09_01_96

Union Church of LaHarpe, Illinois, USA

!! "Grace for Living"

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

We've heard it said that life is a series of ups and downs. We've even believed it, even though we really didn't like that it was a series of both the highs and the lows. But we took it in stride. We grabbed the highs with all the gusto we could muster. Then the lows came, and still come. Sometimes one after another after another. How do we get through these lows in life, the times when we would just as soon roll over and play dead? It's boring during these times, or scary or sad. Does God provide during these times? Deists would say no. These are the people that say that God created everything, then, like a watchmaker, He just wound up the universe and let it go.

Then there are those who believe that God goes so far as to save us from an eternity in hell, then leaves us to our own devices to live this life as best we can. If we fall, oh well.

What does God say? Consider His words through His servant Paul in 1 Cor. 1:4-9.

A working definition...

What is all this talk about the grace of God? Isn't that what God gave us so that by faith we could be saved. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of itself, it is a gift of God" (Eph 2:8). Is that it? Partly, but not wholly.

Before we go on though, we should offer up a definition of grace. Theologian T. H. L. Parker refers to it as "undeserved favor." He explains further:

"The essence of the doctrine of grace is that God is for us. What is more, He is for us who in ourselves are against Him. More still, He is not only for us merely in a general attitude, but has effectively acted toward us. Grace is summed up in the name Jesus Christ." }}}

In other words, when we deserve death, we receive life, when we deserve punishment we receive reward. When we deserve hatred, we receive love. What an amazing thing this grace! And we see through Paul that God did not stop at salvation, He goes far beyond.

In this letter to the Corinthian Church, Paul writes of three (3) purposes of God's grace outside of initial salvation.

I. God's grace enriches us in every way.

(Verse 4-5). This statement raises two questions:

A. What does it mean to be enriched? The dictionary offers a general definition with explanatory statements to follow-- "To make rich or richer by the addition or increase of some desirable quality, attribute, or ingredient as:"

-- "To add beauty." We say that a woman's beauty is enriched by the wearing of jewelry, makeup, or a nice outfit. She is "made desirable" as the above definition suggests, to the one she is trying to impress. God in turn enriches us in such a way that Christ's church will be the beautiful bride with which He will spend eternity.

-- "To enhance the taste of." The secret recipe in some favorite dish will enhance the flavor so that it will far surpass every other person's attempt at the same dish. Likewise, God can enhance the flavor of our lives in two ways. First, He can enhance the flavor to us...the Christian life can be called a lot of things, but with our eyes on the God of the universe, boring is not one of them! But more importantly, by giving His grace, He can enhance the flavor so that unlike the luke-warm church at Laodicea, we won't be spit out of His mouth. God's grace gives flavor.

-- "To make fertile." Farmers know that when a plot of land gets used over and over again, the nutrients in the soil are leached from it by the crops and by the rain. As a result, nutrients must be added in the form of fertilizer in order to promote growth of the crops. God's grace is a fertilizer for the believer. As crude as that may sound, if good fruit (good works) is (are) to be found in our lives, we must have something added to our soil, because sin has stunted our ability to grow.

B. How does God's grace enrich us in every way? As we've seen from the above definition, God's grace works in a number of ways. Paul suggests two specific forms in which this comes.

-- In all our speaking. That is, by the grace of God we have been given the wonderful truth of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This further translates to our everyday conversations, every word that proceeds from our mouth. Eph. 4:29 tells us not to let any unwholesome word come out of our mouths except that which builds other believers up. Here are some examples of unwholesome and wholesome.

• lying
• gossiping
• childish name-calling (admit it, even adults partake of this behavior)

Do any of these activities build up or point their hearers to our God? Do they add desirableness to our sight or taste, or are they more like throwing dirt in our baked beans recipe?

Instead consider these:

• verbal praise
• compassionate speaking
• sharing the Good News about Jesus Christ

This build up rather than tear down, and point our hearers to God.

-- In all our knowledge. Too often we are told by non-believers that we think we have a corner on the truth. Let me ask you this, who was it that said "I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me." We can in no way compromise that fact. We can't waffle and suggests that we're just as right as every one else. That can not be true, we are either right or we are not. This statement by Jesus Christ doesn't leave us with any lee-way. If we believe it, we should not "hide it under a bushel, NO!" We are given a corner on the truth, and His name is Jesus Christ. This too translates to our everyday thinking. Phil. 4:8...By the grace of God we have been given the knowledge that we should "dwell on" because it is true, noble, right, pure, etc.

II. God's grace equips us.

(Verse 7). This fact is explained later in this same later. 1 Cor. 12:4-11. There are four truths in these two passages.

1. We ARE given gifts by His Spirit (1:7). God gives us abilities, talents, miraculous workings.

2. Sometimes God's grace comes in the form of other believers using their gifts to enhance the beauty of the Bride (12:7). We have the distinct privilege of preparing Christ's bride to be presented to Him with out blemish.

3. We are given various kinds of gifts (12:8-10). God doesn't stop at giving everyone one and the same gift. Rather, like a painting with its many colors, shades, and hues set in perfect harmony, we are each given different gifts to create a piece of art.

4. God's equipping grace is efficient (1:7). We lack no spiritual gift. This is not to say that we have every gift, but that we have every gift necessary for building up the church.

III. God's grace secures us.

(Verses 8-9). God, by His grace promises us security. This security comes in two forms.

-- God's grace promises security in tough circumstances, circumstances that threaten to pull us from God. Verse 8 says that He WILL keep us strong to the end. Life is not easy, we all know that, or someday will experience a situation that holds that fact close to us, such as:

• The death of a loved one.
• Divorce
• Cancer

Or, things that seem petty to some but mark the end of the world for others, such as:

• a bad grade on a test.
• getting dumped by your boyfriend or girlfriend
• the car breaks down.

All such circumstances can cause us to blame God. However, by His grace, nothing can take us away from the love of God (Rom. 9).

-- The second promise of security is eternal security by God's grace. In D. A. Carson's book Reflections on Christian Assurance, he writes this about God's grace, "[Life] is more like an obstacle course then a downhill ride to the finish line...though threats [to our eternal destination]...may and will appear, they can not successfully challenge [our place with God in heaven]" Isn't that wonderful news. Our destination is secured! Why? Because God will provide the grace necessary to overcome every heartache, every struggle, every temptation, every sin that hinders our crossing the finish line.

Concluding thoughts...

God is not deistic, He didn't leave us on this cold planet to fend for ourselves. No, He offered us something that far outweighs everything that comes against us (if God is for us who can be against us).

Tough situations will come. But fear not, the Lord our God is with us. By His enriching, equipping, securing grace we will remain strong to the end.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.

"Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.

"Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

"When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we'd first begun."

Amen.

David