God's Grace - Highway Gospel Hall

God’s Grace
Presented by Doug McKillop
November 20, 2019

The favour and graciousness of God to guilty man
Titus 3:4-7 – Grace is poured out on us abundantly
- It stands in contrast to the law which showed no mercy for sin. Under the law the offender died or a sacrifice gave its life.
Two words that often run parallel are MERCY and GRACE
- Bible Dictionary puts it this way:
  - MERCY is great in the greatness of need
  - GRACE is great in the thought of the person exercising it.
  - He showed mercy in that He spared us. He showed grace just because he loved us.
- Romans 8:32 – He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all. How shall He not freely give us all things?
- Romans 5:20 – But where sin abounded, GRACE did much more abound
  - GRACE is infinitely more powerful than sin.
  - With grace in us, we can combat/overcome sin.

1 Peter 1:10 – Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied that this GRACE would come to you.
- So we understand it was part of the eternal plan known in eternity past.
- Very closely linked with our previous top of Predestination and Election
2 Timothy 1:9 – Who has saved us and called us with a Holy Calling. Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Genesis 6:8 – Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord
- This is the first mention of GRACE in the Bible
- Why Noah? Because He was a just man and he walked with God.

John 1:14, 16, 17 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
- John is writing this after the fact, in retrospect
Luke 4:22 – So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.
- His early beginning marked Him as different in an “arresting” way
John 7:45-46 – Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”
- The arresting soldiers returned empty handed after hearing him speak
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
- His voice in a life absent from sin made him totally unique, totally believable, totally with authority.

Freedom from sin. To give us power over sin.
- Romans 6:14 – For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
  - We have the ability to overcome sin in our lives because of grace
- Ephesians 1:7 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
  - His blood cleansed us and gave us access to grace.
- To enable us to share and preach the gospel.
  - Acts 20:24 – But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
    - We can (and must) further the Gospel of Christ by showing His grace towards sinners and our testimony to the change it makes in a life…in our life.
  - To allow us to use our gifts.
    - Romans 12:5-6 – so we, beingmany, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.
      - We all have different gifts, but grace allows us to exercise that gift.
    - Romans 12:6 – in proportion to our faith
      - To allow us to build up the church
      - If we recognize a gift in others, we need to encourage it.
      - If we feel hesitant or inferior…that is where grace comes in.
      - Grace wants to help and assist us in stepping up.

Come BOLDLY
- Hebrews 4:16 – Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
  - Here are the two words – mercy and grace – together.
  - Notice the order. Mercy first. Cleaning the slate of sin (of things we should not have done) and then obtaining grace (the things we should do with His power).
  - Remember who the writer is speaking to. A people in the pas who had no access except through the High Priest. This was a huge learning curve for them – Full access anytime, PERSONALLY.
  - We can do this with no fear but with CONFIDENCE (BOLDLY), when sin I confessed

By being a good steward
- 1 Peter 4:8-10 – And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
By our speech
- Colossians 4:4-6 – Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
  - When the Lord in His ministry spoke, it arrested people because in His person was no sin.
  - So with us – if there is sin or attitude, it shows. If we have not asked for mercy, it will show and make us ineffective
  - It also reflects on the local testimony. It can be felt.
  - You can tell someone who is living in the fulness of grace in a flash. You might no even talk to them, it just shows.
  - The same goes for the assembly – it is immediately evident.
- In weakness and dependence
  - 2 Corinthians 12:9 – And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
    - Paul prayed to have the thorn in His side removed three times, but the answers was NO.
    - Sometime, like Paul, we have to live out grace in adversity.
    - But in our weakness is often when we are most effective. (ie preaching the gospel)

It never ends, it just gets better
- Ephesians 2:4-8 – But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
We have become heirs of God
- Titus 3:4-7 – But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
  - Grace NEVER ends!
  - To experience it fully and the amazement of it, we need a new body.
  - Our current body can’t handle it. We need a new body, free of sin.