The Valley Of Grace
Genesis 26:17-19
We have spent the last 10 weeks looking at different Valleys that we face in this life, I want to look at one more aspect of the valleys this morning to encourage all those who are traveling down a hard road today.
Isaac finds himself in the Valley of Gerar – it was a Philistine town and Gerar meant “lodging place!” So many people, when they come to the valleys of life, set up camp and plan on staying there or they will do little to get out it. God never intends for us to stay in these valleys but to learn from them and move on.
Look how the Lord provided for Isaac – I’ve called this valley, “The Valley of Grace”
I. The Promise In The Valley
a. The promise of God’s commitment - 1 Timothy 6:17
One of the traps of wealth is that it gives rich people a false sense of security and power. Their money can buy most things, protect them somewhat from certain problems, and smooth their way through life. Poor people tend to turn to God; rich people tend to turn to gold. Money though has a way of disappearing. The person who has plenty of money is in danger of leaving God out of his thoughts.
All good things come from God, but we must put our trust in the Giver, not the gift – whether it be money, good health, happy family life, or anything else. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
There is no variation or inconsistency in God’s character. He always does what’s right and best – although, as Isaiah tells us, His point of view is quite different from ours. God is too loving to be unkind, too wise to make any mistakes and too powerful to be hindered. He can be trusted absolutely.
b. The promise of God’s Presence – Matthew 28:20b
When is Christ with us? Just when two or three are gathered? Not only is He with us when we gather for worship, but He is with us when we witness and when we struggle through life’s valleys Hebrews 13:5
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan told about an experience in his early Christian life. He would visit several ladies once a week to read the Bible to them. When he came to the end of Matthews Gospel, Morgan read, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” He added, “Isn’t that a wonderful promise?” one of the ladies quickly replied, “Young man, that is not a promise – it is a fact!”
Valleys continually remind us of God’s grace, how amazing it is, how sufficient it is. God has promised us grace for every trial and grace for every step we take along lifes road.
c. The Promise of God’s Forgiveness - Romans 5:20
Paul tells us that the lost sinner is under a mountain of sin! He tells us that sin abounded. This word means "to abound in abundance." In other words, there was a pile of sins and they were all pressing us under their weight. Eventually, these sins would take our lives and we would be destroyed.
However, look at the contrast! Paul tells us that where that mountain of sin existed, grace did abound. He uses a different word here. This word "abound" means "to abound above measure; to overflow." The first word speaks of addition. One sin was added to another. The second word speaks of multiplication. God’s grace was multiplied over and over again! Simply stated, once we were being crushed under a mountain of sin, now, in Jesus, we stand on a mountain of grace! Yes, sin abounded, but grace super-abounded!
II. The Product of The Valley - Grace
a. There Is Grace For Saving – Romans 3:24
This verse introduces us to two great theological words and they are the words "justify" and "redemption." The word "justify" means to "To declare one not guilty, or to make one as he ought to be." In the biblical sense, it means that God, in His power and in His grace declares us to be righteous and worthy of a relationship with Him. The word "redemption" means "to set at liberty after the payment of a ransom price."
To put it all together, when we received Christ as our Saviour, God applied the price that Jesus had paid on the cross to our account and declared us righteous. He thereby freed us from the condemnation and the consequences of our sins. He very literally set us free!
In Jesus, I am free from the need to try and please God. He is already pleased with me because of what Jesus did at the cross. I no longer have to try to be good to get God to let me go to Heaven. He has already given me His own righteousness! What a blessing!
The Bible says in this verse that all of this happens "freely". This word literally means "without a cause". Basically, God gave us His righteousness even when we did not deserve to receive it. He gave it to us even though we could never earn it or pay Him back for it. He gave it to us without a clause, without any strings attached! There is no explaining why God saved a bunch of Hell deserving sinners. The only two words that enter my mind are "Love" and "Grace".
I know that I do not understand all there is to know about salvation and redemption, but I am glad that I can experience them even though I don’t understand it!
I don’t understand how electrons are created by a turbine and flow through wires until they make a light glow, but I don’t sit in the dark because I don’t understand. I can’t figure out how a brown cow eats green grass and gives white milk, but I don’t go without dairy products. Even though my knowledge of God’s grace is in incomplete, I still enjoy the benefits!
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
b. There Is Grace For Living – Titus 2:11-12
Grace teaches the negative side of Christian living: What to avoid!
Denying ungodliness – That is anything that does not glorify God – this is the acid test of a genuine conversion 2Cor.5:17. John Newton experienced such a conversion. He lived a godless life on the high seas and he sank so low that at one time he became the slave of a slave. He was forever running away from God, but was forever pursued by the prayers of his loved ones.
God saved him on the heaving deck of a ship during a terrible storm at sea and he was instantly transformed. He became a minister of the gospel and he never forgot how much he owed to the grace of God – Amazing grace…..
Denying worldly lusts – Unfortunately when we are saved we are not translated immediately to glory – we are left in this world of sin so that we ourselves might grow in grace and increase in the knowledge of God (Col 1:10) God’s grace teaches us to turn our backs on the desires of the world because it is an enemy to grace James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
The world is the devils lair for sinners and his lure for saints. This world murdered our beloved Saviour and has persecuted godly people since the day of Cain. This world cannot rob a believer of his salvation, but it can rob him of assurance, peace, and joy; it can also rob you of your testimony and reward.
