Welcome to Delight in Grace. The Teaching Ministry of Rich Powell. pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. God's gracious heart for human flourishing. is evident in his conditional covenant with Israel.
In Deuteronomy 15, God lays out terms for canceling debts and freeing indentured servants on the seventh year. this message gives us a glance of God's generous love. and it also gives us some principles for our own daily walk. Let's listen to this message titled Remember That You Were Slaves. This is the final portion of a message originally preached on august eleventh, twenty twenty four.
To hear it in its entirety, or to hear more messages in this series, you can visit www.delightingrace.com. Never forget it. Story that my dad told about this man who came into the church. My dad was a pastor, the man came into the church. And um His brother had died.
They were both businessmen. And the man that had died was just Um Um mean businessman. It was all about him and how much money he could make. He was dishonest. He treated people poorly.
And so his brother comes in to the pastor and he says, I want you to do my brother's funeral. And if you do my brother's funeral, I will give a very large gift to the church. But here's the condition: you have to tell the people that my brother was a saint.
So the pastor's in a quandary. What do I do? Our church could really use the funds. This guy was no saint.
So he made a decision. The day of the funeral came, and he gets up and he says. This man that lies before you today was a cheat, he was a thief, he was dishonest. A very cruel man. But compared to his brother, he was a saint.
Mm-hmm. God blesses generosity, but let's make sure that our generosity is genuine generosity that comes from the heart. Generosity that comes from the heart is not looking to get something in return. God has lavished His grace on us. And listen, grace.
has Nothing to do. with repayment.
So It has nothing to do. That's why we see so much of God's grace in this, right?
Some debt needs to be forgiven. Do you understand that God has forgiven your debt? and your debt is against an infinitely holy God. Principle number four. Recipients of God's grace are to be distributors of grace.
Recipients of God's grace are to be distributors of grace. Remember that you were slaves. You were slaves in Egypt and you have been redeemed. He says that in verse 15. You shall remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you.
Therefore I command you this today. Don't forget. God's grace in your life and let His grace In you twice. word you. develop in you a disposition.
of graciousness. People need grace. Yes, no? people need grace. That grace can come in the form of forgiveness, it can come in the form of forbearance, it can come in the form of, you know, they don't deserve it, but I'm going to invest myself in them to help them get a step up.
It could be financially, it could be attitudinally, it could be spiritually. People need grace. And we worship a God of grace. Just as a reminder, God reminded the people of Israel that the grace that he had lavished on them to redeem them and bring them into the promised land, chapter Deuteronomy 9, verse 5, he says, just so you know, it's not because you're such a special people that you're coming into this land. Read it.
It's Deuteronomy 9.5. That's not why I'm giving you this land because you're such a special and awesome people. And we have a tendency, those who are people of faith, have a tendency to develop that disposition. Look how special we are and we're not Let's not forget that we have been redeemed from the bondage that enslaved us. Ephesians 4.32 makes it pretty clear for us in the New Testament, be kind to one another, tenderhearted.
Forgiving one another. Why? as God in Christ forgave you. 1 John 3, 16, like the John 3, 16, 1 John 3, 16. By this we know, love, that he laid down his life for us, and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
If anyone has this world's goods, And sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him. Notice the heart there, okay? closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? It's a valid question, right? Little children, let us not love in word.
or in talk, but indeed and truth. And then Titus chapter 3, verse 8. This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. What is that?
being a gracious helper to other people. That is the character of God. That ought to be the reputation of God's people. And as he ends chapter fifteen. He makes it clear that a chief characteristic of a life of worship.
is sacrifice. All of this has called for sacrifice of some measure. Gracious because God has been gracious. And forgiving because God is forgiving. Kind because God is kind.
Tender-hearted because God is tender-hearted. And we read in verses 19 to 23 through the end of the chapter there that God, as God calls for sacrifice, he's asking for the best, not leftovers. Not leftovers. He's asking. He's asking for it from the top.
Well, if I have some time left over this week, I might help somebody out. That's not the attitude he's looking for, is it? You could Carve time into your routine, your schedule, your day. time that you are actually helping someone else. Showing generosity and grace.
Because you were a priority. in God's agenda. Thank you, Phil. The default human disposition. in generosity.
is what I call the favorite. Natural Human. radio station. W I I F M What's in it for me? That's not the generosity that God blesses.
The generosity of God's people. communicates this. Let me reflect God too. you. That's pointing people to God.
Our generosity ought to be such that. After people have encountered us, their thoughts are about God. And the goodness of God. Let me reflect God to you. In that way we are called to be salt.
creating a thirst, light. Helping people find their way out of darkness. We are called to be a beautiful church. We are the new humanity. We are the body of Christ.
We are the hands and the feet of Christ. And Christ also promises us that in doing this, we are laying up treasures in heaven.
So let us be. The people of God. Serving him. Trusting him. Reflecting him.
with generous and gracious hearts. Stand with me, please. Father, we are grateful for your word. This word that was revealed So long ago. to your people Israel.
And yet so helpful for us today to know your heart. And what you expect of your people, Father. Search our hearts this morning, Lord. Rescue us. From any attempts at showmanship through generosity.
Give us hearts of generosity, Father, because we We have been captivated by how incredibly lavish you have been toward us. Thank you for your grace. And as we are your people, Father, find us gracious because you are your people. are the God of grace. Find us generous.
and helpful. Because that's what you are like. Thank you, Father, for the work that you're doing among us today. Thank you for what you have done. And we look forward to what you will do.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Thanks for joining us here at Delight in Grace. You've been listening to Rich Powell, the lead pastor at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. The Delight in Grace mission.
Is to help you know that God designed you to realize your highest good. and your deepest satisfaction in him. the one who is infinitely good. We hope you'll join us again on weekdays at 10 a.m.
