Are You Paralyzed by Grace?
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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Today, we continue the series on GOD’S grace. Last week, we discovered that God’s grace means much more than forgiveness; grace teaches us a new way to live.
Today, we continue the series on GOD’S grace. Last week, we discovered that God’s grace means much more than forgiveness; grace teaches us a new way to live.
The problem many followers of Jesus have today, is their view of God’s grace is limited. The grace of God is often simplified so we can get a grasp on it. We need to remember the truths God reveals are often greater than we can easily grasp and often require deep study over a lifetime to begin to understand!
On writer said, “We have successfully domesticated grace! When most people think of grace, they also think of forgiveness without realizing they have a relationship, but are indeed very different (Munson, 2018)!
I hear people say, “God loves me just the way I am.” The truth is, “God loves me so much he won’t let me stay the way I am!”
Last week, we learned from that grace saves us, then it gives us the power to say, “No!” to sin and live in a new way.
Most of us are OK with receiving forgiveness, but we never take advantage of the power God provides to overcome sin. WHY?
The author, Richard Foster, wrote a series of books on the Christian Life touches on this topic said, “…the message of grace is something more than merely a means for gaining forgiveness. In most pulpits, there is a disconnect between the good news of Jesus’ sacrifice and our calling to become the light of the world. Hearing the same message, week after week, along with the same remedy, they remain in the same place. Having been saved by grace, people have been paralyzed by it.”
Week after week in pulpits across America people are told of the complete work of Jesus on the cross. They are told that there is nothing they can do to earn God’s approval or salvation and are encouraged to live holy lives, keep God’s commands and to walk in a manner that pleases Him.
All of these things are true; however, they are NEVER told THEY POSSESS the power to say “No” to sin!
GRACE IS for everyday living, relationships, and ministry. The Bible connects grace and truth, grace and power, grace and spiritual gifts, grace and thanksgiving, grace and generosity, grace and provision, grace and suffering, grace and destiny, and much more!
grace and truth, grace and power, grace and spiritual gifts, grace and thanksgiving, grace and generosity, grace and provision, grace and suffering, grace and destiny, and much more!
ILLUSTRATION
Imagine you just received an envelope in the mail and you do not open it. You take him and lay it on a shelf. It stays there for weeks while you try to overcome enormous debt. You have an important trip you need to take that could change your life for the better, but you can’t afford it. SO you turn down opportunities and continue to struggle financially. You marriage begins to crumble because you are bitter and angry. You pray and God does not seem to hear. Finally your friends and family can no longer stand you and leave. You boss is tired of your attitude and it affects your job and you get fired.
As you prepare to move from your house and begin throwing things out, you come across the envelope. Open it, and inside is a Cashier’s Check that covers all your debt and leaves an enormous surplus.
You possessed the resource you need from the very first day your troubles began, yet you failed to open the envelope! You failed to take advantage of the money because you never knew you possessed it.
THAT is what most Christians have done with grace! They were “saved by grace through faith;” yet, they never opened the envelope that provided ENDLESS POWER to change their lives for the better! THEY ARE PARALYZED BY THEIR SELF-IMPOSED VIEW OF GRACE!”
When we domesticate grace to just receiving forgiveness, Jesus ceases to be our model for how to receive grace, live in grace, and depend upon grace!
Who taught Peter, John, Paul and countless other believers how to live the kind of grace-filled life we see in Acts and the history of the church? How does grace apply to everyday life and how do we become conscious of the supply and know how to use it?
Let’s understand how we got here
Let’s understand how we got here
In church circles, grace is often defined as:
“not getting what we deserve,” or;
“God’s unmerited favor,” or;
the acronym we often hear, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”
All of these ideas about grace are true; but, they only tell part of the truth. And these partial truths have actually harmed our spiritual formation!
When we buy into the idea that, “I’m just a sinner saved by grace, and there’s nothing good inside of me because I’ll always be a sinner,” we fail to acknowledge the potential placed inside of us by Christ.
It’s like a patient hearing they have a disease that COULD be fatal, and living the rest of their life waiting for death!
The Biblical diagnosis of man is, we are dead in our sin and need rescued. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that the Savior came and RESCUED us!
