God's Amazing Grace

GOD’S AMAZING GRACE

GEN. 6:6-9

1. INTRODUCTION. EVERY LAST ONE OF US HAVE THINGS THAT WE ARE THANKFUL TO GOD FOR. WE THANK HIM FOR HIS LOVE, HIS MERCY, HIS FORGIVENESS, HIS LONG SUFFERING TOWARDS US, THE BLESSINGS THAT HE BESTOWS ON US, FOR OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS, OUR JOBS, FOR THE FOOD HE PROVIDES, FOR HEALTH AND STRENGTH, FOR GIVING US HIS SON; AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, FROM THE TIME THAT WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, ALL OF US HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN THANK GOD FOR; BUT THERE IS ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT WE CAN THANK GOD FOR AND THAT’S HIS AMAZING GRACE. THE GOAL OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO GLORIFY GOD BY MAKING US MORE AWARE AND APPRECIATIVE OF HIS AMAZING GRACE TOWARD US.

2. THE TEXT. THE NARRATIVE OF THE CHAPTER FROM VERSES 5-7 DEALS WITH GOD’S IMPENDING JUDGEMENT ON THE WORLD BECAUSE OF THE WICKEDNESS OF THE WORLD.

a) THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN HAD EVOLVED AND BECAME THE NORM OF THE DAY.

b) EVERY IMAGINATION OF HIS HEART WAS EVIL ON A PERPETUAL BASIS.

c) THE WORLD HAD BECOME SO CORRUPT WITH EVIL THAT IT REPENTED GOD, MEANING THAT MANS CONDUCT WOUNDED THE HEART OF GOD, WHICH CAUSED GOD TO GRIEVE.

d) NOT ONLY WAS GOD GRIEVED, BUT HE WAS ANGRY, AND THEREFORE DETERMINED TO DESTROY ALL CREATION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NOAH AND HIS FAMILY.

e) HOW SAD IT IS WHEN ONLY EIGHT PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE WORLD DID NOT FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF THE WICKED. BUT FOUND GRACE IN THE EYES OF GOD.

3. GRACE. VERSE 8 TEACHES US THAT NOAH FOUND GRACE IN THE EYES OF GOD.

a) THE WORD GRACE HAS A VARIETY OF DEFINITIONS, BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE SERMON, WE WILL EXPLORE THE WORD GRACE FROM THE GREEK WORD THAT MEANS FAVOR.

b) GOD’S GRACE CANNOT BE EARNED OR PURCHASED.

c) IT IS NOT BASED ON WHO WE ARE, BUT WHO GOD IS.

d) GRACE IS GOD’S MERITED GIFT TO UNMERITED MEN AND WOMEN.

e) IN OTHER WORDS, GRACE IS A GIFT FROM GOD TO UNDESERVING PEOPLE.

f) EPH. 2:8-9, “FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.”

g) NOAH FOUND GRACE BECAUSE HE WAS RIGHTEOUS WITH GOD AND HE WALKED WITH GOD.

h) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, OUR BLESSINGS ARE BASED ON THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH GOD.

i) IF WE WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE DIVINE FAVOR OF GOD, WE MUST WALK RIGHT WITH GOD.

j) THEREFORE, IT IS PIVOTAL THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

k) JUST BEING SAVED IS NOT ENOUGH. WE MUST STRIVE TO LIVE IN A WAY THAT IS PLEASING TO GOD.

l) WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS NOT OBLIGATED TO BESTOW FAVOR; BUT WHEN HE DOES BESTOW FAVOR, HE IS DOING US A FAVOR.

m) GOD DID NOT HAVE TO SAVE NOAH, HE CHOSE TO SAVE NOAH.

4. FAVOR SHOULD BE PRAYED FOR. HANNAH IN I SAM. 1, WAS BARREN, MEANING THAT SHE COULD NOT HAVE CHILDREN. SHE WAS IN THE BITTERNESS OF HER SOUL AND SHE WEPT AND CRIED UNTO GOD IN PRAYER.

a) OUT OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE PRAY FOR, WE SHOULD PRAY THAT WE FIND GRACE/FAVOR IN THE EYES OF GOD.

b) THE BIBLE IS REPLETE WITH PASSAGES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PRAYED TO FIND FAVOR.

c) WHEN WE FIND FAVOR AT THE HANDS OF THE ALMIGHTY, IMPOSSIBILITIES BECOME POSSIBLE.

d) WHEN WE FIND FAVOR WITH GOD, NO MOUNTAIN IS TOO HIGH TO CLIMB AND NO VALLEY IS TOO DIFFICULT TO CROSS.

e) ALL OF US HAVE RECEIVED FAVOR FROM GOD ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION; THEREFORE, WE OWE GOD A GRATITUDE OF THANKS-LIVING.

f) AS I TURN THE PAGES OF MY LIFE, I CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT GOD HAD GIVEN ME FAVOR EVEN WHEN I DID NOT DESERVE IT.

g) GOD DID NOT HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR ME TO ST. MARK, BUT HE DID; AND FOR THAT I AM THANKFUL AND HUMBLED.

h) I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I PRAY FOR GOD’S MAJESTIC GRACE ON A DAILY BASIS.

5. IT IS BY HIS AMAZING GRACE THAT HE…

• SAVES US

• GRANTS MERCY TO US

• OPEN DOORS FOR US

• KEEP OUR ENEMIES AT BAY FROM US

• LOOKS BEYOND OUR FAULTS AND MEETS OUR NEEDS

• STRENGTHENS US IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS

• COMFORTS US IN TIMES OF SORROW

• SHELTERS US IN TIMES OF A STORM

• AND PROTECTS US FROM SOME THINGS THAT COULD HARM US

• HIS AMAZING GRACE CAN CATAPULT ONE FROM…

• THE GUTTER TO GLORY

• PRISON TO PARADISE

• HELL TO HEAVEN