I AM A VICTIM OF GRACE

I AM A VICTIM OF GRACE

1 Corinthians 15:8-11 NKJV

8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Intro:

Why does this keep happening to me? It’s not fair. I never asked to be treated this way. I did nothing to deserve this. And yet, Every moment of every day, completely unprovoked, God pours out His love on me. He blesses me in unexpected ways, His mercies are new every morning. No matter what I do I am powerless to stop Him. Even in the worst situations His goodness prevails. He is relentless. I am a victim of grace.

You are not a victim of circumstances. You are a victim of grace.

The word “victim” implies that something has happened to us that is outside of our control. In this context, it means being overtaken and changed by God’s grace. Grace is not something we initiate or earn; it comes to us freely and dramatically alters our lives.

• No matter what obstacles, heartaches, or difficulties are assailing you, you are not at the mercy of those circumstances. God still is pouring out his grace on your life and accomplishing his purposes for you in the midst of your shattered hopes.

• The grace of God eclipses, excels, and exceeds our evil and errors. I am a victim of grace.

• GRACE is a force. It is like a tailwind that pushes us toward the will of God.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Said, “Cheap grace is the enemy of the church.” Philip Yancey:

“Grace means there is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and nothing I can do to make God love me less.”

Here are several ways we are victims of grace:

I. I WAS SPARED BY THE GRACE OF GOD:

Titus3: 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;

6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Illustration: You could compare grace to a life preserver being thrown to someone drowning. The person didn’t earn or deserve it, but it was offered out of compassion.

II. I WAS SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD:

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

A. It was Grace that sought me.

B. It was Grace that spoke to me.

C. It was Grace that saved me.

III.I’M STRENGTH BY THE GRACE OF GOD:

Philippians 4 13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Illustration: Think of a person who lifts an impossibly heavy weight. Without external help, it would be impossible, but with someone’s assistance, the burden becomes light. Grace is that assistance for the believer.

IV. I AM STANDING BY THE GRACE OF GOD:

2 Corinthians 12 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

We don’t stand by our own strength or merit but by the strength of God’s grace, especially in our moments of weakness. Standing by grace means that in our weakest moments, We can trust that His strength will carry us through any circumstance. I am a victim of grace.

I our Semitic spotlight we find that Paul given his testimony about a special witness encounter with the Lord Jesus himself in v8.

For a long time, Paul was a persecutor of the church. He was not one who was a follower of Jesus. But Jesus made a special appearance to Paul because Paul was untimely born. v8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. The words “untimely born” suggest that Paul was born without the hope of meeting Jesus. Paul was suggesting that he was born too late to meet Jesus, the Lord manifested Himself on the Damascus road But Paul said that Jesus appeared to him last of all.

The Resurrection occurred on the third day, fulfilling the prophecies, There were many witnesses to this great event. v5 And that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. [6] After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; [7] then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.”

This is what made Paul the last of the apostles.

v9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

In v9- Paul claims to be the least of the apostles. He felt he was not even worthy to be called one because of his persecution of Christians.

v9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. In spite of Paul's past, he focused on the grace of God that made him the man that God wanted him to be. Beloved, we are what we are by God's grace and working in our lives. All of our blessings and accomplishments we owe to Him. His resurrection power changes a person from a sinner to a saint, from being gripped by vices to a victorious believer. He can take a man who has hit rock bottom and lift him up to the top of the mountain. He can pull him from the gutter of despair to the glory of God's delight.

I am a victim of grace.

Paul demonstrates that God’s grace is the transformative and empowering force that shapes our identity and enables us to fulfill our calling, highlighting that all we achieve is solely by His unmerited favor.”

I. The Person Who Produced Grace:

v10 But by the grace of God,

The Difference that God’s Grace Makes:

v10 But by the grace of God

In spite of Paul’s past, he focused on the grace of God that made him the man that God wanted him to be. Beloved, we are what we are by God’s grace and working in our lives. v10 But by the grace of God

God blessed the ministry of Paul with his grace. He had sense enough to know that his ministry would have been useless without the grace of God. All of our blessings and accomplishments we owe to Him. His resurrection power changes a person from a sinner to a saint, from being gripped by vices to a victorious believer. He can take a man who has hit rock bottom and lift him up to the top of the mountain. He can pull him from the gutter of despair to the glory of God’s delight.

v10 But by the grace of God I am what I am:

Whatever I am God’s grace has made me, I owe all to the undeserved favor of God. And this grace was not in vain, was not without fruit. Paul says that he realizes that he cannot change his past, he is who he is and he cannot change that fact, but thank God for his grace. The grace of God had been given to the persecutor of God’s church; but it was not in vain. He understood that he was not a self-made man. Whatever he was, he became that by the grace of God. He was giving testimony to the fact that God had been gracious to him. I am what I am:

2 Cor 3: 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Not only we see,

I. The Person Who Produced Grace:

II. The Performance Which Provided Plenty Grace:

v10kjv “and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.“but I laboured more abundantly than they all”

v10 niv “and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them.”

Paul goes on to say that God’s grace “was not without effect.” In other words, grace doesn’t leave us unchanged. It actively works in us, producing transformation, growth, and purpose. but I labored more abundantly than they all,

Paul did indeed work tirelessly—traveling extensively, preaching, teaching, enduring persecution, and establishing churches.

Not only we see,

I. The Person Who Produced Grace:

II. The Performance Which Provided Plenty Grace:

III. The Possession That Pronounced the Power of Grace:

v10“yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”

Yet not I alone have accomplished this, but the grace of God which was with me, rather, according to the most approved text, but the grace of God with me, working effectively with me, wrought this. Yet he was not boasting in his own spirituality or power but in God’s, because, as he hastened to add, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Grace did the work; Paul was the instrument.

“I Am a Victim of Grace” by showing that even when we labor or succeed in ministry, it is God’s grace that fuels and sustains our work. We can take no credit for what grace has accomplished through us. Philippians 2:13

13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Closing:

None of us deserve God’s glorious goodness,

None of us deserve God’s divine forgiveness.

None of us deserve God’s healing touch.

None of us deserve God’s many blessings.

None of us deserve God’s wonderful deliverance,

None of us deserve God’s unlimited love.

It is the grace of God that lifts us up when we are down.

that gives us comfort when we sorrow,

that keeps us safe when we are in danger

that sees us through the long dark nigh.

that strengthens us when we are weak.

that gives us courage to face the storm..

that opens doors which no man can close…

Without God’s grace…

our burdens would be too heavy to bear…

our sorrows would be too great to survive

our doubts would be too many to dissolve…

our fears would be too fierce to overcome…!

And God declared that His grace would always be sufficient… regardless of what you may be facing..

regardless of how strong the enemy may be…

regardless of how rough the road you may be traveling…

regardless of the shortcomings you may have…

regardless of what your past may have been..!

And, in every case, God’s grace was sufficient…!

His GRACE is sufficient for.

..the weak, no matter how feeble their steps…

His GRACE can…

…satisfy the dissatisfied…

…encourage the discouraged…

and…enable the disabled.

.the soul with salvation…

…the mind with peace…

and…the life with meaning

His GRACE inspires

…the impure to become pure…

His GRACE can lift one from…

…the gutters unto glory…

and from… emptiness unto everything.

Because of His amazing GRACE, God can transform…

…the worst into the best…

His GRACE is what makes…

…heavy burdens bearable…

Nothing can so transform individuals as can the GRACE of God.

…touch the untouchable…

…reach the unreachable…

…comfort the uncomfortable…

…forgive the unforgivable…

“And (God is able to make all grace abound toward you. that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”