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February 5, 2020 12:00 am
Not only have doctrinal standing by reason Paul wrote in Titus 211. Listen to the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desire to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in this present day see many today would say the grace enables in the live in sin, you know, don't worry about that man. Just remember, grace. The Bible reveals that true grace in the life of a genuine believer enables that man or woman not to live in sin, but to live without sin to hate said not embrace after that salvation is only one half of the gospel truth. The other half is what happens after salvation.
So, just as we needed God's grace to become a Christian. We also need his grace to live as a Christian every day. Welcome to wisdom for the heart with our Bible teacher, Stephen Devi. Stephen is in a series from Romans one called gospel truth.
Today Stephen explores the relationship between God's grace and the Christian life and a lesson he's calling.
Empowered by grace.
Please get your Bible and open to Romans chapter 1 as we get started with today's lesson once was a wealthy man who owned a vast estate and all the necessary household staff from butlers to gardeners to keep it all in beautiful condition. He was a widow and had only one son who had left years earlier to fight the Kings army to console himself. This wealthy widow had his son's portrait hung over the mantle and he often sets her by the fire in the evenings employee.
Remember, every time visitors came to his estate, he would introduce them to that portrait first before he showed the many of his rare paintings by masters like Rembrandt when news came that his sonic died in the battle and broke his heart. A few months after the terrible news of his son's death. The old man himself died as attorneys announced that since there was no heir to the estate and auction would take place. The paintings the property. The furniture would all be auctioned off the day of the auction arrived and hundreds of influential and wealthy people gathered excited over having an opportunity to purchase one of the old man's rare paintings for themselves as well as some hand carved furniture or one of the exquisite silver table settings are handwoven imported rod. The crowd was instructed to be seated. While the auctioneer stood on the landing of a long sweeping stairway on the landing next to the auctioneer was a painting. It was the rather simple portrait of this man's son that it once graced the mantle above the fireplace painted by some unknown artists. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. We will start the auction with the bidding of this portrait who will make a bid for the painting there was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room called out. We want to see the rare paintings skip this one, but the auctioneer persisted. Will someone bid for this painting will start the bidding $100 $200 or more.
Another voice shouted angrily. Nobody wants that common thing we came to buy valuable things.
Now let's get on with it. But still, the auctioneer continued the portrait of the son. The son who will bid for the sun. The crowd was growing angrier and more restless by the moment than a voice came from the very back of the room.
Excuse me, was the voice of the family gardener who had worked on the estate for nearly 25 years he had entered unnoticed on his way to another room and it stopped to listen and watch it was a middle-aged man with sons of his own.
He agreed with his master by that fireplace over the death of his master's only son.
The gardener couldn't imagine the portrait belittled worse discarded it. It meant so much to his old employer and friends. So he said I can't bid for it. I don't have any money to offer it but I would like it woman said to have it for free. None of us wanted anyway. The auctioneer said wealth. If no one bids for it, then your desire alone will be payment enough. A man yelled out would just give it to him and let's move on. The crowd was becoming even more angry and impatient.
They had traveled from miles away for the worthy expenses investments for their own estates and collections.
The auctioneer pounded his gavel going once, twice gone to the gardener, the man sitting near the first step of that grand stairway shouted up at the auctioneer now let's get on with collection.
The auctioneer however laid down his gavel and said I'm sorry the auction is closed. The crowd cried out in belief closed what you mean. The auctioneer stepped away from the podium as the estates attorney stepped forward the quiet of the angry crowd and said we called the conduct this auction, knowing there was a secret stipulation and the will. Yet, we were not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this very moment. Our instructions were that only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including all of its furnishings.
The deceased owner wanted his entire estate to go to the person who cared enough about his son for the stipulation and the will had read whoever chooses the sun gets everything from heaven's perspective, God has chosen us from our limited, finite, earthly perspective, we have chosen him, but the truth remains the one who chooses the sun gets everything there are those today among us some who is the Bible says are not mighty are not well connected or roiled perfect. They are butlers and gardeners of the world who have slipped into the presence of the divine auctioneer and whispered I have nothing to offer but I desire the sun and to that one.
