Sermons
Grace - The Key To Joy
Good morning! The little people’s class is excused.
I thank God for this opportunity to lead our hearts and minds into God’s Word this morning. As many of you know I teach OSHA safety courses for Tech. schools and companies. Often times I do so without knowing what type of environment I am walking into. Whether they will be receptive or combative. I’m never nerves to do so.
However, when I stand before the Lord’s Flock about to do a sermon, I do get a little nerves. I get nerves because I know that to stand before you reflecting on God’s word carries with it a responsibility to that word. A responsibility to stay true to God’s word.
With that said, let’s get into the Word of God.
Terry’s sermons of late have been of particular interest to me in what he has been bringing out of God’s word. Not that he hasn’t always had very good lessons that we all can grow from, it’s just that the last couple have really got me thinking.
Last week he spoke on having joy in the midst of sorrow.
I Cor. 1:24 + 25 – but to those who are the called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Don’t misunderstand these two verses. The writer is not saying that God is foolish and weak, for God is wise and strong. The next few verses explain what is being said. (read v. 26-31)
Those who choose not to obey God obey themselves and think they have all the answers. And that those who follow Jesus are weak and foolish.
God’s wisdom is contrasted with man’s foolishness throughout the pages of His Word.
Terry’s sermon on “Joy In Sorrow,” is just one example. Man’s so called wisdom cannot comprehend such a statement. But with an understanding of God’s wisdom one can!
We want to explore God’s wisdom this morning concerning the “Joy” spoken of throughout the Gospel and how we can experience it in our lives.
Man can never find joy without God.
Terry mentioned Heb. 12:2 last week – “Who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross.” To those who choose not to follow Jesus as Lord, in their eyes, this is a foolish statement. To those who have, it is filled with deep understanding and awe! It is humbling. It is the wisdom and power of God.
What is this joy so often referred to in the gospels?
We don’t have the time with one lesson to delve into all that true joy is.
We will attempt to cover one facet of that diamond this morning. A diamond cutter takes special care on where to begin the faceting. If he chooses the right spot, the diamond will turn out beautiful. We will do likewise.
Eph. 2:4-10 (read)
GRACE is the key! The deeper our understanding of the grace of God becomes the more we draw closer to the Joy spoken of.
Grace has been explained as, “undeserved kindness” Someone has put it this way, “Grace is everything for nothing to those who don’t deserve anything.”
An atheist spoke to his friend saying, “There is no God and I’ll prove it. May God strike me dead right now.” After a couple of minutes he said, “See I’m still alive, there is no God.” His friend relied, “You only proved that He is a gracious God!”
Grace is the power of God made available to lead us to true joy!
But it’s more than that! Only by God’s grace can we be saved!
You may of heard this little story:
A Sunday school teacher who wanted to teach her class about grace asked her class, “If I sold my car and house and gave all the money to the church, would I get to heaven?”
No! All the children answered.
She then asked, “If I cleaned the church building every day, mowed the lawn, and kept everything neat and tidy, would I get to Heaven?”
Again the answer was No!
“Well,” she continued, “then how can I get to Heaven?”
From the back of the room came the reply, “You gotta be dead!”
Christian faith is not about what we can do for God, but what God has done for us.
Terry also mentioned Martin Luther which caused me to read a little on him. I now plan to read a lot more.
What Luther saw in the spring of 1513 turned the world of religion on its head. In Luther’s time the church was basically teaching that God was passive, but humanity was to be active. That is, God was on His throne reigning and human beings were to be scurrying around to win God’s favor.
Luther’s eyes were opened to another reality that it is God who is active. Salvation is all about what God has done through Jesus the Christ. Because Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, our debt to God is forever paid!
That my friends, is GRACE!
Why do I need to be saved? Because I am a sinner and the wages of sin is death; eternal separation from God. Like in one of our Hymns, “Grace all sufficient what need I more?”
C.S. Lewis walked into a room where a debate had been going on. He asked, “What’s all the commotion about?” He was informed that they were discussing what unique contribution Christianity provided among the world religions.
Lewis replied, “ Oh, that’s easy, It’s Grace!”
Think on this:
The notion of God’s love coming to us free of charge, seems so against every instinct of human thinking. Or we can say what sounds like an oxymoron but really isn’t, “mans foolish wisdom.”
In other main religions, you have to “earn” approval. Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional.
After looking over God’s Word we soon realize that we can do nothing to earn salvation. One of my favorite verses is found in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 4. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joint and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
God’s word exposes us to ourselves. God’s word informs us of the true reality of our lost state. His word leaves no room for us to rationalize our own way through life. But He doesn’t stop there. He shows us a way to be united with Him. Through the grace of the cross of Jesus the Christ!
Eph: 2:8-9; “For by grace you have been saved through faith – and this not from yourselves – it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Rom. 3:19 -20; “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God. Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”
We can only be saved by grace. We need that undeserved salvation! Remember that statement we mentioned earlier? “Grace is everything for nothing to those who don’t deserve anything!”
