Sermon Tone Analysis

*SOLA-GRATIA LIVING: Living in Grace-Based Relationship with God  Exodus 33:1-19; 34:8-10

*What is grace?

Are you living in it, Will Alexis?

Are you a stranger to the grace of God, under his righteous frown, found favour in eyes of the Lord, and know His smiling blessing upon you.

The good news for believers – met living Christ, heed His word, - Sola Scriptura

*Who find in Him, not in religion or Good works – but His exchange on Cross, new life in resurrection!

– Solo Christo;  Those who *

*All of you share in God’s grace with me... filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God Philippians 1:7

* *

*A.

UN-GRACE But let’s start with what we all know too well.

That’s not grace but un-grace!

Comes in many forms we’ve all experienced this week doesn’t it?

Tasted negatives I’m sure:  Return tit for tat.

Eye for an eye – un-grace is justice without mercy ...pound of flesh, see even david struggles with this kind of vengeance...  Also dish it out!*

*Truth and Reconciliation Commission in SA – cycle of violence, hate, hurt, only broken by forgiveness Not cheap /I’m sorry’s/ but real interaction of  truth, hurt, interchange: lives intersecting /we’ll go on together./

In Canada last week, abuse of Native schools;  resigned, unable to tell their stories untold ~/impossible!*

*But more /subtle/ forms of un-grace too.

Look positive especially to religious people!   *

*I’ve ever earned it, so I’m entitledto… Maria in the Sound of Music... Somewhere in my youth or childhood I must have done something good.

..  /Karma/… *

!

*/Pelegainism –/ says, gives us all a kind of jump start, booster of grace, and then its up to us to follow through with good works that will save us.

Where the Red Fern Grows *

!

* *Grandpa: Well, it’s been my experience God helps those who help themselves.

Now, don’t get me wrong.

!

If God wanted to, he could give you hounds as easy as cuttin’ lard.

But that wouldn’t do much for your character.

*Something like 75% evangelicals surveryed said biblical idea.

And 25% thought a quote from Bible!*

*Of course grain of truth here – God uses means we must be diligent in using those means –*

*But as basic approach to life?

God is distant, He leaves the living of life up to me: that’s ungrace!  *

* *

*Fundamental q: /Do you live in a //universe where there is a God of sov unfailing grace is in your life!  /*

*Or:/ Do we live in a universe where you only get exactly what you deserve, justice will condemn us all?

/ A hard nose judge of a God, Are we people who with a little help from God just might be able save ourselves, save our world, or make it to heaven?

Or is it as OT puts it /Salvation is from the Lord./*

*Satan was counting on that.When Adam and Eve fell into sin, both A & E, as well as Satan are surprised!

Satan thinks his temptation has wrecked God’s plan, wipe it out.

A& E in bushes, shame, give up!*

*But God comes ,calls, covers them in their shame... Gives them first promise of Grace –*

*     send a Saviour from Eve`s seed – he`ll crush Satan.

... that seed is Christ – *

*Out of ashes of all that`s lost – new way of victory, of flourishing life, of glory of relationships, kingdom!*

*That’s the surprise the covenant of grace Alexis is initiated into, but she & we must personally exp God`s grace:*

Story is told of a man who fell off a cliff, but on his way down managed to grab a branch.

He broke his fall but before long he realized that he could not pull himself back up onto the ledge.

Finally, he called out, "/Is there anyone up there who can help me?"/

To his surprise, a voice boomed back, /"I am here and I can help you, but first you're going to have to let go of that branch."

/Thinking for a moment about his options, the man looked back up and shot back, /"Is there anyone else up there who can help me?" /

We are looking for someone to save us by helping us save ourselves.

But God says you must let me do it!

*B.

WHAT THEN IS GRACE?

The /Saving Favour/ of God *

*Not a state to be earned by bargaining with God: I have so much faith, acted so diligently.Danger in rel homes!*

*I’ve earned my way into heaven, entitled to easy life!

Islam never sure.

RC friend fight darkness enough!*

*In some circles grace is like a substance dispensed by church – faith alone channel..*

*Sometimes so stress Sov of God, think its mysterious spiritual substance, like a divine energy the zaps you!*

*But you know what the plain truth is?  Grace is what we read in the OT use of the word: favour.*

*Grace is God looking on us with favour, mercy, God saying I want to and I will deliver you!*

*B.

WHAT THEN IS GRACE?

The /Saving Favour/ of God You want to know if you have the grace of God?  *

*Tell me are you at a place in a /relationship w God/: where you are embraced by strong love of God?*

*Isn`t that the heart of what Moses is asking for:  If your Presence does not go with us… Exodus 33:15  *

*Think about it Israel just really blown it; Israel saw God, made cov, !Moses up the mountain, as *

*                       Aaron and the people making godds like the nations, throwing a wild party.*

*God says, I’m a holy God, removes His presence from the centre of the camp, tabernacle.*

*   in ch32, If I go with you in life now, I might destroy you, Now is a time for you to stop, mourn,  I will decide!

*

*God later says, I’ll start over again with Moses because I have an irreconcilable problem w Israel!  *

* *

*Moses fully understands the problem: If you’re presence doesn’t go with, in middle of people, can’t go on – Without you favour of living in the very centre of our life, it’s  impossible to be God’s people on earth!

Dead end.

If Israel can`t live in a friendship with God, forgiveness of sins, interest of sending His Spirit and Word to make us Holy – if God’s favour not on us - No grace – favour of God on sinners.

No future!

*

*This is what Eph 2:1,3 captures in saying we are by nature children of wrath: curse of sin has corrupted and twisted us.

Dead in transgressions &sins

*See we are that stiff-necked people before God – doomed, defiant.

Like Adam & Eve scared!*

*The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace….

Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God! Romans 8:6-8

*Jesus says: Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.

Until admit this never throw self on mercy of God!

*Deep truth needed to understand grace – humanity left in its own fallen nature can’t know God!

And this is why it must be God’s grace alone, *

*    His grace, His Presence by the Holy Spirit in us, find us, and changes us, and saves us!  *

* *

*This is what is at the core of grace, /God loves us in spite of our sin and inability, he comes to us!/ *

*So God gave Israel Moses, mediator.

He’s like Father in tears face those that broke into SA church – saying son not come back, by condemning you to death – but for real forgiveness to happen – own up to – condemn act as evil – offer of new way – olive branch   - I`ll show my favour... *

*Way of undeserved favour that absorbs all the cost, the justice, into itself, starts to reverse suffering*

*Grace is the only way out of the downward spiral – *

*So God sent Israel Moses, who prayed for and won Israel’s new start!

But now He has given the whole world His perfect Son.

Jesus says in John 6:44 No one can come to unless the Father who sent me draws him.

He says:  When I’m lifted up on that Cross – I’ll draw all men to myself!

*

* *

*That`s what Sola Gratia is all about – throw out the old rule book of un-grace living!

*

*And say, in Christ, I need God in pure love to forgive and set up His tent in cetnre of my life!

*

*Not cheap grace, costly grace.

It`s like Jean Valjean in Les Mis, convict steals bishops silver candle sticks, brought back by police.

Bishop says I gave them.