We are no longer under the penalty of sin and death—Jesus defeated both of those at the cross. So I no longer live as a dead man! I live a new life as a restored and resurrected man!
The condition of the lost is death to death. The condition of the saved is death to life!
Our problem is we still live like we have no new life!
Let’s take a closer look at what Jesus said in
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
1. He says, “Come to Me…I will give you rest... (Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me.)
This first REST implies surrender to Him— it speaks of SALVATION REST, which never begins until we surrender to Christ...
2. “Take my yoke…an learn from me…” and you will find rest for your souls. (Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.)
Taking the yoke refers to walking and learning from Christ; it the REST WHICH RESULTS IN FELLOWSHIP. No one can have this rest without LEARNING THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE!
3. “My yoke is easy and my burden is light!” (Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.)
The whole passage shows the contrast between RELIGIOUS burdens and God’s grace!
The EASY yoke refers to one FITTED just for you! It is DESIGNED by God to enable you to live in His power!
The whole passage shows the contrast between RELIGIOUS burdens and God’s grace!
One writer warns not to surrender to the low level of spiritual living professed by most Christians. He says we settle for less because we think it’s natural. We convince ourselves grace is just about being saved rather than daily living, and soon after salvation we look just like other mediocre believers! Years after coming to Christ, rather than being giants in the faith we are still mere babes! (Munson 2018)
Dallas Willard, a philosopher and Christian writer said, “We have over-talked about what sin takes away and under-talked about what the Spirit has put in us. Our life with God must start with the cure, but the possibilities of new life in Christ are, quite literally, endless.
We have over-talked about what sin takes away and under-talked about what the Spirit has put in us. Dr. Willard is concerned with more than the cure. True, our life with God must start with the cure, but the possibilities of new life in Christ are, quite literally, endless.
ILLUSTRATION
I have a friend who ends every prayer with, “Forgive us for the many ways we’ve failed you. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.”
It doesn’t matter if he’s blessing the food, asking for wisdom, or praying for a patient. EVERY prayer closed with those words!
I noticed when we had coffee each week, he never said, “Steve, forgive me my friend for failing you!”
I’m sure he’s sincere every time he prays it, but I wonder if Jesus ever gets tired of hearing it. No friendship on earth could survive if one partner constantly affirmed, “I’m no good.” What kind of relationship requires a constant, constant, rehashing of our inadequacy? I’d like to suggest an answer: an Old Testament relationship.
He never said to his wife when he left her presence, “Forgive me for failing you!”
Yet, whenever he finished a prayer, he told God, “Forgive me for failing You!”
Do you do that? Do you OVER-TALK your sin and failures and UNDER-TALK what God supplied through His grace?
I wonder if Jesus ever gets tired of hearing us tell Him how much we failed. No friendship on earth could survive if one partner constantly affirmed, “I’m no good.” What kind of relationship requires a constant, rehashing of our inadequacy?
wonder if Jesus ever gets tired of hearing it. No friendship on earth could survive if one partner constantly affirmed, “I’m no good.” What kind of relationship requires a constant, constant, rehashing of our inadequacy? I’d like to suggest an answer: an Old Testament relationship.
The book of Hebrews provides insight to this problem! The book discusses the practice of forgiveness before Jesus came:
Hebrews 10
Hebrews 10
The book of Hebrews discusses the practice of forgiveness before Jesus came:
1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.
NOTE verse 3 “But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.” ()
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. ()
The people of Old Testament knew sin separated them from God; but they also knew sin was dealt with by God, NOT their repeated pleas!
I know people who remind everyone, every time they pray that they are sinners! The unspoken message is, we are powerless against sin.
The unspoken message is, we are powerless against sin.
This problem is labeled as, “Miserable Sinner Syndrome.”
We tell ourselves so often we are sinners, we begin to forget God gives us grace to overcome sin! Eventually buy into a message that makes us permanent failing sinners with NO POWER to live in Christ!
As a result, we never really follow Christ and never become conformed into His likeness.
