delight

John Newton wrote Amazing Grace in the mid 1700’s

- Thought of himself as a wretch, talk about a self esteem problem
- Said he was not only a sinner but studied how to make others sinners as well
- He had no fear of God before his eyes
- He came to realize he needed someone to stand between him and the God that would punish him for his sins
- He came to see that Christ took his punishment so he could be pardoned

Most people don’t see themselves that bad off in Gods eyes, and can’t see grace as so amazing

- They see it as nice, helpful maybe necessary
- Here is something you can count on: The better you believe yourself to be, the less grace you think you need. The more self-confident you are, the more convinced you’ll be that you could get by even if God were stingy with grace. Sure, you struggle with sin, but that’s just a part of the human predicament. All you need is some help from God and a bit of personal determination. You can make yourself good enough for God to accept you. You just need to get desperate enough to clean up your act. If grace can help you—fine
- Problem is-----you can’t clean up your act and feel worse about yourself when someone tells you to do that!

So What is Grace---How do we define It?

It means—as we said that which gives joy, pleasure, delight

In English may mean graciousness, attractiveness, charm poise, like a debutant or one that walks with a book on their head, I have grace

NT meaning is the free undeserved favor merit and gift of God

- All have sinned and fallen short—we deserve thrown in hell
- We don’t get what we deserve, favor is out of the heart of the giver

Two kids playing ball, one takes the ball the other gets mad=no grace

If the one who had the ball taken says he can keep it and gets another that = grace!

- Refers to goodwill, loving kindness in speech we are to give grace to the hearers-------kind words in return for harsh
- Giving to one what they do not deserve in return for what they did to you----weather in speech or in actions
- Favor is extended only out of the goodness of the givers heart and no other reason-------GRACE IS:
- Gods Favor

Gen 6:8 Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord

God was going to destroy man as He was sorry He made Man as man was corrupt and wicked

Noah found favor---He did not do anything to get it—God just gave it to him as Noah was righteous

- Gods forgiving mercy

Rom11:6 and if by grace, then it is no longer works; otherwise grace is no longer grace

Elijah thought he was the last one left, but God said He had 7000 others that had accepted what God said, His grace and had faith ---- He showed mercy because they believed Him Did Elijah deserve it ------ no he ran away, hid was afraid of Jezabel she want to kill him

- Gods Gift giving: He gives us gifts, miracles, eternal life, the gospel, all of which we don’t deserve

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ

1Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up your loins of your mind, be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God

In these verses we see the law---no one could keep it by works, on their own, needed something else to help

It was thru Jesus that grace came, in other words the ability, the power to keep the law of God by way of gifts He gave each believer

God will supply the ability, we just need to be like the pencil in your hand---ready to make a mark

- All sufficient

2 Corin 12:9-10 ⁸For this thing I sought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. ⁹And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on me. ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong

Paul tells us that God can keep us thru anything and will keep us humble so we boast in God not us

No matter what weakness we have God can use it

We came here not to make us feel like something, but to help build you up

- Grace is faith

Acts 2:27 ²⁷And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brothers wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: ²⁸For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

Appolos was preaching Christ but from standpoint of John the Baptist ------ the disciples taught him more and he was able to present Jesus in grace by an underserved gift of the disciples teachings

- Grace is salvation

Eph 2:4-9 ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, ⁵Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) ⁶And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: ⁷That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast

Its Gods gift grace so we can receive faith so we can be saved from the judgement to come

Is nothing we did or can do, it’s all God

Summarizing:

Grace is undeserved, it brings joy pleasure, a spiritual state where on enjoys the favor of God, and yes its an expression of thanks of graditude for that favor, ie grace before meals, in English the word is "thank"

So – who needs grace and why do we need it?

You may be thinking I,m OK the big sinners need grace

The murderers, the drunk, adulterers, wife beaters etc
They are worse off then me
- Ever told a "white lie" God sees it as sin, disobedience, period

God’s standard is His holiness

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God

²⁰Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ²¹But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; ²²Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and on all them that believe: for there is no difference:

We can’t keep the law in order to be saved, it’s impossible! So why the Laws?

- To show people they are sinners-- they have rules here, you wouldn’t know you broke one if you didn’t have a copy
- They need God to save them some different way
- Without Gods grace and mercy, we can have NO relationship with Him
- We can’t do it on our own with our own works—doesn’t mean we should be bad people with no morals, just that all of that is nothing to God concerning salvation!

Closing: How Do We Get Grace?

Two influential preachers, Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker, occupied pulpits in London during the 19th century. On one occasion, Parker commented about the poor condition of children admitted to Spurgeon’s orphanage. It was reported to Spurgeon, however, that Parker had criticized the orphanage itself. Being a man of fiery temperament, Spurgeon blasted Parker from his pulpit. That attack, printed in the newspaper, became the talk of the town. Londoners flocked to Parker’s church the next Sunday to hear his rebuttal. "I understand Dr. Spurgeon is not in his pulpit today, and this is the Sunday they use to take an offering for the orphanage," Parker said. "I suggest we take a love offering here for the orphanage." The crowd was delighted; ushers had to empty the collection plates three times. Later that week, there was a knock at Parker’s study. It was Spurgeon. "You know, Parker, you have practiced grace on me," he said. "You have given me not what I deserved; you have given me what I needed."

By belief in Jesus the Christ and that He died for your sins

Have you done that, you can now

Maybe you need more grace and faith but sin has you blocked, confess your sins 1John 1:9

Lets pray: