Ever ask a child to fill up your glass? Filled to capacity, carrying it across the room – -trying not to spill it.
What makes Christianity different from other religions? Grace – CS Lewis
“Sufficient” – more than adequate; grace >= the need
1. Its Enough for our Salvation Ephesians 2:4-8
* Rags to Riches chapter – “exceedingly” – “immeasurable”
* Ocean 36 x 1014 gallons / Sand: 75 x 1016 7.5 quadbillion / Stars: 70 x 1021 70 sextrillion
* Nicky Cruz Story – from gang leader to a child of the Lord
2. It Empowers Us to Serve God – (saved for a purpose) 2 Corinthians 9:8
* grace = power source / battery – enables us / energizes us
* If you don’t have the power of God – you’re not living in grace
* You cannot serve effectively without grace…if you have grace, you will serve (and vice versa)
* illustration: microphone unplugged – useless
* I Corinthians 15:10 – grace gives a new identity – I am somebody
3. It Establishes Us in Suffering
- Suffering / pain is not good in and of itself…only when mixed with grace. (great potential)
* I Peters 5:10 – Developing, strength, setting
o “Grace is God’s perfect policy of dealing with sinful man.”
o Suffering is a conduit for God’s hand to shape us
o Suffering : that God doesn’t care and that God is mad at me.
o Suffering = God’s refining – seven times (gold) 10k, 14k, 18k, 24k, (pure)
More from Pastor Nix & Other Resources...
Free Sermon Slides & Graphics...
