Grace Upon Grace: Understanding God's Means of Grace
A People of Grace • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Handout
Handout
Reading of the Word
Reading of the Word
Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters;
and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Prayer of Illumination
Prayer of Illumination
Introduction
Introduction
A few years ago, my son and I were returning from a motorcycle trip in Utah. As usual we had ridden a little too long and had to hurry home. We loaded the bikes on the trailer and drove well into the night. I took the first leg of the journey while he rested, and then we switched so I could try to catch some sleep. I drifted off a bit and awoke to notice that the mileage readout in the SUV showed that we had about nine miles until we ran out of gas. The next gas station was about the same distance, according to the most recent highway sign. So we slowed our pace and prayed that the “miles to empty” computer had some wiggle room. Unfortunately, the computer proved accurate, and we coasted to a stop about five miles from the exit. We unloaded one of the motorcycles, and I rode to the nearest gas station and returned with a brand-new gas can full of gas. However, we soon discovered, much to our dismay, that the spout on the gas can was broken. There was no way to pour the precious fuel into the tank of the SUV! We did finally get back on the road after my son customized an old water bottle for the task. It wasn’t perfect; we spilled as much as we poured in the tank, but we made it to the exit and fueled up. Although everything turned out well, for a brief time we faced the frustration of knowing we had fuel but seemingly no way to put it to use.
Barber, Sam. People of Grace: Becoming Disciples Together (pp. 75-76). The Foundry Publishing. Kindle Edition.
We have discussed several times in this sermon series the significance of God’s grace at work in our lives.
Our minds quickly recall God’s seeking grace that drew us to him, God’s saving grace that forgave us of our sins and made us children of God, and God’s sanctifying grace that cleanses our hearts from our inward bent toward self and fills us with the presence of the Holy Spirit in a deeper way.
But wait; there’s more. God grace continues to work with us, daily transforming us into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29). Our cooperation with God’s grace is no more a burden than wanting to be in the presence of the ones you love the most.
Bernard of Clairvaux said it well:
“Once God’s sweetness has been tasted, it draws us to the pure love of God more than our needs compel us to love him. Thus we begin to say, “We now love God, not for our necessity, for we ourselves have tasted and know how sweet the Lord is.”
I. Forming Christlike Character
I. Forming Christlike Character
1. Our Role in God’s Work (Hebrews 6:1-3)
Active Participation: God calls us to respond to His grace, which requires obedience and engagement.
While He initiates the work in us, we’re expected to cooperate by making daily choices that align with His will.
Growth Through Faith Practices: By practicing our faith consistently, we cultivate maturity.
This doesn’t mean the path will be easy, but with God, we’re not overpowered or defeated. Our role is to “work out” the transformation He’s working within us.
Endurance in Faith: Life’s challenges often feel overwhelming, but our part is to keep trusting, even when God feels distant.
We may not understand the "why" behind certain struggles, but God is fighting for us and using even our hardships for His greater purpose.
2. God’s Support and Presence (Romans 8:26-30)
The Spirit’s Intercession: The Holy Spirit lifts us above our limitations, interceding on our behalf when we are too overwhelmed to know how to pray.
He brings our deepest needs before God and delivers grace to the hidden areas of our hearts.
God’s Nearness in Our Pain: God doesn’t stand apart from our suffering; He’s present in it, working through the Holy Spirit.
Even when we feel alone, He is right there with us, understanding our struggles and providing comfort and strength.
Divine Understanding: As He searches our hearts, God finds the Spirit’s “groaning” within us—a reflection of His ongoing work.
God sees the truth of our brokenness but also the progress of His Spirit’s work in transforming us.
3. God’s Promises and Our Faith (2 Corinthians 1:19-20)
Promises Fulfilled in Christ: All of God’s promises find their “Yes” in Jesus, affirming His faithfulness to us.
These promises are not uncertain but reliable, and through Christ, we can say “Amen” with confidence in God’s commitment to us.
The Foundation of Faith: Our belief in God’s promises forms the basis of our Christian life.
Faith isn’t just hope—it’s a trust in the steadfast truth of what God has spoken, enabling us to move forward, even in the face of difficulty.
Assurance of God’s Love: Romans 8:31 reminds us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
This assurance that God is on our side means He works everything—even our weaknesses and failures—for His glory and our good.
