Encourages believers to embrace the hope offered by God's grace and revelation, rehearsing His universal truth of love and mercy, even in desperate times.
Good morning, brothers and sisters. As we gather here today, we stand on the brink of a new understanding. We are here to open our hearts and minds to the word of God, as revealed in the book of Revelation.
In Revelation 21:4, it is written,
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."
These words, penned so long ago, still hold a promise for us today.
Let's pause for a moment. Just think about that. No more tears. No more death. No more sorrow. No more pain. Can you imagine such a world? This is the promise that awaits us. This is the hope that our faith offers.
G.K. Chesterton once said, "Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate." We are living in desperate times. But we are not without hope.
Our hope is not a vague, wishful thinking. It is a sure and certain hope. It is a hope that embraces grace. It is a hope that relates to the revelation of God. It is a hope that rehearses the universal truth of God's love and mercy.
We are not here to discuss abstract theories or theological concepts. We are here to embrace the hope that God offers. We are here to relate to God's revelation. We are here to rehearse the universal truth of God's love and mercy.
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, we come before you with open hearts and minds. We ask that you reveal yourself to us in a new and fresh way. Help us to embrace your grace. Help us to relate to your revelation. Help us to rehearse your universal truth. May your words penetrate our hearts and transform our lives. We ask this in Jesus' name, amen.
Brothers and sisters, let us now turn our attention to the word of God. Let us embrace His grace. Let us relate to His revelation. Let us rehearse His universal truth. Let us begin.
When we think about grace, we are often drawn to the idea of receiving something we do not deserve. It's a gift, freely given by God, that we could never earn or repay. It's an act of love, pure and simple. But grace is not just about receiving. It's also about embracing.
Accepting it fully: Not just as a concept, but as a reality in our lives. It means acknowledging our need for it, our dependence on it. It means letting go of our pride, our self-sufficiency, and our desire to earn our way. It means admitting our weakness and our need for God's strength.
Not just accepting a gift: We are entering into a relationship. We are acknowledging our need for God and His love. We are admitting that we cannot do it on our own. We are opening ourselves up to God's transforming power. This is not always easy. It requires humility. It requires vulnerability. It requires trust. But it is the only way to truly experience the fullness of God's love and mercy.
Understanding what it is: Grace is God's unmerited favor. It's His love and mercy poured out on us, even though we don't deserve it. It's His willingness to forgive us, to cleanse us, to heal us, to restore us, even when we have done nothing to earn it. Understanding this is crucial. We cannot embrace what we do not understand. We cannot accept a gift we do not recognize. We cannot enter into a relationship with someone we do not know. So, the first step in embracing grace is understanding what it is.
Accepting it: This may seem obvious, but it's not always easy. We live in a world that values self-sufficiency, that rewards hard work, that celebrates achievement. We are taught from a young age to earn our way, to prove our worth, to stand on our own two feet. But grace is not something we can earn. It's not something we can achieve. It's not something we can stand on. It's something we have to accept, to receive, to embrace. Accepting grace means letting go of our pride, our self-sufficiency, our desire to earn our way. It means admitting our need for God, our dependence on His love and mercy. It means opening ourselves up to His transforming power.
Living it out: Grace is not just something we receive. It's something we live. It's something we embody. It's something we share. Living out grace means forgiving as we have been forgiven. It means loving as we have been loved. It means showing mercy as we have been shown mercy. It means being patient, kind, gentle, and self-controlled, just as God is with us. Living out grace is not easy. It requires strength, courage, and perseverance. But it is the only way to truly reflect God's love and mercy in the world.
Sharing it: Grace is not just something we receive. It's something we give. It's something we share. It's something we pass on. Sharing grace means extending God's love and mercy to others. It means forgiving those who have wronged us, just as God has forgiven us. It means loving those who are difficult to love, just as God loves us. It means showing kindness and compassion, even when it's not deserved or reciprocated. This is not easy. It requires sacrifice, selflessness, and humility. But it is the only way to truly spread God's love and mercy in the world.
As we continue to immerse ourselves in the divine wisdom of Revelation, we find ourselves drawn to the profound imagery and symbolism that permeate its pages ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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