Personal Questions…
Got Grace?
Ephesians 2:8-9
April 1, 2001
Intro:
A. Ever wonder how the "Got Milk" ads got started? Well there is a "Got Milk" internet site that tells the story…
In 1993 milk consumption in California had declined steadily for 20 years, so milk processors from all over the state banded together to do something about it.
The research that followed revealed some very interesting insights.
First, people know just about all they need to know about milk.
Its white, comes in gallons, and is good for you.
Second, you can’t substitute any other beverage for milk when you’ve got a mouth full of chocolate chip cookies or a bowl of your favorite cereal.
Finally, and most importantly, people notice milk most when they suddenly run out of it.
Thus was born an advertising campaign of poor souls, bereft of milk at the most painful and inconvenient times.
B. The "Got Milk" campaign has been a humorous addition to our culture.
1. But there are also millions of poor souls that are bereft of grace at the most painful and inconvenient times.
2. There are millions of people who go through the most painful and inconvenient times in their lives without grace.
3. And even sadder is the reality that many of those people are people who go to church every Sunday.
4. There are even people who think they are Christians that don’t have any understanding of grace whatsoever and they have to go through the ups and downs of life without this power in their life.
5. So this morning I want to ask an even more important question: "Got Grace?"
6. And the very first thing we need to understand in order to get grace is…
I. Salvation is not earned.
A. A lot of us were raised by parents who didn’t have a lot of money.
1. We were raised and taught to make due with what we have.
2. Most of us were taught to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.
3. We were taught that the harder we work the more we will earn.
4. And those are good things to teach children.
5. There are a lot of things that we can earn by hard work…
a. A college degree and a good salary.
b. Food and clothing.
c. Nice homes and nice cars.
d. Comfortable furniture and televisions.
5. Those are all things that we can earn, but try as we might, salvation is not something that we earn through hard work.
B. Ray read Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
1. That passage very specifically tells us that we can not earn salvation.
2. Salvation is by God’s grace which can be obtained only through faith.
3. We don’t obtain God’s grace by works (or good deeds).
4. Salvation is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God.
5. We cannot earn salvation by any amount of good deeds, we simply receive it as a gift from God.
6. That’s a hard thing for a lot of us!
7. Since we have been taught to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, we instinctively want to do some work in order to earn our salvation.
8. We somehow think we feel better about ourselves when we work to obtain something instead of it being given to us.
9. Since we have brought ourselves up by our own bootstraps, we have a difficult time accepting hand-outs—but that is exactly what salvation is: a HAND-OUT!
10. We have a hard time with that because we think of ourselves as good people.
11. We have a hard time with that because we think we are fully capable of earning what we need.
12. And so many people walk right past God’s gift.
13. So many people go to church all of their lives trying to be good enough for God to let them into heaven.
14. Its very difficult for them to admit that they have any weaknesses.
15. Its very difficult for them to admit that they have any needs that they can’t meet themselves.
16. Its very difficult for them to admit that they really are bad people.
17. Its very difficult to admit that they struggle with anger.
18. Its difficult to admit that they struggle with coveting.
19. Its difficult to admit that they struggle with sexual desires.
20. Its difficult to admit that they struggle with gossiping.
21. But I’m here to tell you today that if you can’t admit that you have some real struggles with sin raging within you—you don’t understand grace!
22. Even the apostle Paul talked about his struggle with sin.
23. If you think you’re a pretty good person and you really aren’t aware of any particular sin that you struggle with, then you don’t really understand grace.
C. We throw the word "grace" around a lot today, but by and large it has lost its meaning.
1. Our culture makes grace nearly impossible to understand when we say things like…
a. "There’s no free lunch."
b. "You want money? Work for it!"
c. "You get what you deserve."
2. Even many churches make grace nearly impossible to understand when things like these are said…
a. "You want love? Earn it." "You want mercy? Show you deserve it."
b. "By all means give others what they deserve, but not one penny more."
c. "God loves kids who behave."
d. "We can’t allow a divorcee to partake of communion."
e. "Homosexuals are not welcome here."
f. "We can’t baptize the child of a prostitute."
