Untitled Sermon (79)

GOD’S SAVING GRACE

INTRODUCTION:

I BELIEVE MANY OF US FORGET WHAT CONDITION WE WERE IN , BEFORE WE GOT SAVED.

MAYBE IT IS BECAUSE WE ARE STILL LIVING LIKE GOD HAS NOT SAVED US.

GOD HAS BROUGHT US OUT MANY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, SO THAT HE CAN LIVE HIS LIFE THROUGH US.

MANY OF US FRUSTRATE GOD’S GRACE, WHEN WE DON’T REMEMBER WHAT IT TOOK FOR GOD TO SAVE US.

HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON HAD TO DIE IN ORDER FOR US BE RECONCILED BACK TO GOD.

TODAY I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT

WHO WE WAS?

WHAT GOD DID?

HOW GOD DID IT?

WHO WE WAS?

EPHESIANS 2:1-3 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

WHO WE WAS, WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS. MEANING OUR COMMUNICATION WITH GOD WAS BROKEN.

THE QUESTION IS IF I WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH GOD , WHERE WAS MY DIRECTIONS COMING FROM.

PAUL SAID WE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE.

MEANING WE FOLLOWED BEHIND THE WAYS OF THE WORLD, THERE LIFESTYLES AND THERE BEHAVIORS.

WE WAS THE WALKING DEAD WITH NO LIFE WITHIN US. WE WERE SPIRITUALLY DEAD.

WE WAS UNDER SATAN’S CONTROL, THIS SPIRIT WENT AGAINST ANYTHING HAD TO DO WITH GOD.

1 JOHN 5:18-19 “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”

B. WHAT GOD DID?

EPHESIANS 2:4“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus.”

GOD LOVED US , GOD LOVED US WHEN WE DID NOT LOVE HIM. GOD LOVED US OUT OF HIS CAPACITY, NOT ON THE BASIS ON HOW WE WOULD RESPOND TO HIS LOVE.

BECAUSE GOD KNEW IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO LOVE HIM WITHOUT HIS LOVE LIVING IN US.

GOD MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST, THE SAME WAY THAT HE RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD.

HE RAISED US FROM BEING SPIRITUALLY DEAD TO A NEW LIFE THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS.

GOD DID THIS WHEN WE WAS HOPELESS, HELPLESS AND SPIRITUALLY DEAD.

GOD SEEK THE HIGHEST GOOD IN EACH AND EVERYONE OF US, BECAUSE HE LOVED US.

THROUGH HIS LOVE HE GAVE US THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT DWELLS IN US AND EMPOWER US TO LIVE UNDER A NEW SET OF VALUES.

WE ARE CITIZENS OF GOD, SPIRITUALLY IN HEAVENLY PLACES.

1 JOHN 3:1-3 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

C. HOW GOD DID IT?

EPHESIAN 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

HOW GOD DID IT WAS BY SAVING US. IT WAS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.

GOD MIRACLE BECAME A REALITY ONCE YOU BELIEVED.

GRACE WAS A GIFT FROM GOD TO YOU, EVEN THOUGH YOU WAS NOT DESERVING OF IT.

GRACE WAS THE BASIS, BUT FAITH WAS THE MEANS ALL BY ITSELF.

FAITH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WORK, BUT IT HAD EVERYTHING TO DO IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE.

GRACE AND FAITH IN GOD HAD EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HIS GIFT TO YOU AND THE ONLY THING GOD REQUIRED OF YOU, WAS HIS LIFE TO BE LIVED OUT THROUGH YOU.

TITUS 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”