So I just kind of want to go ahead and let you know that I'm extremely physically fatigued this morning.
Shorter breath.
Really tired.
And I think I might even would have passed this off to somebody else, but I thought I'll let Caleb do it.
! Wait a minute, Caleb's doing music. He can't do it.
So I was kind of just thinking I have to deal with it.
So I'm really tired, but I wonder why sometimes God allows me to be so driven down at a time like this.
Where I'm like, this is so important. This is so rich.
I want to feel good for it. I want to have energy for it.
But, and two brothers have quoted the same scripture to me on separate occasions this morning.
But, ultimately, it's so that I may not boast in my own strength that God's grace is sufficient.
And that His power has made perfect in weakness.
And so I've got nothing. I have nothing for you this morning.
Like, you're going to be, if you receive anything good this morning, it's going to be simply because of the grace of God and because of the power of His Word.
And so, throughout the service, just keep me in prayer.
And I pray that.
I was remembering Richard Baxter, who was a Puritan pastor.
He said, a man only preacheth well to others when he first preacheth to his own soul.
And so I've been trying to remind myself that this is not just a lecture on grace.
This is something that's life-giving, even to me, as I think about it, pray over it, read it.
And so, just join me in prayer one more time here.
Father, we gather this morning, not because of any other reason, but to celebrate Your greatness, to celebrate who You are and what You've done for us.
So, Lord, I ask this morning that You would give me just enough to make it through this time,
that Your Word would minister to people, that it would have its desired effect on people.
You would meet each one of us where we are.
You would convict us of sin.
You would break us down.
But then You would build us up and fill us with life because of Christ.
Heal the brokenhearted.
Set the captive free.
Lord, have Your way this morning.
In Christ's name, Amen.
So last week, we started a five-week series on the five solos of the Reformation.
And so, if you don't know, the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation is coming up on October 31st.
And I just kind of want to be clear about this.
It's not a movement that we worship.
It's not certain men that we worship.
It's about the God that worked in that time and brought about certain things for His glory during that time that we worship.
And so, we can learn from the past.
We can learn from those who went before us.
I think it's the height of arrogance, especially in our culture, that we don't need things from the past.
That we're much more advanced and smarter than a lot of the men and women who went before us.
But, you know, as a pastor, as someone who does find much encouragement from history,
I think you would be terrified if you could see the parallels between the modern evangelical church and the medieval church.
I think you would be really terrified.
There's so much that has come back.
And we have very much slipped back into medievalism in a lot of ways.
So, October 31st, 1517 is the day when the German Augustinian monk Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
And it was a protest against the selling of indulgences by the Roman church.
The irony of it is that Luther actually thought that Rome was being misrepresented by the selling of indulgences.
He thought this was something that if the Pope knew that this was happening, he would not be okay with it.
So, the irony is he dedicated the 95 theses to Pope Leo.
Pretty funny.
So, then later on he came to find out that, like, wait a minute, this has actually got Rome's stamp of approval on it.
The selling of indulgences, a certified document from Rome that could absolve someone from their sins if they bought it, if they bought it with money.
And you could get yourself or a dead relative out of purgatory or out of hell to go to heaven.
With an indulgence.
And it started when a man named John Tetzel, who was like the number one seller of indulgences in the Holy Roman Empire at the time,
came to Luther's area and he started corrupting his people with the teaching of indulgences.
And it really ticked Luther off.
And so, he said, wait a minute, this is not Scripture.
This is not what grace is.
This is not what salvation is.
And so, he protested, again, to his horror, only to find out at the end of the day that Rome was behind this.
Rome was supporting it.
And so, instead of leaning into Luther's call for reformation, Rome, you know, bucked up against it and pushed against the need for reform.
But I think it's important to say that Luther was not the first reformer.
There were plenty of men who went before him who taught the same things, including people in England like John Wycliffe, which we talked about before.
A man named John Huss, who was a bohemian pastor, who taught that salvation was by grace alone, that the Scripture alone was our authority.
He taught in the language of the common people and not in Latin.
And for that, he was eventually burned at the stake by Rome, stripped him of all his preaching garments.
And supposedly, okay, John Huss said to the bishop who was setting him on fire,
in a hundred years, there's a man that's going to come, and you're not going to be able to stop him.
You're not going to be able to silence him like you're trying to silence me.
And so, almost to the day, a hundred years later, is when Luther came into being a monk.
And here's the irony.
He was actually ordained as a monk in the same cathedral where that bishop was buried.
Like, he was buried underneath where Luther was taking that oath.