D. Brennan Manning has said, "Church has become a wounder of healers rather than a healer of the wounded"
1. Because many people in many churches have not understood this concept of grace they have done a great deal of harm to people and to God’s kingdom.
2. Since people have not understood the concept of grace, they have done some very hurtful things to people who have been wounded.
3. Now this is not physical woundedness, but emotional and spiritual woundedness.
4. A lot of divorcees have been severally wounded by the divorce itself and then gone to churches that wounded them even more so.
5. A lot of homosexuals have been severally wounded by different people and have gone into churches that have wounded them even more so.
6. A lot of alcoholics have their own problems to deal with, not to mention the unhelpful things that churches try to tell them.
7. And if there are people in the churches that do understand grace, the people who don’t understand it wound them.
8. There are so many pastors that have tried to extend the truth of God’s grace to broken people and have had their congregations totally destroy them because of their own lack of understanding.
9. Brennan Manning was exactly right when he said, "Church has become a wounder of healers rather than a healer of the wounded"
Transition: Salvation is not earned. Salvation is by grace. Then we need to understand that…
II. Jesus came for the ragamuffin.
A. Mark 2:16-17, When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?" 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
1. Jesus said that He did not come to call those that thought they were righteous, He came to call those who know they are sinners.
2. Jesus was often ridiculed for eating with what many called the scum of society.
3. But Jesus didn’t much care who He ate with, He ate with whoever wanted to be present.
4. Jesus associated with the lepers who were ostracized from the community.
5. Jesus associated with the tax-collectors who the society hated.
6. Jesus associated with children who were thought to be of no importance whatsoever.
7. Jesus associated with the lame and the sick.
8. Jesus associated with the sexually immoral.
9. Jesus associated with the demon-possessed.
10. Jesus associated with people that nobody wanted.
11. Jesus associated with the people that the religious people thought were awful, unrighteous, sinful people.
12. Jesus came for the unwanted people of the community.
13. Jesus came for the outcasts of society.
14. Jesus came for the ragamuffins of the world.
B. Morton Kelsey- "The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners."
1. The church should not be a place where we set around and marvel at the spirituality of the people.
2. The church should not be a place where we marvel at the spirituality of Mr. Jones.
3. The church should not be a place where we marvel at the spirituality of Sister Smith.
4. Because the truth is that none of us are holy!
5. None of us are pure!
6. None of us are spiritual!
7. There are some that can teach others, but none of us should be displayed like museum exhibit.
8. Because the truth is that the church is full of nothing but ragamuffin sinners.
9. The truth is that the church is full of adulterers and gossips and slanderers and perverts and liars.
10. The truth is that the church should be a safe place for wounded people to come and unapologetically sing, "I need Jesus. I need Jesus. I need Jesus everyday!"
11. The truth is that the church should be a safe place for people to come and confess their struggle with sin.
12. The truth is that the church should be a safe place to come and say, "I’m wounded and I need comforting!"
13. "The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners."
C. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1. Paul does something here that is pretty amazing.
2. I said earlier that too many church people don’t understand grace and they therefore stop with verse 10.
3. They preach those hell-fire and brimstone sermons that sinners will not make it to heaven.
4. They preach that those wicked sinners will not get to heaven—and you know what? They’re absolutely right.
5. The Bible very clearly says that those people will not get to heaven and those sermons should be preached.
6. But where are the sermons on verse 11?
7. Where are the sermons that tell the Good News that those people can be saved?
8. Where are the sermons telling people that adulterers, homosexuals, drunkards, and slanders can be saved?
9. Where are the sermons that say that Jesus came to call the homosexuals, drunkards and the slanderers?
10. Where are the sermons that call the church to have compassion for these people as Jesus did instead of just condemning them to hell?
11. Where are the sermons that call for the adulterers and gossips to come and be washed and sanctified?
12. Where are the sermons that say that Jesus came to call the ragamuffins of society?
13. Where are the sermons that offer healing for those that have been wounded?
14. Where are the sermons that say to the people who have been rejected and wounded "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)?
