It's Not Me, It's the Grace

Introduction

We’ll work til Jesus comes. A statement of commitment

But. . .as we work we are reminded It’s not me, It’s the Grace

Paul knows about this GRACE

DEFINITION

Grace = “unmerited favour” i.e. God does not owe us anything

Grace is everything for without paying anything, for someone who deserves nothing.

All of God’s beneficial activity towards us summed up into one word, that word would be Grace.

It’s God favourable disposition towards us that causes Him to act

Pau says . . .

1 Cor 15:9-10 “For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am [Grace turned a persecutor to a preacher, a murderer to a minister, an atagonist to an apostle],

“and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

We do not earn salvation

We do not earn heaven

It’s not us, it’s the GRACE

Paul speaks to the Ephesians

I appreciate how Paul begins this book

He gets us hyped. Excited. Jubilant!

When I see all the spiritual blessings that God has placed in Jesus for me, “I’m so excited”

But. . .then we read CHAP 2

Then we come to the realization, that I can’t fully appreciate where I am, until I see where I was. (vs. 1-3).

Don’t forget where God took you from

Acknowledging how God helped you enhances your praise and gratitude

The book doesn’t end in vs. 3

Eph 2:4 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,”

Thankful for the “but God” moment in your life.

I was broke, broken and heartbroken. . .but God

Marriage was failing but God

Hooked on drugs but God

Sickness almost had me but God

Up to my neck in sin. . .but God

APPL. Don’t forget you had a “but God” moment/s - This will help you be a little more compassionate with bro. X

Be thankful the grace’s good friend is called Mercy “rich in mercy” - God’s ability to show compassion and patience in our short-comings. God passes over instead of punishes.

1 Tim 1:12-14; Ps 23:6; Heb 4:16 - Mercy is the best friend of Grace

Eph 2:5-6 “even when we were dead [unable to function, vain futile, powerless, can’t supply] in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

APPL. Some loans require you to provide a % before they secure you the loan

God functioned when I couldn’t, He was able when I was unable. . .etc

God did not ask me to bring something to the table in order to save me

HE died a sinner’s death to save a sinful people. . .we should be nothing but thankful and full of praise.

If I’m broke I’m full of praise because of grace/ down=joy/doubtful=hope/

It’s Not Me, It’s the Grace

Eph 2:7 “so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” - This verse gives us something on the horizon

APPL. If this is what Grace looks like now. . .can You imagine what it will look like in that future age?

Eph 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”