Prelude To Grace Sermon Series

Prelude to Grace Sermon Series

Romans 5:20-21; Genesis 6:8; Exodus 33:17-23

Encourage you to invite one person to church this week … just ONE!

Tonight is a prelude to our series on Grace, begins on Sunday morning

We will also have two baptisms after the service … A GREAT DAY!

Introduction

The word translated "grace" in the New Testament comes from the Greek:

-- It is the word “charis”, which means “favor, blessing, or kindness”

- We can all extend grace to others

-- When grace is used in connection with God, it takes on powerful meaning

-- Grace is God choosing to bless us rather than curse us as our sin deserves

-- APP: It is His benevolence to the undeserving

- Turn to Romans 5 … read 20-21 / Pray

- Ever notice Paul begins all his letters with a greeting that includes grace?

-- Romans 1:7, “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”

- Usually he adds the word peace and sometimes he adds the word mercy

-- Always, however, he highlights grace … it is his mantle for living (ref Acts 9)

- The word grace appears 170 times in the King James Version of the Bible

-- The first time we read of God’s grace is Genesis 6:8 …

-- “… But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

-- We can understand this because Noah was God’s man in a wicked world

- Noah was a man willing to sacrifice his own reputation for God

-- He was a slave (Greek: “doulus”); he was devoted to God’s desire only

-- It is a tremendous example of what a willing servant should look like

-- Response: “Whatever you desire Lord, I am willing to do for you”

- Moses also “found grace” in God’s sight.

-- In Exodus 33 God rewarded Moses’ faithful service and devotion

- Turn to Exodus 33 … read v17-23

- God allowed him to view His glory in a way no other human being ever had

-- Look at Moses request of God, “… show me your glory …” DESIRE!

-- Moses was a man of stellar faith; willing to draw even closer to God

- So where does that leave the rest of us?

-- We haven’t built any arks or parted any seas?

-- Well, here’s the important part … that’s the whole point of grace!

- It has nothing to do with who we are or what we do

-- Grace is a gift—the unearned favor of God given to … who?

-- To undeserving people like me, and you, and even those we may not like!

-- John 1:16-17, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

- That’s the reason Paul begins each of his letters with the phrase, “grace to you.”

-- APP: He had a desire that we would know what he knows … God’s grace!

- When Paul addresses grace in our passage (Romans 5:20-21) he is clear:

-- The Law shows us where we fail; where we do not measure up to God

-- And since we failed so miserably, God had to increase His grace for all of us

-- Sin is the path that leads to death, it reigns over all that is death

-- But God’s increase is measured in the life, death, & resurrection of Jesus Christ!

- FACT: Every blessing we receive every day of our lives is a gift of grace

• We are justified by grace (Romans 3:24)

• Spiritual gifts are products of grace (Romans 12:6)

• The ability to witness is a manifestation of grace (Romans 15:5)

• Even … generosity is a result of grace (2 Corinthians 8:1-7)

- No wonder the hymn writer John Newton used the adjective “amazing”

-- He could not even fathom how to describe what God had actually done!

-- I don’t think even ten thousand years will be enough time …

Challenges:

- How’s your expression of grace being shown today?

- How do we show others what we’ve been given because of Christ?