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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
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
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?
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