I hope we are beginning to see the joy spoken of from our Lord. Christ did enough to provide salvation to any and all!
There are two main principles by which God deals with people: Grace and law.
Think of the nature of God:
- God is all powerful, the Creator
- God is everywhere
- God is personal
- God is holy; the Righteous Judge
- God is love
According to the principle of grace, God deals favorably with people in a way they do not deserve. Law requires Him to deal with people in a way they do deserve.
Since sinners deserve hell, they cannot be delivered from this penalty by law! We are all sinners. Thus, we should be thanking God for His grace. This is the very essence of the new covenant. And understanding this will bring us closer to the true joy spoken of in the gospels.
No one can ever be saved from their sins apart from grace!
This is exactly what Martin Luther experienced for himself. Along with most of us. He knew he was a sinner and he came to know he could not by himself escape God’s justice. He felt condemned. Until he understood God’s grace in Christ!
What has Jesus done for each one of us?
Terry has started a new morning class using single words for each class. I don’t know which words he has chosen but here are seven words the New Testament uses to describe Jesus’ gracious actions on our behalf: Together they give us an insight into the grace of God and the joy that comes through them.
- SUBSTITUTION: Jesus died in our place (1 Pet. 3:18)
- JUSTIFICATION: Jesus can make us right with God (Rom.4:25)
- RECONCILIATION: Jesus made peace with God possible (2 Cor. 5:19)
- ADOPTION: Jesus makes us a part of God’s family (Eph. 1:5)
- REDEMPTION: Jesus purchased our salvation with His blood (1 Pet. 18-19)
- ATONEMENT: Jesus satisfied God’s justice (1 Jn. 2:2; 4-10)
- FORGIVENESS: Jesus sent our sins away from us (Eph. 1:7)
When we look to the cross and see Jesus hanging there, what we do not hear is, “Earn this.”
What we do hear is, “ I chose this. You don’t have to pay anything for it”
Not earn this, but Jesus said “Remember this!”
Grace is often described by using the five letters of the word: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
Salvation is a gift for us to receive not a reward for us to earn (Rom. 6:23)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
All of us at one time or another have had the feeling of unworthiness. I know some who have confided in me that their sins have been to great to ever be forgiven. That their lives have been wasted in the persuit of personal pleasure at the expense of others.
Here is the good news. You do not have to measure up. Don’t look around and say to yourself, if only I had the faith that others have. If only I didn’t waist so much of my life. If only my family life was better. All the “if onlys” we could come up with only rob us of the joy that God freely offers through His grace.
God accepts all of us just where we are. We are loved. Just look to the cross and you will come away knowing you are loved.
Salvation, wholeness, and healing of the inner person by God is not performance based.
In fact, In order to experience God’s grace, we should all drop to our knees in tearful thanksgiving before God that we are not commanded to earn our salvation but that it is the free gift sent from above to all that will accept Jesus as Lord. That’s all we have to do to begin understanding the Joy set before us.
Again: Salvation is a gift for us to receive, not a reward for us to earn!
In closing: We must make every effort to rediscover the doctrine of grace that shook the first century to it’s core. The doctrine of grace was presented as a contrast to the doctrine of law.
You are saved by grace and not by works! You cannot earn your salvation!
We have to be ever vigilant as a church of our Lord Jesus that our message be one of Grace. A church is in danger when it rests on its past laurels, when it is more focused on curing social ills rather than changing people’s hearts through preaching the life-giving gospel of grace found through Jesus the Christ. When I say preaching, I’m speaking to all of us not just the Preacher.
A church is in danger when it is more concerned with what man thinks instead of what God thinks. When it is more concerned for the material in place of the spiritual. When it is more concerned for traditions than the Word of God. Or when it loses the conviction that every word of the Bible is the word of God Himself!
If we allow this to creep into our lives or the life of the church, it won’t matter what the attendance is, or how nice the building looks, or how we are perceived in the community.
A church after slipping away from the only true source of spiritual life, after abandoning the gospel of grace is dead!
I know that some of these words seem harsh, but sometimes harsh words are needed.
To those gathered here this morning that have already accepted Jesus as the Son of God, please take the time to rediscover the meaning of the doctrine of grace. Read about it, pray about it, and meditate about it. “For by grace you have been saved!” That is true Joy! That puts the sparkle in the diamond!
To those gathered here that have not yet made the decision to become a child of God. Who have yet to accept Jesus as Lord of your life, what holds you back?
God is offering you His free gift of grace. The true joy of His promises are free. You can’t earn them. And that is good because there is no way that you could.
Jesus went to the cross for you. He suffered for your sins. Accept Him as Lord and your sins will be wiped away. The scriptures tell us that you will become a new person created through Jesus. You will be forgiven of all your sin! You will be a child of God!
We are about to sing a song, that song? “Amazing Grace” Please take the words of this song to heart. Come forward during the song and confess Jesus as Lord and be baptized in His name and wash away your sins.
