Grace Management - 1 Peter 4:10 Series

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's multifaceted grace. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Introduction: The Value of Grace

How much would you pay for an ounce of grace? I think gold goes for about $1600 per ounce right now - what would an ounce of grace be worth to you? Obviously grace does not come in ounces; I just ask the question to get us thinking about how much we value grace. How much would you pay to get more of it than you already have? Do you feel any special need for more grace? Do you feel like your life would be a lot better if you got more? Or that you will be in big trouble if you don't get more? What do we need it for exactly? What does it do? What is grace? It is amazing how often we use words every day in church and then when you go to define it you realize, "Wait a second, do I even know what this is?" We need to make sure we have a clear understanding of what grace is because take a look at verse 10.

1 Peter 4:10 Just as each of you has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of God's grace

If God is calling us to be stewards of grace, we need to know what grace is. Obviously you cannot be a good steward of something if you don't even know what it is.

What is Grace? God's Favor

So what is grace? The most basic definition of the Greek word is favor. God's grace is favor from God. It is the opposite of having God against you.

1 Peter 5:5 …God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

So getting grace, or favor from God is the opposite of having God oppose you or be against you. So grace is God's favor.

The Results of Grace

Now, what happens to you when God favors you? What are the results of grace? If you get some antibiotics, the result might be that it kills an infection. If you get some food, the result might be a sense of pleasure and satisfaction. If you get a raise, the result is more money in the bank. What happens if you get grace?

Salvation

One thing that happens is salvation.

Titus 2:11 the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared

When you get grace from God you become a child of God, your sins are all forgiven, and you go to heaven when you die rather than hell. But that is not the only effect of grace. What else happens when you get God's favor?

Honor

In 2 Corinthians 9:14 we see that grace causes other believers to have a special love for you.

2 Corinthians 9:14 They will have deep affection for you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

People will have a desire to be around you and they have a high respect for you and a special love for you.

Building Up

Acts 20:32 Now I commit you … to the word of his grace, which can build you up

When God favors you and you receive His grace, it makes you more and more what you are supposed to be.

Strengthening

Not only that, but grace also gives you power and strength and enablement to work hard and accomplish great things.

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Hebrews 13:9 It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace

Grace gives you strength.

Holiness

In 2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul said that as a result of receiving grace he was able to conduct himself in holiness and sincerity. When God favors you, one of the results is you live a holy life. Your motives become more pure, and you find yourself resisting temptation and choosing God's way over sin more and more.

Joyful Generosity

And that holiness touches every part of life. For example - your finances. In 2 Corinthians 8, God gave grace to the Macedonian churches and the result was incredible generosity. They just gave and gave and gave even out of their extreme poverty and did so with exuberant joy (2 Cor.8:1-9).