Sola Gratia

Welcome

Announcements

Join us on Sunday Mornings at 9:30 am for our Reformation Truths series and Wednesday evenings at 6pm for our Study on Puritan theology.

October 31st is our Reformation day party at 5pm

Prepare for Worship

Call To Worship

Valley of Vision

I would like to share this today as our call to worship, from the Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Lord, This is your day, the heavenly ordinance of rest, the open door of worship, the record of Jesus’ ressurrection, the seal of the sabbath to come, the day when saints militant and triumphant unite in endless song

We thank you for your throne of grace, that here free favour reigns; that open access to it is through the blood of Jesus; that the viel is torn aside and we can enter the holiest, and find you ready to hear, waiting to be gracious, inviting us to pour out our needs, encouraging our desires, promising to give more than we ask or think.

Though we thank you, shame and confusion are ours; We remember our past misuse of sacred things, our irreverent worship, our base ingratitude, our cold, dull praise.

Cover all our past sabbaths with teh cleansing blood of Jesus, and may this day witness deep improvement in us. Give us in rich abundance the blessings the Lord’s Day was designed to impart; May our hearts be fast bound against worldly thoughts and cares; Flood our minds with peace beyond understanding; may our meditations be sweet, our acts of worship be life liberty, joy; our drink be from the streams that flow from your throne, our food be your precious Word, our defense the shield of faith, and may our hearts be more knit to Jesus.

Responsive Reading pg 199

Confession

Prayer of Confession

Holy God, Father most gracious! Rebuke us not in your anger, nor chasten us in your wrath! Heal us from our sin, for we are troubled. Deliver us for the sake of your steadfast love. Our sins trouble us, O God. We are troubled by how they have hurt others. We are troubled by how they have hurt us. Your ways are right! O righteous God! And whenever we have refused to follow them we have found out how right they are. Have mercy on us, O God.

AMEN

Assurance of Faith

Hear now the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the Gospel to all who repent and believe: if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. AMEN

Worship

Song 1 Amazing Grace pg 89 1,2,4,5

Song 2 Grace Greater Than our Sin pg 78 1,3,4

Prayers of the People

Prayer Request

Lords Prayer: Found on the back cover of the Westminster Hand out

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy

kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us

this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our

debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

Sola Gratia

Second week of 6 part series on the 5 Solas of the Reformation

Last Week: Sola Scriptura

Scripture alone is our only infallible rule for faith and practice.

Scripture is : authoritative, sufficient, self interpreting, final judge in all controversy

Quick look at John Calvin and how through God’s providence he ends up being the one who formalizes the understandings of Scripture alone in his writings and statement of faith for the church in Geneva

Discussed how we have a great need to apply this concept in our own lives so we might better come in line with God’s will

This week we look at the second of our Solas and the second John that I have chosen to highlight. Sola Gratia, or grace alone and John Bunyan, the great Puritan preacher and the author of Pilgrims Progress

Sola Gratia

Saved by Grace Alone

Sola Gratia was the second key element of the Reformation

Salvation is of God’s Grace above all other thing, Grace and not works

the only thing we bring is our sin and need for salvation

Grace is before all other things in the order of salvation, this is the work of regeneration, a new heart, a new birth

Scriptural Examination

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We start in Ephesians with the clearest passage in regards to the topic. Paul makes it clear that we are saved BY grace, through faith which is a gift given to us, it doesnt come to us by our works

Romans 3:11–12 ESV

no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

And Why must God change our heart so that we seek Him? Because we are captive to our sin, and we love it. We do not want to seek after God.

Many seek after the comfort of a God, but none seek out the God that judges the living and the dead

But it is that God, the God of the Bible which has promised salvation

Salvation is the work of the Spirit. Ezekiel 36:26

Ezekiel 36:26 ESV

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

This is the New Covenant that Jesus made with us: Heb 8:10

Hebrews 8:10 ESV

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

It is not ours to question salvation, only to be willing participants in the spreading of the Gospel. We are the tools of the Spirit.

Seeing Grace

The Reformers who had been captive to a system in which it was said that the church was the only dispensary of God’s Grace, came to realize that grace was not constrained by any form or institution of man. It came about by the work of the Spirit in each individual believer.

Grace is not constrained only in the initial act of justification (salvation).

We are justified by grace - the new heart provides you with all the faith you need to believe and repent, this grace is usually dispensed by the Spirit through the hearing of the word and relation with believers

We are sanctified by grace - the new heart, the new birth, lead to change, this grace is dispensed by the Spirit through reading and learning Gods word, His church, the ordinances,

We will be glorified by grace - We know less about how the Spirit does this work, but we know we will be removed fully from the burden of Sin once we see the Judge face to face knowing we have been given mercy.

Gods Grace is found in His provision for all mankind, so we must have grace for all those around us: Matt 5:44-45

Matthew 5:44–45 ESV

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

John Bunyan

A man who found grace abounding in his own life, and was able to endure much hardship and persecution becaue of it

Intro to Bunyan

Born 1628 in Beford, England, to a poor family

Had a poor education, and by His own account was a proflic sinner, mastering the art of swearing and cursing at a very young age.

aware of His sinful ways, wished there be no hell or that He might be a devil himself as a tormentor

Joined Cromwells Army to fight against the Crown in 1644 at 16 years old

Marries in 1648, begins a life of “practicing Christianity”

In 1651 he meets Pastor John Gifford who ultimately leads him to repentance and faith

By 1655 he himself had become a prolific preacher

In 1660 He is arrested for preaching without a liscense and spent the next twelve years in prison without charge.

offered release if He would refrain from preaching, he said “if you relase me today, I will preach tomorrow”

did much writing

missed His wife and blind daughter

1672 released and becomes Pastor of Bedford Baptist Church

Imprisoned agin in 1677 where he writes first part of Pilgrims Progress

Spent the next 11 years writing and preaching, dies in 1688

Abounding in Grace

Most well known work was Pilgrims progress, most read book in history next to the Bible, reprinted in 1500 different editions, and in over 200 languages.

