Grace

Grace

New words gives us new meaning 

New idea. New word. Microwave , TV, cell phone ect 

Just like churches. When ppl start new churches.  New idea. New name. 

Let’s look at the word “Grace”

Receive it like the first time and to embrace it 

We are familiar with the word but do we understand the power of the word?

The idea and understanding of the word gets missed 

Hebrews 12:15 (NIV84): See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 

Hebrews 12:15 (NLT): Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

We need to make sure we don’t “miss” the Grace of God 

Things turn toxic when you try to replace Grace or when you try to substitute Grace 

How can you embrace Grace without understanding sin??

How can you embrace what Christ did on the cross and not understand what He saved you from?

Romans 3:23 (NLT): 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

This Scripture says…”Everyone” has sinned..!!

We dismiss our sins by comparing ourself to others 

Self righteousness/ Pride

So yes….you are sinning and it’s no less than what someone else’s sin is. Sin is sin. There’s no levels or categories of sin to rate them from less to extremely bad ..!!!

Sinning is like a virus, like a craving 

Romans 6:23 (NLT): For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Sin leads to death. 

Most viruses seem to affect the West African regions. 

Ebola 

The Bible talks about sin like a virus that spreads throughout the world. 

If we did sin like we do viruses and see the projected rate of it spreading, ect. 

How would it affect you after seeing a map outlining sin has a virus spreading throughout the world????

When we see viruses spread and the rate of death we get concerned or scared

Why aren’t we like that when we sin?

Romans 5:12 (NLT): When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 

Adam was the host of sin. Adam brought sin into the world 

We have been introduced to sin, death. But now we are introduced to this world Grace

God brought this antidote to us 

Romans 5:15 (NLT): But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 

Gods Grace is “greater” than sin 

Because Grace is greater than sin, this doesn’t give us a license to sin 

Romans 6:1–2 (NLT): Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

When we understand the greatness of Grace then it gives us freedom 

Romans 5:16 (NLT): 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.

Romans 5:17 (NLT): For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 

Romans 5:18 (NLT): Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.

Did you see that?  Read verse 18 again..!!

Sometimes Grace gets missed and we really need to understand what Grace really is 

Religion will not save you ..!!

When you take Grace out, all you are left with is religion 

Religion 

Our attempt to earn God’s favor by adhering to rules and regulations 

Religion is NOT greater than your sin 

Religion is NOT a effective way to deal with sin 

Religion has a keyword called “do”

If you do more 

If you work hard enough 

If you study more 

Religion says do more 

But that’s not what is going to override your sins 

Religion has another keyword 

Outward 

You do things from the outside but inside your heart is still full of sin 

Jesus rebuked the religious leaders 

You look good on the outside but on the inside you are full of sin 

Grace works on the inside 

Religion impose rules (legalism) that are not in the Bible 

Religion will try to make you feel bad. A lot of ppl has experienced that 

Feel judged, condemned 

Conviction is the Good News, the Gospel Message causing us to repent. 

Make sure we understand the difference 

Grace gives us the feeling of freedom because we don’t have to live in fear 

We don’t have to worry if I’m going to make it 

Grace gives us the peace from the pressure of things because it’s been taken care of on the cross 

The outcome of Grace is “Love”

He did for us what we could not do for ourselves 

You have to experience Grace to appreciate it 

The effective way to understand Grace is through experience 

The stories in the Gospels are experiences 

In John 8 we read a story about a woman caught in the act. Probably taken from the bed and dragged to Jesus 

But during the darkest day of her life, the darkest secret has been found out, now becomes the best day of her life 

She meets Jesus..!!

Grace is greater than your darkest day or your darkest secrets 

We live in denial of our lust, pride, greed 

We live in secret and afraid of being found out 

You live in fear of being found out 

Gods Grace is Greater.!!!

You can experience it till it’s brought from the darkness into the light

There is not freedom without Grace 

When you truly confess the things you struggle with and repent you will find this beautiful thing called Grace 

Jesus came to set us free from sin but also set us free from the guilt of sin