Sermon Notes - Grace

WEEK 5 EPISODE 9 - GRACE

Bible Passage: Lk 23:32-43

Key idea – The globally recognised symbol of the cross represents both deep sacrifice and the gift that is grace. The brutality of the cross is a pointer to the significance of sin and the need for grace for everyone.

Symbols like the cross can have their meaning confused over time and in different cultures.

The forgiveness cross on Memory Mountain, 230 KM west of Alice Springs, in the heart of Australia, was put there by an indigenous tribe. They asked photographer Ken Duncan to give them a hand and helped them to build this 20 metre tall steel cross, as a statement of what they believed was the hope for our nation.

Across the globe, in churches, on buildings, on public spaces, the cross stands, and millions of people wear the cross as a piece of jewellery. But what does the cross actually mean? What does an encounter with Jesus have to do with this globally recognised symbol?”

Lynn Cohick, professor in NT, says

o “Crucifixion in the ancient world was a display of absolute power by the conquering army, or the political force in power. Crucifixion is horribly cruel. People don't die quickly, usually on a cross. And so crucifixion, while it wasn't invented by the Romans, was used by the Romans extensively to intimidate.”

· So, what does Jesus and the cross have to do with us today?

o And what difference can that answer make to our temporal and our eternal destinies?

Grace is offered, it is a desicion and it comes with a promise

and this will lead us in a time of Communion

Grace is offered

o In his book, ‘The Tale of Two Cities’, Charles Dickens writes

§ “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, ... it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”[1]

· In many ways, this day that we are reading about in the Bible reading is the ‘best of days and the worst of days…the season of light and the season of darkness’

o It is the ‘worst of days’ because Jesus is dying via crucifixion

o And yet something of the ‘best of days’ is happening in the middle of this horrific scene

§ Grace is being offered to people who don’t deserve it

§ Grace is being offered to people, although separated by a couple of thousand years

· People who are just like us

· What is grace?

o Grace is one of those words that, over time, is used in a variety of ways

§ You say grace before dinner

§ One of the most well-known Christian hymns is about ‘Amazing Grace’

§ A ballerina may be talked about as being graceful on the dance floor

§ You can fall from grace

§ You receive grace from God or somebody

o Canadian apologist Wes Huff defines

Grace as God giving us what we don’t deserve — His forgiveness, His favour, and His life — all because of Jesus and never because of us.

Grace = Undeserved Gift

Grace is not God helping “good people become better,” but God rescuing people who cannot save themselves.

It is rooted in God’s character, not human effort

Mercy = God not giving us the punishment we deserve.

Grace = God giving us the blessing, forgiveness, and life we do not deserve.

However you define it, we know that God’s grace, when directed towards us as human beings, is a good thing

§ For some reason, it means God makes a way to embrace us without us having to make it happen

· Here in the midst of the brutality of the cross, Jesus speaks a word of grace

Luke 23:34 NIV

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

· Imagine, as best as you can, that scene for a moment (like played in the video)

o The screaming in pain

o The sound of hammers hitting nails

o People bustling by, not wanting to look up, whilst others look intently and almost enjoy watching the suffering of others

· And then over all that noise, you hear Jesus’ voice offer us grace

o “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34)

Pause

Grace is a decision

o There is a term for some people…they are a ‘keyboard warrior’

§ In the dictionary, a ‘keyboard warrior’ is defined as

· “A person who puts aggressive and offensive comments about people on the internet, especially one who hides their own identity”[3]

o Regardless of the exact definition, we know this term as a negative term where people in an online space throw nasty (or negative at the very least) comments at other people

· Sometimes when we watch a sport, we can do something similar, except that it may or may not be anonymous

o We give our ‘opinion’ to the players and umpires about how they could do their job better

· Well, here in this passage, people are just piling on the insults to Jesus

o I can almost imagine it is one or two comments to start, and then the crowd gets going, and then it just keeps coming

· Remember, Jesus is on the cross, and now people keep throwing insults at him

o In Lk 23:34-42 we read

· The crowd

o Mock him

o Divide his clothes

o Write a sign to mock him that says ‘King of the Jews’ and hang it over Him

o They sneer at Him

· And of course, the two criminals have a discussion

o One piles on the abuse with everybody else

§ But one sees something different

· Ponder firstly that two people can see the same scene, but one person misses the point, and the other gets it

o They both see exactly the same situation

o They are both in exactly the same amount of pain

o They are both equally suffering

· But in that moment, the ‘other’ criminal speaks up

o He knows that Jesus is innocent

o He’s heard who Jesus claims to be

o And in that moment, he sees what others have missed

§ And he makes a decision to accept this grace that Jesus is offering

Grace Requires a Response

grace is offered freely, but must be received through faith — not as a work, but as trust in Christ

Grace comes with a promise

· Grace has been offered,

One criminal doesn’t want it and accepts eternal separation from God, the bible calls this Hell. Where people can continue to heap insults on God, not accepting God’s mercy or grace

and the ‘other’ criminal has reached out and grabbed the grace on offer

o He has received his gift

o And now he asks a question

§ Remember me?

Luke 23:42–43 NIV

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

· This passage truly helps us understand how we don’t do anything in this life to ‘earn’ our way to heaven

o This thief has done nothing

§ Not lead youth group

§ Not been in the worship band

§ Not led another friend to the Lord

§ Not even been on the morning tea roster

o He has done nothing but reach out and accept the offer of forgiveness that Jesus declared earlier

· And this offer of grace comes with a promise

o Today you will be with me in paradise (Lk 23:43)

· And we can trust Jesus’ promise because Jesus is faithful

Hebrews 10:23 NIV

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Grace Is the Heart of the Gospel

Humanity is universally sinful.

Salvation is entirely by God’s initiative.

Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the means by which grace is offered.

And is the means by which we are to live our lives,

for most of us who are accepting the gift of grace, before our death, we have the joy of participating in God’s Kingdom and sharing why Good Friday is Good and what the cross means to us.

One of the was we participate in the kingdom is taking communion together.

Communion

All are welcome to this family meal. Here we remember who we are in Christ and renew our trust in God. If you consider yourself a child of God, if you have accepted the grace Jesus offers, we invite you to share in these elements. If you are still exploring what it means to trust God with your life, please feel free to let the elements pass and use this moment to reflect on the love and forgiveness Jesus offers you.

· The hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ sums it up well…why we need grace, the impact of the invitation, what receiving that grace does for us in this life, to what it means for eternity

As we receive the bread and cup.

Representing Jesus' body and blood given for us so that we can have the blessing, forgivness and life we do not deserve

Eat the bread as you reflect on the words of Amazing Grace, and let us drink together.

o Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch; like me! I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see

o ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!

o The Lord hath promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures

o When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we first begun

· Even when we can’t fully understand it

o Even when we can’t fully articulate it to others

§ We know that God’s grace directed towards us is good news!!

Let us drink the cup representing this covenant of grace we are now part of.

Pray