Opening Text: Luke 9:21-26
THE GRACE WAY SO FAR
Week 1: Foundational – The Cross of Jesus
Week 2: God speaks to us – Through His Life giving Word
Week 3: God’s focus for us – Being His evangelical and reforming people (church)
This week: The Grace way - calls us to a new way
1. A DIFFERENT FOCUS FOR LIFE
From The Law dominates
A life shaped by:
what you do
personal goals and interests
rules as a way of success
how the world sees you
To Grace dominates
A life shaped by:
What Jesus has done & is doing and will do for you
God’s mission and way of life
rules to love God and others
how God sees you through Jesus
Colossians 4:2-6
HOW IS GOD CALLING YOU TO A DIFFERENT FOCUS IN YOUR LIFE?
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their
boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him. Luke 5:10-11
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
How might God’s calling to you to the grace way of life, change the way you live?
What might it look like for you to be God’s missionary of grace to the people in your life?
(For some this may mean a change of vocation or job, but for most people this means having a different approach to life, eg. seeing your job primarily as a place where God has placed you to be his missionary of grace)
2. A LIFE OF RELIANCE ON JESUS AND NOT SELF
Then Jesus said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. Luke 9:23-34
YOUR IDENTITY
You are saved and forgiven by Jesus, nothing else.
Being a disciple of Jesus means our mission/purpose in life is shaped and resourced by Jesus and His grace.
What does this mean for you?
THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS
A life of reliance on Jesus and His grace leads to a life of living what is known as living the Theology of the Cross
God comes to us – in our current imperfect situation
We depend on Jesus on the cross for a future
– we don’t earn our way to God.
We die to self and are raised by Christ to live a new way of life (Baptism and daily repentance)
It’s not about what we do, but what God does for us and through us
Truly follow Jesus, don’t just admire Him (Be an active participant not just a spectator) Soren Kierkegaard
Live for costly grace not cheap grace
Grace we can only receive because of the cross of Jesus
A life of grace is in opposition to getting what one deserves
A life of continually growing as a disciple of Jesus
A life where your efforts are for others
A life where you live for God’s graceful mission Dietrich Bonhoeffer
LIVING THE GRACE WAY
1/ Live with confidence that you are saved, God loves you and your future is secured. (Galatians 2:15-21)
2/ Grab hold of God’s grace to shape your life
3/ Let God’s vision and way of life be your vision and way of life.
4/ Be God’s missionary of grace wherever you are.
“This grace of God is a very great, strong, mighty and active thing.
It does not lie asleep in the soul.
Grace hears, leads, drives, draws, changes, works all in people, and lets itself be distinctly felt and experienced. It is hidden, but its works are evident.” Martin Luther
You can view my preached sermons at www.sydney.lutheran.org.au