4. Called to Grow in Christlikeness
Responsibility for Growth: God calls us not just to be His followers but to develop all the virtues of Christian living.
This includes breaking away from sin, drawing closer to God, renouncing worldly ways, and becoming more like Jesus.
Transformation Through Grace: We were created in God’s image, though sin distorted that image.
Through Jesus’ sacrifice and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are now empowered to live a life that reflects God’s character.
Preparing for Eternity: Growing in faith means living with an eternal perspective, shaping our lives around heaven’s values.
This transformation is fueled by God’s grace and sustained through our response to His call.
II. Participating in God’s Means of Grace
II. Participating in God’s Means of Grace
A. The means of grace are the many and varied ways God reaches out to us with his grace.
The means of grace represented, as Wesley said, the ways that God works in the hearts and lives of people, through quite accessible channels, to bring about growth in grace.
Barber, Sam. People of Grace: Becoming Disciples Together (p. 81). The Foundry Publishing. Kindle Edition. B. Instituted means of grace.
1. Prayer (personal, with a friend or family member, with a faith community)
2. Searching the Scriptures
3. Lord’s Supper
4. Fasting
5. Christian conference (meeting in small groups for fellowship and nurture)
C. Prudential means of grace.
1. Doing no harm (refraining from swearing, drunkenness, extravagant dress, self-indulgence, useless diversions, miserliness, and so on)
2. Doing good (caring for people’s bodies, especially the poor, the sick, and the distressed; caring for people’s souls by instruction, exhortation, and reproof)
3. Attending to all the ordinances of God (liturgy, sacraments, preaching)
D. Additional practices.
1. Discipline
a. Our bodies (control all desires and weight [1 Cor. 9:27])
b. Speech (no gossip, shady humor, cursing)
c. Moods (control the highs and lows of mood swings)
d. Material things (avoid materialism and consumerism)
2. Service
a. Get involved in meeting the needs of hurting humanity.
b. Get involved in discipleship for the next generation of the church.
3. Suffering
a. Use suffering to grow in character and learn obedience (Heb. 5:8).
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
III. Practicing Growth
III. Practicing Growth
A. We build Christlike character one decision at a time by choosing to do the right thing, the honest thing, the godly thing, and the true thing.
B. We find ways to unplug from technology and a busy schedule so we can learn to listen to God in silence and solitude.
C. We quiet ourselves and allow Christ to draw us into his heart as we listen for his voice.
D. We learn to develop eyes to see Christ as he crosses our path throughout the day.
E. We realize that spiritual growth does not happen through individual effort alone; we invite a trusted friend and our faith community to speak into our lives as directed by the Holy Spirit.
F. We submit to the authority of Scripture and allow God’s written Word to guide our daily decisions.
G. We realize that God’s grace working in us is not a restriction but grants us new freedom to celebrate life in him as we delight and enjoy his will for our lives.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Remember the story about the father and son? What we’ve discussed today—the means of grace—demonstrates how God provides us with the grace we need as His children. Through His grace, He instills in us His mission and fills our hearts with the purpose to carry it out. Just as the water bottle is the means by which the gas gets transferred to the truck, the grace of God is the channel through which He delivers what we need. Like the broken gas can, we were once in need, but God made a way through Jesus to deliver the grace we needed. God cares for you!
We have talked today about forming Christlike character, participating in God’s means of grace, and practicing growth. We engage in these exercises in order to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, as we referenced in Romans 8:29. Make no mistake, these spiritual exercises offer no magic formula to spiritual victory. Spiritual victory comes from a personal relationship and fellowship with God on a day-by-day, hour-by-hour, and moment-by-moment basis. It happens one choice at a time, one Bible reading at a time, one prayer at a time, one Christian book at a time, and one Christian song at a time. Just as our children grow daily in such small incremental ways that often go unnoticed, so our relationship with God grows in small ways as we enjoy our sacred romance with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
The challenge for us today is this: Will we respond to His call, allowing God to work in our lives through His channels of grace? Embrace His grace—it is all we need. He promises to provide it. Live in faith, trusting that He will accomplish all things for our good and His glory.
Prayer After Message
Prayer After Message
Benediction
Benediction