Transforming Grace Lesson 3
Monday, September 15th, 2008INTRODUCTION: Imagine for a moment that you have saved your entire life for retirement, and after all that work, it I going to be a very tight living. At the same time, a co-worker of yours who never saved anything at all, wins the lottery, and will be set for the rest of their life.
· How do you feel toward your coworker? How do you feel about your own circumstances?
· How do you think you should feel?
Central Idea: God does not owe us anything. All we have comes graciously from His hand, therefore we should be content and grateful for the lot in life He has given us. In Christ, we are blessed with all spiritual riches, and in Christ all of God’s promises are fulfilled.
I Examining Grace
A Entitlement versus Grace
Our Western culture has become a society of entitlement. Retirees feel entitled to certain benefits from the government. Middle-age people feel entitled to certain health and retirement benefits. Younger people feel entitled to enjoy the same standard of living that their parents had to work a lifetime for. Children feel entitled to have whatever they want whenever they want it. Due to this pervasive sense of entitlement, we are all prone to demand our “RIGHTS.”
1 What are we entitled to?
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Ephes. 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Col. 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
- What is it that we are entitled to? Are you eager to claim your entitlement and demand your rights?
- Job 41:11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
- Romans 11:33-36 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! [34] For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? [35] Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
2 What does Grace do?
Ephes. 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
James 1:16-18 Do not err, my beloved brethren. [17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. [18] Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Psalm 84:11-12 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. [12] O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
We are ready to accept and acknowledge all of this truth with regard to eternal life, but what about in this life? We tend to live with the mind set that “God owes us something.” It is easy for us to think thoughts like, “After all I’ve done for you,” or “After all I have given up for you.” Is our life a glorified “bartering arrangement?” Are we living lives that are a great “trade-off” with God?” If so, that makes some scary assumptions:
· God doesn’t want the best for me.
· I know what I need more than God does.
· I can avoid God’s will by persuasion.
· I can get from God that which He otherwise would not give me.
· I can keep God from giving to me what really is best for me.
“Blessings at times come to us through our labors and at times without our labors, but never because of our labors; for God always gives them because of His undeserved mercy.”
B Grace and Contentment
1 Tim. 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Our greatest benefit is in our becoming focused on increasing in Godliness and being content with that. We should never be satisfied with merely status quo, but we must accept that a sovereign God knows what is best for us, and in light of that, there are certain things that are never going to change.
- 2 Cor. 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
The question is not whether or not I should pray about things, the question is “how do I feel when they don’t change? Am I willing to accept what God has given or not yet given according to His timetable? Am I willing to live by Grace?
- Cor. 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
What did Paul mean when he said that all God’s promises are “yes” in Christ?
- Christ personally fulfilled all of the Old Testament promises about the coming Messiah!
- Christ is the meritorious basis upon which all of God’s other promises are fulfilled!
“It is only in Christ that God the Father is graciously inclined toward us. His promises are the testimonies of His Fatherly goodwill towards us.”
What are your greatest needs in life, both spiritually and temporally? On what basis are you approaching God to have those needs met? Is it your spiritual disciplines, your obedience, or your sacrifice; or the infinite and perfect merit of Jesus Christ. The former all have their place in the economy of Grace, but they are never to be our reliance for God’s supply, else we have thus abandoned grace and rushed to works. In order to live in the freedom and blessing of grace, we must first be willing to leave the self-dependance of our own works and lay down our rights!!
II Exploring Grace
“Grace is not sought nor bought nor wrought. It is a free gift of Almighty God to needy mankind.”
A Matthew 20:1-16
1 Assuming the Landowner represents God, what do we learn about His character in this story?
2 What can we learn about human nature and how people respond to others good fortune?
3 With which worker do you identify?
4 Why is that people tend to think of the landowner as unfair instead of generous?
5 What does this story teach us about what God’s grace means?
B Luke 7:1-10
1 In verses 4-5 what was the basis for the Jewish elders appeal to Jesus to heal the centurion’s servant?
2 What was the centurions perspective of what he deserved (6-7)?
3 When you approach God, which approach do you take? Explain:
4 What should our attitude be about the things we do for the Lord (10)?
CONCLUSION: See the two groups of laborers as they make their way home. AS to amount of money in their pocket, they are equal; but as to the amount of contentment in their spirits there is a great difference. The last go home each with a penny in his pocket, and astonished gratitude in his heart, their reward accordingly is a penny, and more. The first, on the contrary, go home each with a penny in his pocket, and a corroding discontent in his soul; their reward accordingly is less than a penny!
Do we have the faith to let go of self-dependence so that we can receive the riches of a life lived by Grace, trusting God, the giver of all good gifts based upon the merits of Christ alone, to do what He has promised to do?