INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• I hope that you have been enjoying our series on the subject of Amazing Grace!
• Grace is a word that gets thrown around, songs are written about it, girls are named after it, and some folks “say grace” before they eat.
• In our contemporary language, we use the word to describe an attitude as well as actions.
• For instance, Joe was a gracious host.
• Grace
• The Oxford Dictionary defines the word both as a noun and a verb.
• As a noun, it is defined as “simple elegance or refinement of movement.
• As a verb, it is defined as “do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one’s presence.
• Today we are going to see that from a Biblical perspective, there is more to the word than movement and presence.
• The deeper issue is how do I receive God’s grace. There are many views as to how to do that from, YOU CAN’T, to you do nothing, to you earn it.
• When we read a passage like Ephesians 2:8 which says…
• SLIDE #2
• Ephesians 2:8 (CSB) — For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—
• …WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
• So today we will look at a variety of passages on the subject, but our main text will be Romans 3:20-24.
• God’s grace is a beautiful thing, I pray that we all understand how blessed we are to be able to experience it!
• Let’s turn to Romans 3:20-24.
• SLIDE #3
• Romans 3:20–24 (CSB) — 20 For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law. 21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
• SLIDE #4
SERMON
I. A deeper examination of grace.
• The word translated grace is used around 123 times in the New Testament.
• When we began this series, I gave you a simple definition of the word grace, I defined the word as unmerited favor.
• This definition implies that one cannot earn this favor, it has to be given.
• The problem with this definition is that I did not give you the full scope of the definition, and that was on purpose.
• Today we will take it to the level it belongs, but first I want to share some of my nerdy stuff concerning the word grace.
• Originally, the Greek word that we translate GRACE was an ordinary word that really had no special significance.
• In ancient Greek thought and literature, it was used to me good-pleasure or in the verb form, to show oneself to be pleasant.
• This ordinary work was elevated by the writers of the New Testament through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, especially through Paul to mean something more.
• We started with says GRACE in the New Testament means UNMERITED FAVOR; however, there is more to the meaning from the usage in the New Testament.
• When you see the word GRACE, it can be either an action or an attitude.
o Grace is an appearance which charms or delights another.
o Grace is an attitude that leads to gracious action, hence, unmerited favor.
o Grace is the action by which favor is given, this is usually the emphasized by songs about grace.
o There is also a gratitude felt by the receiver or the favor that is expressed by Grace. (Gareth Reese, Romans Commentary, p.46)
• So, when you look at all the angles of grace, we come to the conclusion that grace is unmerited favor, that is the action; however, to convey the whole meaning we need to also add the attitude behind the action.
• SLIDE #5
• Therefore, we define grace as ALL THAT A LOVING GOD FEELS AND DOES TO SAVE PEOPLE.
• Grace is an important word because is it a word filled with power and hope, it is not a word that simply means good-pleasure, it goes MUCH deeper
• The Romans 3:20-24 passage shows us that we are JUSTIFIED, or DECLARED RIGHTEOUS, or to be VINDICATED, by GRACE.
• SLIDE #6
• Romans 6:12–14 (CSB) — 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.
• God’s grace protects one from sin ruling over them, we are not under the demands of the Old Testament Law, we are living under grace!
• SLIDE #7
• Titus 2:11 (CSB) For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
• Salvation is offered to us because of God’s grace! The grace of God appeared!
• God’s grace puts power behind 1 Timothy 2:3-4.
• SLIDE #8
• 1 Timothy 2:3–4 (CSB) This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• Now let’s move to our next observation!
• SLIDE #9
II. Grace is not received by the works of the law.
• I was considering rewording this thought, but I wanted to keep it true to the text so we could understand a phrase we see in some of Paul’s writings.
• SLIDE #10
• Romans 3:20 (CSB) For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
• Works of the law is the phrase I want to hone in on.
• There is a tie-in to what people try to do today.
• The phrase WORKS OF THE LAW has been interpreted since the Reformation, (from 1517-1648 when Luther, Calvin, and others tried to correct the issues with the Catholic Church) to mean FAITH ALONE (no work—not even baptism or works of love) is the sole condition of salvation.
• The problem with this thought is it contradicts many passages such as Romans 2:13
• SLIDE #11
• Romans 2:13 (CSB) For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.
• NOW within one chapter, Paul is telling is that doers of the law will be justified, yet in chapter 3 we are told that no one will be justified by works of the law.
• It is evident that the phrase in chapter 2 speaks of faithfulness to God’s commands, which, by the way is a work, and in chapter 3, works of the law means something else.
• Doing what God has commanded is not earning salvation, it is a condition of receiving salvation.
• In the 1940’s and 1950’s the Dead Sea scrolls were found. These scrolls and fragments dates to 200 BC to before AD 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed.
• To make a LONG story short, in some of the writings found, the phrase WORKS OF THE LAW appeared.
• This would give us insight as to what the phrase meant with Paul use it in Romans and Galatians.
• The Jews had the Torah, or the first five books of the Old Testament, as well as the rest of the Old Testament.
• But through time, the religious leaders added stuff to the Law, later known as the Traditions of the Elders. Both the Pharisees and Sadducees added these laws.
• The intent was to help folks keep the original 10 Commandments, sort of a guide.
• So, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the phrase WORKS OF THE LAW spoke of the Traditions of the Elders, or the Halakhah (HAL LOW CHA), OR THE entire body of Jewish oral tradition as transcribed in the Talmud.
• These were manmade laws.
• So, what Paul is telling us is that we cannot be saved by making up our own way.
• The Jews thought salvation was found in keeping both God’s Law and the tedious rules of the Elders.
• Our application for today is that we cannot dictate to God HOW we receive grace and salvation.
• Many people think they can tell God how He is going to receive them.
• It is easy to think that if I keep some kind of code I have developed then God will say I am good to go.
• Salvation is not found in rule keeping, or following lists.
• HOW then do we receive grace?
• SLIDE #12
• Romans 3:24 (CSB) They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
• SLIDE #13
III. Grace is received through a relationship with Jesus.
• The good news is this is simple. I do not have to come up with some hair-brained scheme, I just need to have Jesus as my Lord and Savior!
• We find in this passage that if we want to receive God’s grace it is found in Jesus!
• God’s grace will not be found in trying to be good enough, smart enough, or slick enough.
• Grace is not found in your performance, nor is it found in church attendance and activity, God’s grace is received through a relationship with Jesus.
• When some speak of faith alone, faith in Jesus is the beginning; however, when we looked at Romans 2:13 reminds us that we are to be doers of the Word, so implied is the fact that God calls us to be faithful to His Word as a condition of salvation.
• It is not a paycheck, it is the proper response of one who is thankful for God’s grace in their life.
• SLIDE #14
• Romans 1:5 (CSB) Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles,
• Paul talks about how he received grace as well as his apostleship through Jesus!
• Titus 2:11 reminds us that God’s grace appeared through Jesus bringing salvation!
• SLIDE #15
• Acts 4:12 (CSB) There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”
• God’s grace is given to us through a relationship with Jesus. We have to be in Christ to receive God’s amazing grace!
CONCLUSION
• SLIDE #16
• Romans 6:1–4 (CSB) What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.
• Maybe you have been trying to find God’s grace through your own efforts, or maybe you have developed what you think is a fail-safe system to receive God’s grace.
• Those plans will fail!
• If you want to experience God’s amazing grace in your life, you can receive through being in a relationship with Jesus, and the bible tells us what we must do for that to happen.
• Faith + repentance + confession + baptism = NEW LIFE!
