Being Found by Grace

Stories of Grace

Brake lines

Lamech vs Noah

Genesis 4:19–24 ESV

19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.”

Notice common areas of Grace

Definitive nomadic lifestyle, Freedom,

Art/Music

Tools and Weapons

Security, Status

Honor Revenge as Praise Worthy

Genesis 6:1–4 ESV

1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

Even Christians can turn God’s gifts into symbols of security and status (pride). Rather than being grateful for God’s grace in life to God Himself, we get defensive, afraid and destructive when anything we have could potentially be taken away. Every gift of common grace has 2 sides to it if God isn’t acknowledged.

Remember acts of Grace

Genesis 6:5–8 ESV

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Something other than judgment. We aren’t blotted out, destroyed. Instead we are secure. We have status in God’s eyes.

Exodus 33:12–16 ESV

12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

Grace

Revelation (Plans)

Presence

Rest

Name

Ephesians 1:3–14 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Do you know Him?

Money, Popularity, Career, Talent, Hard Work, Right living

Do you realize judgment is coming?

If you aren’t “in Christ” you have no name, no status, no hope of rescue.

Delight in your Hope of Grace

Life transformed - Work as we wait for deliverance - Are you waiting?

Food - Be reminded of God’s daily provision - Are you grateful?

Covenant - Know God’s promises - Are you remembering?

What do you love? What do you most appreciate at the end of the day?

Stories of Grace -

Stories of common grace God has given - Reminding us to publicly thank Him

Stories of coming deliverance - Reminders of what we are waiting for

Stories of rest - The thing you decided to was wait on God and rest in Him

Stories of status - Where you were looked down on by the world and knew you were a child of the King

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Community Group questions

Can you share a story of grace from this week?

How is knowing who God is and what He is going to do an act of grace? Would you say the same thing about revealing who you are and your intentions to others? Why or why not?

Read Exodus 33:12-16. What does tell you about how we find grace in God’s eyes?

How does a covenant keep grace going forward? What hopes do you have for grace in your life because of God’s promises?

What difficulties do we experience that force us back to God’s grace?

How was Noah’s job to build the ark an act of grace? Are there hard things God has given you to do that could be an act of grace?