“Paul’s - Final Thoughts”
Opening Illustration: On the lighter side of life
Scripture Texts:
I Cor. 16:21-24:
21I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. 22If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord! 23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1 Cor. 1:1-3:
1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thesis: Paul was a man who had experienced Grace and he always referred to its power in the opening of his letters and in the closing of his letters because it changed his life. Grace changed a murderer of the church to a martyr of the church.
Introduction:
Grace could be traced in Paul’s life as being the key that transformed his character and his direction in life. He went from being a murdered of the Body of Christ to becoming a martyr for the Body of Christ. He went from becoming a religious fanatic filled with legalism and condemnation to a man filled grace and love.
We hear Paul talk often about this thing called grace – So what is it?
Video Illustration: What is Grace – Interviews on the street by Blue Fish Tv
We have just observed a man asking people on the street “What is Grace?”
The responses were very mixed a lot said “I don’t know!” some refused to answer they were in a big hurry to do something. Some immediately became defensive others tried to answer but could not. As I watched this clip I thought to myself many people have no clue to what Grace is or is about.
I then recalled Barna’s statistic that stated about 80% of the United States claims to be Christian.
I then asked myself the big question, “Can you be a Christian and not know about grace?” Other questions then started to flood into my mind:
Is grace that secretive?
Is grace not powerful enough to affect Christian lives?
Is grace a forgotten act of God?
Is grace confused with saying grace before a meal?
Is grace only related to my neighbor, whose name is grace?
Is grace real?
Is grace just someone who is eloquent?
Is grace recognizable?
Is grace being modeled or mishandled?
Has grace been aced from our minds?
Has grace been redefined?
Has grace lost its meaning?
Has grace been replaced?
Has grace been misplaced?
Has grace lost the race?
Whatever happened to talking about grace?
Whatever happened to knowing what grace is?
How did this Christian nation of ours misplace grace?
Who aced out grace from the human race?
The thoughts kept coming in like a flood and I have to admit I became worried that most people don’t know what grace looks like, acts like or even is. So today I would like to point us back to grace and remind us all what grace is. Paul loved to talk about grace because of its impact on his life.
Grace is a force a power that we all need to experience and to tap because it has power:
Grace has the power to transform a life filled with sorrow to a life filled with joy.
Grace has the power to deliver one from them self.
Grace has the power to bring love into a loveless life.
Grace has the power to bring forgiveness into a life that is filled with hatred and bitterness.
Grace has the power to bring hope to the hopeless.
Grace has the power to bring light into a life trapped in darkness.
Grace has power to find the lost and bring them home.
Grace has the power to heal the hurting and bring them health and wholeness.
Grace has the power to bring meaning to a meaningless life.
Grace has the power to bring revival to a place filled with death.
Grace has the power to open the eyes of the blind and to see the world as God sees it.
Grace has the power and the strength to break down the barrier between us and God. This power is only available by 1 source, by one person, by 1 life. That person is Jesus. Paul understood this truth and this truth is what set him free.
T.S. - So let’s understand how Paul viewed this thing called grace.
I. Paul understanding of Grace
a. Listen to Paul’s openings and closings of his letters to the churches:
i. 1 Corinthians 1: 1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Paul told the Corinthians to remember who sanctified them Jesus and it’s all rooted in grace.
2. Paul knows that without grace there is no sanctification, no holiness no ability to stand righteous in God’s presence.
ii. 1 Corinthians 16: 23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1. Paul ends our book praying a pray that God’s grace would be with this church and then tells this messed up church that he loves them – note Paul was being criticized by some in this church but he sends them his love – this is all about grace.
2. Paul knew that this church needed to experience God’s grace – it really is their only hope!
iii. Romans 1: 1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—2the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
1. Notice what he says: “We received grace!” He knew about how the great sacrifice of Jesus opened the door for us to receive grace – he knew it was costly and we did nothing to deserve it or to earn it. It was a free gift from Jesus Christ!
iv. Romans 16: 20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you… 25Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—27to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
1. Notice the connection between grace and Satan being crushed by the God of peace – it’s happening very soon. Grace is the power which set Satan’s demise in motion!
2. The power of grace is what is going to crush the head of the enemy of our souls – it’s all rooted in God and in Love.
v. 2 Corinthians 1: 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. He opens 2 Corinthians praying for grace and peace from God the Father for this church.
2. Paul knows that this church must be saturated in grace.
vi. 2 Corinthians 13: 14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
1. He ends this 2nd letter to this church by praying that the grace of Jesus and God’s love and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with them all.
a. He wants them to have grace with them all the time because this brings them the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit into their lives.
b. Grace opens the door to the love of God –The Father and to fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
vii. Galatians 1: 1Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—2and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
1. Paul opens this letter referring to how he was called not by man but by Jesus and then flows into his remark – grace and peace to you because of the sacrifice of Jesus – the one who rescued us from this present evil age with grace – with mercy with his own life.