Lesser know is His own work about His walk with Christ, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners

Auto-biography written from the perspective of how God had worked in His life

In it he supports the idea of Grace Alone, he admits his fallen nature devoid of desire for God, but seeing the grace of how God changed Him

He saw Grace

Saw Grace in Gifford: At this time, also, I sat under the ministry of holy Mr. Gifford, whose doctrine, by God’s grace, was much for my stability

Bunyan, J. (1995). Grace abounding to the chief of sinners (p. 59). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

He found grace in the teaching of doctrine that led him to salvation: I had found, and that by sad experience, the truth of these his words; for I had felt what no man can say, especially when tempted by the devil, that Jesus Christ is Lord but by the Holy Ghost. Wherefore I found my soul, through grace, very apt to drink in this doctrine, and to incline to pray to God that, in nothing that pertained to God’s glory and my own eternal happiness

Bunyan, J. (1995). Grace abounding to the chief of sinners (p. 59). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

He found grace in times of doubt: Therefore I still did pray to God, that He would come in with this scripture more fully on my heart; to wit, that He would help me to apply the whole sentence, for as yet I could not: that He gave, I gathered; but farther I could not go, for as yet it only helped me to hope there might be mercy for me, ‘My grace is sufficient’; and though it came no farther, it answered my former question; to wit, that there was hope; yet, because ‘for thee’ was left out, I was not contented, but prayed to God for that also. Wherefore, one day, as I was in a meeting of God’s people, full of sadness and terror, for my fears again were strong upon me; and as I was now thinking my soul was never the better; but my case most sad and fearful, these words did, with great power, suddenly break in upon me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee, my grace is sufficient for thee, my grace is sufficient for thee,’ three times together; and, oh! methought that every word was a mighty word unto me; as my, and grace, and sufficient, and for thee; they were then, and sometimes are still, far bigger than others be

Bunyan, J. (1995). Grace abounding to the chief of sinners (p. 96). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

But the greates grace He found is that which we must all look to: Sometimes, when, after sin committed, I have looked for sore chastisement from the hand of God, the very next that I have had from Him hath been the discovery of His grace.

Bunyan, J. (1995). Grace abounding to the chief of sinners (p. 147). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

How Then Shall we Live

Again we ask why is this important to me? How do I apply it in my life? Knowing this information, How then shall I live?

Without salvation

For the one who has not turned to Christ to seek out forgiveness, these word today about God’s grace are grace to you. Hearing truth, pray fervently to God for belief that His grace is sufficient for you. It is sufficient to take away your sins and bring you into His family, as a child of God. His death, burial, and resurrection was for you. If you believe today, you have been given a new heart, no seek out what comes after. Talk to me, talk to another believer you trust as to what God has in store for you.

If you have heard this word today and still are not sure, pray, pray for God to open the eyes of your heart so that you might believe. And seek out someone to help you truly understand your position before God. I am always available to sit with you and work out this life altering moment.

For the one who Believes

Remember God’s grace

remember that it was grace that brought you to the foot of the cross, humble yourself

remember those who God put in your life that brought you to that place, and thank Him for that grace

Seek God’s grace

no matter how far you have come in your walk with God you have miles upon miles to Go

Only His grace can get you there. Look to His word, look to His servants that He has surrounded you with. Look to His church and fellowship by which He imparts grace

Give Grace

It was free to you, it should be freely given to all around you

You are the tool by which God shows His light to the world, you must reflect His grace so that others might see it in you

The Church

As the collective body of Christ, we must seek to be the conduit of God’s grace to all those around us

teach those who come to us here for teaching

show grace to all those in and outside the church in all we do as a church and as members of this church

people are drawn to the light

impart Grace to our community by providing for them whatever we can

Conclusion

We are saved by grace, through faith, in Christ Jesus. It is not of our own works or striving, or intelligence that we come to the foot of the cross, but by His grace. Like the Reformers this must be the core understanding of the Gospel for us. We cannot let grace be mixed with even the slightest bit of work on our part, for then it is no longer grace freely given, but rather then we would have earned our salvation, and have something to brag about.

God has given us men like John Bunyan who have recorded great works of literature for us to learn from and to help us better grasps the truths of Scripture. Let us look to them, see how they have so influenced our lives and see what there is to emulate in them. As Paul says in Corinthians to imitate Him as He imitates Christ, so we can see the same principle in men like John Bunyan’

Paul writes to Timothy saying: 2 Tim 1:8-9

2 Timothy 1:8–9 ESV

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

We too are called to walk in this grace, knowing that it is He that carries us through.

Doxology

Closing Prayer

If anyone has any questions or concerns feel free to catch me afterwards. And a quick reminder we do have plates in the back for anyone who desires to worship through giving today. The plate to the right is general giving, and the one to the left is specific for our missions giving.

Join us as we sing the doxology:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host, Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Commisioning: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Amen