Paul announces the rather stunning news in verse seven of Romans chapter 1 liquid ounce you get you get grace and peace from God our father. That's another way of saying you just inherited all that really matters in life, grace and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ out in this opening sentence. Paul informs those who chosen the person of the son of God who is as he has already expressed fully God and fully man equal to God the father and got the spirit they have inherited everything of eternal value. They have become possessors of grace and peace.
Paul writes, grace to you.
I just what is this grace for many people. One author wrote grace is just something they say before a meal let's say grace for others.
Grace is the word that they would used to express the bearing of some dignified person or perhaps the skill and fluid movements of a skater upon the ice all look at that grace. Certainly, the word has a broad spectrum of meaning in the old and New Testament, the meaning fundamentally referred to the bestowing of kindness to the undeserved in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word pain North has said translator often in your Old Testament kindness in the New Testament, the primary word translated grace is caress Dr. snake defined grace as kindness shown by a superior to an inferior. When there is no obligation on the part of the superior to show it. It means to condescend in favor to Ben door stoop Donald Barnhouse rated this way love that goes upward is worship love that goes outward is affection, love that stoops is grace probably isn't a more developed illustration of stooping and bestowing grace to someone undeserving. Then in the book of second Samuel, where David is now ascended the throne. Saul and Jonathan his son and David's best of friends have been killed by the Philistines. You probably remember the story. A few years into his reign as he becomes established, David has an idea and it is shocking to his world.
He calls those in his card and he asks them.
Is there anyone left of the house of Saul, to whom I might show Said, to whom I might show grace. Finally, they find an old servant of Saul's name is Eva and David call zebra in before him, and he says to him, is there anyone of the house of Saul, to whom I might show the grace of God exhibits as well.
The only one surviving as a young man who is the son of Jonathan, but when he was very little in fact is a five-year-old.
His nurse picked him up and fled when Saul and Jonathan were killed, but the audit okaying that when they fled they accidentally dropped him and his legs evidently were broken and they were amended properly. Perhaps in their hiding there worth rated call a physician and so he is now crippled in both of his feet. What good would it be to you, Davidson column when the fish is now a young man came into the presence of David. He fell on his face, expecting the worst. David said in verse seven of second Samuel nine do not be afraid, for I will surely show grace to you on behalf of your father Jonathan. What an incredible demonstration of grace but better illustration of what we as children of God have received from God on behalf of Christ, one author so wonderfully captured the analogy that I just read them to you between David and the finish at then God toward us when disaster struck fear came in with the shift suffered a fall that crippled him. Similarly, when sin came. Humanity suffered a fall which has left us permanently crippled out of love for his friend Jonathan David sought out anyone whom he might extend his grace. Also, God the father because of his love for his son seeks those to whom he might extend his grace. The crippled man was destitute and undeserving. All that he could do is accept the king's favor, so also we sinners are undeserving of God's grace and all we can do is accept his favor. King took crippled the finish out from a barren wasteland where he had been living the name of the place where he was living was low the bar, which means no pasture. It was barren. So God is also rescued us from our own wasteland of sin and seated us in the place of spiritual nourishment and intimacy finish F's limp was a constant reminder of David's grace, so also our feebleness keeps us from ever forgetting that where sin abounds.
Grace abounds that much more when the finish out was invited to sit at the king's table and eat. He was treated with the same respect and given the same privileges as David's own sons and when we one day attend the great wedding feast of the Lamb. The same will be true for us as well. We will sit with prophets and priests, apostles and evangelists, pastors and missionaries. We will dine with everyone from the apostle Peter to Corrie 10 boom and we will be there with them all because that same tablecloth of grace covers all our crippled one anonymous author created an acrostic divine grace.
He said grace is God's riches at Christ's expense that nearly says it all. It's another way of saying when you have the sun you inherent everything.
When Paul wrote in Romans chapter 1 verse seven grace to you. I believe he was referring to the overall benefits of this work of grace in the life of the believer, but there are several different kinds of grace that I want to distinguish in our study today. Theologians refer to wine is common grace.
Common grace is that grace which affects all of mankind.
