Grace: Spreading Grace, Peace and Truth
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Jump right in this morning.
We’ve been talking about grace these past 3 weeks. My prayer is that we’ve learned something about the vital doctrine of grace.
It’s more than simply “forgiveness.” Grace teaches us how to live in a Christ-like manner.
We are guided by grace, guarded by grace every moment.
Grace leads us to spiritual growth, maturing in Christ.
Grace teaches us to be humble. To discover the joy of dependence on God, of serving others, of honoring others, of extending mercy.
Today we have the opportunity to learn how God’s grace is spread to others through our words and our deeds.
Grace is not just for us. Grace is for everyone and they need us to help them experience the grace that God wants everyone to have.
But we can fall into a very human instinct when we wonder how we’re supposed to the right thing. People came to Jesus with that question:
28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” 29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
So often we’re looking for the checklist, the to-do’s of the faith.
But the truth is, God has given us grace (unmerited favor, love without stipulations) in Christ. We receive that grace when we put our faith in Him.
What follows in life is accepting God’s amazing grace and simply living in it.
Our lives echo the grace we have received. This happens in our words and our deeds.
Sharing the Truth in Love
Sharing the Truth in Love
Truth is grace at work in our words.
I’ve said it often: Words matter. Whether directly from our mouths, in a text, a post on social media, what we say and how we say it matters.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
But Jesus showed us that apart from grace, we cannot really speak the truth, and apart from the truth, we are not really speaking words of grace. The peace of God comes when grace and truth are joined. And in Jesus, we see our perfect example.
Over and over he addressed people in their needs, their sins, their desires and pointed them to God, to righteousness, to holiness. He was kind, but always told them the truth.
15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Some people mask rudeness and insensitivity by claiming, “I’m just telling the truth.” No, it’s being a jerk. It’s difficult to have much influence that way!
Others of us fall in the other extreme and never confront anything. That’s not going to help anyone come closer to God!
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
When we know the reality of grace - that we don’t earn or merit the love of God. He simply accepts us in Christ, then we have the basis for doing the same.
Becoming Peace Makers
Becoming Peace Makers
Peace making is grace in action.
9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
Grace and Peace - standard greeting in 1st C. letters.
13x by Paul, who had found true peace in Christ.
One who was condemned by the OT law by his sin found peace with God, others and himself.
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
5 “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’
Do we ever consider that the peace we’ve received in our walk with God might be the very thing we can teach others? He blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others.
Providing a Home For Grace
Providing a Home For Grace
Becoming a community of grace. AKA “the church.”
Pastor asked where his church was. He said, all over town. Meaning that the people who make up the church are all over the place, living life, all the time.
it’s interesting that the NT doesn’t describe the church (monolithic entity) as the source of influence in the world. The word “church” nearly always has to do with what’s happening “internally” to the fellowship of believers.
The implicit message is that individual believers (who make up the church) are the ones who are influencing and changing the world around them. Together, as the church, we make a home for everyone who would find that grace.
6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
We individually bring grace to the world around us.
8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
Our words and actions are the practical expressions of God’s grace.
He demonstrates His grace to the culture around us through the love, hospitality, encouragement and service of the church.
We extend grace because we have received grace.
My prayer is that you know the grace of God that is yours in Christ more and more. I pray that in every word and deed His grace echoes through us to everyone around us.