Embrace Grace

Previous: November 30, 2008 AM God’s Gift of Grace Previous: 06-06-1999 PM

Subject: Grace

Subject 2: God’s Blessings

Synopsis: God’s grace flows to us through Jesus. Let us grow and walk in that grace.

Text: Ephesians 2:8-9

Do You Know Him?

Last Sunday I emphasized the importance of KNOWING the Jesus that the Bible reveals.

Not knowing ABOUT, but personally knowing the …

Eternally pre-existent Son of God

Who willingly laid aside the prerogatives of divinity to be born as a baby

Fathered by the Holy Spirit

Born of a unknown virgin

Born in an inconsequential town

Laid in a manger because there was no room in the Inn

Visited by kings, wise men from the East who lavished on Him gifts of incredible worth

Perhaps that is what allowed Jesus’ earthly Father and mother to escape the murderous King Herod and become refugees in Egypt

Jesus was a sinless Savior, who

taught with authority,

performed miracles,

healed the sick

cleansed the lepers

cast out demons

and even commanded the dead to live again.

The Jesus of the Bible not only willingly took on human form and walked among us for 33 1/2 years, but He also willingly suffered and bled and died to purchase our salvation.

So, after the resurrection, after the ascension, after Pentecost, how did people avail themselves of the salvation which Jesus provided.

How do we avail ourselves of that salvation which is STILL available today in 2022?

We do so by grace.

Grace alone.

Grace

James 1:17 tells us we have a good God who gives good and perfect gifts.

This morning I want us to consider one of those good and perfect gifts that God gives:

1. You won’t have to fight crowds or face empty shelves to look for it.

You won’t have to wait for the postal service, UPS or FedEx to deliver it.

2. In fact, you don’t have enough money to buy this gift.

3. There’s not enough money in the world to buy it.

4. It is, perhaps. the best of all God’s gifts

5. It is the gift of His grace.

6. I would like to invite us to embrace God’s grace.

As our text says:

Ephesians 2:8–10 (NASB95) [It is] by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

C.S. Lewis would say that grace is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions.

1. At a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity.

2. C.S. Lewis walked into the room, a little early for his presentation.

3. As he sat down he took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate.

Finally during a lull, he spoke saying, “What’s all this rumpus about?”

Everyone turned in his direction.

Trying to explain themselves they said, “We’re debating what’s unique about Christianity.”

“Oh, that’s easy,” answered Lewis. “It’s grace.”

The room fell silent.

Lewis continued to say that Christianity uniquely claims God’s love comes free of charge, no strings attached.

No other religion makes that claim.

After a moment someone commented that Lewis had a point,

1. Buddhists, for example, follow an eight-fold path to enlightenment. It’s not a free ride.

2. Hindus believe in karma, that your actions continually affect the way the world will treat you; that there is nothing that comes to you not set in motion by your actions.

3. Someone else observed the Jewish code of The Law implies God has requirements for people to be acceptable to him.

4. And in Islam God is a God of Judgement not a God of love. You live to appease him.

At the end of the discussion everyone concluded Lewis had a point.

1. Only Christianity dares to proclaim God’s love is unconditional. An unconditional love that we call grace.

2. Christians boldly proclaim that grace really has precious little to do with us,

our inner resolve, or our lack of inner resolve.

3. Rather, grace is all about God and God freely giving to us the gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and love.

Humans are NOT inherently good and we CANNOT earn our salvation.

ONLY Grace makes a way.

The Bible tells us it is absolutely impossible to escape hell and earn salvation according to our actions.

As Romans 3:10–20 (NASB95) [reminds us]:

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” 13 “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; 14 “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; 15 “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, 16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, 17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.” 18 “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:23 (NASB95) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 (NASB95) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In the midst of such a TOTALLY hopeless situation God extends grace through His Son, Jesus.

One of the most basic, the simplest gift from God, grace …

1. Is the gift defies description.

The scope of grace exceeds all vocabulary.

