Amazing Grace

Ephesians 2:1–10 KJV 1900

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 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: 3 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. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

I. John Newton was born in England in 1725

A. Before he reached the age of seven, his mother died.

B. His father remarried and John was sent off to a boarding school

C. At the age of 11, John left school to become a sailor on his father’s ship

D. His early years were described as being filled with rebellion and debauchery

E. Working on different ships, he began working on slave trader ships and over time became the captain of his own slave ship

1. As history tells us, the slave trade between West Africa and the West Indies and America was cruel and vicious

F. In 1748, Newton’s ship was caught in a violent storm and it looked as if the ship would be lost

1. John happened upon a copy of The Imitation of Christ, the message of which cut him straight to the heart. Also reading the new testament

John became ill with a violent fever and asked for mercy from the God he had rejected years before but somehow knew was still there.  And in midst of these storms, John came to the only possible conclusion that he was a sinner in need of forgiveness. John later said these events were the turning point of his life.

2. He eventually decided to follow Christ

3. But he still was a slave trader.

4. But after a few years, he realized you can’t fix something that was wrong at its very core. He quit and became crusader against slavery.

G. In 1750, he returned to England, married, and became a minister in the Church of England

H. In 1779, Newton and his friend William Cowper decided to create a new hymnal that contained simple expressions of faith instead of the commonly used Psalms found in the Anglican Church. The hymnal, Olney Hymns, heavily influenced hymn writing.

1. One of the best known hymns from that book is “Amazing Grace” that John Newton wrote

II. “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.”

A. Ephesians 2:1-5 - We all were lost until God, in His grace, offered to save us

B. Luke 15:11-24 - Illustrated by the welcome by the father of his lost son

C. Luke 18:35-43 - Bartimeus was blind but received his sight

1. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 - We need to keep in mind that the god of this world has blinded men’s minds

2. It is by God’s grace that we can now see

III. “‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!”

A. Fear is often the initial motivator to learning - Proverbs 1:7

B. Psalms 34:11-22 - We are taught to change our lives, but in that teaching, we learn not to fear the things of this life.

C. Hebrews 4:16 - We draw near the throne of grace with confidence to receive help

D. The author is stating that he appreciated the value of God's grace from the time he first came to believe in God. He doesn't state what he did in response to that belief.

1. Like the Philippian jailer, he responded immediately to the offer of salvation (Acts 16:30-33)

2. The use of "hour" appears to be a purposeful reminder of the jailer.

IV. “Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.”

A. Life isn’t always easy, even for a child of God

B. Psalms 27 - God is gracious and delivers

C. The Lord leads us home - II Corinthians 5:6-9

V. “The Lord has promised good to me; His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures.”

A. Hebrews 6:13-19 - God’s promises are sure and secures our hope like an anchor for a ship

B. Psalms 18:1-3 - God is my shield

C. Psalms 16:5-11 - God is the portion of my inheritance

VI. “Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease. I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace.”

A. Behind the veil was where the ark of the covenant was placed and where the most holy place was - Exodus 26:33

B. We enter within the veil to come before God - Hebrews 6:19

VII. “The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But GOD, who called me here below, will be forever mine.

2 Peter 3:10 “10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

Matthew 24:29 “29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”

John 6:44 “44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17 “17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

VIII. “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.”

A. Revelation 21:23 - Heaven - no need for sun

B. However long we deal in eternity, the time there will not become shorter - forever

C. Psalms 30:10-12 - God is gracious and I will sing of Him forever