And so, the joke goes that after John Huss said,
in a hundred years, someone's going to come and you won't be able to silence,
the bishop said, over my dead body.
So, really, that was a prophecy that came true.
And so, but I want you to be clear that Luther,
Swingley,
John Calvin,
John Huss,
none of these men were perfect men.
If you study them,
you will see that they were in just as much need of these doctrines as we were.
They were not perfect men.
And indeed, some of the things that they did would frighten you, I think.
So, we don't celebrate them.
We celebrate our God that they made much of, right?
And so, the five solas really were consolidated as doctrines,
maybe around the 20th century.
So, it wasn't like the Reformers got together and said,
hey, these are five things that we believe.
It was just things that were being taught.
And we brought them together probably around the 20th century.
And why is important?
Why is that important?
Because, well, first let me tell you what they are.
I apologize.
It means that Scripture alone is our authority.
The salvation is by God's grace alone,
through faith alone,
in Christ alone,
and all to the glory of God alone.
And why is that so important?
Well, if it's not alone,
then you're saying something has to be added.
Then you're saying the Scripture and something.
Grace and something.
Faith and something.
Christ and something.
And to the glory of God and something else.
So, that's why it has to be alone, right?
So, by stating these solas,
you were stating what's true,
and at the same time,
you're stating what was false.
So, the Reformers were saying,
Scripture is not only necessary,
it's sufficient.
Christ is not only necessary,
He's enough.
And that grace is not only necessary,
but God's grace alone is what saves.
So, those are just so important
to keep in our mind
that Rome taught these things,
but they didn't teach them alone.
They just thought that they were necessary and good.
So, today,
it brings us to sola gratia,
grace alone.
And there is so much about this.
I think part of my problem
was I had just a wealth of things
I was looking at this week
that I was just overwhelmed by it all.
So,
God's grace alone is what saves us.
It encompasses all our salvation.
And so,
just to start with this,
the Roman view of grace,
the Roman Catholic view of grace,
then,
and now,
is that grace,
in essence,
is God's merited favor
or divine assistance
that He dispenses
to those who seek to please Him.
Alright?
Grace,
in essence,
is God's merited favor,
which doesn't quite sound right.
So,
they were taught,
then and now,
taught that sinners are justified
by God's grace
plus some merit of their own,
and that the road of salvation
begins with the individual's efforts
aided by the grace of God.
So,
through keeping the commands of Christ,
regular confession,
penance,
taking of the sacraments,
God's grace is,
in fact,
infused into believers.
Like,
it's something that God dispenses
and strengthens you with.
Right?
So,
when enough merit
has been obtained,
then and only then
is it right for God
to justify you
and make you right
in His sight.
But Rome,
at this time,
taught that actually
no one could ever
merit enough
to have salvation.
No one.
Right?
And so,
that's why
purgatory exists.
So,
purgatory
is not a
biblical idea
at all.
But Rome taught,
again,
that no one
can merit enough
salvation,
merit enough
to achieve salvation.
So,
purgatory
is a safety net.
So,
if you can't work it out
in this life,
you fall down
to the next one
and you
are able to work it out
there
and then
later on
be admitted
to heaven.
But if I could,
I would,
many people
have summed up
Rome's teaching
on grace
just like this.
God helps those
who help
themselves.
Okay?
So,
that was a Roman idea.
And,
here's the shocking
thing though.
A study a few years ago
of evangelicals,
half of them
thought that that was
a direct
biblical quotation.
Eighty-four percent
of them believed
it was at least
a biblical idea.
And so,
it's not just
scary
to think that we are
again,
drifting back
into medievalism.
It is
very frightening
indeed.
In fact,
Benjamin Franklin
is the one
who penned that.
God helps those
who help themselves
in Paul Richard's
Almanac
in 1739.
But he really
was echoing
something that
the Roman church
taught
at the time
of the Reformation.
A very popular
phrase that Rome
taught
to the masses
was this phrase,
God will not
deny His grace
to those
who do
what they can.
So,
deep down,
right,
man's sinful
pride wants
to believe
that if we
cannot save
ourselves,
that we at
least can
contribute
something
to aid
in our
salvation.
So,
the Reformers
came along
and said,
no,
God is not,
grace is not
God's merited
favor.
Grace means
His unmerited
favor.
It's the very
opposite of
grace.
You can't have
grace and
merit.
You can either
have merit
or grace.
And so,
if you want a
definition of
God's grace,
here you go.
