Prelude to Grace Sermon Series
Romans 5:20-21; Genesis 6:8; Exodus 33:17-23
Encourage you to invite one person to church this week … just ONE!
Tonight is a prelude to our series on Grace, begins on Sunday morning
We will also have two baptisms after the service … A GREAT DAY!
Introduction
The word translated "grace" in the New Testament comes from the Greek:
-- It is the word “charis”, which means “favor, blessing, or kindness”
- We can all extend grace to others
-- When grace is used in connection with God, it takes on powerful meaning
-- Grace is God choosing to bless us rather than curse us as our sin deserves
-- APP: It is His benevolence to the undeserving
- Turn to Romans 5 … read 20-21 / Pray
- Ever notice Paul begins all his letters with a greeting that includes grace?
-- Romans 1:7, “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
- Usually he adds the word peace and sometimes he adds the word mercy
-- Always, however, he highlights grace … it is his mantle for living (ref Acts 9)
- The word grace appears 170 times in the King James Version of the Bible
-- The first time we read of God’s grace is Genesis 6:8 …
-- “… But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”
-- We can understand this because Noah was God’s man in a wicked world
- Noah was a man willing to sacrifice his own reputation for God
-- He was a slave (Greek: “doulus”); he was devoted to God’s desire only
-- It is a tremendous example of what a willing servant should look like
-- Response: “Whatever you desire Lord, I am willing to do for you”
- Moses also “found grace” in God’s sight.
-- In Exodus 33 God rewarded Moses’ faithful service and devotion
- Turn to Exodus 33 … read v17-23
- God allowed him to view His glory in a way no other human being ever had
-- Look at Moses request of God, “… show me your glory …” DESIRE!
-- Moses was a man of stellar faith; willing to draw even closer to God
- So where does that leave the rest of us?
-- We haven’t built any arks or parted any seas?
-- Well, here’s the important part … that’s the whole point of grace!
- It has nothing to do with who we are or what we do
-- Grace is a gift—the unearned favor of God given to … who?
-- To undeserving people like me, and you, and even those we may not like!
-- John 1:16-17, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
- That’s the reason Paul begins each of his letters with the phrase, “grace to you.”
-- APP: He had a desire that we would know what he knows … God’s grace!
- When Paul addresses grace in our passage (Romans 5:20-21) he is clear:
-- The Law shows us where we fail; where we do not measure up to God
-- And since we failed so miserably, God had to increase His grace for all of us
-- Sin is the path that leads to death, it reigns over all that is death
-- But God’s increase is measured in the life, death, & resurrection of Jesus Christ!
- FACT: Every blessing we receive every day of our lives is a gift of grace
• We are justified by grace (Romans 3:24)
• Spiritual gifts are products of grace (Romans 12:6)
• The ability to witness is a manifestation of grace (Romans 15:5)
• Even … generosity is a result of grace (2 Corinthians 8:1-7)
- No wonder the hymn writer John Newton used the adjective “amazing”
-- He could not even fathom how to describe what God had actually done!
-- I don’t think even ten thousand years will be enough time …
Challenges:
- How’s your expression of grace being shown today?
- How do we show others what we’ve been given because of Christ?
