Our Abundant God
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
This evening we are going to deviate from my planned sermon, as I’ve started not feeling well this afternoon.
Therefore, next week, Lord willing, we will look at Psalm 22 as there is no way I can preach that sermon and do it justice with the way I feel at the moment.
So, tonight we will be examining Ephesians 3:20 which reads…
Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us
I want us to consider for a moment some ways in which our God has demonstrated this abundance.
His Abundant Grace
His Abundant Grace
Salvation Required It.
Salvation Required It.
To save us God had to show us his abundant grace through sending his son to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin.
Romans 5:20 (ESV)
20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more
Summary
Summary
Thanks be to God that he sent his “only begotten son,” who is that free gift for our sin.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Because our sinned required an abundance of grace, when we take hold of it we find…
His Abundant Pardon
His Abundant Pardon
Mankind Needed It.
Mankind Needed It.
Humanity has not done a great job of being in need of God’s compassion (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10).
In fact, we not only need it to be saved but to stay saved, and thankfully God’s has an abundance of pardon for us.
7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Summary
Summary
Because of God’s abundant grace we have access to his abundant willingness to pardon us.
This is a great blessing for us, no doubt.
These two truths lead to our next abundance found in God.
His Abundant Peace
His Abundant Peace
The Peace Of God.
The Peace Of God.
Peace is that which all humanity seeks and searches for.
If not found it will most assuredly lead to challenging life here on earth.
Our God offers those that have accepted his abundant grace and abundant pardon an abundant peace.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Summary
Summary
I can’t imagine going through this life with out that peace that comes from knowing I’m walking in the light of God’s word.
I can’t imagine those that have fallen away and the lack of peace that they are in.
Thankfully, we have a God who wants us to have an abundance of peace in this life and the next.
It’s that peace in this life, based on God’s abundant grace and pardon, that strengthens us with…
His Abundant Power
His Abundant Power
It’s Used To Strengthen Us.
It’s Used To Strengthen Us.
The God of heaven, the God whom we are here to serve this evening, and who created the universe and all that is in it, loves each and everyone of us so much that we wants to keep us strong.
He wants us spiritually strong in this life so as to make it to the next with him for eternity.
This is the idea behind Paul’s prayer for the Colossian church.
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Colossians 1:11–12 (ESV)
11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Summary
Summary
God’s abundant power is so mercifully used to strengthen us with endurance and joyful peace as we run the spiritual race to the finish line.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Because God’s abundance grace allows for our abundance of pardon…
…we can have an abundance of peace because our God has given us an abundance of strength through his mighty power.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
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,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
