The Grace of God’s Word

Good morning

If you are a guest, my name is Stefan Wilson and I am the pastor of preaching here at Harvest

The ordinary means of grace are those things that God’s word has told us are the ways that God grows his people, by his grace.

Those means of grace are specifically: the Word, prayer, fellowship, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.

Last week we learned what grace is

Grace definition

Life vs. death concepts

Throughout this series, we’re going to see that the means of grace are not spiritual add-ons for mature Christians. They are the ordinary ways God gives His people access to His life-giving presence.

And here’s the key: when we neglect God’s appointed means, we never stop living—we just start living from substitutes that cannot give life.

[Hook]

Let’s give these words our full attention

2 Timothy 3:14–17 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

These are God’s words for us - May we have ears to hear them and hearts to obey them.

Big Idea: God gives us the grace of hearing his voice through his word.

Insufficient views of Scripture

Scripture as a means of Grace - Access to God’s voice

Scripture as God’s life-giving breath - When God speaks, dead things are brought to life

[Bridge]

When I hear God’s voice:

I can be brought to life (14-15)

God’s Word doesn’t just tell us how to be saved — When I receive it as the word fo God and therefore submit to it, it brings me to the one who can save me Apart from that life, we don’t become neutral. We remain dead, even if we are active, sincere, or religious.

This is where insufficient views of Scripture can actually harm us - Informed, while dead in our sins.

I can know the God of life (16)

If I do not access God through His Word, I will turn to people, opinions, trends, or my own inner voice..

I can be sustained in life (16)

God’s Word does not merely tell us what is true — it continually keeps us alive by correcting what leads to death and strengthening what leads to life.

Teaching, correction, and training are not interruptions to life; they are how life with God is preserved.

When we stop listening to God’s voice, we don’t stop being shaped — we are simply shaped by something else.

I can be formed for life (17)

Only God’s word can equip me with wisdom (Heb. Chokma) for life - Going to other places (like?) will feel like wisdom, but will lead to ruin.