The Great Lie
Grace Gone Wild • Sermon • Submitted
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WILD GRACE MOVES ME TO CHANGE
This Message is a different kind of message. Different from anything I’ve ever preached. This passage we are going to look at is a warning. We live in a time when God is not taken seriously and God is not taken seriously because Sin is not taken seriously.
Grace is the dimension of divine activity that enables God to confront human indifference and rebellion with an inexhaustible capacity to forgive and to bless. God is gracious in action.
Grace moves me to change — Paul writing to Romans who thought “The more I Sin the more God’s Grace gets to show off
1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin,
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires.
This warning is sent out “don’t let sin reign over your life. Because when you do, even if you know Jesus, you willingly let it become your master
The book of ACTS is the blueprint, it’s the ground floor, startup of the CHURCH. The thing Jesus gave his life for. This living thing that would spread the Gospel throughout the world We are here gathering today because of what happened in the book of ACTS.
GOD is setting a STANDARD of what the church needs to be. What it needs to look like.
32 Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. 34 For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
This is amazing right? Generous. Beyond Generous. He is automatically known by the apostles. Everyone knows him. He was sacrificially generous because he believed in what God was doing.
1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. 2 However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Now Ananias and his wife do something different. They seem to be jealous of the attention and want it for themselves. NOW THE PROBLEM isn’t that they didn’t give it all so don’t hear that. The problem is they wanted it to look like they gave it all. They cooked up a scheme.
3 “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.”
HOW DID PETER KNOW? HOLY SPIRIT. He lets them know “it was yours to decide what to do with. Why did you let the Devil get a foothold in your life? Why did you lie?
Making Church A Priority (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Giving 10% (Matthew 23:23)
Making God’s Word a Priority (2 Timothy 3:16)
Making Prayer a Priority (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Fleeing from Sexual Sin (1 Corinthians 6:16-20)
Sharing Jesus With Others (Mark 16:15)
THERE ARE STILL REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR SIN
PORN - JOHN MAYER
“Some people imagine we must lower God’s standards for the Church to make progress in today’s world. But this has never been true. The Church has always been strengthened when it catches a vision of the holiness of God and seeks practical holiness in individual lives”
I don’t believe that if you sin God is gonna zap you. That’s not the message of this passage and there is no evidence for that. But your passion could die. Your favor could die.
Passion for the church could die. How many churches have died because of the sin of the leader.
You having the correct view of money could die
Your passion for God’s word could die
Your communication with God could die
Your relationship with your spouse could die
Your neighbors, family members or friends one day could die.
5 When he heard these words, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard. 6 The young men got up, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him.
TWO DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THIS
GOD WAS SETTING UP A STANDARD AND WARNING FOR THE EARLY CHURCH
GOD ISN’T AS CLOSE ANYMORE. BECAUSE HIS PEOPLE ARE NOT SEEKING HIM LIKE THEY USED TO
When God comes close things happen. Moses.
7 About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 “Tell me,” Peter asked her, “did you sell the land for this price?” “Yes,” she said, “for that price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband. 11 Then great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard these things.
Now this message isn’t meant to scare anyone. It’s meant to paint you a picture of how much God loves you that he would want your life to be better. To feel better. To look better. To be more effective. TO EXPERIENCE MORE OF HIM. WHEN YOU HAVE A LIFE THAT IS SO FULL OF JESUS YOU EXPERIENCE A LIFE THAT IS UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE.
4 Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, 5 he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! 6 Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. 7 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. 8 Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! 9 We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing!
DEADLIEST CATCH. What if you fell in, were saved, and then threw yourself back in because you knew you would be saved again. That would be crazy...
So what do we do? We repent. We allow wild grace to change us. And we move forward. Not in perfection, that will never happen. We move forward seeking Jesus above all else.
What would happen in Murfreesboro if a church like that rose up? What would happen in your neighborhood if people had a neighbor like that?