Living in Grace: The Measure of Christ's Gift

From chapter 3: the height and depth and length and height

Out of infinity into finiteness

“Measure” - Glorious but overwhelming

The Source of Grace

Christ’s victory and ascension

Ascension to fill all things

The Goal of Grace

Until we attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God

Mature manhood

Measure of the “coming of age” of the fullness of Christ

Not children

Tossed to and fro

by every wind of doctrine

By human cunning

By craftiness in deceitful schemes

Galatians

Adulting

Dave Hyman

Can do the work of a man in a day

Get to a certain age

Can drink alcohol

Take responsibility for yourself

Can discern consequences

Understand when being manipulated

Desire and power to sacrificially bless others (it’s more blessed to give than to receive)

1 Corinthians 13:10–13 ESV

10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Acts 20:18–35 ESV

18 And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

The Flow of Grace

when each part is working in measure

out of grace

limited to unlimited

Romans 12:3 ESV

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Humility, gentleness, patience

You are a gift to the church. Become an adult in grace. Memorize Ephesians 1 and know the grace you have received but then seek to live out of it. To realize what a joy it is that it is more blessed to give than to receive.