Sermon Tone Analysis

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: