Experiencing The Grace Of God

EXPERIENCING THE GRACE OF GOD

John 8:1-12

The doctrine that is most important to assure a joy filled life is the doctrine of Grace. God’s grace touches every area of a person’s life bringing peace, strength, freedom, contentment and even boldness. Yet, grace is one of the most difficult doctrines to fully understand and even define. Some of the basic definitions of grace is..

(Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)

charis: that which bestows or occasions pleasure, delight, or causes favorable regard;

*God’s unmerited/undeserved favor

*God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense

*God’s strength to do what we cannot do for ourselves

Grace is simply rich and deep a subject, no one will ever be able to define it totally, but one thing is certain about grace, “Until one experiences the grace of God, he cannot even begin to understand the grace of God.”

UNTIL WE EXPERIENCE THE GRACE OF GOD WE CANNOT...

1) KNOW HOW TO EXTEND GRACE TO OTHERS

If you don’t have something then you can’t give it

God’s Grace was completely foreign to the scribes and Pharisees.

a. They used this woman to get at Jesus

- set her up

- humiliated her

- belittled her (looked down upon her)

b. They prided themselves in Religion, not Relationship

(Grace is based in relationship)

c. They were bound in the Law, rather than Free in the Spirit

2) KNOW THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

a. Toward Others

The scribes and Pharisees were controlled by the power of unforgiveness

- Release from the anger, bitterness

- Release from being controlled

b. Toward Ourselves

The woman experienced the power of forgiveness in her life

- Freedom from a Guilty Conscious

(Pharisees guilt was evident as they left)

- Joy from a Restored Relationship

- Peace from a Clean Slate

3) KNOW THE VALUE THAT GOD HAS PLACED ON US

Jesus gave value to the woman through displaying grace

- defended her at the expense of himself

- forgave her

- gave her another chance