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Timothy Paul Jones told a story about God’s grace that I want to share. I never dreamed that taking a child to Disney World could be so difficult — or that such a trip could teach me so much about God’s outrageous grace.
Our middle daughter had been previously adopted by another family. I [Timothy] am sure this couple had the best of intentions, but they never quite integrated the adopted child into their family of biological children. After a couple of rough years, they dissolved the adoption, and we ended up welcoming an eight-year-old girl into our home.
For one reason or another, whenever our daughter’s previous family vacationed at Disney World, they took their biological children with them, but they left their adopted daughter with a family friend. Usually — at least in the child’s mind — this happened because she did something wrong that precluded her presence on the trip.
And so, by the time we adopted our daughter, she had seen many pictures of Disney World and she had heard about the rides and the characters and the parades. But when it came to passing through the gates of the Magic Kingdom, she had always been the one left on the outside. Once I found out about this history, I made plans to take her to Disney World the next time a speaking engagement took our family to the southeastern United States.
I thought I had mastered the Disney World drill. I knew from previous experiences that the prospect of seeing cast members in freakishly oversized mouse and duck costumes somehow turns children into squirming bundles of emotional instability. What I didn’t expect was that the prospect of visiting this dreamworld would produce a stream of downright devilish behavior in our newest daughter. In the month leading up to our trip to the Magic Kingdom, she stole food when a simple request would have gained her a snack. She lied when it would have been easier to tell the truth. She whispered insults that were carefully crafted to hurt her older sister as deeply as possible — and, as the days on the calendar moved closer to the trip, her mutinies multiplied.
A couple of days before our family headed to Florida, I pulled our daughter into my lap to talk through her latest escapade. “I know what you’re going to do,” she stated flatly. “You’re not going to take me to Disney World, are you?” The thought hadn’t actually crossed my mind, but her downward spiral suddenly started to make some sense. She knew she couldn’t earn her way into the Magic Kingdom — she had tried and failed that test several times before — so she was living in a way that placed her as far as possible from the most magical place on earth.
In retrospect, I’m embarrassed to admit that, in that moment, I was tempted to turn her fear to my own advantage. The easiest response would have been, “If you don’t start behaving better, you’re right, we won’t take you” — but, by God’s grace, I didn’t. Instead, I asked her, “Is this trip something we’re doing as a family?”
She nodded, brown eyes wide and tear-rimmed.
“Are you part of this family?”
She nodded again.
“Then you’re going with us. Sure, there may be some consequences to help you remember what’s right and what’s wrong — but you’re part of our family, and we’re not leaving you behind.”
I’d like to say that her behaviors grew better after that moment. They didn’t. Her choices pretty much spiraled out of control at every hotel and rest stop all the way to Lake Buena Vista. Still, we headed to Disney World on the day we had promised, and it was a typical Disney day. Overpriced tickets, overpriced meals, and lots of lines, mingled with just enough manufactured magic to consider maybe going again someday.
In our hotel room that evening, a very different child emerged. She was exhausted, pensive, and a little weepy at times, but her month-long facade of rebellion had faded. When bedtime rolled around, I prayed with her, held her, and asked, “So how was your first day at Disney World?”
She closed her eyes and snuggled down into her stuffed unicorn. After a few moments, she opened her eyes ever so slightly. “Daddy,” she said, “I finally got to go to Disney World. But it wasn’t because I was good; it’s because I’m yours.”
This is the type of grace we will be talking about today. The main scripture we will be going over this morning is Ephesians 2:8-9.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
I want to start this morning by discussing who Paul was writing to, when he was writing, and about what. This letter to Ephesus is believed to have been written during Paul’s 3rd missionary journey where Paul had a burden upon him to visit Rome. Paul took a financial offering to Jerusalem, where he entered the temple to offer a sacrifice as a testimony to the Jews, just to have them seize him and almost kill him. Roman soldiers “rescued” him, chained him and held him in custody until an investigation could be made. To keep him physically safe, Paul was transported to Caesarea where he spent 2 years in prison. God assured Paul that he would have the desired opportunity to witness in Rome. (Acts 23:11)
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Paul finally made it to Rome where he spent the next 2 years as a prisoner under house arrest. He was able to receive visitors and to preach unrestricted during this time. Around 59-61 AD Paul wrote the epistles, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Since the letter does not have Paul’s typical personal greeting, it is believed this was a circular letter that was intended for other churches in addition to the one in Ephesus.
The theme around this letter is the Church, not the church of Ephesus, but the universal Church. Ephesians 1 outlines God’s plan or goals for the Church. Ephesians 1:7-10,
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
So, God’s plan is to unite all things in heaven and on earth, because of the redemption given to us by the blood of Jesus.
The second chapter describes the people who make up the spiritual body. Paul was writing to Jews and Gentiles in Asia, and to even to us today.
