It’s Amazing – Part 1
This newest series of messages on Internet Pastor is called “It’s Amazing” and is about God’s Amazing Grace.
Our last two series have been about forgiveness and trust. These are foundational elements of our Christian walk. I want to build on that with our next two series by talking about grace and love. In the series we are starting today we are going to take a look at grace and I am calling the series “It’s Amazing”.
Psalms 145:8 (NIV)
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
God is a gracious God. He loves to give you grace. Grace is an amazing thing. There are a lot of different aspects of grace and we will talk about those different aspects in the weeks ahead. As a Christian, the more you understand grace, the closer to God you will be. God’s grace is the most life giving, liberating thing in the universe.
Today I want us to start with the grace foundation, which is salvation, God’s saving grace.
1. Salvation is a gift
Romans 3:23-24 (NIV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
We are justified freely means that salvation is a free gift. Many people today believe that you earn your way to heaven. That you try and be the best person you can and you do good things for people and then God says, OK come on in.
The difference between Christianity and any other “religion” can be summed up in two words. In every other religion the way to God can be summarized by the word DO. It is about following a set of rules and regulations in order to gain God’s approval.
In Christianity, the way to God is summarized in the word DONE. Everything that you need to be saved was done for you at the cross by Jesus.
2. Accepted/Received by faith
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Salvation is a gift that is received by faith. He offers it to us, our part is to accept it. We couldn’t work our way in, but we can accept the gift of salvation that God extends us by His grace.
There are lot of stories about grace in the Bible. One of my favorites is about Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9. I think part of the reason I like the story is I like to say the name.
Mephibosheth was the grandson of King Saul. When David became King all of Saul’s relatives figured they had better run for their lives, and in their haste Mephibosheth was dropped and it messed up his legs, and he was left behind.
David finds Mephibosheth and tells him that he will spend his life eating with him at the kings table and that he will be treated as a son.
To me it is a picture of God comes to us in our brokenness and says I am going to bring you into my family, to sit at my table, to be one of my children.
3. Everyone is eligible
It doesn’t matter what you done or what your background is, you are eligible for salvation.
Romans 10:13 (NIV)
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Have you ever wondered why the Jews are referred to as God’s chosen people in the Bible? Does that mean that somehow God loves or cares for them more than rest of us? No. They were chosen for a purpose, a mission. They were to spread the message to the world that there is one true God. That’s what they were chosen for.
Now that task has been given it to the church which includes Jews, Gentiles and everyone else who puts their faith in Christ. God says it’s available to anybody who opens up their heart in faith.
4. In and through Christ
John 1:17 (NIV)
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Why Jesus? Because of what He did on the cross.
Romans 5:15 (NIV)
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
There is a phrase that is used over a hundred times ion the New Testament, “In Christ”. Once you have accepted the gift of salvation God now sees you IN Christ. When He looks at us he doesn’t see the mess and the sin, He sees us in Christ. Because if His grace we are freed from our guilt and shame.
5. It is the gift that keeps on giving
Romans 6:23 (NIV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Eternal life. Life that never ends. The results of God’s saving grace go on forever. His grace makes it possible for us to spend eternity with Him. No more tears, no more pain, no more shame, no more loss,..
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound…….
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