The Gospel Of His Great Mercy - 1 Series

Dakota Community Church

March 27, 2011

The Gospel of His Great Mercy - 1

Ephesians 2:4-6

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:12

REMEMBER that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

All of the five previous messages in this series are about REMEMBERING!

Do you remember the movie Hook? It's about Peter Pan revisiting Neverland to rescue his kids after he's grown up.

Hook is trying to turn Peter’s children against him, trying to win their devotion for himself.

Do you remember this line from the movie?

"Neverland makes you forget! Never forget mommy and daddy. Run home, Jack, run home!"

This is Neverland - this fallen planet makes you forget and the enemy of God is trying to hurt Him by stealing your devotion, by turning you against Him.

I am not trying to entertain you or tickle your ears; we are not playing religious games here, toying with optional matters. This is not “Build-A-God - this is essential soul saving truth.

If I do not treasure Jesus as my Savior, if I forget my need of Him, I may wander from the truth and fall prey to deception.

Romans 11:17-23

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

We need to remember these things because the consequence of forgetting them is real!

The reward for keeping them in focus is also real.

We remember our need of a Savior and that remembrance leads to a growing love for Him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”

2 Timothy 4:8

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

The gospel of His great mercy becomes a side note on our spiritual journey:

When we forget we were spiritually dead!

The gospel of His great mercy becomes a side note on our spiritual journey:

When we forget about slavery to the ways of this world!

The gospel of His great mercy becomes a side note on our spiritual journey:

When we forget what a wicked father Satan was!

The gospel of His great mercy becomes a side note on our spiritual journey:

When we forget we deserved the wrath of a Just and Holy God!

Hebrews 1:9 tells us that God loves righteousness and hates wickedness but we don’t want to believe it.

We don’t even like to think of God has having wrath or anger or hatred – even of sin!

Psalm 2:1-6

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.

“Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.”

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

We deserved His righteous anger and Holy wrath.

We wanted to throw off His fetters and break His chains.

However – BECAUSE OF THE GOSPEL OF HIS GREAT MERCY – we do not have to get what we deserve!

God’s mercy is seen in us not getting what we deserve / withheld punishment