Sermon for August 30, 2009
Sermon Series: Sermons on the Grace of God
Sermon #02: God’s Sustaining Grace
Scripture Ref: Philippians 1:6 & I Peter 5:12
Philippians 1:6 ‘Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’
I Peter 5:12 ‘By Silvanas, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting & testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein you stand.’
Introduction:
A few days ago I watched on television as ATHLETES from VARIOUS SPORTS COMPETED to QUALIFY for the next OLYMPIC GAMES which will be in Vancouver, Canada in 2010. There are 3 THINGS an ATHLETE MUST HAVE in order to MAKE IT.
1: SPEED 2: SKILL 3: ENDURANCE
The ATHLETE may SPEEDY & SKILLFUL but ENDURANCE is vitally important.
If we don’t make it to the END of the RACE we won’t be WEARING any MEDALS around our neck.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians:
Philippians 1:6 ‘Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work within you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’
Paul surely SPOKE from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. GOD FINISHES what HE STARTS within us.
GOD who BEGAN the GOOD WORK within us will CONTINUE HIS WORK UNTIL it is finally FINISHED.
Paul did not say: GOD MIGHT FINISH HIS WORK within us.
No, Paul was BOLDLY CONFIDENT: ‘GOD WILL FINISH HIS WORK within us.’
Now that simply means:
If we truly WANT to RUN this CHRISTIAN RACE VICTORIOUSLY, then GOD WILL HELP US to go ALL THE WAY, until the FINISH LINE is CROSSED.
Last Sunday morning we looked at the SAVING GRACE of GOD.
That is when we are PLACED in the RACE. However, GOD wants to DO MORE than SAVE US. {Place us within the race :} GOD wants us to RUN the RACE VICTORIOUSLY.
GOD wants us to GO to HEAVEN.
I think for the most part the MAJORITY of us this morning have RUN this RACE ENOUGH to know there are some HURDLES we have to JUMP OVER.
There are some OBSTACLES & HINDRANCES along the way.
How can we be ASSURED we’re going to MAKE IT?
We cannot feel very CONFIDENT about many things in this life but we can BE CONFIDENT in the SUSTAINING GRACE of GOD.
NO ONE wants us to MAKE IT any MORE than the LORD DOES.
Before JESUS ASCENDED into HEAVEN HE PROMISED HIS DISCIPLES:
‘I WILL GO with you ALL THE WAY, even unto the end of the world.’
& they found that PROMISE of the LORD to be TRUE.
However, that PROMISE is also GIVEN to EACH ONE OF US this morning as well. We are NOT ALONE in this RACE. That should be of GREAT COMFORT to us.
What is SUSTAINING GRACE?
SUSTAINING GRACE is the POWER to KEEP on GOING when we often FEEL LIKE GIVING UP within.
Do we ever NEED that INNER POWER & STRENGTH? You bet we do!
SUSTAINING GRACE is also the POWER & the DETERMINATION to DO the RIGHT THINGS when we DON’T FEEL LIKE DOING the RIGHT THINGS.
The CHRISTIAN RACE has NEVER been PROMISED to be an EASY RACE.
There are so many PITFALLS in the RACE of LIFE.
There are so many OBSTACLES we have to GET AROUND.
But REGARDLESS of WHAT we are going through --& no matter WHAT TOMORROW MAY HOLD for us, GOD has HIS SUSTAINING GRACE AVAILABLE to us just FOR THE ASKING.
I Peter 5:8-10 8. ‘Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. 9. Whom resist, being steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethern that are in the world, 10. But the GOD of all GRACE, who has called us unto HIS eternal glory by CHRIST JESUS, after that have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablished, strengthen, & settle you.’
Peter writes from his OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
He knew what it was for the DEVIL to give him a HARD TIME, to make his WAY ROUGH, seeking to DEVOUR him. But he also KNEW what it was to FEEL the SUSTAINING GRACE of GOD to EMPOWER him WHEN he met the SNARES of the DEVIL head on.