2. The experience of grace is what draws us to this place.

Pascal said:

“To make a man a saint, grace is absolutely necessary and whoever doubts it, does not know what a saint is or what a man is.”

Most of us who are here today have experienced the grace of Jesus which changes us from sinners to saints.

1. Most who have NOT experienced that grace are LOOKING for it — LONGING for it in their lives.

2. Even if they cannot exactly say what it is they are looking for.

3. All of US know intuitively, deep down inside, that grace is what allows us entrance into the Kingdom of God.

We who are the heirs of the Kingdom by grace, as we gather together this morning …

1. We enjoy worship together because of Jesus’ grace.

2. We pray together because we have a God of grace who answers prayer.

3. We listen to the preaching that tells us of God’s grace.

4. We have fellowship because of our common experience of the grace of Jesus.

5. We will baptize 2 boys in water who testify to God’s grace bringing them to a place of repentance and salvation.

Grace Is Given & Defined By Jesus

A. Grace by definition is God's undeserved favor and blessing.

1. It is epitomized in Jesus Christ.

2. God’s grace is given through Jesus.

3. Jesus is God’s grace personified.

In fact, there is no grace apart from Jesus:

John 1:17(NIV) For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:4(NIV) I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus.

Someone else has defined grace as, “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.”

Praise God for giving us all that He does through His Son, Jesus.

Through the grace that comes through Jesus we enjoy…

1. Reconciliation with our heavenly Father.

2. Paul said in: Ephesians 2:13(NIV) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

3. Jesus shed His blood, He took the punishment we deserved, because He wanted to extend grace to us.

Because we have been brought near by the grace of Jesus we can experience ...

1. … the love of God

i. Feeling the loving arms of God enfolding and encircling us.

ii. Having worth to the One who made us.

2. … the peace of God

i. It’s like the situation of the disciples as they were going across the Sea of Galilee.

ii. The storm was pounding the little boat they were in.

iii. They thought they would perish.

iv. But Jesus said, “Peace be still.”

v. The wind ceased.

vi. The waves stopped their pounding.

vii.There was perfect calm.

viii.That’s the way it is when you experience the peace of God through grace.

3. … as Peter called it: joy unspeakable and full of glory

4. … the hope of an eternal home in heaven.

i. Jesus said in John 14 that He was going to prepare a place for us.

ii. That’s grace!

F. All of those blessings plus many, many, many more come because of grace.

G. How is that grace received?

1. by faith in Jesus:

Romans 5:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

2. Our text emphasizes how we are saved… (Read text).

Let’s reach out and experience grace through Jesus.

1. It’s there for us.

2. It’s there for whosoever will.

Conclusion

This morning as we consider our humanity and its weakness:

It’s total inability to earn salvation.

The futility of trying to WORK our way into heaven.

Let’s instead Embrace the grace that turns weakness into strength.

As God told the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 … "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Water Bearer

The story is told of a water bearer in India who had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck.

1. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

2. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master’s house.

3. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

Pot apologizes

5. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

6. "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

7. "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

8. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.

Flowers

10. Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.

11. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

12. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side?

13. That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table.

Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to adorn his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws.

We’re all cracked pots.

But if we will allow it, by His grace Jesus will use our flaws to beautify His Father’s table.

Embrace the grace that takes our flaws and turns them into blessings.

Embrace Grace

As the worship team comes

God’s grace.

God’s SAVING grace.

Have you experienced it?

Have you embraced it?

Or maybe this morning you feel overwhelmed and in need of a fresh supply of God’s grace in your life, remember what … says:

1. Hebrews 4:16 ( TNIV) Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

A fresh supply?

D. This altar is open for you.

Contact us

Pastor Don Parmely

167 Wesley Mountain Drive

Blairsville, GA 30512

Call or Text: 706-781-6142

www.NewLifeBlairsville.org