2. Paul is reminding us of the power of Grace.
a. Grace delivers us from evil.
b. Grace came because it was God’s will – God’s will is that you personally experience Grace.
viii. Galatians 6:18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
1. Paul ends this letter to a church falling into legalism again with the instruction to allow grace to be in their spirit. They needed to allow it to saturate their hearts because grace roots out legalism every time!
ix. Ephesians 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Paul calls these saints faithful and prays that grace from God and Jesus be with them.
x. Ephesians 6: 24Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
1. He ends the letter telling them that grace will be on all who love Jesus with an undying love.
a. Grace will be the fruit of the faithful don’t miss this message by Paul!
b. Grace gives us the ability to forgive someone who does not deserve it.
i. Grace is to be contagious!
ii. Grace is to be passed on to others!
b. It’s imperative in our Christian walk that we understand the importance of having a mindset and a focus on grace. We need to see the field of grace like the Apostle Paul did in his life and in his ministry. Listen to what he tells young Timothy.
i. I Timothy 1:2, 12-14: To Timothy my true son in the faith:…I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
1. Paul testifies to young Timothy and tells him that he was shown mercy by Jesus and this grace was poured out on Him and it changed him from a blasphemer, persecutor and violent man to a man filled with grace, love and faith. It changed his character and his destiny this gift of grace.
2. Paul highlights here the main power of grace which is to transform a life from evil to good – from death to life – from bad to good.
a. It’s truly Amazing!
ii. II Timothy 1:2, 8-10: To Timothy, my dear son: So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner… But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life; not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
1. Paul tells young Timothy to labor hard for the Gospel – suffer for the Gospel and yet understand that it’s not what we do but what the power of God does through His will and His grace.
2. Paul definitely has perspective – the right perspective and it’s because of grace.
iii. In these two passages of Scripture the Apostle Paul speaks about grace with great passion and focus. But if you have ever read through the New Testament writings of Paul you see a common theme in his writings to the church and us. He always opens his books talking about God’s grace to us.
1. He always starts talking about grace-he always focused on grace and he always finished his books referring back to this great gift from God - grace.
2. Paul’s writing here almost says “WOW! This grace thing still blows my mind!”
c. Paul the apostle wanted us to know grace, live grace, experience grace, breath grace, show grace, act grace, and focus on grace. You could say that Paul was obsessed with grace.
i. Have you ever met a person who is obsessed with something?
1. It consumes their thinking – it consumes their mindset – it comes out of their actions – it spills out of their speech.
2. Paul was this way with Grace.
ii. Paul knew all the short comings in the church of Corinth and he knew that the only way they were going to make it into heaven was because of grace – God’s grace given to us through Jesus.
T.S. – Paul wanted us to understand grace and experience grace the way he did so he constantly referenced it and talked about it in his writings. Others too have communicated to us the importance of understanding grace and experiencing it. Let’s listen to some of their thoughts.
II. Others understanding of Grace
a. Charles Swindoll has this to say about this gift called grace that came from Jesus:
i. To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and can never earn it. Receiving God’s acceptance by grace always stands in sharp contrast to earning it on the basis of works. Every time the thought of grace appears, there is the idea of its being undeserved. In no way is the recipient getting what he or she deserves. Favor is being extended simply out of the goodness of the heart of the giver (Grace Awakening, page 9).
1. Grace is all about being given something that we could never earn on our own.
2. It’s given out of a heart of love! God’s heart see John 3:16!
ii. He also notes: But when “grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ,” a long-awaited revolution of the heart began to set religious captives free. Fear-full bondage motivated by guilt was replaced with a fresh motivation to follow Him in truth simply out of deep devotion and delight. Rather than focusing on the accomplishments of the flesh, He spoke of the heart. Instead of demanding that the sinner fulfill a long list of requirements, he emphasized faith, if only the size of a mustard seed. The change spelled freedom, as the Lord himself taught, “…you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Rigid, barren religion was, at last, replaced by a grace-orientated, relationship-liberating grace. His followers loved it. His enemies hated it… and Him. Without a doubt, the earliest grace killers were the Pharisees (10).
1. Chuck warns us that in the church there are many grace killers.
a. These are people who want to take the gift of grace which is free and make people pay for it.
b. Yes they actually try to charge people for it.
c. They tell others they have to pay for it with works!
d. But Chuck tells us that we need to understand GRACE is free and it’s given to us by Jesus himself not works.
e. He tells us to not allow the grace killers to kill grace in the church.
