Growing In Grace Series

Title: Growing in Grace

Theme: Part 1 of The Spiritual GROWTH series

Introduction

One of the main responsibilities of anyone in leadership is to help guide people in their spiritual growth. You want to help them know God better, follow Him, have their lives reflect His love and grace and you want for them to help others. These are the hallmarks of someone growing in Christ.

So for the next 6 weeks we are going to look into the subject of spiritual growth.

Specifically we are going to address 6 key factors that must be present in our lives in order for spiritual growth to happen.

Each of these key factors begins with a letter used to spell the word “Growth.” (A key factor in our spiritual growth begins with the letter G. A key factor in our spiritual growth begins with the letter R…etc)

The single most important factor in our spiritual growth begins with the letter G. That word is GRACE.

Consider the following

1.How can I even be saved? GRACE

“For it is by grace you are saved.” (Eph 2:5)

2.How can I get victory over sin? GRACE

“For sin shall not be your master because you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

3.How can I overcome my weaknesses? GRACE

“my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

4.How can I abound in every good work? GRACE

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things at all time, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8)

5.How can I be more encouraged and hopeful? GRACE

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope…” (1 Thess. 2:16)

6.How can I conduct myself in the world in holiness and sincerity? GRACE

“Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relationship to you, in the sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace.” (2 Cor. 1:12)

7.How can I say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and live a self-controlled upright life in this present age? GRACE

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:11)

8.How can I bear fruit for God? GRACE

“All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it is been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” (Col. 1:6)

I could go on and on but I think it should be clear by now that we need “Grace for the Race.”

What is grace?

Grace is God’s unmerited favor. That is, although we can do nothing to deserve it, God wants to favor us with His grace.

But often, we concentrate on the “unmerited” part and miss the “favor” part of grace. That is, we’re glad we sinners don’t get the punishment and judgment that we deserve. That’s a relief. But grace is much more than the absence of judgment. It is also the presence of favors, encouragement, love, help and support.

Grace is God’s Riches At Christ Expense.

“From the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing after another.”(John 1:16)

What are God’s Riches = everything we need for spiritual growth to occur in our lives

We are told concerning the grace of God to…

1, See to it that no one misses the grace of God (2Timothy 2:1)

2. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)

3. This is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. (1 Peter 5:12)

4. Urged them to continue in the grace of God (Acts 13:43)

5. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:13)

6. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace (Heb 12:15)

7.Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 2:1)

Saving grace opens the door to other types of grace such as

1.Sanctifying grace

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:11)

What is the name of your teacher? Grace!

2. Sustaining grace

“my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)