15. Where are the sermons that offer love and grace to those who have been rejected?
16. Jesus came to call the ragamuffins!
Transition: So today, I’m unapologetically here to say that…
III. I am a ragamuffin
A. It may not be a coincidence that God gave me this sermon to preach on April Fool’s Day…
1. There are many who would call me a fool to peach this sermon.
2. But that’s OK.
3. If they think I’m a fool, then I’m a fool.
4. But I know I’ve been accepted by God just as I am!
B. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
1. The apostle Paul said that he had weaknesses.
2. He had a specific weakness that he asked Christ to take away and God told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness."
3. Paul did not think he was a spiritual giant.
4. Paul did not think of himself as being a righteous person.
5. In fact, Paul called himself the chief of sinners.
6. People who understand grace talk about themselves in the same way.
7. People who understand grace know they are sinners and they don’t have any reason to hide it.
8. If people want to criticize me for admitting that I sin, I’m happy in the company of Paul.
9. In fact, Paul said that he was going to boast about his weaknesses because he understood that where he was weak, Christ was strong.
10. Paul had no trouble admitting that he was a sinner, in fact he said he boasted about it.
C. C.S. Lewis - "Grace substitutes a full, childlike and delighted acceptance of our need, a joy in total dependence. The good man is sorry for the sins which have increased his need. He is not entirely sorry for the fresh need they have produced."
1. C.S. Lewis said that when we understand grace, we will have a delighted acceptance of our need.
2. He said that we would have joy in total dependence upon God.
3. In other words, "I’m not a good person: I’m a sinner."
4. And, "Without Christ in my life, I am nothing."
5. "Without Christ in my life, I know my weaknesses and I know what I do to myself and to those around me."
6. Therefore, "I am delighted to accept that I struggle with sin in certain areas."
7. "I am sorry for the sins I have committed, but I’m not entirely sorry for the need they have produced."
8. "The need that has been produced in me because of my sin is my recognition of my need for Jesus to help me in the areas that I am weak."
9. "Because of my sin, I more fully understand my need for Jesus."
D. When the gospel of grace lays hold of us we will be like a certain 92-year-old priest…
We become as honest as the 92-year-old priest who was esteemed by everyone in town for his holiness.
He was a member of the Rotary Club.
Every time the club met, he would be there, always on time and always seated in his favorite spot in a corner of the room.
One day the priest disappeared.
It was as if he had dropped off the face of the earth.
The townspeople looked all over and they couldn’t find a trace of him.
But the following month, when the Rotary Club met again, he was there as usual sitting in his corner.
"Father," they said, "where have you been?"
"I just served a thirty-day sentence in prison."
"In prison," they cried. "Father, you couldn’t hurt a fly. What happened?"
"It’s a long story," the priest began "but briefly, this is what happened.
I bought myself a train ticket to go into the city.
I was standing on the platform waiting for the train to arrive when this stunningly beautiful girl appears on the arm of a policeman.
She looked at me, turned to the cop and said, ‘He did it. I’m certain he’s the one who did it.’
Well, to tell you the truth, I was so flattered I pleaded guilty."
E. The holiest of men and women know they are sinners.
1. They see no reason to deny it.
2. Why is there no reason to deny it? Because God accepts me as I am—sin and all!
3. God wants to work through me to overcome that sin.
4. He wants to be my strength in my weakness—but He accepts me as I am.
5. So I, like the apostle Paul can freely admit my sin and weaknesses.
6. Because people who understand grace KNOW they are sinners.
7. And they know specifically where they are prone to sin.
F. And they also know that reality strikes back if it is not respected.
1. People who understand grace know that if they don’t respect their weaknesses, they can strike back.
2. Alcoholics know that they must respect their weaknesses or they will strike back.
3. I sarcastically asked a couple in our church one time if they would like to go on Temptation Island.
4. The wise man said that there was no way that he would do that because he knew he wouldn’t survive the test.
5. People who understand grace respect their weaknesses because they know that they can strike back if they are not respected.
Transition: And so even though some may think me a fool, I don’t have any problem admitting that I am a rejected and wounded ragamuffin and I know my weaknesses.
IV. The truth about Grace.
A. To live by grace is to accept my whole self.
1. I accept the fact that I have some good qualities.
2. I accept the fact that I am good at certain things.
3. I accept the fact that I am a good teacher.
4. I accept the fact that I have some intellectual ability.
5. I accept the fact that I am weak in certain areas.
6. I accept the fact that I have done things that I am ashamed of.
7. I accept the fact that I still struggle with certain sins.
8. I don’t need to put on any religious cosmetics to try to hide my spiritual blemishes.
9. I accept my whole self: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
B. To live by grace is to accept that God accepts my whole self.
1. God accepts me even though I have done things that have hurt Him.
2. God accepts me even though I still struggle with certain sins.
3. God accepts my whole self: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
4. I accept the fact that God accepts my whole self.
C. To live by grace is to accept that God deeply loves me just as I am.
1. I am a child of God.
2. God loves me just as I am.
3. There is nothing I can do to make God love me more than He already does.
4. God does not love me less because of my past mistakes.
5. God does not love me less because of the struggles that I still have.
6. God will not love me less if I sin tomorrow.
7. God will not love me more tomorrow if I do a good deed today.
8. Because God loves me deeply just as I am.
9. I am secure in knowing that God loves me just as I am.
D. To live by grace is to accept that I have done nothing to earn or deserve God’s grace.
1. I didn’t earn God’s grace by going to church for the past 35 years.
2. I didn’t earn God’s grace by teaching Sunday School classes.
3. I didn’t earn God’s grace by going to Bible college.
4. I didn’t earn God’s grace by becoming a preacher.
5. Now hear this: I didn’t even earn God’s grace by being baptized.
6. I am simply a poor beggar who accepts a HAND-OUT of grace.
7. There’s nothing I’ve ever done and nothing I can ever do to earn God’s grace.
8. I am content in knowing that I have done nothing to earn or deserve God’s grace.
E. And to live by grace is to accept others just as they are.
1. There is something radically wrong when the church rejects those whom Jesus loves!
2. "The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners."
3. There is something radically wrong when the church condemns those whom Jesus loves.
4. There is something radically wrong when church people talk negatively about people who sin in areas that are somehow more offensive to themselves.
5. I am a child of God.
6. God accepts me just as I am: warts and all.
7. God accepts others just as they are: warts and all.
8. Therefore I accept them just as they are: warts and all.
Conclusion:
A. Paul Tillich wrote…
Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness.
It strikes us when we walk through the dark valley of a meaningless and empty life…
It strikes us when, year after year, the longed-for perfection does not appear, when the old compulsions reign within us as they have for decades, when despair destroys all joy and courage.
Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying: "You are accepted. You are accepted, accepted by that which is greater than you, and the name of which you do not know. Do not ask for the name now; perhaps you will find it later. Do not try to do anything now; perhaps later you will do much. Do not seek for anything, do not perform anything, do not intend anything. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted."
If that happens, Tillich writes, we experience grace.
B. Brennan Manning wrote: Grace calls out…
You are not just a disillusioned old man who may die soon, a middle-aged woman stuck in a job and desperately wanting to get out, a young person feeling the fire in your belly beginning to grow cold.
You may be insecure, inadequate, mistaken, or potbellied.
Death, panic, depression, and disillusionment may be near you.
But you are not just that.
You are accepted-just as you are.
So never confuse your perception of yourself with the mystery that you really are accepted.
C. Do you have grace?
1. Do you need to get it today?
2. Do you need to accept that you are accepted?
3. Do you need to come and thank God that He really does deeply love you and accepts you just as you are?
4. Now matter who you are (man or woman, young or old, long or short time church goer), do you need to come and accept your hand-out of grace today?
5. Whatever response you need to make to God’s grace, I encourage you to make it as we stand and celebrate the fact that God accepts us just as we are: #62 "Just As I Am."