God's grace
means His
unmerited
favor and
goodness
towards those
who only
deserve
punishment.
God's grace
means His
unmerited
favor and
goodness
towards those
who only
deserve
punishment.
Romans 11,
6 says,
if it is by
grace,
then it is
no longer
on the
basis of
works.
Otherwise,
grace would
no longer
be grace.
So,
you can't
have both
together.
So,
the Reformers
were saying
grace is not
something God
just dispenses.
It's an
attribute He
possesses.
It's in His
nature to
be gracious.
It's His
kindness and
His grace
alone that
saves.
So,
as we look
at this,
we're going
to use
Ephesians 2
to walk
through this
idea of
grace.
And again,
this is a
scripture alone,
not on just
what people
say.
We're going
to do it in
the form of
questions like
I like to
do a lot
of the time.
So,
I'll read
the text
with you
and
we'll go
from there.
Chapter 2,
verse 1.
And you
were dead
in your
trespasses
and sins,
in which
you once
walked,
following the
course of
this world,
following the
prince of
the power
of the air,
the spirit
that is now
at work,
and the
sons of
disobedience,
among whom
we all
once
live in
the passions
of our
flesh,
carrying out
the desires
of the body
and the mind,
and by
nature,
children of
wrath like
the rest
of mankind.
But God,
being rich in
mercy,
because of the
great love
with which
he loved us,
even when we
were dead
and our
trespasses,
made us alive
together with
Christ,
by grace
you have
been saved,
and raised
us up with
him and
seated us
with him
in heavenly
places in
Christ Jesus,
so that in
the coming
ages he
might show
the immeasurable
riches of
his grace
and kindness
towards us
in Christ
Jesus.
For by grace
you have been
saved through
faith,
and this is
not your
undoing,
it is the
gift of
God,
not a result
of works,
so that no
one may
boast.
For we are
his workmanship,
created in
Christ Jesus
for good
works,
which God
prepared beforehand
that we
should walk
in them.
So that's
our text,
and there is
so much to
learn about
grace in
this text,
so much.
So,
the first
question we're
going to ask
is,
how great
is our
need for
God's
grace?
How great
is our
need for
God's
grace?
We see
this in
the first
three verses,
one through
three,
we see
that our
need is
very,
very great
for God's
grace.
We were
created in
the image
of God,
to walk
with him,
to know
him,
to live
in joyful
obedience
and relationship
with him,
and to honor
him in all
we do,
to reflect
his image
wherever we
go.
We had a
special standing
with God,
unlike anyone
else,
any other
thing in
all the
created
order.
Yet,
tragically,
we know
that each
one of
us have
completely
forfeited
our special
standing
with God
by rebelling
against him,
sinning
against him,
and turning
away from
him.
Isaiah 53,
6,
all we like
sheep have
gone astray.
We have
turned everyone
to his own
way.
We all
have done
this,
every one
of us.
we have
separated
ourselves
from God
and now
we are
alienated
from him
in our
lost,
fallen
state.
So,
that's the
testimony of
scripture.
It's the
testimony of
history.
If you
think that
man has
some goodness
in him,
you need
to open
your eyes
to your
own heart
and the
world around
you,
and you
will see
that it's
not there.
St. Augustine,
who was a
fourth-century
church father,
he was one
that a lot
of the
reformers
looked to
rediscover,
to pick back
up on
the gospel.
He said,
the whole
humility of
man consists
in the
knowledge of
himself.
So,
let's look at
this text so
we can gain
a better
idea of
that.
First off,
we see that
man is
dead in
his
trespasses
and sin.
So,
again,
many in
our
churches
today,
just like
in the
medieval
Roman
church,
we
believe
in a
lot of
ways.
If you
just go
around the
churches,
listen to
sermons,
listen to
what people
look for
in church,
we really
believe that
we're born
basically
good,
that we
need God
to help
us a little
bit and
give us
some moral
guidance on
how to
live a good
life,
but we
just need
some
encouragement.
And that
would be a
heresy
called
Pelagianism
because
we believe
that man
is born
basically
good.
Pelagianism.
Man is
not just
born
spiritually
sick.
Okay?
If you're
sick,
you just
need a
doctor to
give you
some medical
attention to
make you
better.
That's what
would be
called
semi-Pelagianism
or Arminianism.
You can
cooperate.
You just
have to have
somebody come
and help
you.
Like you're
sick,
you're
desperate for
some help
and all
you need
is someone
to come
and give
you some
attention.
But we
see that
man is
dead in
his
trespasses,
born in
sin and
by nature
spiritually
dead.
