The Word of God
The Means of Grace • Sermon • Submitted
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In John 17:17 Jesus said,
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
We live in what many call a microwave society and by that we mean we want things and we want them quickly. When we want to know something, we can find answers at the press of a button, if we’re hungry we can drive to a window and get it and if you’re disgruntled with your life, we’ll there’s tons of people on social media who will recommend different “life hacks” to us.
Do you know it can be like that for the church too? If you get on google or YouTube, there are tons of videos that claim to give you the tools to quick Church growth and even though all of those aren’t necessarily bad, what if I told you that God has already given us tools for growth for our own Christian lives?
We are beginning a series on The Means of Grace and today I want us to learn:
What does that mean? What are they? And what does the Word of God as a means of grace mean for us?
What is a “Means of Grace”
What is a “Means of Grace”
“The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption are His ordinances, especially the Word, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and Prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation. (Rom. 10:17; James 1:18; 1 Cor. 3:5; Acts 14:1; 2:41,42)”
Now, that term salvation there is not referring to justification, but our sanctification. And before I define what a means of grace is, I want us to look
Before I define it, I want to give us a little bit of an example in 1 Corinthians 1:17
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
What Paul is telling us here is that to the world, this message seems insane but for the Church, it is the avenue by which God saved us.
So, with that being pictured for us, let me tell you what the phrase, “Means of grace” means.
“The Means of grace are those avenues by which God has promised to give sanctifying grace to His people by the presence of His Word and His ordinances, which are baptism and the Lord’s table. It is through these things that we are strengthened in our faith as we are reminded of God’s faithfulness to us.”
Jeff Robinson said, “In Acts 2:23, Peter preached “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men,” and in verse 41 we read, “. . . there were added that day (to the church) about three thousand souls.” The “foolishness of preaching” has power that confounds our wisdom, because what the world sees as weak is strong in God’s eyes and vice-versa (2 Cor. 12:1-10). Acts 2:42 tells us that the whole church “devoted” itself to the ordinary means of grace: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
(ANY QUESTIONS?)
So now that we have hopefully answered this question. I want us to jump into the series as we cover the first and most important of them all which is the Word of God. And I know, I know, we just covered this topic a little bit on Wednesday night, but this is such an important subject that we need to hear more on it.
The Word of God as a Means of Grace
The Word of God as a Means of Grace
For Conversion
For Conversion
The message and transformative work of justifying grace is given to sinners through the Word of God.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
For Sanctification
For Sanctification
It brings conviction of sin and turns us toward righteousness
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
It gives us wisdom and direction.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
It gives comfort and reviving to our hearts.
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
Can All of These Promises Be True?
Can All of These Promises Be True?
Yes, God Will Remain Faithful To His Word
19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
His Word Will Not Return Void
10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
The Word of God is the avenue that the Spirit primarily uses to work. Jeremiah 23:29
29 “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
An Examination of It’s Work Among God’s People
An Examination of It’s Work Among God’s People
The Revival in Nehemiah 8:1-12
1 Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.
The Word both wounds and heals
The Growth and Strength of the Church in Acts
The Church in Acts always seems to have the mention of the power of God’s Word and it’s supremacy whenever there is mention of their growth.
4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
In Acts 6 as we see the Church submitting to the Word and it’s growth among them, we immediately see the affects of it as a bold man named Stephen stands up to declare the Word.
When the Word has reign in our lives, we will see evidence of it.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We Are Sanctified By The Word.
We Are Sanctified By The Word.
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
But not only have we been called by the Word and to the Word, but we have been
Entrusted With The Word
Entrusted With The Word
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you,