Overwhelming Grace

Introduction

Welcome

Introduction to Series/Topic:

Today is the last week of our series called: ‘Jesus is greater.’ We are exploring the second half of Romans 5 starting from verse 12 to 21 where Paul, the apostle contrasts Adam and Christ.

In this series, the goal has been to help us see that Christ is better. Christ will always be the better choice in our lives.

Have you ever felt like you were unworthy of Gods love? Your sin was too big for God to cover or forgive? Today, we are going to learn that there is nothing too much or too big for God to forgive.

My hope is that today you will walk out of here feeling the unending and overwhelming love of God.

Title:

Overwhelming Grace

Prayer:

In Jesus name, amen.

Body

Story:

My first sermon was in 2014 after a year and a few months of being saved. I didn’t have the slightest clue about effective communication or preaching. I am still learning and growing but I certainly have come a long way since 2014.

When I was asked to preach a sermon in front of people, I was absolutely terrified. I was scared I would say the wrong thing, do something embarrassing, and make a fool out of myself.

At the time, I listened a lot to a man named TD Jakes; who actually has a church called the Potters house in Dallas Texas. I had heard this sermon of his on Moses and the splitting of the red sea that really impacted me. Everyone knows the story, even people who are completely unfamiliar with the bible.

So what I decided to do for my first sermon was copy his sermon and preach it. When I look back, it was probably one of the worst sermons I’ve ever preached.

But as I was reflecting on my first sermon this week for today message, I was reminded of something in the story that I believe will help us understand what it means to have overwhelming grace.

Explanation:

The people of Israel endured captivity for 430 years in Egypt. Under the oppression of Pharaoh, Israel was desperate for a savior. After many years, the Lord had heard their cry and sent a man by the name of Moses. Through him, God humbled Pharaoh with 10 plagues, which ultimately secured Israel’s freedom.

Then we come to the red sea moment. After Pharaoh had changes his mind, he pursues Israel and takes with him 600 of Egypts best troops. The army of Egypt is behind Israel and the red sea is front of them. They are trapped.

But God makes a way by splitting the red sea and Israel walks right through on dry ground.

Illustration:

Illustration 1:

Exodus 14:26–28 NLT

When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.” So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea. Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.

Application:

This is a beautiful image of grace. Pharoah and Egypt represent sin and death. The water represents grace — The person of Jesus Christ who came full of grace and truth, the forgiveness of God, gift of acceptance, the love of God and etc.

All of us were slaves to sin and death and when Jesus came and died on that cross and resurrected, He buried sin and death as God swept the Egyptians into the sea.

Illustration 2:

I remember going to San Diego for the first time and going to the ocean bedrock. I was overwhelmed with awe at the sound of the ocean crashing against the rocks and I thought to myself, “one step over and the water would of swept me up.”

The same is true of grace…

… Grace is so abundant and overwhelming that it drowns sin, death, guilt, shame, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Yet, at the same time, it floods our lives with God’s love, peace, joy, and presence.

Bible

Context:

When Paul writes Romans 5:12-21 he is just trying to get us to see that Jesus is greater and better. Our old life in Adam is nothing compared to our new life in Christ.

The first week we learned that what Jesus gave is better than what Adam did. All of us have a choice to make: To live in what Adam did or to live in what Jesus gave.

The second week we learned that the results of Adam’s sin was not just death, but punishment. But the results forgiveness is that we can be accepted by God.

Third week we learned about the royalty of God and us reigning through Christ. We reign over sin and death because Christ did.

Fourth week was about Jesus one act of obedience. The obedience of Christ isn’t just to bring a right relationship with God but is also an example to follow. Obedience is Christ reward for all that Christ is, has done and will do for us. He is worthy.

Today, we tie the knot on this series by reading our final passage.

Main Bible Passage:

Romans 5:20–21 NLT

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Transitional Sentence:

In this passage, we are going to learn 3 powerful truths to understand and live in grace.

Points

First truth: Living in Grace begins with understanding the weight of sin.

Explanation:

Often times, I think we underestimate and underplay the role and nature of sin. We’ve been in Romans for months and Paul repeatedly teaches us that sin is not something that we simply overlook.

Sin steals, kills, and destroys us. It’s the reason for families splitting, school shootings, and suicide. It cuts off our relationship with the creator and brings death.

Sin is so evil, dark, and spreads like cancer and yet, the reason why we don’t understand the weight of sin is because it deceives us. It masks itself like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It presents itself as desirable but it ends in misery.

It’s an influence, force, law, power that resides in all of humanity since the time of Adam. When Adam sinned, sin spread to everyone and all died.

So if sin is so bad, what do we do to get free from it?

Paul, in this passage, will first share what can’t set you free before he shares what can.

Illustration:

Illustration 1: Romans 5:20

Romans 5:20 NLT

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were.

Illustration 2: Romans 7:5; 7; 11-12.

Romans 7:5 NLT

When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.

Romans 7:7 NLT

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”

Romans 7:11–12 NLT

Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.

Application:

We cannot get grace until we understand the weight of sin.

We cannot understand grace until we realize that we’ve been delivered from the weight of sin.

Illustration 3: Luke 7:47-48

Luke 7:47–48 NLT

“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

We live in grace, understand grace, are touched by grace because we know that we have been forgiven and set free from the weight of sin.

Second main point: Grace is overwhelmingly abundant

Explanation:

As sin increased, Grace INCREASED ALL THE MORE.

Illustration:

Illustration 1: Romans 5:20

Romans 5:20 NLT

But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

Illustration 2: Micah 7:18-20

Micah 7:18–20 NLT

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago.

Application:

We can be encouraged by this because no matter how big our sin may look, there is a superabundant and overwhelming amount of grace to cover it.

Third main point: Grace reigns in Righteousness

Explanation:

If you want to live in grace, it must rule in your life—and it does so through righteousness.

In other words, because of Jesus, you are fully accepted by God (righteousness), and grace rules and reigns through that reality, realm or domain.

Illustration:

Illustration 1: Romans 5:21

Romans 5:21 ESV

so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Application:

When grace reigns and rules in our lives, it leads to eternal life (Zoe - it means the state of being alive; especially healthiness, happiness, joy, energy, vitality, or liveliness — a life that God gives endlessly)

Conclusion

Summarize:

3 powerful truths to understand and live in grace:

Living in grace begins with understanding the weight of sin.

Grace is overwhelmingly abundant

Grace reigns in Righteousness

Now what:

Approach God with confidence

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Grace covers your sin, guilt, and shame so you can confidently draw near to God to receive grace to help in time of your need.

Call to Action:

Reflection

Who needs help in a certain area?

Pray for people who need help — God give them overwhelming grace.

Prayer:

In Jesus name, amen.