Introduction

Good morning, beautiful people of God! Isn't it a joy to gather together in His name? Today, we're going to talk about some really transformative stuff. We're going to be chatting about grace, performance, and what it really means when we say, 'It is finished.'

Let's start with a quote from a respected Christian author, Philip Yancey, who once wrote, "Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more—no amount of spiritual callisthenics and renunciations, no amount of knowledge gained from seminaries and divinity schools, no amount of crusading on behalf of righteous causes. And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less—no amount of racism or pride or pornography or adultery or even murder. Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love." That's the kind of God we serve, folks. A God of infinite love and grace.

Understanding Grace in Christianity

Grace is a term that we often hear in Christian circles. It's a word that we use in our prayers, in our songs, and in our sermons. But what does it really mean? What does it mean to live under grace? What does it mean to receive grace? And how does this grace affect our lives as Christians?

A. The grace of God is a gift. It's not something that we earn or deserve. It's not something that we can work for or achieve. It's a gift that God freely gives to us, simply because He loves us. This is a radical idea, especially in a world where we're often told that we need to earn our worth, that we need to prove ourselves, that we need to do more, be more, achieve more. But the grace of God turns this idea on its head. It tells us that we are loved, not because of what we do, but because of who we are. We are loved because we are God's children, created in His image, and precious in His sight.

B. This grace changes us. It transforms us. It makes us new. When we truly understand the grace of God, it changes the way we see ourselves. It changes the way we see others. It changes the way we live our lives. We no longer live in fear or in guilt or in shame. We live in freedom, in joy, in peace. We live as people who are loved, who are valued, who are cherished.

C. There is an idea here of us being co-workers with God. It tells us that we have a role to play in God's kingdom. We have a part to play in His work. We are not just spectators, watching from the sidelines. We are active participants, working alongside God, building His kingdom, spreading His love, sharing His grace.

D. But this work is not done in our own strength. It's done in the strength that God provides. It's done by the grace that He gives. We are not the architects of this work. We are not the builders. We are not the ones who lay the foundation. That foundation has already been laid, and it is Jesus Christ. Our role is to build on that foundation, to add to it, to enhance it, to make it more beautiful, more glorious, more magnificent.

E. Finally, the scripture reminds us that we are God's temple, that His Spirit dwells in us. This is a powerful image. It tells us that we are not just ordinary people, living ordinary lives. We are the dwelling place of God. We are the place where His Spirit resides. We are sacred, holy, set apart. This is a powerful reminder of our worth, of our value, of our significance. It tells us that we are not just loved by God, but that we are loved by God in a way that is beyond our comprehension, beyond our understanding, beyond our wildest dreams.

The Role of Performance in Our Faith

In the passage from 1 Corinthians, Paul uses the imagery of a building to illustrate our role in God's service ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO