Sermon Tone Analysis

Bookmark Sermon

Grasping Grace

April 7, 2002

 

How many *different* ways can the word “grace” be used?

In the dictionary, I found *16* definitions for grace.

~*    A person who moves *smoothly* is graceful.

~*    A *credit card* offers a grace period.

~*    We *say* grace before our *meal* – keeping an eye open for the waiter.

Grace is a *central* idea in Christianity.

As pastor John noted, C.S. Lewis said that *grace* is the one thing that sets Christianity *apart* from any *other religion*.

~*    The word that we translate as grace occurs 147x in the NT.

~*    That’s more than *peace*, *hope*, *mercy*, or even *righteousness*.

~*    While we all have a *general sense* of its meaning, what does it mean *exactly*?

This is a “bookmark sermon.”

I’ll *explain* how it works as we *go along*.

If you’re sitting on the inside aisles, look under you seat and you will find a stack of little stickers.

~*    Take one and *pass* them to them down.

~*    Grab your Bible, pen, and highlighter, (which you put in your car last Sunday right?).

 

~*    If you forgot them, you can use your *bulletin* or grab a *tape* and do it at *home*.

~*    Put the sticker on a *blank page* of your Bible, under the “Steps of Salvation” sticker, if you have one.

!! Grace cannot be earned

 

In the *broadest* sense, grace is God’s *favor* and *goodwill*.

The first thing about grace is that it *cannot be earned*.

Turn to Romans 11:6 as the little sticker says.

[Highlight 6] And since it is by *grace*, it *cannot* now be by good actions, or grace would not be grace at all! /Romans 11:6 – NJB/

 

Most of your translations say “*works*” instead of “*good actions*.”

It’s the same idea, the “works” are *good deeds*.

Simply put, we cannot do *anything* to deserve grace.

~*    First and last, *grace* is a *gift*.

~*    By its nature, grace can *never* be *earned* by our good deeds.

~*    In the margin write, “Grace is a gift” and under that write Ephesians 2:3 and then turn there.

!! WE DON’T GET WHAT WE HAVE COMING

 

[Highlight 2:3-5] *All of us* also lived among them at one time, *gratifying* the *cravings* of our *sinful nature* and following its desires and thoughts.

Like the rest, we were by nature *objects of wrath*.

But because of his great *love* for us, God, who is rich in *mercy*, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-- it is by *grace* you have been saved.

/Ephesians 2:3-5 – NIV /

 

To say that we were objects of wrath means that we *deserved* punishment.

~*    We have all *rebelled* against God and gone our *own* way.

~*    We have made God our *enemy* because we don’t like having to *obey* anyone but *ourselves*.

~*    We know that we *deserve* God’s judgment.

~*    But because he *loved* us so much, he gives his *grace* to us, through the death of Jesus.

If you got pulled over for doing 60 down Burlington Blvd,

~*    with *expired* tabs,

~*    *and* there’s no *insurance* on the car,

~*    *and* you’re driving with a *revoked* license,

~*    *and* you’re not wearing a *seat belt*,

~*    *and* you *changed lanes* in the intersection while running a red light *and* you didn’t use your *turn signal*,

~*    *AND* you swore at the officer,

*BUT* he didn’t give you a *ticket*, then we can safely say that you *didn’t* get the *punishment* you so richly *deserved* – either that or your dad is the *police chief*.

~*    In the margin write “Grace is not getting the punishment we deserve,” and under that write Romans 6:15 and then turn there.

!! DON’T GET SICK AGAIN

 

Highlight 15-16

Paul, the author of Romans, was preaching the *gospel* of *grace* – the good news that salvation is a *gift*, *not* something that can be *earned* by being good enough.

~*    And that’s *good news* because we will *never* be able to be *good enough* to earn salvation.

~*    But some people said that grace could be a *license to sin*.

~*    Here’s Paul’s responses:

 

What then?

Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?

*By no means*!

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-- whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to *death*, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? /Romans 6:15-16 – NIV/

 

The expression in the *original* Greek that is behind “By no means!” is the *strongest* way of saying “no” in Greek.

Paul reacts with *anger* to the suggestion that grace is a *license* to sin.

~*    Sin *kills*, it is *destructive*.

~*    It’s a *cancer* that destroys *us* and the *ones we love*.

~*    The idea that we should view the *cure* as an *offer* to become *sick* again is *sheer* *lunacy*.

~*    You might as well view a blood *transfusion* as an offer to *try* to *bleed* to *death*.

In the margin write “Grace is not a license to sin,” and under that write Ephesians 2:6 and then turn there.

* *

* *

*GRACE IS GETTING BETTER THAT WE DESERVE*

 

[Highlight 6-7] And God *raised* us up with Christ and seated us with him in the *heavenly* realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the *incomparable* *riches* of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus./

Ephesians 2:6-7 – NIV/

 

Grace is far more than *not* getting the *punishment* that we deserve.

Grace is also *getting* the *riches* we *don’t* deserve.

~*    The word that is translated “*incomparable*” is a very strong word meaning “a degree beyond *any* comparison.”

~*    Paul cannot *find* anything that *compares* to the *greatness* of the riches of God’s grace.

God *didn’t* think it was *enough* to *forgive* our sins and not *punish* us as we deserve.

*Cleansing* our sins was just a *means* to his *end goal*.

~*    His *goal* was to establish *intimate relationship* with us.

~*    To *adopt* us as his children.

*Accept* us as his own.

He gives us many other gifts as well:

~*    His Holy Spirit to *guide* and *comfort* us.

~*    *Joy* and *peace* in our hearts, even in *trails*.

~*    The privilege of *partnering* with him in his work.

~*    And the abiding *hope* of heaven, *eternity* with him.

In the margin write “Grace is getting the riches we don’t deserve,” and under that write Colossians 4:5 and then turn there.

!

WE ARE AGENTS OF GRACE

 

[Highlight 5-6] Be *wise* in the way you act toward *outsiders*; make the *most* of every opportunity.

Let your *conversation* be always full of *grace*, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to *answer* everyone.

/Colossians 4:5-6 – NIV/

 

Receiving God’s *grace*, which has saved us from the *punishment* we deserve and gives us *riches* we don’t deserve, receiving this unfathomable *grace* will *change* us to the *core*.

~*    But it must *not* *stop* there.

~*    And we must let it *overflow* into the *world* around us.

~*    God wants the *entire* world to know this rich grace.

~*    And so, we are now called to be *agents* of *grace*.

~*    It is our job to *freely give* the grace that we have *freely received.*

\\ And *how* do we give grace away?

There are many ways, but *Colossians* gives us a very important one: Let that grace *permeate* our *conversations* with those who don’t share our faith.

This happens in two ways:

1)   We must be *gracious* in how we speak.

~*    Since we have been forgiven *great debts*, there is no room for *passing judgment*.