Sermon Central
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Easter Series
Contributed by Eldon Reich on Sep 13, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: What God gave to us.
STEWARDSHIP THE GRACE OF GIVING EASTER
“We make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia II Cor. 8:1
Romans 6: 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
Today is Easter Sunday.
God’s grace has been given for the world
John 3:16 is fulfilled.
The 23 Psalms has been given flesh and blood.
The Greatest commandment of Mathew 22:37 has been obeyed
Jesus has won the victory.
Ephesians 1:7-8 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
TODAY WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GIVING GRACE OF GOD.
This is a story in Japan about a man who renovated his house.
When he tore open the walls, he found in the hollow space a lizard
Who was stuck there because a nail was hammered into its foot from the outside.
As he studies the Lizard he discovered that the nail was 10 years old
When the former inhabitant had remodeled.
The lizard had been pinned there.
He began to wonder,
How did he the lizard survived for 10 years in that dark wall partition
Without moving a step since his foot was nailed.
What did he eat.
So he stopped his work and watched.
It wasn’t long until another lizard appeared from somewhere,
with food in its mouth.
He was stunned and at the same time, touched deeply.
What a beautiful gift for 10 years.
This little creature had been feeding its partner.
Without giving up hope.
What commitment
What love.
What sacrificial giving.
But that is nothing compared to the love of God in Christ.
Who took upon himself all the sins of the world.
And nailed them there forever.
So that we might go free.
The resurrection shows us the
I. SACRIFICIAL GIVING OF GOD.
In the death and resurrection of Jesus the old testament fulfilled.
In the Old Testament Giving is specific;
In the New Testament Giving is sacrificial.
They were to offer up a Lamb, or a dove,
Very specific offering for a particular sin.
But New Testament giving is sacrificial.
Not just a specific part of us is offered,
But Jesus gave his all.
Lamb of God that climbed onto the altar for our sins.
A once and for all sacrifice.
3The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us£ who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
When Jesus gave his all for us.
It changed the outcome of his life and our forever.
And friend when you give your All to God.
The act should change forever the outcome of your life.
It did the Macedonians Christians
Out of their most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” II Cor. 8:2-3
It change their attitude toward giving.
The Macedonia gave not out of their prosperity,
But out of their poverty.
Theirs lifestyle was “down to the bottom”.
War, famine, persecution affliction had left these Greek Christian
debased, beggarly, and poor.
They were bumping heads with the Leaders and culture of their day.
But in their difficulty the Grace of God came and
Resulted in SACRIFICIAL GIVING that resulted in their greatest joy.
Do you think that Jesus thought it might get easier the closer he came to the end?
Well Pilot wanted to make sure it didn’t ,
He figured the pressure, the beatings, and the humiliation would
Change it all.
Richard Bandler tells about a man at a mental institution who insisted he was Jesus Christ in the flesh. One day Bandler walked in to meet this man. "Are you Jesus?" he said. "Yes, my son," the man replied. Bandler said, "I’ll be back in a minute." This left the man a little bit confused. Within three or four minutes, Bandler came back, holding a measuring tape. Asking the man to hold out his arms, Bandler measured the length of his arms and his height from head to toe. After that, Bandler left.
The man claiming to be Christ became a little concerned.
A little while later, Bandler came back with a hammer,
