Grace Series

INTRO: We learned today God expects us to be holy [Be ye hold because I am holy].

-Holy means to be set apart, a cut above. God wants us to think and act on his level.

1.God is not a cruel God. He is not going to expect us to do something we can’t do.

2.God, when we accept Jesus in our heart, forgave us of our sins and we are justified (legally we are declared righteous).

3.There is another aspect to holiness, that we are perfecting our holiness. We are working out what God has done on the inside (sanctification).

-We are to put off the old and put on the new.

-We are to purify ourselves. We are living sacrifices - holy and pleasing.

-We are transformed by the renewing of our minds (way we think) word of God.

4.We learned tradition nullifies the word of God. Mark 7:13 – "You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you’ve handed down."

5.The Pharisees took the word of God, added their own things or took the word out of context and made it into tradition, thus losing the power of God. So, when the truth came, they rejected the living word. Jesus brought the hardest judgment on the religious leaders for taking someone who is seeking God and turning him twice as much a son of hell as they were (Matthew 22:15) (Holy on the outside, corrupt on the inside).

6.The Bible tells us without holiness we shall not see God.

7.Today, as we look in the church when holiness is evaluated, it’s no different than the world. In some cases it rates worse.

-This tells us that tradition has nullified the word of God because it’s through renewing our minds on the word that will set us free.

TONIGHT: We are going to look at the answer or the solution that will enable us to walk in holiness.

TITLE: What’s Expected – Pt. 2

TEXT: 2 Cor. 6:1

I. Apostle Paul’s warning – Paul is writing his second letter to the church at Corinth.

A. He is writing to believers – he is writing to individuals who have received Christ as the Savior and who have also been baptized in the Holy Spirit.

1.These folks were fellow workers, or laborers in Christ, who had just as much opportunity of ministry as the Apostle Paul.

2.Just like us this evening, Lord willing we all have received Jesus Christ as our Savior (born-again experience) as well as being baptized in the Holy Spirit, we are fellow workers.

IMPORTANT: That we understand this is not written to the world but to believers. B. Paul urging us – not to receive God’s grace in vain.

1.The idea here is not to use it to its full potential.

2.Have you ever tried to use something and you have not used it to its full potential?

Ex...Like a car, you’re all happy you finally got a car. Now you don’t have to walk; but a few weeks go by and your friend spots you on the street walking. He stops and asks you why you’re walking and you reply, "It’s a lot easier."

What do you mean? You reply, "Well, it was nice to sit in, but it was almost impossible to go anywhere. It took almost all day to simply go the store. It was so heavy to push and steer at the same time."

Your friend laughs and takes you back to your car and shows you how to start the engine and put it into gear. (You’re amazed!)

THOUGHT: this is as silly as a Christian not using grace to its full potential.

II. The church today does not understand grace. Its view goes like this: "Oh, I know I’m not living right. Thank God, I’m saved by grace." The church views grace as a covering for its fleshly, disobedient lifestyle.

A. An understanding of grace

1.Let’s look at it in regards to mercy.

-Mercy is not getting punished when you deserve it.

-Grace is not only not getting punished but also receiving a reward.

Illustrate: Adam throws a tantrum and breaks some of Tammy’s Precious Moments. (Mercy) is coming home and not punishing him for that.

(Grace) is coming home and, not only, not punishing him; but I reward him by giving him a new Play Station System.

TRUTH: We deserve death and hell, but by the grace of God we get to go to heaven.

2.Let’s look at grace in regards to holiness. We understand no one will see God without holiness. -There is a mistaken view today that is – "As long as I’m holy on the outside, that’s enough!"

a. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount tells folks what is expected of them, and he does this by comparing the law and grace.