Sunday AM Service 07/14/19 Grace - God's Commitment

G.R.A.C.E. - Commitment BR/Text: Ephesians 2:4-7; 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Rom 5:6-10; 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. 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 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! Week 4 - Commitment First we spoke on how Grace is the gift of God – It is the gift given to the entire world. Not a select few – For God is not willing that any should perish, but that ALL would come to repentance. So he gave us the free gift of Jesus Christ to be received by Faith Then we spoke on Grace being God’s redemption. We spoke on the price of sin, and that we were indebted to die as a result. But Christ paid the price FOR us that was too high for us to pay. He paid the Debt. We have been Redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. Last Week week we explain how through God’s Grace we have Acceptance. We will talk about Justification, Propitiation and it is all made possible through Faith and by his Grace. Today, We will see how the Grace of God is demonstrated by his Commitment to us in sending Jesus Christ to die. Grace’s Commitment - Intro Commitment – The state of quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity. An engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action. When we use the word commitment it implies a strong sense of intention or dedication. We use this word in when binding ourselves in relationships. A husband and wife when exchanging their vows pledge to one another a commitment one to the other that for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live. It is a pledge backed up by the honor of the individuals that are making the pledge. 1. God’s Commitment A. God’s Commitment to Israel. We read throughout the OT God’s Commitment to his people. In and out of captivity, through deserts, through wars and trials (many brought about because of their own rebellion). we see God’s faithful commitment to his people. Even when they moaned and murmured, provoked him to anger and jealousy, ignored his commandments, forgot his promises, and turned way to follow other god’s. In their sorrow, and in their despair, we still see an outstretched hand offering them deliverance and salvation. Even when they didn’t hold up their end of the bargain, God was still committed! Isa 14:1; 1For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: Again and again concerning God responds this way concerning his people. They repeatedly question his Love, his methods, his intentions, and His people fall short of their commitment, Yet God is there with His hand outstretched saying I’ll hold up my end of the bargain. If you’ll just Repent will lift you up, I will sustain you, I will restore you – By His GRACE HE IS COMMITTED. B. God’s Commitment to us. Rom. 5:10; 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. When speaking about the Gift and Redemption of His Grace dealt at great length about the high price that God paid for our salvation. He paid the highest price imaginable. Our sin and depravity was so great, and God’s righteousness and holiness is so high, that no small price would fill the gap. So he paid the only price that could satisfy the debt. But this price didn’t just satisfy the debt, it gave us benefit above and beyond. Debt Explained Being debt free is a good feeling! If you have $1000 in the bank but owe $10k in debt you don’t have any money. You’re better off having $100 and no debt, than having $1000 and $10k debt. But it’s even better to have no debt and have $10K, $100k. It would’ve been wonderful if Jesus’s high price just cancelled our debt. But the high price that Jesus paid didn’t just pay our debts and bring us to zero, but he gave us a storehouse in riches and plenty! His death brought us to zero, but his resurrection brought us treasures in glory! Again Rom. 5:10; 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. God’s commitment to us isn’t just a one time work at salvation, but it is a continual work. Heb 10:12; 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; Heb 7:25; 25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Jesus, at this moment is at the right hand of the Father, INTECEEDING FOR YOU! HE’S STILL WORKING, BECAUSE HE’S COMMITTED! We can have confidence that Jesus is working for us. Paul writing to the Philippians said! Phil 1:6; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 We can have confidence because God’s word is sure! 2. God’s Honor/Integrity backing up his pledge. Heb 6:16; 16For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. This means that Man’s word is not good enough, so when they make an oath they swear by something greater. In a trial when a witness is called to the stand they place their hand on a bible and “Swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God” But when God makes a pledge, who does he swear by? Heb 6:13; 13For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, God looked around and there was no one greater, so he swore by himself. He swore by the fact that He does not change, and he swore by the fact that He does not lie. Heb 6:17-19; 17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Paul is saying that we can take comfort in the fact that God doesn’t change, and God doesn’t lie, and we can take this comfort and hang our lives on it. He says “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul!” Numbers 23:19; God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? God is Committed to US – And that Commitment is made possible by GRACE Conclusion We need to be committed to HIM! A commitment is an oath, it is binding. A commitment will cost us something. A commitment will require sacrifice. Christ’s commitment to us cost him everything, it cost him his throne in glory, it cost him is friends (they all forsook him), it cost him his connection with the Father (why hast thou forsaken me), it cost him his life. He was committed – But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. But what is our commitment? He’s not just a one time prayer of forgiveness that allows us to continue a life in sin. He chose us, he wants us to choose Him. Joshua speaking to the Children of Israel, After God showed his faithfulness to them by bringing them into the Promise Land, driving out the inhabitants, and establishing them as a nation. God had shown his Commitment to them, now God wanted their commitment in return. 14Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Will we commit? Will we allow Him to be Lord? Will we Surrender?