The GRACE of GOD is there to STRENTHEN & to ESTABLISH & to SETTLE us, no matter WHAT HAPPENS.
No Matter What Happens: Circle those words: No Matter What Happens:
There are THREE THINGS in life that can CAUSE US to STUMBLE SPIRITUALLY & that can CAUSE us to GET OFF TRACK while RUNNING this RACE; THINGS that can PREVENT us from CROSSING the FINISH LINE.
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1:
GOD’S SUSTAINING GRACE is there for us WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED:
Look at I Peter 5:8 once again:
‘Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he MAY DEVOUR.’’
In other words the DEVIL WANTS to EAT OUR LUNCH.
Do we BELIEVE that SATAN is REAL?
He is just as REAL as we are this morning & he HATES us. & this BATTLE with him is NO GAME.
From the MOMENT we RECEIVE the SAVING GRACE of GOD the DEVIL STARTS the BATTLE.
We have been REMOVED from HIS KINGDOM & have been placed INTO the KINGDOM of GOD. & now, EVERY SINGLE DAY of our life there is a BATTLE to FIGHT AGAINST HIM.
Recall WHAT PETER said the DEVIL WANTS to DO To us:
‘The DEVIL, your adversary, walks about as a roaring lion, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.’
Circle that word DEVOUR:
EVERY DAY there is MORAL CHOICES that we face.
Are we going to DO WHAT IS RIGHT or are we going to DO WHAT is WRONG? GOOD or BAD?
Are we going to ACT SELFISHLY or UNSELFISHLY?
All of these are CALLED TEMPTATIONS:
James 1:14 says that we are ALL TEMPTED. EVRYBODY is TEMPTED.
People who just got SAVED YESTERDAY are TEMPTED.
People who have been SAVED for YEARS are TEMPTED.
We NEVER OUTGROW TEMPTATIONS.
The BIBLE tells us JESUS was TEMPTED. HE was TEMPTED in ALL POINTS JUST LIKE WE ARE but yet HE NEVER SINNED. HE NEVER YEILDED to any of those TEMPTATIONS.
That’s GOOD NEWS for us this morning.
Now to TAKE that SCRIPTURE LITERALLY that means that JESUS had THOUGHTS to PASS THROUGH HIS MIND just like we do.
It is NOT a SIN to be TEMPTED.
TEMPTATIONS are THOUGHTS to DO THINGS that we KNOW we SHOULD NOT DO.
JESUS HAD THEM.
WHATEVER THOUGHTS we have HAD -----JESUS also HAD THEM.
We CANNOT CONTROL the THOUGHTS that ENTER into OUR MINDS.
If HE COULD don’t you know JESUS would have STOPPED THEM. HE was in a FLESHLY BODY just like ours & that is a PART of the WEAKNESS of being in the FLESH.
We cannot help a BIRD from FLYING OVER OUR HEAD
But we CAN KEEP IT FROM BUILDING a NEST THERE.
GOD made us with the SUPREME POWER to CHOOSE our DECISIONS.
The DEVIL TEMPTS US --- BUT he DOESN’T MAKE US DO ANYTHING!
James 1:14 continues:
“Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust & then when lust has conceived it brings forth sin.’
It is WHEN we YEILD to those TEMPTATIONS that is WHEN WE SIN.
& the LONGER we DWELL on them the WEAKER & WEAKER & WEAKER we become.
LUST is NOT just SEXUAL.
LUST is when we take ANY TEMPTATION & we DWELL upon it. It is VISUALIZING the FULFILLMENT of it in OUR MINDS.
The SIN comes WHEN WE GIVE IN to that TEMPTATION.
REVEREND BILLY GRAHAM was INTERVIEWED on CNN by LARRY KING.
He asked REVEREND GRAHAM this QUESTION:
‘You have been in the PUBLIC MINISTRY for many years & there have not been ONE PUBLIC SCANDAL reported on you. How do you MANAGE to keep yourself ABOVE SCANDAL?