That word
means corpse.
So not
just spiritually
misguided,
are spiritually
sick,
but we're
spiritually
dead.
Meaning our
souls are
dead to
all that
God is and
that we have
no ability
to do
spiritual
good.
before God
or to
initiate
a relationship
with God.
We're born
dead in
sin.
It says
this in our
text.
This is what
he's trying
to say.
And he's
setting it
up for
something else
though.
Not only
are we
dead in
sin,
let's see
that our
spiritual
senses have
been darkened
by sin.
Men are
born blind
in death
to spiritual
truth.
That's what
the Bible
teaches.
Verse 3,
they live
in the
passions
of our
flesh,
carrying out
the desires
of the
body and
the mind.
Our minds
are darkened
by sin
and our
hearts
corrupted
by evil
and fallen
man cannot
even begin
to initiate
something good
with God.
Paul wrote
later on
in the same
letter,
just turn
up a couple
chapters to
chapter 4
in Ephesians,
but verse
17,
chapter 4,
he says,
Now this I
say in
testifying
the Lord,
that you
must no
longer walk
as the
Gentiles do
in the
futility
of their
minds.
They are
darkened
in their
understanding,
alienated
from the
life of
God
because of
the ignorance
that is in
them due
to the
hardness
of heart,
their
hardness
of heart.
They have
become
callous
and have
even given
themselves
up to
sensuality,
greedy to
practice every
kind of
impurity.
So look at
those terms,
darkened
in understanding,
alienated
from God,
ignorant,
hardness
of heart,
callous.
That is a
description of
who we are
before Christ.
It's
terrifying.
Not only
this,
if we keep
reading back
in our text
in Ephesians
2, it says
that we
followed the
prince of
the power
of the
air.
That's
Satan,
the devil.
This is
terrifying.
Before we
are in
Christ,
scripture
says that
we are
children of
the devil,
under his
control,
enslaved to
sin.
Alright?
If you don't
agree with that,
just listen to
this.
Jesus was
talking in
John 8
with a large
group of
people who
refused to
believe that
he was the
son of
God.
And this
is what he
said to
them.
This is
not real
seeker friendly
at all.
He says,
you are of
your father,
the devil,
and you
want to
do the
will of
your father.
That's
scary.
Paul later
on prayed
that unbelievers
would escape
the snare
of the devil
after being
captured by
him to
do his
will.
2 Timothy
2.26
God.
So not
all belong
to God,
and that's
a frightening
thought.
It says
that we
are sons
of
disobedience
and our
end is
wrath.
That's what
we read
right here
in our
text.
By
nature,
we are
children
of
wrath
like the
rest
of
mankind.
So,
left in
our fallen
original
state,
we are
only objects
of God's
wrath
and
condemnation.
So,
not just
sick,
not just
misguided,
but desperately,
desperately
fallen.
We are
dead in
our
trespasses.
So,
why is this
so important,
right?
Well,
you will
minimize
the grace
of God
if you
hold too
high a
view of
yourself.
In the
Roman church
at this
time,
they had
pragmatic
theologians
and they
taught,
at least
in this
time,
right,
they judged
a doctrine
to be
true or
not,
if it
was useful
for
contemporary
life,
and if
it wasn't
hard to
grasp.
So,
Erasmus,
who was
one of
Luther's
opponents
later on,
Roman
Catholic
theologian,
Desiderius
Erasmus,
he basically
said,
look,
Luther,
even if
Scripture
does teach
that man
is so
fallen,
so
depraved,
so
helpless,
we
shouldn't
teach the
people
that,
because if
we do,
they're just
going to
despair,
and they're
not even
going to
want to
even try
to improve
their
condition.
That's
what they
taught.
Sound
familiar
today?
As where
the
reformers
and Luther
said,
no,
it's the
eternal
idea of
God's
truth that
matters,
not our
feelings,
or whether
or not
we think
something's
helpful or
not,
and you
will
diminish,
if you
diminish our
desperate
spiritual
condition,
you will
diminish the
glory of
God in
saving us.
That's what
they were
saying.
So it
doesn't matter
if it's
helpful in
our moment
or not,
in this
moment or
not.
So,
such a
desperate
spiritual
state leaves
us at
God's
mercy.
And it
goes to
question
number
two.
Go back
to Ephesians
two.
You see
this in
verses five
and six.
Okay,
the question
is,
how did
God provide
his grace
for us?
Verses
five and
six.