Grace teaches the positive side of Christian living: What we are to do!
Live soberly – Our Self (Your Character - What you are when you are alone!) This is a call to exercise self-control over the passions and desires that are native to our hearts so that we might be more like Jesus.
Live righteously – Our Fellowman. We are to do what is right at all times at all costs and on all counts. We are to do what we promise to do, even when it becomes inconvenient because it is right that we should keep our word. We are to take a stand for what is right in the home, in the church and in the world. God’s grace teaches us to do so
Live godly - Our God. We are to be like Jesus in this present world. This refers to the present age and to the world as a system organised by men in opposition to God. The world challenges the Christian when he tries to live soberly, righteously, and godly.
Grace will teach you how to live. I’m glad that God is patient with His little children! That’s just His grace!
c. There Is Grace For Dying – Philippians 1:21-23
According to Paul’s own testimony, he is in a "Strait". This word is used to describe some pretty colourful situations. When Paul uses this word, he is telling us that he feels like a prisoner in this world. In other words, his body is here, but his heart is elsewhere. He feels the pressure of this life and longs for the freedom of Heaven.
Paul has a desire to be free from the bondage of the prisons he is in. There is the Roman prison and there is the prison of his flesh. Both hinder his liberty and hold him back. His desire is to break free of them both.
Paul Expresses his desire by using the word "Depart." Isn’t it interesting that death held no fear for Paul? Many people face the hour of death with fear and dread, yet when Paul considered his leaving this world, he simply said that he had a "desire to depart." This word was used in that society in many ways.
1. It Was A Military Term - It was used of soldiers taking down their tents. This is a glorious picture of Christian death. When we leave this world, all we really do is fold up this tent of flesh and go to be with Christ.
2. It Was A Sailor’s Term - It meant to loosen a ship and set sail. That is what happens when a Christians comes to the end of the way. We just loosen from the moorings of this old world and sail off the glory to meet Jesus.
3. It Was A Farmer’s Term - It was used to refer to taking the yoke off of oxen at the end of the work day. What a picture for the child of God! One day our work will be finished and the yoke of service will be removed from our necks and we will enter His rest.
4. It Was Traveller’s Term - It was used by travellers to speak of putting the horses into the barn at the end of a long journey. Again, this speaks volumes about us as Christians. We travel through this world in all kinds of situations and circumstances. One day, however, the journey will end and we will be at home with the Lord.
5. It Was A Political Term - It was used to speak of setting prisoners at liberty. Perhaps this was the image Paul was intending to convey by using this word. After all, we are prisoners in these bodies and in this world until God cuts the golden thread and allows us to come home. The day will come when God will open our prison doors and we will be free.
Paul sums up his desire to depart by saying that he longs to be "with Christ." I look forward to all the sights of Heaven and I look forward to seeing long gone loved ones and the saints of old, but my heart longs to see the One who climbed Calvary and took my sins upon Him.
Paul says that this is "far better." What he means is this: When you get Jesus, you also get Heaven! Think about it, we will get to see the Lord who died for our sins and we will spend eternity enjoying His presence - 1 Thes. 4:16-17. Just think for a minute about Heaven. Thank God, over there, there will be none of the problems and pains of this life. It will be a different type of existence over there.
Revelation 21:4, And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. None of those things that hems us in down here will exist over there.
No wonder Paul said what he did in 1 Corinthians 2:9, But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Sounds just like the place I want to spend eternity.)
Conclusion:
THE CONCEPT OF GRACE There is a great article that illustrates the concept of grace written by Charles Stanley. “One of my more memorable seminary professors had a practical way of illustrating to his students the concept of grace. At the end of his evangelism course he would distribute the exam with the caution to read it all the way through before beginning to answer it. This caution was written on the exam as well. As we read the test, it became unquestionably clear to each of us that we had not studied nearly enough. The further we read, the worse it became. About halfway through, audible groans could be heard through out the lecture hall. On the last page, however, was a note that read, "You have a choice. You can either complete the exam as given or sign your name at the bottom and in so doing receive an A for this assignment." Wow? We sat there stunned. "Was he serious? Just sign it and get an A?" Slowly, the point dawned on us, and one by one we turned in our tests and silently filed out of the room. When I talked with the professor about it afterward, he shared some of the reactions he had received through the years. Some students began to take the exam without reading it all the way through, and they would sweat it out for the entire two hours of class time before reaching the last page. Others read the first two pages, became angry, turned the test in blank, and stormed out of the room without signing it. They never realized what was available, and as a result, they lost out totally. One fellow, however, read the entire test, including the note at the end, but decided to take the exam anyway. He did not want any gifts; he wanted to earn his grade. And he did. He made a C+, but he could easily have had an A. This story illustrates many people’s reaction to God’s solution to sin. Some people look at God’s standard--moral and ethical perfection--and throw their hands up in surrender. Why even try? they tell themselves. I could never live up to all that stuff Others are like the student who read the test through and was aware of the professor’s offer but took the test anyway. Unwilling to simply receive God’s gift of forgiveness, they set about to rack up enough points with God to earn it. But God’s grace truly is like the professor’s offer. It may seem unbelievable, but if we accept it, then, like the stunned students who accepted the professor’s offer, we, too, will discover that, Yes, God’s grace truly is free. All we have to do is accept it.
What have you noticed about these valleys, what is the common denominator?
God’s presence – our growth – God’s Grace etc……
