The Impact of Grace
- He had been well, I had seen him alive before I went to bed that evening - and now a few hours later, he lay dead in his room --- the victim of a sudden heart attack at 53 yrs. of age.
- That event impacted my life in many ways, changed its direction for many years.
- Fifteen years later, when I was around 30, I remember sending this girl I knew a postcard.
- We had been friends and I hadn't seen her far a couple of years because she had moved to France and I remained in Canada.
- So one Christmas I decided to send her a postcard to say hello.
- Now what I didn't know is that during the few years I hadn't seen or heard from her, this girl had left Paris and moved back to Montreal.
- Well, that little postcard went from Canada to France and when it got there the building janitor where the girl used to live in Paris got hold of it and forwarded it back to Canada where the girl had moved to.
· You see, on the day the postcard arrived, he had also received a Christmas card from the girl with her forwarding address.
· So he took the postcard and sent it on to her in Canada.
- When that girl received the postcard forwarded from France she looked me up and about a year later that girl and I were married.
· We still have that little postcard in our scrap book.
- That small act of sending a greeting to this girl I once eventually had a tremendous and wonderful impact on my life.
- Now I tell these stories from my own life to underscore the idea that there are certain events or people that have a lasting impact on our lives.
· Not every event, not every person, but some events, some people come into our lives and change them forever.
- * Well, in my lesson today, I'd like to build on this idea and explain to you how one's life is changed when it is impacted by the grace of God.
I. The Impact of Grace.
- Now the Bible is filled with all kinds of information and stories about God, His chosen people the Jews, the coming of Jesus and the establishment of the Church by the Apostles.
- But what the Bible is about is God's effort to impact His grace to every person through Christ.
· Yes there are descriptions of the creation, lessons about faith, teachings from Christ and His Apostles.
- But when you bring all of the information together, what the Bible ultimately gives us is the incredible story of God's love for man and how that love/grace changes or impacts a person's life for good.
· Obviously I don't have the time or ability to detail every change brought on by God's grace, but I can give you three main ones that represent, in one way or another, most of the others.
· O.K., so three ways that the impact of God's grace changes our lives:
1. GRACE MAKES US EAGER TO OBEY.
- The fleshly man, the worldly person, celebrates and applauds disobedience, rebellion.
- Just look at our heroes. They're the guys and gals that break the rules, bend the rules, make their own rules to get what they want.
- But when a person comes into contact with the grace of God, they are the ones who are broken and humbled.
- Jesus describes the feeling in Matt. 5:6 when He says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be satisfied."
- It's a hunger, a thirst, a constant desire to know what is right and do what is right.
- John nails the experience when he says in 1 John 3:6,
"No one who abides in Him sins, no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him."
- Some think John is saying that Christians never sin, never make a mistake, and never fall.
. We know from experience that this isn't true.
- John's point is that those who have been impacted by God's grace do not want to sin, their spirits yearn for purity, righteousness.
· Those who know Him cannot practice sin, they want the very opposite, to quit sinning and practice obedience.
- No law, no meditation, no exercise, philosophy or book can make you want to obey.
* No, this desire is the result of God's grace in our lives and because of it our character, our actions, our directions in life are changed forever.
...Another Change Brought On By The Impact Of Grace...
2. Grace Makes Us Work Hard.
- Now I'm not saying that anyone who works hard has been impacted by grace.
- Lots of people work hard for various reasons.
- People work hard to care for families
- Some work hard to get ahead, or get rich
- Some work hard cause they like to works or they have a dream to accomplish something
- But those who have been impacted by grace work hard in an area where these others would not invest a minute - and that is the building up the kingdom of God here on earth --- what we call the church.
- Paul describes this labor of love brought upon him by God's grace.
READ 1Cor. 15:9-10
- A little further on Paul describes the effort and suffering he has endured because of God's grace (read 2Cor.11:23-28)
- And in this passage he doesn't even mention the thousands of mile traveled the lessons and sermons given, the epistles written and the men trained, not to mention his ministry to the poor and the ill.
- What would move a man who was a religious leader with a comfortable position and a bright future to abandon it all and earn his living as a tradesman from day to day and endure such a difficult and demanding life?
- Paul said it back in 1 Cor.15:10
"By the grace of God, I am what I am".
- You know I can always tell the difference between those people who have been educated in the doctrine of grace and those who have truly experienced the power of God's grace in their lives.
A - Those who have been indoctrinated know the church traditions and can spout the Christian lingo --- but there's no "fire in the belly".
- They don't volunteer, they don't try to know or help others, and they're pretty cheap when it comes to giving.
- They think Christianity is about coming to church on Sundays.
* Attending worship or Bible study is not serving the Lord; worship and Bible study is when the Lord is serving you.
B - Now those who have truly been impacted by God's grace show it by their desire to serve, to work, to give, to sacrifice.
- They may not say much but their work, their contribution says it all --- to the world, to the Church, to the Lord.
· Jesus said that those who are forgiven little, love little and those who are forgiven much, love much - Lk.7:
- Perhaps that's what separates the men from the boys when it comes to hard work in the name of the Lord.
- Perhaps it's just that people who are less motivated are that way because they don't realize what kind of sorry sinner they really are and figure they don't owe God a lot.
- And those who bear the heat of the day and the sweat of heavy spiritual lifting know themselves a little better.
- Maybe it's a question of personal honesty and self awareness.
* All I know is that those who are painfully aware of their true condition before God are usually the most productive and those who are spiritually nearsighted don't usually generate much horsepower.
- Didn't Paul the Apostle say, "I am the chief of sinners"?
- Maybe that's the connection between grace and the desire to work hard for the Lord.
* This leads me to the third change that results from the impact of grace…
3. Grace Makes Us Thankful.
- No other gift given to us in life is more precious than the grace of God, because the Bible says:
A - It is by grace that Jesus was sent to die for our sins Heb.2:9
B- It is by grace that the world came to know about Christ - Tit.2:11
C- It is by grace that we personally have received the truth - John1:17
D- It is by grace that we are saved - Acts 15:11
E - It is by grace that we are justified/forgiven of sins Rom. 3:24
F- It is by grace that we receive the promise of God Rom. 4:16
G- It is by grace that we enjoy peace with God-Rom.5:2
H- It is by grace that we are made free from the demands of the Law - Rom. 6:14
I- It is by grace that we have hope for the future 2Thess. 2:16
· Are you getting a feel for how precious God's grace or favor is?
J- It is by grace that we become who we are in Christ 1Cor.15 : 10
K- It is by grace that we receive gifts so we can minister to others - Rom.12:6
L- It is by grace that we have the courage to speak out Rom.15:15
M- It is by grace that we are able: - to give thanks - 2Cor.4:15
- To give joyful praise - Col.3:16
- To go boldly before God in prayer- Heb.4:16
N- it is by grace that we have, each day, what we need when we need it - Heb.4:16
O- Finally, it is by grace that we are perfected, confirmed, strengthened and established so we can live forever with God in Christ. - 1 Pet.5:10
· Because of these and all other blessings showered down upon us by grace, our hearts are turned to gratitude.
· A life impacted by grace finds a reason to give thanks
in everything seen, heard and felt.
· For this reason Paul says to Titus that grace, "…teaches us to say no to ungodliness, passion, to live upright and Godly lives..." Tit.2:11-12
- Eventually just saying thank you is not enough, the feeling of gratitude spills out in to joyful praise, holy and dedicated living and a genuine love for this grace.
· In speaking of God's grace in terms of the kingdom, the Hebrew writer summarizes it best when he says, "Therefore since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe." Heb.12:28
· The single most recognizable characteristic in the lives of those who have been impacted by the grace of God is a thankful and appreciative heart.
* Whether times are good or bad these brethren are always sensitive to and grateful for God's grace in Christ Jesus.
Summary.
- Alright, let's bring this discussion home.
- Ask yourself - Has the grace of god had an impact on my life?
- Let me help you answer that question:
1. Grace has impacted your life if doing what the Lord wants you to do is continually growing in importance in your life.
- In other words, you may not be perfect -- but you'd like to be.
* And getting rid of sin is a joyful event not a sad nostalgic one.
2. Grace has impacted your life if more of your time and resources have been devoted to the Lord this year than last year.
- Sure we get sick or busy, but in all honesty, is the time effort and money you're investing in the Lord and His Church growing or shrinking?
- You know, Paul's life and ministry wasn't meant to be a monument or a time thing - it was meant to be an example for us to follow! He said to - imitate Him as He imitated Christ.
* Jesus did what He did because He wanted to give us grace; Paul did what he did because] he received grace - the question is, "what do we have to show for the grace that's come in to our lives?
3. Grace has impacted your life if much of your prayer life and much of the motivation for what you do is based on gratitude.
- The virtue of being grateful is the first one to be cultivated in order to be pleasing to God.
- Oh we can be weak in many areas, struggling with bad habits and sinful actions but if we can begin to be grateful for God's kindness and grace, all of these other things can be conquered.
- In Rom. 1:21 Paul says that an ungrateful heart is the first sin that sends man heading into the darkness of every other sin.
* Grace has made a difference, if thankfulness is on your lips and in your heart each day of your life regardless of the circumstances.
- If you can't relate to what I'm saying this morning; if grace has not impacted your life it may mean one of two things:
A - You've not let the grace in!
- You've not allowed God's grace into your life.
- You've not allowed the blood of Jesus to wash away your sins in the water of baptism.
- You've not allowed the Holy Spirit to come and dwell in your soul.
Or
B - You've let the grace out !
- You've resisted Christ's grace and Spirit by being unfaithful or living outside of His commands or refused to feed on His word.
· God is anxious to fill you with His grace if you will let Him, for the first time through repentance and baptism; or for a refill as you are restored.
* Won't you do that today by responding to the call of the Spirit as He moves you to obey Christ.