And we
see
beautifully
that he
did it
in Christ
by sending
his son.
this saving
grace that
we know,
this unmerited
favor of
the Father
came at
a great
cost.
It
was costly
grace because
it cost the
precious blood
of Christ,
the only
blood of
the Father.
Ephesians
one,
verse seven,
it says,
in him,
in Christ,
we have
redemption
through his
blood,
the forgiveness
of our
trespasses
according to
the riches
of his
grace,
which he
lavished on
us.
So,
we don't
have really
many places
to turn this
morning other
than Ephesians
two,
but my
classic text,
go to
Romans five,
Romans five
really quick.
I just
want you to
see this.
Romans five
and go to
verse six.
God
provided his
grace for
us and
he sent
Christ to
come and
die on
our behalf.
provided in
the Savior.
Okay.
Romans five
verse six.
For while
we were
still weak,
at the
right time
Christ died
for the
ungodly.
Okay,
now,
pause.
So,
God doesn't
help those
who help
themselves.
It says
that we
are weak
and helpless.
We cannot
help
ourselves.
Right?
We're not
in any
position.
At the
right time
Christ died
for the
ungodly.
For one
will scarcely
die for
a righteous
person,
though perhaps
for a good
person one
would even
dare to
die.
Listen to
this.
But God
chose his
love for
us and
that while
we were
still
sinners,
Christ
died for
us.
Since
therefore we
now have
been justified
by his
blood,
much more
shall I be
saved by
him from
the wrath
of God.
For if
we were
enemies,
we were
reconciled
to God
by the
death
of his
son.
Much
more,
now that
we are
reconciled,
shall we
be saved
by his
life.
So good.
Chew on
those verses
today when
you go
home.
But you
see these
phrases that
are used
of a lost
person?
Without
Christ,
they are
ungodly,
they are
weak,
they are
enemies,
they are
sinners,
and they are
separated.
That is
all scary
news,
right?
But we
see that
Christ died
for us,
reconciled us
to God,
and made
us right
with God.
Beautiful
picture.
Okay?
So,
this is a
picture of
the work,
how God
provided his
grace for
us,
that he
sent Christ
to die
for us.
So listen
to this,
if you can,
just pull
in,
take this
in.
again,
it's in
God's
nature
to be
gracious.
So God
is not
gracious
to us
because
Jesus
died for
us.
Jesus
died for
us because
God is
gracious to
us.
You
follow that?
God is
not gracious
to us
because Christ
died for
us,
but Christ
died for
us because
God is
gracious.
So it
is the
grace of
the Father
who initiated
with us
and that
Jesus came
and died
in our
place.
He is
how we
have the
grace of
God.
So in a
sense,
the reformers
were saying
that grace
isn't some
thing that
God just
sort of
throws out
to us.
He sent
us Christ
and in
Christ is
all the
grace we
need.
In
Christ,
not outside
of Christ.
So,
they were
saying we
can distort
the character
of the
Father.
He is
just,
he is
righteous,
but he
is also
gracious
and loving.
Right?
And that's
how we see
in Romans,
right,
that God
remained
just by
punishing
Christ,
but in
through that
he became
the justifier
of the
one who
had faith
in Christ.
Brings us
to our
third
question.
What is
the means
of receiving
God's
grace?
Alright,
look at
verses 8
and 9.
For by
grace you
have been
saved
through
faith,
and this
is not
your own
doing,
it is
the gift
of God,
not of
the result
of works,
so that
no one
may boast.
So,
as fallen
human beings,
we all
have a
tendency,
every one
of you,
and me,
we have a
tendency to
want to seek
to earn
God's favor.
behavior.
This is
how the
world operates
around us,
every day,
right?
Kids try to
be on good
behavior to
earn their
parents'
favor.
Students
work really
hard to
make good
grazing class.
You work
really hard
to make a
sports team
and perform
well at work
to hopefully
get a
promotion.
Our whole
life is
saturated with
performance-based
acceptance.
So,
very easily
that drips
into our
relationship
with God.
So,
if you
struggle with
that,
just know
that's
affecting,
you know,
your
understanding
of the
nature of
God,
right?
And it's
something that
the other
religions and
cults of the
world have
picked up on.
You know,
work your
way,
earn your
way to
God,
appease
Him some
way,
and that's
not how it
is.
The reality
is that God's
salvation is by
grace alone.
And that's a
message that the
whole world needs
to hear.
So,
God doesn't even
want you to
contribute 1%
of your
salvation so
that you have
no grounds
to boast,
right?
