Grace Beyond the Cross

Intro

This is mud. Its nothing, just usless slop. Our cars get stuck in it, we slip on it, it ruins our shoes and dirtiers our clothes.

No one would look at this bowl and say anything good.

However, believe it or not, in the right hands there is potential here.

You and i just see usless mud, but a stone mason sees it differently.

With his skill, he may add some straw, make mould, pour it in, back it in a furnace and by his skill turn this slop of mud into somthing usfull - A brick.

A brick is bar better than a bowl of mud.

But you and I will just see a brick, but a builder will see something more.

A skilled builder, will get a few more of these, add some wood and by his skill turn this simple brick into a building.

Look our beautiful church building. This building is a huge blessing. It shelters us from the african sun, keeps us dry when it rains and protects us from the wind. Its a place where food and clothing can be distribuated, people can get counseling and the gospel can be preached.

yet, if we take out all the nfurneshing, all that it is is lots of bricks and a bit of wood.

And if you go back even futher, all it was was a pile of mud.

Usless mud can become a brick, and a brick can become a building - not by itself, but all thanks to the skilled hands of the workman.

God has the power to do the same. But where as the workman will use a furnace and tools, God uses something else.

God uses Grace.

Saved by Grace

Lets talk about the mud. The mason can turn the usless mud intosomething with great potential.

God doies the same with sinners.

Every Christan knows that we are saved b y grace.

Ephesians 2:8–9 AV

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

Anyone who does not both know and believe that, and who seriously things that they have earned their way into Heaven is not saved and not a christian.

However, here is what i want to share with you this m orning:

Getting saved by grace was only God trans forming you from usless mud into a brick. But that same powerful grace that turned you into a brick also has the power to turn the brick into a building.

Many Christians only persure grace to salvation, but grace can take you beyond that.

Grace did not save me and then stop there. The grace of God saved me and then goes on to keep me, change me, strengthen me, bless me and so much more.

Lets look at the power of God’s grace beyond salvation.

Grace provides us access to God to communicate and fellowship with Him in a relationship of intimacy with God.

Hebrews 4:16 AV

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Every single time i pray; every single time to look unto God, everysingle time i call on his name; every single time i cry for help - it is through Grace.

Grace also helps us in our every need.

Furthermore, the common people were not permitted to enter the holy precincts of the tabernacle and the temple, and the priests got only as far as the veil.

The high priest alone went beyond the veil, and only on the Day of Atonement.

But every believer in Christ is invited, and is even encouraged, to “come boldly unto the throne of grace”!

What a great throne it is because our Great High Priest is ministering there.

Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, is enthroned in heaven.

Something else makes Him great: He is ministering mercy and grace to those who come for help.

Mercy means that God does not give us what we do deserve;

grace means that He gives us what we do not deserve.

No Old Testament high priest could minister mercy and grace in quite the same way. When an Israelite was tempted, he could not easily run to the high priest for help; and he certainly could not enter the holy of holies for God’s help.

But as believers in Jesus Christ, we can run to our High Priest at any time, in any circumstance, and find the help that we need.

Grace disciplines and trains us to live in a way that honors God

Titus 2:11–14 AV

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Look at what grace does: It teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldy lusts and to live holines in this world.

We must not pat ourselves on the back.

Salvation is not only a change in position (set free from the slavery of sin), but it is also a change in attitude, appetite, ambition, and action.

The same grace that redeems us also reforms our lives and makes us godly.

“Teaching” has the idea of “disciplining.”

We are disciplined by God’s grace, trained to be the kind of people that glorify Him.

Grace reforms us because God purifies us and makes us His own special possession

This process of purification is called “sanctification,” and its goal is to make the believer more like Jesus Christ

Sanctification is not only separation from sin, but it is also devotion to God.

Grace grants us immeasurable spiritual riches

Proverbs 10:22 AV

22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Ephesians 2:7 AV

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Church if we were to list all of our Spiritual blessings, from hope, adoption, courage all the way to faith, love and strength - all of it we have by grace.

Grace is the reason behind our every deliverance

Psalm 44:3–8 AV

3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. 4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. 5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. 7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. 8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

Every spiriutal victory we have ever enjoyed was won by Jesus and transfered to us by grace.

Grace preserves us and comforts, encourages, and strengthens us

Conclusion

2 Corinthians 13:14 AV

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 AV

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

2 Timothy 2:1 AV

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

What do we see from these 3 verses?

That Grace grants us the comfort and peace of God’s presence.

That Grace strengthens us daily to face each days challange with courage.

Grace is actively and continually working in the lives of God’s people.

Paul credited the success of his ministry not to his own substantial labors but to “the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Grace is the ongoing, benevolent act of God working in us, without which we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Grace is greater than our sin (Romans 5:20), more abundant than we expect (1 Timothy 1:14), and too wonderful for words (2 Corinthians 9:15).