Ephesians 2:1-3,
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Because of sin in our lives, we had no possible way to redemption. By nature, we were children of wrath. That does not sound good at all. Paul goes on though, verse 4, Ephesians 2:4-7
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Paul is telling us, that even though we are rotten and disobedient, sinful, who should be condemned to an eternity in hell, we have a new life to look forward to, because God is rich in mercy and has a great love with us. We were dead because of our trespasses, and are made alive with Christ.
And that brings us to the first point this morning. Our salvation is grace given.
Ephesians 2:8
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
By grace we have been saved. The Greek word for grace is is “charis” which can take the meaning of favor; gratitude and it can also mean gift. The dictionary definition of grace: "the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings."
Theologians tend to define grace as meaning God’s love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending His only Son to descend into hell on the cross so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into heaven. 2 Corinthians 5:21,
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Theologian J.I. Packer wrote in his book Knowing God, “In the New Testament, grace means God's love in action toward people who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending his only Son to the cross to descend into hell so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into heaven.”
Understanding the difference between mercy and grace will help us understand better God's Grace by Faith.
Mercy is me not receiving what I deserve. When God saves me, it means I don't have to go to hell, which I deserve. I don't have to live eternally barred from God's presence, which I deserve. I am no longer the object of God's wrath, which I deserve. That is God's mercy. I don't receive what I deserve. Grace, however, is more than mercy. Grace is my receiving what I do not deserve. When God saved me through my placing my faith in Christ, it means I not only do not have to go to hell, but that I get to go to heaven, which I do not deserve. It means that not only do I not have to live eternally barred from God's presence, but that I get to eternally enjoy God's presence, which I do not deserve. It also means that I am no longer the object of God's wrath, but now, I am the object of His blessing. That is God's grace. I receive what I do not deserve.
I want to share part of an article I read called Grace:- God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense
It is referred as the era or dispensation of grace because God reveals His undying love and favor to humanity by sacrificing his own begotten son to cleanse the sins of every human being who accepts His son. Instead of God punishing humanity, He punished or poured His wrath on His own and this is the great favor God did to humanity; grace. Every person who accepts and believes in Jesus Christ will never be punished for his/her sins because Jesus was punished once and for all; for you and me. Salvation by grace through faith.
The Russian Czar, Alexander, used to love to disguise himself and mingle with his people to hear what they had to say. One night he visited the army camp and listened to some soldiers. While passing a tent he saw a young soldier sitting at a table with his head on his arm, sound asleep. The Czar tiptoed to the back of the chair and looked over his shoulder. There on the table before him he saw a loaded revolver. Beside the revolver was a sheet of paper with a long list of gambling debts.
After seeing the total the Czar noted a sentence below the figures saying, “who can pay so much?” Suddenly the czar understood the situation. The young officer had gambled away all he had and was about to take his own life for fear of not being able to meet his debts.
Then the czar took up the pen and below the young soldiers question wrote the words “I, Alexander, Czar of Russia”. Quietly he turned away and went home.
The next morning the young officer woke up and immediately took hold of the revolver when suddenly he saw writing on his letter that he had not put there. He read the words of the Czar and in amazement he dropped the revolver. At that moment a messenger came to his tent with a bag of money from the Czar. The young soldier’s debt was paid and his life was spared.
Matthew Henry wrote: "Come, and see the victories of the cross. Christ’s wounds are your healings, His agonies your repose, His conflicts your conquests, His groans your songs, His pains your ease, His shame your glory, His death your life, His sufferings your salvation."
Our second point this morning, Our salvation is faith accessed.
By His grace, God initiated all that was necessary to provide for our salvation. Now, it's up to us to respond to His provision of grace and His invitation to benefit from that provision. How? By faith. What is faith? There are three elements associated with saving faith.
First element, there is the content of saving faith. Certain things are required for us to know about Christ if we are to be saved. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says,
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
The first things we need to realize and believe are:
1. Jesus is the Christ/Messiah foretold by scripture.
2. He took the punishment we deserved for our sin and in our place so we would not have to take that punishment.
3. He proved He fully paid sin’s penalty and provided forgiveness and salvation for us by being raised from the dead.
The second element is, there is the conviction of saving faith. One can know the truths we just mentioned and yet not believe they are true. Saving faith requires that one believes the content of the Gospel is true.
In my Biblical Interpretation class I tookl, we had a scenario we discussed in which a father had a double PhD in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in New Testament. He knew the scripture front and back, and could answer any questions on this, yet he did not believe Jesus was the risen savior. All the knowledge, with none of the faith.