So,
imagine if
someone committed
the most
atrocious crime
to you,
towards you,
and then they
tried to make
amends by giving
you just a little
bit of money
for it.
You know,
that makes no
sense at all.
And that's how
we kind of act
with God,
that,
you know,
we can
disapace His
justice if we
just do a
few,
quote,
good things.
And that's
not how His
justice works.
Remember,
God's grace
means that His
unmerited favor
and goodness
towards those
who deserve
only punishment.
None of us
deserve it.
Again,
otherwise,
grace would
not be
grace.
And He is
not under
obligation to
show us
grace.
You should
hear that.
God is not
obligated to
show us
grace.
Exodus 33,
19,
also quoted
in Romans
9,
Lord,
the Lord
said,
I will be
gracious to
whom I
will be
gracious,
and I
will show
mercy on
whom I
will show
mercy.
Yet,
astonishingly,
shockingly,
God did
choose to
show us
His grace.
And it
was a
gift,
a gift
of God
that we
read,
right?
That means
like the
faith,
the faith
itself is
a gift
of God
towards you.
So,
one commentator
I read,
he said,
faith is
simply breathing
the breath
that God's
grace provides.
Faith is
breathing the
breath that
God's grace
provides.
So we
cannot be
good enough,
we cannot
do enough
good works
to make
ourselves
right with
God.
we cannot.
So,
the only
way to
receive it
again is
by faith.
And God's
grace provides
this.
Question
number four.
Thanks for
bearing with
me,
I'm
struggling
right now.
Question
number four.
Why,
this is
important,
why did
God choose
to show
us His
grace?
Why?
See this
in verses
four and
seven.
God being
rich in
mercy
because of
the great
love which
He loved
us.
And in
verse seven,
so that in
the coming
age He
might show
the immeasurable
riches of
His grace
and kindness
towards us
in Christ
Jesus.
So,
it could
be said
that the
first two
words of
that are
so beautiful,
but God,
right?
though we
were helplessly
lost,
enslaved to
sin,
children of
the devil,
held captive
to do
His will,
hearts darkened
by sin,
minds
corrupted by
evil,
though we
had done
nothing but
rebel against
Him,
but God.
So,
why did
God choose
us to
show us
His grace?
Not because
we were
worthy,
not because
we cleaned
ourselves up
enough to
make ourselves
acceptable to
God,
not because
we earned
His favor,
we earned
only death,
Romans 6,
the wages of
sin is death,
right?
only because
of the
riches of
His mercy
and grace.
So,
this word,
this word
rich right
here that
you see,
it means
overabounding
without measure
in mercy
towards us.
So,
that is
God's mercy,
His pardoning,
His forgiving.
So,
then we read
because of
the great
love with
which He
loved us,
agape,
my favorite,
one of my
favorite words,
agape,
the highest
form of
love and
existence.
So,
it's not like,
I think most
of us can't
get our heads
around this.
I think we
minimize like
how great
this idea
of love is.
It's not
brotherly love.
It's not even
like the affection
that a marital
couple has
with each other.
It's higher
than that.
God in His
nature is by
definition,
love.
His love is
infinitely greater
than any human
love can express.
And,
this word,
in Greek
speaking culture,
back then,
it hardly ever
pops up.
It was never
really used a lot
because they
didn't really have
a right context
for it.
But the New
Testament,
it occurs
320 times,
speaking about
God's
self-sacrificing,
unconditional
love.
So,
it's a love
not of human
origin.
Right?
Humans don't
have this kind
of love.
We don't
die for our
enemies.
Right?
This is only
the God type
love that
Christ died
for us
while we were
His enemies,
while we were
still sinners.
So,
listen to this.
You must have
a high view
of sin
and depravity
because if
you do,
it will
help you
magnify
the love
of God
much more
than those
who have
a low view
of sin.
If you
think that
you're actually
worthy of
God's love,
then God's
love is
puny.
But God's
love is
magnified
because He
chose to
love that
which was
unlovable.
Us.
Right?
It's so much
more beautiful,
so much more
glorious when
we see that
He just simply
chose to
love us,
not because
we deserve
it.
Right?
It says that
in 1 John
does it not?
We love
why?
Because He
first loved
us.
Right?
So that He
might show
the immeasurable
riches of
His grace.
Each one of
you who are
in Christ,
you're a
trophy of
God's grace.
I like to
deer hunt.
I've only
killed a couple
of big bucks.
I only mounted
one of them,
and that's my
trophy.
I don't even
have it in my
house,
in my parents'
house.
My brother
is a deer
slayer,
though.