Dallas Willard refers to this as “miserable sinner theology.” Simply put, if we are told often enough that we are miserable sinners who are unable to overcome our shortcomings in God’s eyes, sooner or later we will begin to see ourselves in that light, even though we have turned to Christ! For such people, “following” Jesus does not include the possibility of being formed into his likeness.
As a result, even though we have turned to Christ, we never really follow Him. and never become conformed into His likeness.
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT they understood God wanted to eliminate the power of sin so they could live pure lives. THEIR FAILURE was they thought they could do it WITHOUT God by just keeping rituals.
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT they understood God wanted to eliminate the power of sin so they could live pure lives. THEIR FAILURE was they thought they could do it WITHOUT God by just keeping rituals.
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT Jesus revealed GOD HAS ELIMINATED the power of sin so we can live pure lives. BUT OUR FAILURE is we have the check in the envelope and we KEEP IT ON A SHELF!
BUT It’s not just a problem of understanding grace, it’s also our understanding of Jesus: his message, his sacrifice, his kingdom, and his mission for us.
THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST is GRACE set us FREE from the power of sin and death!
21 But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. 22 The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this.
Rom 3:
I’m grateful that he paid the price for my sin, eternally grateful. But we should also be grateful for his resurrection empowerment, which is capable of changing us from the inside out.
15 So, since we’re out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we’re free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? 16 Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it’s your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do. 17 But thank God you’ve started listening to a new master, 18 one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom! 19 I’m using this freedom language because it’s easy to picture. You can readily recall, can’t you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing—not caring about others, not caring about God—the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God’s freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness? 20 As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn’t have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. 21 But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end. 22 But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! 23 Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.
To see the work of Jesus as nothing but an endless offering for sin is to consign him to the Old Testament priesthood. Surely his is a greater priesthood, capable of altering us at the very core. I’m grateful that he paid the price for my sin, eternally grateful. But we should also be grateful for his resurrection empowerment, which is capable of changing us from the inside out. Perhaps we can usher Jesus out of the Old Testament Temple, once and for all, and receive him, not only as the source of forgiveness, but also the master teacher of life. This is the full work of grace.
Perhaps we can usher Jesus out of the Old Testament Temple, once and for all, and receive him, not only as the source of forgiveness, but also the master teacher of life. This is the full work of grace.
Make no mistake, sin is cancer, and it will kill us in this life and the next. It’s serious business, so the Father has provided a serious remedy. It’s called the new birth! Paul calls it the new creation. Peter calls us newborn babes.
These images of spiritual birth contain the hope of spiritual growth.We NOT forever trapped by sin! Grace not only wipes away sin, grace teaches us how to avoid sin. Grace is NOT a treatment plan for a terminal disease, it is THE ONLY CURE for sin!
Grace enables to LIVE VICTORIOUSLY IN GOD’S POWER to “take up our cross and follow” to “take the yoke of learning”, and to “carry the light burden” fitted perfectly for each of us! (Munson, 2018)
Let me share with you a modern parable:
Once there were two high school students who each received scholarships to Harvard University. Full rides, every possible expense paid. Both were bright kids, and both felt intimidated by the reputation of such a great college.
They each thought, “I don’t deserve to be here.”
One student studied day and night. The other student began to enjoy the thrill of college life: parties, the big city nearby, and the freedom of being on their own for the first time in life.
By midterm, the first student was still working hard, earning C’s and B’s in all their classes. The other was failing every class and placed on academic probation. By Christmas, the first student had earned a 3.0 GPA, but the second had flunked out of Harvard.
Which of these two students laid hold of the opportunity given to them? Of course the answer is the first student who gave it all they had.
Of course the answer is the first student who gave it all they had.
Imagine for a moment that the grace of God is like a full ride to Harvard: beyond expectation, every expense paid, a life-changing opportunity. Anyone watching these two students would conclude that the student who flunked out had thrown away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The scholarship to Harvard was a gift of grace, but the truth was that the work was just beginning.
God’s grace is something like this parable. Jesus does for us what we can not possibly do for ourselves. He joyfully paid our way in full!
But His work was just beginning. Now He calls on us to use the power He provides to live our new lives.
Some of you might object to the illustration; but, there is in Scripture a close association between “grace” and “works.”
Let me be clear: The grace that saves us from death and hell is freely given by God—no strings attached!
