Discover God’s Amazing Grace
James 4:6-10
I. GRACE IS UNDESERVED BY ANYONE
A. WHAT EXACTLY IS GRACE?
1. Several times in Proverbs it says that grace is an adornment of God
2. It is a symbol of God’s presence
B. WHERE EXACTLY DO I FIND GRACE?
1. John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
2. Romans 1:5 “Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace”
C. WHAT EXACTLY CAN I GAIN FROM GRACE?
1. SALVATION: It is the avenue to salvation and the pathway to justification
a. Acts 15:11 “it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved”
b. Galatians 1:6 “the one who called you by the grace of Christ “
c. Galatians 1:15 God “set me apart from birth and called me by his grace”
d. Ephes. 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.”
e. Romans 3:24 We “are justified freely by his grace”
The most important thing we receive from God’s grace is salvation, but there are other side benefits!
2. Blessings of Being A Part Of God’s Family
a. Rick Stanley is Elvis’s step brother and as a 6 year old boy saw Graceland for the first time. Rick says that on that first day, Elvis told him, “I’ve always wanted a little brother, and now I’ve got one.” He goes on to say that everything Elvis had, became his because he was accepted into the family.
b. When you become a part of God’s family, He blesses you with everything He has!
c. John 1:16 “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. “
3. Learning To Be God’s Givers
a. 2 Cor. 8:7 “see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
b. God is the greatest of all givers, but He want us to be like Him. “Grace giving” goes beyond the tithe.
4. Help of God
a. Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
II. GRACE IS UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE
A. The Truth Of God’s Word Is That Grace Is Universally Available
1. Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
B. It is OUR responsibility to share God’s grace.
1. Hebrews 12:15 “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
C. Paul understood the importance of sharing God’s grace
1. He said to the church at Rome, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2. He said to the church at Corinth, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
3. He said to the church at Galatia, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
4. He said to the church at Philipi, at Colissi, and at Thessolinica, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
5. He said to Timothy, when he greeted him in both letters recorded in the Bible, “Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
6. To Titus he said, “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”
7. He greeted Philemon with these words, “Grace to you “.
D. Both letters penned by Peter to the churches began, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance.”
E. John begins the Revelation to the churches with these words: “To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come”
F. The apostles understood that God’s grace is to be passed on!
G. JUST BECAUSE IT IS UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE, DOESN’T MEAN THAT EVERYONE HAS THE GRACE OF GOD!
1. It is available, even to the vilest sinner
a. Romans 5:20-21 “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, [21] so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
2. BUT, there is a dire warning to those who choose not to believe
a. Jonah 2:8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”
b. Some here today, have forfeited the grace of God.
God’s grace is universally available, and even though some may forfeit it, whey you get it, it is....
III. GRACE IS UNDENIABLY ETERNAL
A. Psalm 45:2 “You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.”
B. 1 Cor. 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.”
C. 2 Cor. 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
D. 2 Thes. 2:16 “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope”
The very last words recorded in the Bible are:
Rev. 22:21
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