He has
like,
deers all
over the
wall,
massive
deers.
And,
not a
direct
connection,
but each
one of us
who are in
Christ,
we are a
trophy of
God's grace.
We are a
trophy of
God's goodness.
Why,
each one of
us have
been changed
and redeemed
by Christ.
We are a
trophy of
grace,
each one of
us.
So,
this is the
last place I
want you to
look,
but just flip
over to
Ephesians 1.
I'm trying to
keep you in
Ephesians.
Ephesians 1,
verse 5.
And we see
this, that God
did this to the
praise of His
glory.
Sola
Dei
Gloria.
says,
in love,
He predestined
us for
adoption as
sons through
Jesus Christ,
according to
the purpose
of His
will,
listen to this,
to the praise
of His
glorious grace
with which He
has blessed us
in the
beloved.
In Him,
we have
redemption
through His
blood,
the forgiveness
of our
trespasses,
according to
the riches
of His
grace,
which He
lavished upon
us in all
wisdom and
insight,
making known
to us the
mystery of
His will,
according to
His purpose,
which He
set forth
in Christ,
as a plan
for the
fullness of
time to
unite all
things in
Him,
things in
heaven and
things on
earth.
So,
He did
this for
the praise
of His
glorious
grace.
That's
mind-blowing
to me.
But listen
to this,
if God's
glory is at
stake here,
that's
huge,
because it
means that
He won't
suffer His
glory to
be diminished.
Okay,
so that leads
us to the
fifth thing,
the last
question.
How should
we respond
to God's
grace?
How should
we respond
to God's
grace?
In a way,
in verse
10,
back in
chapter 2,
it says that
we are His
workmanship,
created in
Christ Jesus
for good
works,
which He
prepared
beforehand
that we
should walk
in them.
So,
I think
each one of
us would
find ourselves
in one
of these
two
positions,
naturally
speaking.
We would
find that
our natural
tendency is
either to
drift away
from God's
grace with
either legalism
or licentiousness.
We either
de-appreciate
God's grace.
this is
sad.
So,
let's just
unpack this.
These are
two wrong
responses
to God's
grace that
each one of
us will
find ourselves
in at
some point.
The first
one is
the cheap
grace
mentality.
We look at
God's grace
and we treat
it like it
wasn't costly,
like it's
not valuable.
Many of
you may
have found
yourself in
this position.
This was
the story of
my life.
If you
ever heard
me tell
you my
story,
it would
be filled
with this
kind of
stuff.
Or we
say,
grace,
that's
awesome.
Boy,
I'm glad
I'm
saved,
so no
matter
what I
do now,
I'm
okay with
God.
I've
got my
get out
of hell
free ticket
because of
God's
grace and
now I
can send
all I
want to.
I
thought
that way
for years.
So,
as long
as I
go to
church on
Sunday and
Wednesday
and try
to go
do the
thing,
get baptized,
join the
church,
I'm
okay.
Yet,
if that's
you this
morning,
know that
Scripture
says that a
lot of people
are deceived
into thinking
they belong
to Christ
and they
are not.
2 Corinthians
13.5,
a verse I
had never
read until
about ten
years ago
when I
became a
believer.
It says,
examine
yourselves to
see whether
or not you
are in the
faith.
Test
yourselves.
Well, I
was told not
to doubt
myself, so I'm
not going to
listen to
that.
I pray my
prayers, I'm
good.
No, he
says test
yourself to
see if you
are in
the faith.
And I
had no
love of
God.
If you
had watched
my life, I
had no fear
of God.
And that's
the tragedy
of the Bible
belt in a
lot of ways,
that we are
so accustomed
to the good
news that it's
really just
dull and old
news to us.
And so, if you
find yourself
there, if you
can walk up
to Jesus,
hang on the
cross, and
say to Him,
I know that
you're suffering
now from my
sin, and
that you're
dying wish is
that I go
and sin no
more, but
there's just
one need I
have that
can only be
fulfilled by
sinning.
So I hope
you understand
as I thrust
this sword
into your
side.
So now I'm
glad that
your blood
forgives me
because I'm
doing this.
Those who
are born of
God cannot
think that
way.
Cannot
think that
way.
If you see
God's grace
as a license
to sin,
hear this,
Paul says
in Romans
6,
what shall
we say
then?
Will we
continue that
grace may
abound?
By no
means.
How can
we who
died to
sin still
live in
it?
Your sin
killed Christ,
right?
We can't be
friends with it
any longer.
And if that's
how you think,
just advance
at your own
peril.
You're getting
a warning
this morning.
Stop and
look at your
life.
That is not
the right way
to respond
to the
grace of
God.
Paul actually
says later
on,
Romans 3,
8,
if you
think this
way,
let us
sin that
good may
come,
he says,
as some
slanderously
charge us,
he says,
your condemnation
is just,
if we think
this way.
So,
that's the
first wrong
response.
To treat
the precious
blood of
Christ is
cheap.
the second
wrong response,
which is just
as bad,
is legalism.
There's so
much talk
about legalism.
I think most
people can't
even really
properly define
it.
But in our
case,
we're going
to say that
it's an attempt
to basically
improve upon
the grace
of God.
Like,
I like God's
grace,
but I want
to make sure
that I still
add a little
bit of my
own goodness
into it,
just in
case.
I want
to have
Christ plus
some good
things to
my account.
And that
is making
a mockery
of the
sacrifice of
Christ.
It's a slap
in the face
of God
to say
that the
blood of
His Son
was not
enough.
Alright?
You cannot
add or
try to improve
the grace
of God.
Christ's
death was
sufficient.
Okay?
So,
I'm going
to try to
spend the
rest of
this time
on our
right
response.
Alright?
So,
here's a
few things,
I think,
four things
that can
kind of,
what's the
right response
to the
grace of
God?
For one,
is
obedience.
Listen to
this.
Saving grace
not only
sets us
free from
spiritual
bondage,
but at the
same,
saving grace
also transforms
our lives
into joyful
obedience.
Alright?
Saving grace
not only
sets us
free from
spiritual
bondage,
but it
transforms
our lives
into joyful
obedience.
Good works
don't earn
God's grace
for us,
but the
church has
taught for a
long time,
the Protestant
evangelical
church,
the good works
aren't the
means of
salvation,
but they're
the fruit of
salvation,
the evidence
of salvation.
we want
to serve
God.
Our hearts
are changed.
So that is
the outflow,
is a desire
to want to
follow God.
There's a
change in
your heart.
I want
to do
what he
says,
not that I
have to
or whatever,
it's a
desire
change.
Joyful
obedience,
not legal
obedience.
Another
thing that
it accomplishes
is humility.
humility.
So humility
in this case
isn't just
trying to
feel small
or feel
useless
or inferior,
but it's
this idea
that God
is so great,
so majestic,
so glorious
in his grace
and we see
ourselves in
light of that.
So we're
humbled by
the knowledge
that such a
holy,
righteous God
would show
us grace.
That should
make us
just feel
overwhelmed,
completely
humbled,
humbled at
that reality
that he
would show
such amazing
grace to
us in
Christ Jesus.
Like,
why?
Why?
Why me?
Why you?
Right?
No sense
of entitlement.
It's a
humbling
reality.
God's grace
humbles us.
And this
is a great
one.
Assurance.
Okay?
Another
response.
Assurance.
Because salvation
began as a
work of God's
grace,
it's also
going to be
brought to
completion by
God's grace.
God's,
the same
sovereign grace
that saved us
is the grace
that leads us
home.
Right?
That's what
Newton said.
It was grace
that taught my
heart to fear,
in grace my
fears relieved.
How precious
did the grace
appear the hour
I first
believed.
Christ.
So,
he will
finish it.
Paul says,
I am confident
that he who
began the
good work in
you will
bring it to
completion at
the day of
Christ Jesus.
Humans are
notorious for
starting projects
they can't
finish.
I'm the best
example.
And it's
usually either
a lack of
resources or
lack of
desire to
finish a
project,
lack of
time,
whatever.
God lacks
none of those
things to
finish what
he starts.
He always
finishes what
he starts.
And so,
take comfort
in that
reality that
grace started
this and
grace is
going to
finish it.
And then
lastly,
worship.
As we find
our minds
expanded by
the grace
of God,
our hearts
should
correspondingly
be enlarged
for love
for him,
for what
Christ has
done.
So,
we should
fall at
Christ's
feet and
worship because
of the
greatness of
this grace.
2 Corinthians
9,
listen to
this,
he just
says,
because of
the surpassing
grace of
God that
is upon
us,
thanks be
to God
for his
inexpressible
gift.
Grace is
an inexpressible
gift of
God.
And I
hope that
you're taking
comfort in
these realities
that salvation
and our
acceptance,
our standing
with God
is solely
based on
his grace,
his unmerited
goodness
and favor
towards us
who don't
deserve it
at all.
Join me
in prayer.