It is universally felt and an experience then benefited from God's common grace restrains that the total expression of sin and it imposes moral constraint upon people's behavior without his common grace they would run wild as it were. Common grace enforces a sense of right and wrong through conscience and civil government. Common grace allows unbelievers the ability to appreciate beauty and and goodness and allows them the ability to laugh and and to enjoy to some measure life itself that is common grace. There is secondly a special lore, efficacious or saving grace. This grace saves this grace sanctifies this grace brings the soul to glory Christ use the word grace as he inspired in his apostle that entire or bore all the work of saving faith when he chose that word to say for by grace you have been saved. Ephesians doing in first Corinthians, Paul wrote, I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus. Special saving grace is effectual in the life of calling one to the side of Christ is a word that holds within it the Psalm and substance of the gospel truth, the gospel truth is summarized in.
It is revealed by the word grace. Finally, there is another kind that is cheap grace.
This is a term coined via pastor many years ago by the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a Lutheran pastor in Germany who was hanged in 1945 by SS guards as he resisted Hitler and spoke out against them. Much of Bonhoeffer's mystical teaching is rightly rejected by the evangelical church. However, he made a wonderful contribution by warning the church of the pull of secularization or the pool of worldly standard.
He wrote this to coined the term cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance communion without requiring confession baptism without discipline. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross in such a church, the world finds a cheap covering for the sin. No contrition is required.
Still, less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Let the Christian live like the rest of the world. Let him model himself on the world's standards in every sphere of life and never aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin. Another author commenting on Bonhoeffer's word said this cheap grace, then is a supernatural get out of jail free ticket a no strings attached. Open ended package of amnesty indulgence, forbearance, leniency, immunity, approval, tolerance and self awarded privilege divorced from any moral holy demand.
See, these are the pseudo-Christians that Peter warned when he wrote, do not use your freedom as a cloak for evil. In other words, they talk about their freedom in Christ then they excuse their sin. They talk about grace than they hide behind the fa�ade of grace to continue to live in sin and compromise.
As we'll see in a moment. Grace is not given to the true believer so that you can somehow hide from sin, but so that you can pursue holiness and purity was not given so that you would have fire insurance from hell and then live as if you belong there. It was to enable you to pursue the holy affection for Christ and his character. This is saving grace.
How do you know if you have a genuine item you know if you have true grace to give you six ways quickly number one grace enables a true believer to suffer with contentment. Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers in second Corinthians 12 7 to 10 because of the surpassing greatness of the revelation. For this reason, to keep me from exalting myself.
There was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me to keep me from exalting myself concerning this. I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me and he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with suffering with weakness within so with distress, with persecution for Christ's sake. For when I am weak and I am strong.
In other words, the believer who is allowing the grace of God to permeate and envelop their lives and hearts will content themselves to the sovereignty of God, who may at some point bring suffering and difficulty and trial is God's grace that empowers the suffering believer to remain submissive and open to the work of a sovereign God and maybe you're like me, have gone into a hospital room at some point in time for you had a meeting with a believer and you went in thinking that you were there to encourage them but you left so convicted so humbled and so encouraged by their demeanor of grace and their trust in their sovereign Lord. See, you have seen grace at work in the life of the believer that allows them to suffer with contentment.
Secondly, grace enables you to speak with clarity. Paul wrote to the Colossians conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity that your speech always be with grace, as those seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 46 what is it in the life of the believer that enables him or her to speak with clarity to speak with graciousness to those who are on the outside looking in, and certainly those who are on the inside. What is it in the life of a person that allows this, it is grace, and just as you would pass the salt.
He uses the analogy here so you would pass the grace you would pass the salt and sprinkle it on your food would pass the grace as it were, and sprinkle it on your tongue so that your words would be words of grace and tax fullness tax fullness. By the way, is a work of grace. Somebody said that tact is making someone feel at home when you really wish they were gracious tact and verbal diplomacy is the work of grace in your heart and life. Third, grace enables us to stand with conviction. Romans 51 therefore, having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand another versa refers to our doctrinal standing is Hebrews 13.
Nine do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace. We not only have doctrinal standing by grace but Paul wrote in Titus 211.
Listen for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desire, and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in this present age is the many today would say the grace enables in the live in sin, you know, don't worry about that man. Just remember, grace. The Bible reveals that true grace in the life of a genuine believer enables that man or woman not to live in sin, but to live without sin to hate sin not embrace sin to be convicted by sin not to manage sin is the work of grace. It allows you to stand with both moral and theological conviction another one. Grace enables us to surrender with compliance. James wrote in chapter 4 verse six God is oppose the proud but gives grace to the humble. Peter wrote all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is oppose the proud but gives grace to the humble.
That is, those who submit to his Lordship's sovereignty is control. Overall, therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time first Peter 55 surrendering to the will and the plan of God with contrition and with humility is the result of the N-word king of true grace. Total surrender to him total surrender. Ladies and gentlemen is all but forgotten guns at the day we don't hearing more people surrendering to God totally surrendering to his will, like the little story the chicken and the pig both lived on the same farm. One day the farmer walked in the barnyard until all the animals. The family wanted ham and eggs for breakfast and he volunteered the chicken. Nudge the pig and said hey let's volunteer thing said no listen what they want from you is a little contribution from me. They want total commitment to truth is the evidence that grace is at work in the heart of of the believer is revealed in something more than a little contribution but total surrender.
There is perhaps no more clear surrender seen anywhere else than what you do with your money by grace. Interestingly enough, enables us to sacrifice next with celebration Paul actually referred to the act of giving is an act of grace called the entire active investment stewardship a work of grace and Paul reminded the Corinthians. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver, and God is able to make all grace abound. Use of that always having all sufficiency in everything you may have an abundance for every good deed second rent is 978. Giving is the result then of God's gracious work in your life and when you know it is the work of grace that is revealed in the fact that you know you're giving with thanksgiving and joy.
Paul wrote here. God loves a cheerful giver. The word cheerful is the Greek word for Larry on from which we get our transliterated Word hilarious. God loves hilarious givers imagine that the offering time in the local church to be the most hilarious moment of the service interrupted periodically by sheer laughter: being facetious, but the point is if you're not thrilled with giving there is an joy in your heart and giving is revelation the true grace is not a work in your life and I would encourage you don't give will make it.
We will fold without it.
Don't get into you understand the work of grace in your heart produces the desire to get involved in this gracious work of giving so grace enables the true believer to suffer with contentment to speak with clarity to stand with conviction to surrender with compliance and to sacrifice with celebration and finally grace enables us to serve with confidence.
Do you do you think of the apostle Paul is somebody if anybody had he had it all together deed, do you think that he was surely the one person who knew his skill set to new his abilities. Who knew his background to who knew what he had to do and had the ability to serve God want to listen as he reveals to his friends in Corinth, how he really feels. And last of all is to one untimely born, Jesus Christ appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles and not fit to be called an apostle to catch and I'm not fit to be called an apostle by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me did not prove vain but I labored even more than all of them, yet I die, but the grace of God with me to get the point. He specifically repeats the word grace. I am what I am by the grace of God and I am serving by grace given to me for God ever feel that you're not fit for the role urine you think you don't have what it takes. Guess what, you don't. But the grace of God equips you and enables you and empowers you to fulfill whatever task it is where you find yourself at work to stop hesitating, or running from it.
The truth is it is too big for you. You can't accomplish that post of service you will never be able to stand for God on that campus will never be able to stand with conviction theologically and morally. You will not be able to suffer with contentment. You don't know how to speak with clarity and how to respond with graciousness you can do it unless you have chosen son received from him this grace and then you discover I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me grace to you: centuries ago, to them and to us chosen son chose the son got everything that's God's wisdom for your heart today. This is wisdom for the heart with pastor and author Stephen Davey just like your life is lived out by God's grace. So was our ministry and were always humbled to learn what God's doing through the faithful teaching of his word, Gilbert wrote to tell us all the guys in the reading club really enjoyed the materials written by Pastor David. I'm so blessed to have been led to this ministry. Please send more booklets as soon as possible. Thanks, Gilbert and what really blessed us about Gilbert's letter is that he's a prison inmate and he's using our resources to lead our reading club in his prison.
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Stephen has a devotional book called a 30 day Winter wisdom retreat if one of your goals for this year is to develop your faith. This will help you ask about it when you call on tomorrow's broadcast evil will bring you the final lesson in this current series join us for that Huron wisdom for the heart