But the grace He continues to give us to live in victory requires us to “take up our cross and follow” to “take the yoke of learning”, and “carry the light burden” fitted perfectly for each of us!
Let me show the balance...
You might ask, “God’s grace comes with no strings attached, doesn’t it?” And we should be clear about this: no amount of effort on our part could win his pardon. This is true enough, it’s just not the whole story.
The whole story goes beyond the fact that God picked up the tab we couldn’t pay. Our new birth into the Christian life is an invitation into the kingdom of God, even as it breaks into the Earth.
When the Apostle Paul was saved by Jesus on his way to Damascus, he knew God saved him for a purpose. Paul was filled with gratitude for God’s grace and forgiveness, and he was eager to get on with God’s work.
This is demonstrated for us in the life of the apostle Paul. In the earliest days of his conversion to Christ, he knew immediately that Jesus had laid hold of him for a purpose. Paul was filled with gratitude for God’s grace and forgiveness, and he was eager to get on with God’s work. He began to call himself “God’s fellow worker” (). In his calling as an apostle, he considered the church in Corinth to be God’s field, and he considered himself privileged to join the workforce.
He began to call himself “God’s fellow worker” ().
9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
In his calling as an apostle, he considered the church in Corinth to be God’s field, and he considered himself part of the workforce.
In his calling as an apostle, he considered the church in Corinth to be God’s field, and he considered himself privileged to join the workforce.
In his calling as an apostle, he considered the church in Corinth to be God’s field, and he considered himself privileged to join the workforce.
Paul was well aware that he had no moral standing to plant, preach, or pastor God’s new church in Corinth; after all, he had persecuted Christians for years!
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
NOTICE the combination of words Paul puts together her. He uses “grace” and “worked harder” all in one sentence!
Thank goodness he was also aware that his “qualifications” were not the issue: “by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (). Can you see what a strange combination of words Paul puts together here? He uses “grace” and “worked harder” all in one sentence!
Paul understood he DID NOT EARN GRACE! But he was required work WITH God as God empowered him to live his new life!
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
What was true for Paul is also true for us. When we are born into God’s family, we are also born into the “family business.” God’s grace doesn’t just wipe away our sin; God’s grace asks us to join in the work of the kingdom!
Grace doesn’t just forgive our sin, it empowers us for life with God.
Richard Foster helps us understand the ongoing work of grace. “Grace saves us from life without God–even more it empowers us for life with God.” The grace we receive at the new birth is only the introduction. As students of Jesus, we need grace for growth as well. Grace opens up the startling possibility that we do not have to yo-yo between sin and forgiveness, sin and forgiveness. Instead, grace shows us the destiny we have in Christ.
The grace we receive at the new birth is only the introduction. As students of Jesus, we need grace for growth as well. Grace opens up the startling possibility that we do not have to yo-yo between sin and forgiveness, sin and forgiveness. Instead, grace shows us the destiny we have in Christ.
is an invitation to follow Christ under His personal instruction and learn his way of life:
What is this deeper side of grace? The deeper side of grace is the discovery that our new birth should be followed by growth into the image of Jesus. The deeper side of grace is that when we begin to join in the family business, we will also begin to take on the family likeness.
Here’s another way to think of it: co-laboring with Christ is the very activity that begins to grow the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. As we joyfully work side-by-side with Jesus, we begin to become conformed to his image. tells us that this is our destiny, not only will we live with him forever, he wants us to be changed into his likeness!
points to an important revelation: Jesus invites anyone who would follow him to come under his instruction and learn his way of life:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. ()
Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” This image was common enough in his day. A yoke is a large collar, which places the strength of an ox or horse at the disposal of someone else. Grace calls us to God’s work. We place our strength at his disposal. He will not conquer us; we must bow before him as a matter of choice. The path to becoming like Jesus starts with his invitation, “Come to me.” After he speaks, we can choose to accept that invitation by only one method, to humble ourselves.
Grace is about more than knowing, it’s also about being. If God wants to give me the grace to be more like Jesus, and if it takes a little effort on my part, then count me in. It’s how we take the yoke. It’s how we position ourselves to learn from him.