Ordinary Means, Ordinary Expectations, Extraordinary Grace

Ordinary Expectations - Luke 3:7-14

An axe has been laid (What now?)

Who were those crowds? A Brood of vipers with Abraham as their father.

The axe severed that link.

The axe was wielded by God, not John

The axe said to the people (and should to us) You are cut off! You have no hope with God. You are not His people.

Do NOT assume otherwise!

- For God has consigned all to disobedience

- But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin

Union with Christ Jesus is the only root that remains, but it remains forever.

Romans 11:32 ESV

For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Galatians 3:22 ESV

But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

And all who are united with Christ will bear fruit

Luke 3:9 ESV

Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

luk 3

Christian Decency (not seeking X-ministry)

Matthew 11:28–29 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Romans 10:1–10 ESV

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

The doing in order to be saved has been done by Jesus; it is only ours to receive His gift in faith.

Fruitful Assurance in trying - Luke 3:10-14

2 Peter 1:10 ESV

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

2 Peter 1:5–9 ESV

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

If he is a Christian tailor, he will say: I make these clothes because God has bidden me do so, so that I can earn a living, so that I can help and serve my neighbor. When a Christian does not serve the other, God is not present; that is not Christian living.

Ordinary Means

Preaching

1 Corinthians 1:21 ESV

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

Romans 10:14–17 ESV

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

rom 10:14-1

Baptism and Communion

Because we are a forgetful people, prone to seek that which is visible & tangible, He has given us 2 great ordinances through which we remember and He strengthens and unites

Baptism - , , , Jn 1

1. Jesus’s Baptism and proclamation of “This is My Son”

2. Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection

3. The baptizant dying to sin and being raised to newness of life

Communion / The Lord’s Supper - , , , 1Co 11

Take and eat - this is my body

Take and drink - this is my blood

1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Extraordinary Grace - Luke 3:15-20

The ordinary expectations on us and ordinary means given to us are made possible only because of the extraordinary nature of God’s grace, especially as shown in and through Jesus.

Holy Spirit and Fire

fire as illuminating, purifying, and at last as judgment

Winnowing Fork

Psalm 1:3–4 ESV

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Prison

When extraordinary obedience is demanded, it is always accompanied with extraordinary grace

God’s requirements on us (are rather ordinary. God’s means of grace to us (His Word and Ordinances) are also rather ordinary. What is extraordinary is His Grace, through the person and ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus.