Characterized as Grace 11/16

Calvin

You are so Graceful • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Summary: This sermon presents 5 characteristics of grace to help you identify genuine, Biblical, saving grace.

Grace

:11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

By: JB Hall

Introduction: this is our last week in our grace series.

Grace is a topic that is often spoken of in Christian circles; and one that is given extensive treatment in the Scriptures. But, though it is such a familiar topic, it is one that so few seem to be able to wrap their understanding around. So few seem to grasp just what exactly it is, and how it relates to them personally.

I hope that it will cease to be just a lofty spiritual concept that has no practical application to your every day life; and that your understanding of God’s great work of grace as it relates to you personally will emerge with crystal clarity.

I’d like to approach this using the word G-R-A-C-E as an acrostic, with each letter representing a characteristic of God’s grace. So now you know this is a 5-point message.

Characteristic

1. Characteristic

The G in grace is

#1 Crace is a Gift

Grace, simply stated, is the unmerited favor of God.

& 9, says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

C. So we see here that we are saved by grace; and that that grace is the gift of God.

D. It is not of works.

E. In other words, it cannot be obtained by works.

F. As many of you have heard me say, a gift cannot be achieved; it can only be received.

G. A gift cannot be earned; a gift cannot be qualified for; it can only be received as it is given; as a FREE gift given by the hand of the Giver.

: 4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

In other words, if we could do something to earn, or qualify for, or achieve grace, it would not be grace. It would be God’s payment, or reward, or wage for what we had earned. It would not be a gift.

Our other text verse, , says that the grace of God has appeared unto all men.

. Sadly, all men have not benefited from the grace of God that has appeared unto them, though.

K. Sadly, all men have not benefited from the grace of God that has appeared unto them, though.

Since forgiveness of sin (salvation) cannot be accessed or obtained by working for it or qualifying for it because it is a gift; and since salvation is not a tangible item that one can reach out with their hand to accept, how does one access this favor of God that yields cleansing from sin in his/her life?

Well, says that God’s grace (favor) that saves us is transferred to us through faith.

I like to think of faith as the Catalyst through which God transfers His gift of forgiveness to each of us.

O. This, then, begs the question, what is faith?

P. Faith does not only believe that God can save the world; it believes that God, based upon His promise in His Word, applies that forgiveness to your life.

Q. This is not a process, but an act that happens at a moment in time.

R. In Jesus calls this being born again.

S. Natural birth happens at a moment in time.

T. Likewise, spiritual birth happens at a moment in time.

This is the slide

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. .

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

says, For God so loved the world [that includes everyone; no one is excluded from this promise], that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever [this brings the promise down to the personal level; meaning each person] who believeth in him [faith; trusting God to do what He has promised right here] should not perish, but have everlasting life [the new birth experience; a transfer of the grace that brings salvation to the recipient of that salvation by his faith pipeline reaching up to receive it].

God’s grace, His salvation, is extended to you by His hand of promise; you receive it by your hand of faith reaching up to accept it [believing His promise applies to you personally].

You see, like any gift, Someone had to pay the purchase price so that it could be offered to you as a FREE gift.

According to

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Z. To pay the purchase price for deliverance from sin, Someone had to pay the price of death.

To pay the purchase price for deliverance from sin, Jesus payed the price of death.

You see, the purchase price has been paid for everyone’s salvation; but it is personally appropriated to each one as each one places his/her trust in the One Who paid the price; trusting that it has been paid for him/her personally.

DD. So, grace, God’s unmerited, unearned, unqualified for, favor is offered to as a gift.

The means by which we reach out to receive the FREE gift is simply by opening our lives by faith and allowing Jesus to come into our lives as God’s gift of salvation to us.

EE. The means by which we reach out to receive the FREE gift is simply by opening our lives by faith and allowing Jesus to come into our lives as God’s gift of salvation to us.

By faith open your heart, your life, to allow Him to come in; and then by personal invitation, just pray and invite Him in.

FF. & 12 say, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

GG. Pretty simple, huh?

By faith open your heart, your life, to allow Him to come in; and then by personal invitation, just pray and invite Him in.

HH. Practically speaking then, how do I go about receiving Jesus into my life?

II. By faith open your heart, your life, to allow Him to come in; and then by personal invitation, just pray and invite Him in.

JJ. says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

KK. Faith is what God counts as righteousness; not what we achieve.

LL. Characteristic # 1 of grace is: it is a gift.

The R in Grace

# 2 Grace is Revealed

Our scripture from earlier :11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

:11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

B. The grace of God is not something that is hidden; or something that is obscure that we have to search for with the possibility that we just will not discover it.

C. It has been revealed.

D. Let’s look at this revelation from 3 different perspectives.

E. First – :14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

God’s grace has been revealed in the Person of His Son.

G. God’s grace has been revealed in the Person of His Son.

Grace does not allow for lawlessness. Rather, it transcends the law of letters with the law of love.

I. You see, the Pharisees were concerned about the letter of the law; while Jesus was concerned about the people to whom the law was given.

J. Legalism demands that rules be kept, even to the damage of those under their jurisdiction.

K. Grace seeks the welfare of people rather than that a rigid regiment of standards be kept.

L. Grace does not allow for lawlessness. Rather, it transcends the law of letters with the law of love.

Jesus’ life exhibited the grace of God to man by lifting him out of his condemnation rather than condemning him

N. So, Jesus’ appearance on planet earth – His life lived before us, and His sacrificial death on our behalf – revealed God’s grace to us.

O. Second – Grace is not just something that was revealed in the past when Jesus walked upon this earth.

P. It is something that we currently stand in, if we are saved.

Q. & 2 say, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

R. Here, grace is described as “…this grace wherein we stand…”

S. It is a currently reality for us every day; that according to causes us to rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

If you are saved, you stand in the favor of God.

later.

According to

W. We are no longer estranged from God.

:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

X. According to , “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”

Y. You and I currently stand in a personal intimate relationship with God, if we stand in the grace of God, if we are saved.

Y. You and I currently stand in a personal intimate, family driven relationship with God, if we stand in the grace of God, if we are saved.

Z. If you are not saved, you do not currently stand in the grace, or favor, of God.

AA. You are at enmity; in a state of hostility with God; and under the condemnation of God that just has not been executed yet.

BB. If, however you choose to receive the gift of His grace, you then are converted from being in a state of open hostility, to a state of being in personal relationship, with Him as your Father.

We have a heritage; we have an inheritance; and every second of our lives holds significance and meaning.

DD. Standing in the grace of God provides the confidence of a glorious future that generates rejoicing now, even in the midst of often unpleasant circumstances and situations.

EE. Third – In Peter, addressing the elders and classifying himself among them, speaks of being “…a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:”

FF. (Read) – You and I who stand in the grace of God do have a glorious future to look forward to.

HH. Just when we think there could be no more that could have been given us by His grace, He will unfold another layer.

II. Oh, how glorious to know that I will be an eternal partaker of all the wealth that God possesses; because, that according to , am an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ.

JJ. Grace has been revealed; is being revealed; and will conclusively be revealed – past, present, future.

KK. Characteristic # 2 of grace is: it is revealed.

3. Characteristic #3 is A – Acceptance

A. says, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

B. It is in his grace that He has made us accepted in the beloved; accepted in the family of God.

C. People will go to extraordinary lengths to be accepted.

D. This pursuit of acceptance begins early in life; we first try to gain the acceptance of our parents by trying to impress them, then we try to gain the acceptance of our peers in school by trying to be like them, then we try to gain the acceptance of our boss or associates at the work place by our performance.

E. This innate craving to be accepted often drives people to do very damaging things to themselves in an effort to gain that acceptance.

F. Though we may achieve some measure of acceptance in the circles in which we run, the ultimate fulfillment of this need can only be found when we are accepted by God.

G. This estrangement from God that we all experience prior to being saved, leaves an emptiness, a longing, a hopelessness inside us.

H. Things that can be accomplished or obtained in the natural realm can never satisfy that hopeless sensation we experience.

I. describes our condition before being saved like this: “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”

J. The words spoken by the Pharisees and scribes in in an attempt to slander Jesus, were some of the most gracious words of truth ever spoken about our Lord.

K. says, “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

L. says, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his…”

M. Without belonging to God, without being accepted by Him, we wander aimlessly through life, hopelessly lost, having no purpose, pointlessly filling up our time with meaningless activity and thought.

N. Ahhhh, but when we have been accepted of Him, we belong to Him.

We have a heritage; we have an inheritance; and every second of our lives holds significance and meaning.

The A of grace is:

Q. It is not a payment; but a reward of grace.

#3 Grace is acceptance.

R. Characteristic # 3 of grace is: it is acceptance.

: 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

If we truly accept Gods grace we will be commited to encouraging and helping others.

We will also not get in the way of Grace and allow ourselves the grace Jesus has given us despite not deserving it.

: 21 “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. 22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.

21 “Submit to God and be at peace with him;

in this way prosperity will come to you. 22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.

22 Accept instruction from his mouth

and lay up his words in your heart.

What is in my heart come s out in my actions

The C of grace is

# 4 Grace is calling

B. Writing to the saints at Rome, PAUL SAYS in

: 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

C. Here he describes the Christians as those “…called to be saints…”

D. :9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

E. The First calling that we experience is the call to be saved.

I. This ‘CALLING’ tugs at your heart to direct your heart’s focus to Jesus; letting you know somehow that He is the remedy for what is unsettling you.

G. God’s call to salvation is not a supernatural experience, not a verbal call, not an overwhelming force that compels you to submit your life to Him.

H. Rather, it is a drawing, a wooing, an unrest, an uneasiness, that lets you know there is something amiss between you and God; and that it must be addressed.

I. This ‘drawing’ tugs at your heart to direct your heart’s focus to Jesus; letting you know somehow that He is the remedy for what is unsettling you.

J. When you are willing to lay aside your preconceived ideas, your reservations, and your unbelief, and just by faith, open your life to allow Jesus to come in, you find you have fulfilled this calling and you no longer suffer the unrest, the tug, the drawing.

K. The Second calling is to service.

L. When God saves us, He then calls us to a life of service in His eternal kingdom, though we currently reside in this present life.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.

N. Every child of God has this calling upon his/her life.

O. When God calls us unto His service, He then gifts us with spiritual abilities to do what He has called us to do.

The E in Grace is

Q. Spiritual gifts are supernatural, divine gifts that are given at the time of the new birth.

R. Just like natural talents have to be trained, developed, and honed in order to make them useful and usable, so spiritual gifts must be discovered and developed as well.

S. & 15 say, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee…” “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

T. When God gives you spiritual gifts, they are irrevocable; He does not change His mind.

U. says, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

V. Since God does not change His mind on the gifts or calling, it is up to you to change your lifestyle to fit the calling to serve in God’s eternal kingdom, rather than consuming your energies on earthly pursuits unrelated to your heavenly calling.

W. Characteristic # 4 of grace is: it is a calling.

The E in Grace is

# 5 Grace is eternal Life

A. We live in a world of uncertainty.

B. Many churches preach and teach an uncertain salvation.

C. Uncertainty, when it comes to grace, translates into instability when it comes to living.

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

E. Certainty of our future yields stability in our faith and life.

F. God does not want to keep us guessing right up to the end.

G. He has given us a sure word, His promise in writing here in 1 John; God’s unilateral contract with us; that if we have Jesus inside us, we know that we have eternal life.

If we could lose our salvation; or if we cannot know we have it; our so-called salvation would in fact be probation, not salvation.

I. Eternal life does not begin at death; or at the rapture, whichever happens first.

J. It begins at the moment of the new birth.

K. If we could lose our salvation; or if we cannot know we have it; our so-called salvation would in fact be probation, not salvation.

N. Thus, our so-called salvation, instead of being granted by grace, would be obtained by our consistent good works held out to the end.

O. But, according to our text verse, & 9, it is by grace ye are saved; not of works lest any man should boast.

P. A passage of Scripture that I believe will help to clarify this fact is & 39.

Q. Verse 38 says, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Sounds like you can lose your salvation here, huh?

R. But, Verse 39 says, “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

S. Here “…them that believe to the saving of the soul.” are not those who believe until the saving of the soul; but them that believe to the level of the saving of the soul.

T. We are told that we are not of them that draw back unto perdition.

U. Those who do, exhibit the fact that they were never truly saved to begin with.

V. Some appear to have eternal life but like the seed in & 21 that fell into stony places and appeared to have life, but when tribulation or persecution arose, they were offended; because, it says, “…hath he not root in himself…”

W. Characteristic # 5 of grace is: it is eternal life.

In Summary: So remember

(1) Characteristic # 1 of grace is it is a gift.

(2) Characteristic # 2 of grace is it is revealed.

(3) Characteristic # 3 of grace is it is acceptance.

(4) Characteristic # 4 of grace is it is a calling.

(5) Characteristic # 5 of grace is it is eternal life.

In Conclusion:

God’s grace (His favor that none of us deserve) is extended to every one of us. It is individually and personally appropriated, though, as we reach out to receive it by faith as the FREE gift it is. It can never be achieved; it can only be received. It can never be earned or qualified for; it is a gift.

It is received by making a conscious choice to trust Jesus to be, not just the Savior of the world, but your personal Savior. When you receive Jesus into your life by simple invitation, opening your life to allow Him in, He comes in, giving you the eternal life that is in Him.

He does not come into us bodily or physically, of course; His Spirit comes to dwell in us when we in an honest and sincere heart issue the invitation.

Since God’s grace is a gift, we have only 2 options; receive it, or reject it. What is your choice today?

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