2. Grace came as a result of Jesus. Once again Grace is defined as receiving a gift that we do not deserve - that gift is salvation - right standing in the presence of God - even though our sinful lives do not deserve that position of honor. Jesus died so that we could have this place of honor!
b. Philip Yancey defines grace this way, "Grace makes its appearance in so many forms that I have trouble defining it. I am ready, though, to attempt something like a definition of grace in relation to God. Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more-no amount of spiritual calisthenics 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." (What’s So Amazing About Grace, page 70).
i. Philip tells me that grace means God loves me as I am and He was still willing to send His son to die so that I could experience His divine love for me.
c. Max Lucado explains grace this way in his book In The Grip of Grace pages xii-xiii:
i. Surely God is impressed with my garments, I often thought. Occasionally I strutted into his presence so he could compliment the self-tailored wear. He never spoke. His silence must mean admiration, I convinced myself. But then my wardrobe began to suffer. The fabric of my trousers grew thin. My best works started coming unstitched. I began leaving more undone than done, and what little I did was nothing to boast about. No problem, I thought. I’ll work harder. But working harder was a problem. There was ahole in my coat of convictions. My resolve was threadbare. A cold wind cut into my chest. I reached up to pull my hat down firmly, and the brim ripped off in my hands. Over a period of a few months, my wardrobe of self-righteousness completely unraveled. I went from tailored gentlemen’s apparel to beggar’s rags. Fearful that God might be angry at my tattered suit, I did my best to stitch it together and cover my mistakes. But the cloth was so worn. And the wind was so icy. I gave up. I went back to God. (Where else could I go?) On a wintry Thursday afternoon, I stepped into his presence, not for applause, but for warmth. My prayer was feeble. “I feel naked.” “You are. And you have been for a long time.” What he did next I’ll never forget. “I have something to give you,” he said. He gently removed the remaining threads and then picked up a robe, a regal robe, the clothing of his goodness. He wrapped it around my shoulders. His words to me were tender. “My son, you are now clothed with Christ” (See Gal. 3:27).
1. So many of us want to think that our good works will get the attention of God.
a. But it’s really the humble attitude of a person crying for help that gets God’s attention.
ii. Lucado adds this thought on page 107 about Grace:
1. “Where the grace of God is missed, bitterness is born. But where the grace of God is embraced, forgiveness flourishes. The longer we walk in the garden, the more likely we are to smell like flowers. The more we immerse ourselves in grace, the more likely we are to give grace.”
a. Max try’s to help us understand that the more grace we get the more we should give it away to others. We need to be dispensers of God’s grace to others.
d. A.W. Tozer’s explanation of Grace: “Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits upon the undeserving. It is a self-existent principle inherent in the divine nature and appears to us as a self-caused propensity to pity the wretched, spare the guilty, welcome the outcast, and bring into favor those who were before under just disapprobation. Its use to us sinful men is to save us and make us sit together in heavenly places to demonstrate to the ages the exceeding riches of God’s kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
i. Grace is the willingness of God to forgive and give a gift one does not deserve.
e. John Piper’s view of grace: “Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.”
i. Piper says that grace is filled with power to keep us from sinning if we learn to wrap ourselves in it.
f. Augustine understood grace this way: “Nothing whatever pertaining to godliness and real holiness can be accomplished without grace.”
i. He tells us that we can do nothing for God without grace – note nothing!
g. Spurgeon understood grace this way: “If grace does not make us differ from other men, it is not the grace which God gives His elect.”
i. Spurgeon tells me that grace will transform our lives like it did Pauls and millions of others.
T.S. - Many people have understood the importance of grace and we too need to understand how essential grace is in the life of a Christian. I sat and pondered what I have just shared with you and I must admit this thing grace is absolutely amazing and I was reminded how I myself experienced it and how it too changed my life.
III. My understanding of Grace
a. Grace changed this hard hearted young man’s heart that was filled with rage and anger and turned it into a minister of the Gospel. It has helped me to love, to forgive, to grow and to serve within the Body of Christ. The person I was in my teens cared for none but himself then Jesus got a hold of me on a construction site in South Mpls. It changed my life and my direction in life.
i. I discovered forgiveness, mercy and grace and I saturated myself in it.
ii. I look back over my journey and I discover that my story is a Grace story. It’s a story about grace. My life really began the day I was immersed in God’s grace and He has walked with me and ran with me as I have traveled the path of grace.
iii. I would not be standing here preaching to you if it was not for grace.
1. My family would not be where they are today if it was not for grace.
b. This week I looked at the word Grace again – I look at this 5 lettered word and I am still amazed at its power. As I looked and starred at this word in my office I saw something I never saw before. It’s as if the word spoke to me and said look at where Grace all begins.
i. I looked and I saw G – it was a capitalized G on my paper. It hit me it all starts with God=G then a soft voice comes to my heart and says, “Grace starts with God – always has – always will!”
ii. He birthed the power of Grace in Jesus. We know that Jesus was God in the flesh – Grace starts with God! He is the giver of Grace!
iii. Then I noticed the rest of the word G – RACE – the rest of the word spells RACE– maybe I has daydreaming to much but something drew me to look at the word RACE.
1. My spiritual journey has been a God Race – I am really racing toward God in my journey of life. He is my destination!
a. My mind jumped to another one of Paul’s thoughts from 1 Corinthians 9:24 “24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”
i. Paul told us in this passage that we need to run the race with the intention of winning the prize which is waiting for us in Heaven – God’s involvement in my life helps me to run the race and to win the race and therefore to get the eternal prize.
ii. But the race starts when I experience grace- when I experience the free gift of forgiveness and mercy-when my sins are wiped away freely and without penalty.
b. Paul also said in 2 Timothy 4:7, 8: “7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
i. My goal is righteousness in the presence of God. “Now that to me is amazing!” Why? Because I know my sins and my shortcomings!
c. Then I read another passage of Scripture which says, “1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).
i. We all need to understand that we are running a race – a God race-either you are heading toward Him or away from Him but your running.
iv. Each of us here today is running in a Great Race – some of us have come to understand that this race is a marathon – Ecclesiastes 9:11 reminds us, “The race is not to the swift…”
1. Solomon says take note that our lives are to be a marathon not a sprint but a life that understands that living is about fearing God and keeping His commandments (Ecc. 12:13) over the long haul. It’s not about the quick fixes in life like alcohol, drugs, sex, materialism but it’s really about running a lifetime with God at you side and with Him in His proper place in your life and at the end of your life.
v. As I was writing this sermon it hit me we are in a G-Race a Great Race it’s a Race toward God – Do you see it in your own life? Are you racing toward God and flowing into more of His Grace?
1. You see this life is about getting the power from above to run a race with God and toward God. Yes God comes in the beginning of the race and promises to run with us. He even gives us the sportswear to put on and to run with Him! It’s called Grace “Just hold onto it!”
2. Jesus gives us the Grace outfit and say’s “Just do it!”
a. I was reading John Eldredges book this week called “Waking the Dead” and I came upon this thought from him on pages 110-113 (read from book).
i. Our life is a story. A rather long and complicated story that has unfolded over time. There are many scenes, large and small, and many “firsts.’ Your first step; your first word; your first day of school. There was your first best friend; your first recital; your first date; your first love; your first kiss, your first heartbreak. If you stop and thing about it, your heart has lived through quite a story thus far (page 112).
ii. But here is the reality check where is grace in our life story – where does it find a chapter in our life – have we experienced that saturation of grace – that first blast of love from God – that experience that shakes us forgives and gives us new life. Have you had that first?
3. God is also at the end of the Great race. But He is also with us through the Great race of life and He has sent us the Holy Spirit to lead us right into His loving arms at the end.
a. But we must remember we can do nothing for God without grace having its rightful place in our life.
c. Many in this world run a race looking for love – but they never find it?
i. Why because according to John “God is love.” I John 4:8 – You can never find love outside of God it does not exist! You can find lust, sexual appetites, self-centered relationships but never love.
ii. John defines for us in 1 John 4:7-21: 7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
1. As I have read over this passage my heart tells me “Mike there is coming a day – Mike you are running a God Race which will bring you across the finish line and into the loving arms of you Heavenly Father.”
a. We need to run toward God and this happens by embracing grace and allowing grace to saturate our hearts.
d. Video Illustration: “There is Coming A Day!”
i. Grace has assured me that there is coming a better day – a day where pain and sin are wiped away.
ii. So as I ponder and think – as I meditate and I pray for God’s insight on Grace – I see that Grace starts with God and it ends with me finishing the race in the arms of God.
1. This amazing grace makes all this possible.
iii. It’s having the assurance that I do not deserve God’s embrace and or love but understand that Jesus gave me this gift of grace so I could experience the divine love of the Father for eternity.
iv. My heart searched for so long in this life for real Love – Genuine Love and unending love that would last a life time – no last for all eternity and I found it in grace.
1. I can experience God’s love today and even more when I reach Heaven and see Him face to face.
Conclusion:
GRACE has been defined this way also:
G = God’s
R = Riches
A = At
C = Christ’s
E = Expense
Grace can be traced all the way back to its inception. It birthed in the life, the ministry, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The word grace never surfaced until Jesus came onto the scene. His gift of grace is the power we all need to receive eternal life in heaven. It’s available to all who call on the name of Jesus and believe by faith that He is the savior of the world. We need to repent of our sins and ask Jesus to forgive us from our sins. When we do with a genuine heart of repentance then we can experience this great gift from God called grace.
Accept this free gift today and I promise you it will change your life and your direction in life.
Closing Illustration: You Tube clip “Grace Like Rain.”
Many of us pride ourselves on not needing help in this life. But the reality is we need God’s help to get into Heaven.
Dismissal video clip – Amazing Grace from You Tube
