Sunday AM Service Template 06/30/19 Grace - God's Redemption

G.R.A.C.E. - Redemption BR/Text: Romans 3:22-24; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Eph 1:7; 7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Introduction: This topic of Grace is the essence of our Christian faith. The reality of Grace resides in the most dominating characteristic of our heavenly Father, His Love. While it is true that God judges and punishes Sin – It is truer still that God prefers Grace! Eph 5:20.2; But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That is why he gave it, that is why he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die and pay the price for us. But what is Grace? Grace has been defined as the unmerited favor of God It means that God granted us pardon and favor that we were unworthy of. Let’s look at two extreme examples, You take someone who perhaps has been a good family man, he’s been in the military, he’s worked hard, raised his kids to do right and be respectful, he’s been unselfish and helpful to others, he has been an upstanding member of society his entire life. Then, you take a person who has been in and out of prison their whole life, they’ve robbed, cheated, stolen, harmed others, you name it. Now they are standing accused of murder. They haven’t committed any redeeming act to help their situation, they are hoplessly, and helplessly in front of the judge awaiting their sentence. He has no merit to stand on. One man would stand on his merit and expect reword and acclamation for his righteous life, while the other is helpless and in expectation and worthy of penalty and judgement. The grace of God through Jesus Christ takes the deeds of the unrighteous man and puts them onto the righteous man, and punishes him for the other man’s actions, and takes the actions of the righteous man and places them onto the unrighteous man and bestows benefit upon him for the deeds of the righteous man. It is the love of God that this in born from, through the love and obedience of Jesus Christ. Rom 5:6-9; 6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him This is the Grace of God! God delights in Grace, God desires to give grace God paid the highest price for this grace, so that Grace could be applied abundantly God gives every opportunity for grace to work. God would rather grace prevail unto salvation, than for sin to prevail unto destruction. What truly Amazing Grace. Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. Amazing Grace shall always be my song of praise, for it was grace that bought by liberty. And there’s no other word for Grace but Amazing! I. Grace’s Redemption The Curse was upon us. Adams Sin, cast mankind out of God’s Paradise, presence, blessing God’s promise, provision God’s favor, and acceptance Man’s Fallen Nature Sorrow, Guilt, Anger, Bitterness – Man did not know these emotions before the curse Man only knew joy, peace, security, and love, but after the fall Joy was fleeting, peace was temporary, security was replaced by fear, and love was replaced by selfish desire. We were lost, and had no means to save ourselves. There was only one price that could be paid. Rom 6:23; For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Gal 3:13 13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Rom 5:6; For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Paradise restored. God’s love for us is even greater for us now than before. Because not only has he made us in his image and likeness. But he has now redeemed us after the sacrifice of Jesus Christ! He’s heavily invested in us. This is why God won’t throw you away. He won’t just cast us aside. His love is GREAT. And through his GRACE we have REDEMPTION Redemption is Abundant! Rom 5:20; But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: The greater amount of sin, the greater amount of grace. God has enough Grace to buy back ALL OF CHICAGO and its unrighteousness. From the corrupt politicians, to the gangs on the streets, from the adulterous business man, to the woman bound by addiction. HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT to buy us back Into HIS KINGDOM! Into HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Into His BLESSING There is enough Grace to Go around Psm 130:7 7Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. III. Living in his Redemption We need to live in his redemption How many have seen those “Dodo” videos where you see an emaciated dog that is starving, scared, neglected, and wounded. Then someone finds them, and begins to show them love, care, and affection. They clean them up, and then find them a loving home. Then the at the end of the video you see the dog happy, healthy, running, playing, licking their new owner on the mouth (YUCK!). But after all of that love, care, cleansing, and provision is that dog going to look like the neglected and scared dog at the beginning? NO! The dog has been redeemed, and is living in its redemption! We need to be like that! Don’t carry the baggage from the past that has been washed away by the blood of Jesus! Walk and live in the love. We have been REDEEMED! GRACE IS GOD’s REDEMPTION! Conclusion Boy that lived along the sea liked to carve boats out of driftwood. One day he found a perfect piece of wood and he said “I’m going to make the best boat that’s ever been built” He went out to carve it, pouring his love and expertise into it, taking time sand it smooth and perfect. When he was finished he stained it, lacquered it, he loved and admired his creation, and took it everywhere he went, showing it off to everyone he met. One day he took the boat to the sea and put it in the water, it bobbed up and down in the water and looked marvelous. Then suddenly a large wave came in and knocked him over and swept his boat out to sea. The boy wept bitterly and he and his father searched up and down the shore for the boat for weeks, but to no avail. After a few months passed the boy was walking through town and wandered into a store, and he looked on the shelf among souvenirs and knick-knacks that his boat was sitting on the shelf and was for sale! The boy went to the owner of the store, and said Sir, that boat is mine, I made it myself, and love it dearly, and he told him the story of how he lost it, and asked the owner to return his boat. The owner looked at him and said, son, I understand that you lost this boat, but I actually bought this boat from a man that found it along the shore. So if you want the boat back you are going to have buy it back from me. So the boy went home and opened up his piggy bank and was heartbroken that he didn’t’ have enough money to buy it back, and he sat there sobbing. The boys father saw him and said, “Son what’s the matter?” Why do you love that boat so much, there is other wood out there that you could carve 100 boats if you want to. The boy replied, Father I loved that boat so much I couldn’t eat or sleep wondering what happened to it, and now I have found it! I don’t care how much it costs, I’m going to work hard so that I can buy back my boat. So the Father reached into his wallet and gave his Son what was needed to buy his boat back, and the boy ran to the store and happily paid the price that was needed! This story illustrates the love of God, and the price that Jesus was willing to pay to buy back what was lost. Even though we were His from the beginning, he was willing to pay the highest price to redeem us back to himself. 7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;