Grace
I.
Introduction
a.
Taking time off
from Titus
b.
Why are we
gathered here today?
i.
Grace—baptism
ii.
Grace—because God
has saved us and set us apart
c.
But what is
grace?
d.
Grace, like love
and faith, is a word that is often misunderstood and misconstrued
e.
It’s important to
understand grace because “The very center and core of the whole Bible is the
doctrine of the grace of God.” J. Gresham Machen.
f.
“Grace is the
basis for our Christian identity.” Christianty.com.
g.
Today we’re going
to define grace, see why it’s so important, how we receive it, what happens
when we don’t receive it, and how we should react to receiving it
h.
Pray
II.
What is grace?
a.
Grace is not a
mystical substance—fairy dust
b.
The most common
and succinct answer—unmerited favor
c.
God’s Riches at
Christ’s Expense
d.
Dictionary.com:
“(In Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in
the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.”
e.
Our Wesleyan
Heritage Dictionary: “The love and mercy given to us by God because He desires
us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it.”
f.
Jerry Bridges:
“Grace is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against Him.”
g.
B.B. Warfield:
“Grace is free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving.”
h.
Christianity.com:
“Grace is the love of God shown to the unlovely; the peace of God given to the
restless; the unmerited favor of God.”
i.
These
definitions, though true and helpful, demonstrate that grace is a concept that
is really impossible to put into words
j.
Old Testament:
Hen
i.
Root for the name
Hannah
ii.
Favor, charm,
kindness, or a pleasant disposition
k.
New Testament:
Charis
i.
Root for cherish,
charity, and charisma
ii.
It comes from the
root chairo, which means to rejoice
iii.
Originally
referred to something that is beautiful, lovely, or pleasant
iv.
It came to refer
to blessing someone or showing someone favor; being kind or generous to someone
l.
In Biblical
contexts these words refer to God’s blessing us and delighting in us despite
who we are and what we’ve done
i.
Grace carries
with it the idea of influencing or empowering the subject of one’s grace
ii.
Grace is active
iii.
Grace is
relational
m. So, what is
grace? Grace is God’s free love and care
for undeserving sinners
III.
Why is grace so
important?
a.
It is the root
and basis of our salvation/access to God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 2:9)
i.
Foundation of the
Gospel
ii.
Reconciliation
iii.
There is nothing
we can do to save ourselves
b.
It is that which
enlightens and quickens us (Ephesians 2:4-5)
i.
By nature we are
depraved—guilt and pollution
ii.
Only grace can
free us from our spiritual bondage
c.
That which
empowers the Christian life (Acts 6:8; 2 Corinthians 12:8-9a)
d.
Our source of
hope and comfort (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
i.
Eternal
ii.
Temporal
IV.
How do we receive
grace?
a.
The instrumental
cause (means by which God communicates grace to us)—faith (Romans 5:1-2;
reference Ephesians 2:8-9)
i.
Faith does not
earn anything
ii.
Faith is the open
hand that embraces God’s blessings
b.
The
immediate/direct cause—Jesus Christ (Romans 1:4b-5; 2 Timothy 2:1)
i.
All the grace
that we receive is because of Christ’s life and death
ii.
Unity to Christ
c.
Both of these are
sources of grace, but are also the results of grace
d.
The ultimate
cause—God’s sovereign will and good pleasure (Ephesians 1:3-6)
e.
Why do we receive
grace? Because God is gracious and chooses
to bestow that grace upon us
f.
The Bible is very
clear that there is nothing in man that earns the grace of God
g.
Grace is the
antithesis of human effort
i.
(Romans 11:6)
ii.
Spurgeon: “Grace
puts its hand on the boasting mouth, and shuts it once for all.”
V.
What happens if
we don’t receive grace?
a.
Apart from grace
we are condemned already (John 3:18)
i.
There’s only two
choices: saved or lost
ii.
If you do not
believe in Christ, you are lost
b.
Apart from grace
we are left in the darkness of mind/our sins (Romans 1:28; 9:18 and 22)
i.
If we are not
recipients of the grace of God, we will be recipients of His wrath
ii.
Is this
fair? Verse 20
iii.
God is not
obliged to extend grace to anyone
iv.
The mystery is
not that God did not pour out His saving grace on all men, but that He poured
it out on anyone at all
VI.
How should we
respond to grace?
a.
The entire
Christian life should be a response to God’s saving grace
b.
Praise
i.
Alleluia!
(Revelation 19:1)
ii.
Alleluia is the
Greek form of Hallelujah
1. Hallel (second person imperative form)
2. Yah
iii.
Whenever we see
the command to praise the LORD (Yahweh), especially in the Psalms,
it is this word Hallelujah
iv.
John tells us
that the saints in Heaven respond to God’s salvation by declaring Hallelujah!
v.
Praise ought to
be instinctual for all Christians; it is the natural response to God’s saving
grace
c.
Awe
i.
Hebrews 12:28
ii.
Romans 11:33:
Paul is simply amazed by grace
iii.
Amazing Grace
d.
Devotion and
obedience
i.
This is how a
Christian truly reveals his gratefulness—living for Him
ii.
Romans
6:15-18—the Gospel does not free us to sin, but frees us to become slaves of
righteousness; the grace of God does not free us to live for ourselves, but it
motivates us and enables us to live for God—we obey willingly from the heart
iii.
Colossians 1:9-10
VII.
Conclusion
a.
As we watch Grace
receive the covenant sign of baptism, let us remember that from birth we all
stand before God guilty and condemned and we are all just as helpless to save
ourselves as she is
b.
Jesus said we
have to become like little children
c.
It is by God’s
saving and sustaining grace alone that we can be saved
d.
So, why are we
here today? Grace
e.
Grace be with you
all
f.
Pray
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