Brother GRAHAM gave this wonderful answer.
He quoted this SCRIPTURE.
I Corinthians 10:13 ‘There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but GOD is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation provide a way of escape, that we may be able to bear.’
Our TEMPTATIONS are NOT UNIQUE. OTHERS are GOING THROUGH the VERY SAME THINGS.
& we DON’T HAVE to YEILD to those TEMPTATIONS!
GOD will NOT SUFFER you to BE TEMPTED ABOVE that you ABLE to bear.’
GOD WILL with the TEMPTATION PROVIDE a WAY of ESCAPE.’
What a PROMISE!
People say ‘I could not help myself.’
But that’s NOT TRUE. Amen?
GOD says, ‘I will provide the SUSTAINING GRACE to ALWAYS GIVE YOU a WAY of ESCAPE.’
GOD EMPOWERS US to STAND FIRM WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED.
GOD PROVIDES US with the SAME SUSTAINING GRACE that JESUS HAD & that ENABLED HIM to STAND during ALL of HIS TEMPTATIONS.
Offer the LORD PRAISE!
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#2:
GOD’S SUSTAINING GRACE HELPS US TO STAND WHEN WE ARE TIRED:
SOMETIMES we are TEMPTED. SOMETIMES we are just plain TIRED.
This RACE is often TIRING!
SOMETIMES we become WEARY & EXHAUSTED & we THINK we CAN’T GO ANOTHER STEP.
When you’re TRYING to DO the RIGHT THING rather than the EASY THING it takes a LOT of STRENGTH. This may SOUND REDUNDANT but it is ALWAYS EASIER to DO the EASY THING.
It is ALWAYS REQUIRES MORE STRENGTH to DO the RIGHT THING.
It’s TOUGH being the ONLY ONE at WORK that DOESN’T TELL DIRTY JOKES or DOESN’T LAUGH at the DIRTY JOKES.
It’s TOUGH to ALWAYS TELL the TRUTH when the EASIEST THING to DO is to LIE.
Galatians 6:9 ‘Let us not GROW WEARY in WELL DOING, for in DUE SEASON we SHALL REAP IF we FAINT NOT.’
But WHERE do we GET the STRENGTH to DO the RIGHT THING ---WHEN it is so much EASIER to DO the WRONG THING & ESPECIALLY WHEN we are TIRED & WEARY?
SOMETIMES we DON’T feel like BEING NICE & LOVING when SOMEONE is RUDE & GROUCHY & MEAN to us. SOMETIMES we WANT to be RUDE BACK.
SOMETIMES we DON’T FEEL LIKE TURNING the OTHER CHEEK especially WHEN it’s been TURNED & TURNED & TURNED before.
II Corinthians 1:21-22 ‘Now HE which establishes us with you in CHRIST, & has anointed us, is GOD. Who has sealed us & given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.’ KJV
Paul says that it is GOD that STRENGTHENS US & GIVES us HIS SUSTAINING GRACE & ANOINTS us with HIS POWER when we are TIRED & WEAK in SPIRIT.
We DON’T HAVE to DO IT ALONE. We CANNOT DO IT ALONE.
THAT is the PROBLEM SOMETIMES.
WE are TRYING to BE LIKE JESUS.
WE are TRYING to DO GOOD.
WE are TRYING to LIVE by the 10 COMMANDMENTS.
WE are TRYING to BE that PERSON of INTERGITY.
& WE GET TIRED & WEARY!
Those are SOME MIGHTY BIG SANDALS to FILL
SONG: I’ve heard JIIMY SWAGGART sing:
JESUS be JESUS in ME, No longer ME LORD, but THEE
RESURRECTION POWER, FILL ME this hour, JESUS be JESUS in ME.
The KEY to LIVING the CHRISTIAN LIFE is NOT in OUR TRYING but RATHER in OUR TRUSTING.
I THOUGHT of MOSES.
MOSES had to BE ONE of the MOST PERSISTENT MEN of the BIBLE.
He SPENT 40 YEARS WAITING in the WILDERNESS for the CALL of GOD.
Then he SPENT another 40 YEARS WANDERING in the WILDERNESS LEADING a GROUP of SELF CENTERED & UNSTABLE SPIRITUAL BABIES who were CONTINUALLY COMPLAINING. NOTHING MOSES DID & NOTHING GOD DID seemed to SATISFY THEM for very long.
HOW did MOSES KEEP ON GOING?
HOW DID MOSES NOT GET TIRED & WEARY?
The BIBLE says that MOSES had GOD’S SUSTAINING GRACE upon him.
That is HOW we KEEP ON GOING WHEN we’re TIRED & WEARY.
I THOUGHT OF NOAH:
The BIBLE says it took NOAH a 120 YEARS to build the ARK.
Can you IMAGINE WAITING 120 YEARS for ANYTHING to HAPPEN?
We KNOW that NOAH was bound to have gotten TIRED & WEARY at times.
HOW did he KEEP ON KEEPING ON when he was so TIRED &so WEARY both PHYSICALLY & SPIRITUALLY.
Genesis 6:8 ‘But NOAH found GRACE in the eyes of the LORD.’
GOD wants to GIVE US HIS POWER to DO HIS WORK:
Philippians 2:13 ‘For it is GOD that works within you, both to will & to do of HIS great pleasure.’
I often hear people say: ‘I CAN’T GO ANY FURTHER.’
GOD has POWER, would we AGREE?
GOD made the SUN & it has enough POWER to BURN for 30 more billion years.
& GOD will EMPOWER us WHEN we are TIRED & WEARY.
Offer PRAISE unto the LORD.
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#3:
GOD’S SUSTAINING GRACE IS THERE WHEN WE ARE TROUBLED.
JESUS warned us, ‘In this world you will have TROUBLES.’
HE WARNED US so we would NOT BE SURPRISED when they came our way & NOT be BLOWN AWAY by them.
We will have some TROUBLED TIMES. There will come along some SITUATIONS that are TOO SEVERE for us to HANDLE alone.
However when TROUBLES COME JESUS PROMISES us --- HIS SUSTAINING POWER that makes us OVERCOMERS.
The DIFFICULT KIND of TROUBLES are those that we DON’T SEE COMING.
They’re UNPLANNED & UNFORSEEN TROUBLES.
Then there are those TROUBLES that somehow we manage to BRING ON OURSELVES.
But the MOST DIFFICULT TROUBLES are those that are UNFAIR.
We are the INNOCENT PARTY. We are the VICTIM of CIRCUMSTANCES. We DIDN’T PLAN for them. We DIDN’T FEEL like we DESERVED them. We DID NOT ASK for them & NEITHER did we CAUSE them. But nevertheless they CAME just the same.
Those are the TROUBLES that are the HARDEST to HANDLE.
Some TROUBLES LEAVE just as QUICKLY as they came.
Other TROUBLES are THERE to STAY for their SEASON.
Other TROUBLES are there to STAY for the REST of OUR LIVES.
There are some TROUBLES that all the WISHING in the world WILL NOT REMOVE them.
Paul had a THORN in the FLESH & GOD would NOT REMOVE it.
II Corinthians 12:8 ‘But my GRACE is sufficient for you…’
Isaiah 41:10 ‘Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy GOD: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’
Verse 13: ‘For I the LORD thy GOD will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee.’
Psalm 46:1 ‘GOD is our refuge & strength, a very present help in times of trouble.’
James 4:6 GOD gives more GRACE. Wherefore HE said, GOD resists the proud but gives GRACE unto the humble.’
GOD I CANNOT DO IT – WITHOUT YOU.
HELP ME GOD.
** Note:
The primary source of this message was taken from a sermon written by Rick Warren by the same title.
