ALL SUFFICIENT GRACE FOR EVEN ME
Introduction
A. Text: Psa. 103:8.
B. When a sinful woman washed His feet with her tears, Jesus explained her extraordinary devotion by pointing out that she loved much because she recognized herself as being in need of greater forgiveness -Lk. 7:36-50.
C. Is it too much to say that the key to being what we ought to be is a proper gratitude for the grace of God through Christ? Cf. 1 Tim. 1:12-17.
D. All of us have done things for which we are deeply ashamed — we may think we have sinned so much more greatly than others that God’s grace is not sufficient to forgive us.
E. But the Lord’s grace is greater than all our sins: “Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus, deeper than the mighty rolling sea; higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain, all sufficient grace for even me” (Haldor Lillenas).
F. There are at least four ways in which God’s grace is sufficient for us.
I. GRACE TO SAVE US FROM SIN
A. Christ died for us even though we did not deserve it - Rom. 5:6,8.
B. Salvation is a gift of grace - Eph. 2:8.
C. No one is too far gone in sin to be redeemed by Christ - 1 Cor. 6:9-11.
II. GRACE TO HELP US DEAL WITH HARDSHIP
A. As for temptation, God is faithful to protect us from anything that would be too much for us - 1 Cor. 10:13.
B. As for trials, sometimes God’s will is for us to continue to endure a hardship — at such times, His “grace is sufficient” to help us deal with it - 2 Cor. 12:7-10.
C. In every case, we may “come boldly to the throne of grace” and “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hb. 4:16).
III. GRACE TO HELP US DO THE LORD’S WORK
A. Our sufficiency and adequacy to do His work is from God - 2 Cor. 3:4,5.
B. God is able “to make all grace abound” toward us, causing us to “have an abundance for every good work” (2 Cor. 9:6-15). Cf. Eph. 4:7.
C. The person who “labors more abundantly” is the person who realizes that “by the grace of God” he is what he is - 1 Cor. 15:10.
IV. GRACE TO FORGIVE US WHEN WE ERR AS CHRISTIANS
A. God’s grace is, of course, conditioned upon our repentance — but when we repent, God is gracious to forgive.
B. God is faithful and just to forgive us - 1 Jn. 1:9.
C. It is grace that teaches us to turn away from sin - Tit. 2:11,12.
D. None of us deserve God’s grace — if we deserved it, it would not be grace.
E. Wherever sin abounds, grace abounds much more — there is no sin so great that God’s grace cannot cover it - Rom. 5:20,21.
Conclusion
A. When we come to see our own sins for what they really are in God’s sight, the “gospel” of God’s saving grace becomes “good news” indeed.
B. God is a God of grace to His people. Cf. Num 6:24-26.
1. “O God, our Father, as we read your word, humble us at the sight of your holiness, and then comfort us with the memory of your mercy. Humiliate us with the realisation of our sinfulness, and then uplift us at the sight of your love. Help us in your word to know our sin and to find our Saviour” (William Barclay).
2. If we are tormented by fear of God, it is because we have not been “made perfect in love” (1 Jn. 4:17-19).
3. If we have not been made perfect in love, it is because we have not yet caught a vision of the depth of God’s grace.
C. To be a genuine Christian is to have “tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Pt. 2:3). Cf. Psa. 84:10-12.
1. May we not “receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor. 6:1).
2. May we not insult or do despite to “the Spirit of grace” (Hb. 10:29).
D. May we be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1).
