Building Upon the Grace of God
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Point: Is God’s grace sufficient for you?
The Apostle Paul pleaded with the LORD to take away his thorn, but God’s response was “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Paul’s conclusion was, I will boast of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ would rest upon him.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Is God’s favor sufficient for you and me? Is God’s benevolence, the unlimited bounty of His loving kindness, ample for my weary soul? The fact that your soul has been saved by a sacrificial Son, welcomed into the dominion of His righteous authority and kingdom, is this unbroken and immense supply of grace, not sufficient for my suffering and struggle with sin? To know, that within a moment of time, God could, without hinderance, relieve whatever ails you? Remove whatever afflicts you. But, He does not, why? Because He wants you to boast about the person and power of Christ, not of oneself.
Do we boast of the person of Christ? Do we boast of the power of Christ? Do we boast about the authority and grace of Christ? Do we boast about Christ at all? Every day we are reminded by an ache here, a pull there, a limp here, a lump there that we are jars of clay. Our bodies and mind are susceptible to decay, disease, and defilement a result of the fall, a curse of wanting our own way. But if we are a follower of Christ, God choose to place within you the greatest treasure there is …the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That in one man, one sacrifice, one death, one conqueror, in God’s only Son, Jesus, one arises with Him to eternal life, to the Kingdom of God by simply one confession, one belief, one baptism, and one faith - that Jesus Christ is the only hope, the only authority, and the only life through which one can be reconciled to God. There is no other authority by which one can be, and will be saved, can be, and will be healed, can be and will be perfected …Jesus Christ. Those are the benefits of Christ, but the full gospel involves sacrifices as well. Broken health, dismembered egos, humbled pride, victory in death, social sacrifice, persecuted perspectives, a negative narrow-mindedness with intolerant devotion to one God, one faith, and one salvation.
2 Corinthians 4:10–11 (ESV)
We always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Is God’s grace, is His loving kindness, is His sacrifice, is His favor sufficient for you today, for tomorrow, has it been so yesterday? What will you and I choose to boast about? Our afflictions, our persecutions, or the glory of God, made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, given to give life and guide to life everlasting? Ah, but all we boast about since when I am weak, when I am afflicted, when I am persecuted for standing with Christ, I am strong because He makes perfection in weakness. Am I focused upon what I can see and feel? Or upon what is unseen and known by faith? Do I proclaim that faith? Do I proclaim the unseen? Or only what I can see and feel?
as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
I would make point to you, what I do proclaim by faith, can be seen and felt, by the existence of the Church …brothers and sisters who have proclaimed belief in Jesus Christ, and have not merely professed trust in Christ, but have followed in trust, Jesus Christ. That Following is called to sacrifice. That Following is called to love. That Following is called to witness to the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ and that Following is called to call men to Christ Jesus. Is His grace sufficient for you? Our answer depends upon our perspective, our mindset, our goals? Is this life about me or about Christ? Life is actually about you glorify God by embracing, living, and loving His point of view …it’s all about Him! It’s about the glory of God being made manifest throughout all His creation. It’s about His glory being restored in every person’s mind, act, and heart, and that can only be done when we are brought to weakness. In weakness, we realize that we cannot save ourselves. In weakness, is when we look to solutions outside of ourselves. In weakness, is when we are willing to admit, willing to hope, willing to embrace the possibility that God is real, God exists, and that God is possible. But how will the world know unless one preaches, unless one is willing to witness to the truth that God’s Grace is real, that God cares, that God loves, and that God has a standard and His name is Jesus.
How did, and why did the Church explode upon the seen of History? Because the grace of God was sufficient for a rag-tag group of men, full of God’s grace and power, to speak, to share, to witness and testify to the bodily resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. In the face of religious persecution, beatings, and even death, twelve men and 70 disciples, followers of a Jewish Rabbi, spoke truth to people, powers, and principalities. Why? How? Because God’s grace was sufficient. They had seen, lived, and done ministry with the Messiah. They took the awkward first steps of a baby, an infant, in exercising their faith and trust in Jesus as Messiah and LORD over all. Now they responsible to carry the mantle of fishing for men, full of “grace and power” because they testified to the reality and work of the ressurection of Jesus. As such, all believers, all followers, became of one mind and one heart. What became truly valuable, buried within those vessels of clay, was the glory of God, the story of Jesus. His death, His resurrection, His miracles, His wonders, HIs love, His laughter, His power, His authority, His claims, His ascension - who He was; and God’s grace was going to be sufficient for them to share His story no matter the opposition, no matter their life situation, not matter their health situation, or their economic situation. God the Father’s grace, His favor, His loving kindness - Jesus and Holy Spirit - is/was/will be sufficient because God always answers the bell when we make our lives, our thoughts, our actions about Him, His story, and His glory. Is this life I live about His glory? His grace is sufficient for me to do so.
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
Why was great grace upon all of them? Both apostles and believers? Because their testimony to the reality of a risen Savior and LORD, the Messiah, the Savior, was shared. All determined that this was to be their one thing, their one mind - sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the truth of His life, death, and resurrection. The message to love God and love people and Jesus does. Their value was God’s grace. That was the building block of their community. God’s grace in the person of Jesus. God’s grace in the sacrifice of Jesus. God’s grace in the resurrection of Jesus. In Jesus’ weakness I have come to life! In Jesus’ death, I am now a conqueror. In Jesus’ death, I am now powerful. In Jesus’ death, I am now alive! Will we not boast in our weaknesses, our sufferings, our persecutions about the grace of God? Is it the only way by which we will come to listen, God can catch out attention …that His grace, His favor for you, and towards you, is enough?
His words, these words, will not resonate with you, if He is not what your life is all about. If He is not your bottom line. If Jesus is not what you value above all else, in loving and pleasing Him, thanking Him for saving your life, and giving you the gift of His grace. In order to live by God’s grace, we need to accept His grace. In receiving the gift of Jesus, we receive the gift of Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit gives us life to life right and wise. He guides us into all truth. He leads us in the ways of God, and to fulfill the ways of God. Just as the disciples were filled with the Spirit at Pentecost, we are filled with the Spirit to do one thing, proclaim to the Glory of God the reality of Jesus’ death and resurrection, that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. As Peter preached the reality of Jesus, and called the people to repent, believe, and receive the forgiveness of Jesus, the Kingdom grew and “grace and power” was upon them all, because they had one mind, one purpose …the glory and story of Jesus. His grace is sufficient for you to tell His story. Do I believe this? Then do so? If not, why not? Because you do not believe that God’s favor, is enough for you? That He will not show up and answer the bell to your testimony of Him? Ask Him for boldness then to overcome your fear? With God all things are possible!
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
The church is powerless today because we believe that God’s grace is not sufficient for today. Have we asked Jesus for the boldness to share His story and His glory? He will do so, if we do so.
And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
What is the building block of the church? What is the building block of your life? What should be the building block of your marriage and family? That God’s grace, His favor, His loving kindness, is sufficient for you. His grace is more than enough! Is HIs grace more than enough for you? Then be bold, ask to be bold, and live your life, witnessing and preaching to the greatness of Jesus Christ, that His the grace of God in a lost hurting world. Jesus is more than enough.
