Marked by Grace (2)

Living Grace Pt 1

Welcome back to Marked by Grace

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Last week I asked the question, “What does a life marked by Grace look like?’

Nothing whatever pertaining to godliness and real holiness can be accomplished without grace. - Augustine

I would add that nothing of eternal significance or lasting impact can be done outside of Grace

We are made for more than just existing and we begin the more as we accept and receive the Grace God gives.

So, again what does it look like to live this out.

I believe Jesus answered this questions and give us not only the frame work but a picture how living this way is fleshed out.

The “Sermon on the Mount” is unquestionably the greatest sermon ever preached.

Matthew ch 5 - Mathew chapter 7 - Jesus lays out the foundation and the structure of what living by faith and grace should look like

Over the coming weeks, we are going to dive in to these amazing words to begin to answer how do we lived marked by Grace

Matthew 5:1–11 ESV

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Start at the Beginning

Matthew 5:3 ESV

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Realizing and understanding our poverty is the first step -

As we talked last week - Grace is undeserved favor - we don’t earn it

We cannot win it - it is through Christ and Christ alone

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

When we get that, it lead to the next

Matthew 5:4 ESV

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

We need to understand what we have lost and what it has cost

We cannot rush to Easter morning without walking through the cross

This is an attitude of repentance - turning away from our way and turning towards God’s way

When we do this it leads to the next

Matthew 5:5 ESV

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

This nothing more than humble surrender to the authority of Christ

This is saying I can’t fix me or my life, but Jesus you can

This is daily saying, “not my will, but Yours be done”

Putting it together

When we understand our need and our poverty

When we mourn what we have lost, how we have lived, what it has cost

When we humbly surrender our lives and wills

Then and only then we begin to live lives marked by grace

It is only beginning

God’s grace didn’t get us going then leave us to get by on our works. Grace didn’t just justify us in the past, it sustains us in the present and will deliver us in the future. - Randy Alcorn

Each New Day

Each day we should be looking and striving towards the Grace we have been given

Matthew 5:6 ESV

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

We should be hungry and thirst for it righteousness

I should be our motivation as we interact in our jobs and homes

The reality of living out lives that have been redeemed, restored, redirected, knowing what we have come from should drive us for where we are going

Remembering in all of this - this Grace is not earned and we are only truly Satisfied in Christ

Grace changes us in and out

If grace does not make us differ from other men, it is not the grace which God gives His elect. - Charles Spurgeon

Everything we have looked at is internal so far - it starts with the heart

As goes the heart - so goes the rest of our lives

Next we will finish up this beginning.

Thank you for joining me

I hope this has been a encouragement and challenge for each of you

Please post your comments and questions below and dont forget to like, share, and subscribe

I hope to see you next time on Marked by Grace

May Grace be evident in all do and experience.