The third element, there is the commitment of saving faith. Knowing and believing the content of Good News is not enough, for even demons can do that, James 2:19,
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Faith is only saving faith if one personally commits to trusting in Christ alone for salvation. All three of these components are seen in Paul's instructions about salvation to the Romans. Romans 10:9-10 says,
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
An analogy I read hopefully puts this into perspective. I can accept as fact that a chair is constructed in such a way as to hold a person's weight; and I can believe that the chair can hold my weight. But I do not benefit from the chair's ability until I commit to sit in it. Only then does the chair do me good.
It is similar to understanding the message of the Good News and believing the message is true, but one cannot benefit from the work Jesus accomplished for our salvation, until we personally commit to trusting only in Him.
A.W. Tozer put it this way, “Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way.”
The third point this morning is that our salvation is God glorifying.
We deserve no credit in our salvation; but God deserves all the glory! Salvation is not gained by our effort, it is given by God’s grace!
Charles Spurgeon wrote, "When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this. I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths in my own soul. One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, the thought struck me, 'How did you come to be a Christian?' I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment - I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, how came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, 'I ascribe my change wholly to God.'"
I will never stand up here and say our works do not matter. I believe it does matter, as we are to live our lives like Christ. We are to be spreading the news that Jesus is the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. We are to be telling people that Jesus died for every single one of us, rose from the dead, and is coming again. Our works do matter; however, nothing we do can ever give us salvation, as we are still sinners.
I have one other illustration that was loosely based on Luke 7:11-16. The following is a great illustration of what I would like to use as an example of this concept we call GRACE: This happened when Jesus approached the gate of Nain, then a walled town on the southern frontier of Galilee, he met the funeral procession in Luke 7:11-16.
I would like you to imagine for a moment that we’re standing at the gate of Nain, through which a casket is being carried with the corpse of a young man, the only son of his mother, and she a widow. A great crowd follows in observance of the Jewish precept of “attending the dead unto the grave.” Heads are bowed and faces manifest the deepest sorrow for the bereaved. Bitterly the mother weeps as she walks behind the casket, for he, her only son, had been her only support.
Then suddenly the mourners are interrupted by a man who hurries forward, “here let me deal with the dead, I can bring him back to life.” Instantly the procession halts and with mystified faces gaze upon the speaker as he elbows his way through the crowd.
“All this man needs is education,” explains the man while boldly approaching the casket. And from his books of science and philosophy he attempts to teach the young man in the coffin. But in vain he watches for the flush of life to return; there is no response. Education has failed.
Another man approaches the scene, confidently proclaiming that he can bring the young man back to life, and so he begins, “Now young man, make up your mind that you are going to live. Exert your will, and choose to live – the choice is yours. You can get up if you only will”. But there is no response as the previously confident man looks upon the lifeless face of the young man. Free choice and will-power have failed.
Then another man came toward the crowd, calmly and with a sense of peace about him. For a few moments no one moves. Then the man speaks, “My friends, do you not know that what this man needs is religion? Through the knowledge of the Torah he will be revived”. And he sat down by the coffin’s side. Taking a scroll from under his arm he declares, “Now I will reveal to the young man the precepts of the law, for if he will keep them faithfully he will live again”. “But” inquires one of the bystanders, “how can a corpse observe the laws since he cannot even hear your words? Until he is first alive, all the Jewish precepts will avail nothing”. Sorrowfully the rabbi walks away, religion has failed.
Then from the crowd steps the figure of One who walks with perfect confidence and composure to a scene of certain failure. A sudden hush falls on the expectant throng as he stands for a moment beside the coffin.
Then He speaks, His voice calm but authoritative. “Young man, I say to you, arise.” Eagerly the people draw close. Who is this? What power is there behind His simple words? What manner of man is this? But then their questions are suddenly answered.
The eyelids quiver, the flush returns to the cheek; the heart throbs once more, and the young man rises to his feet and began to speak.
What had happened? Jesus imparted life. The man was dead and it was life that he needed. This is the one great essential. Education will not do; nor will free choice or human rights; not even religion, however sincere it may be, will ever make the grade. None of the things we regard as being of value is equal to the task of restoring life.
Of course, the Biblical story did not have the educator, the guy pushing free choice or the rabbi, but it did have Jesus showing that compassion for the woman and raised her son from the dead. The story does not show anyone giving thanks, and that is not why Jesus did that. As one pastor mentioned on the passage, “We are left then, with only one thing - grace. Jesus did not resurrect this man because of the mother’s faith in God or even because the man deserved a second chance at life. He performed a miracle because, quite simply, he had compassion for the widow. This is authentic, undeserved, unasked-for grace.”
I am not going to heaven because I am a Seventh Day Baptist. I am going to heaven because God’s grace and Christ’s payment for my sin, and my faith in Him as my Lord and Savior, and my commitment to serving only Him.
We were dead and deceived and depraved and doomed, and deserved to spend an eternity in Hell. But God stepped in, grace came down, and grace so amazing that it came in just the right way, at just the right time, that it does for us what we could never do for ourselves, and it keeps on giving into an eternity.