GRACE
The Grace of God
1 Corinthians 15:- verse 10
Before we get to that, I want to look at 2 verses.
2 Cor 1:24
Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
These two verses have spoken volumes to me lately.
They say this: 2 Cor 1:24 The job of appointed leaders in the church is to help you with your joy. And JOY is work. Leaders need to be serious about Joy.
Heb 13:17
If we do not do our work with joy, it will not profit you. God loves a cheerful pastor.
I have not always been joyful. I don’t mean fake joy. I have complained, groaned, been sad, fearful, angry at times. (to my children and wife as well). And those times have not served your joy.
I need to repent because God’s grace has been with me. God has always provided every ounce of what I need ---in order to do what he has given me to do.
I want to share with you today how 1 Cor 15:10 has ministered to me. And I hope it will be a help to you. Look at the verse. The grace of God is definitely the topic.
There are 3 separate phrases. You can see them.
1. By the grace of God I am what I am.
2. His grace toward me was not in vain.
3. I labored..but the grace of God was with me…
I. The first phrase "By the grace…" What is the Grace of God?
A simple, well-known definition is "God giving me what I do not
deserve."
A better definition is : Grace is the overflow of the self-sufficiency
of God.
The best picture is of a fountain. When you are thirsty, you can
come to it and get a drink of clear, pure water. But this fountain
never runs dry. Jeremiah 2:13 God calls himself the fountain of living
waters.
It is God giving to us out of his unlimited supply. (Vague isn’t it?)
So, if GRACE is God giving to us, what does he have that we need?
We could be here all day. So, Just 3 things.
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His
ways past finding out!
The depth –that means that the things that follow are deep. VERY
DEEP. That is why he says OH!
Riches, Wisdom and Knowledge.
RICHES First.
A. God is rich. Very Rich. In 3 ways
1. He is rich because he owns everything.
Ps 24:1 The earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness, The world
and those who dwell therein
God owns the earth, everything in it, all the people in it. And you.
Deut 10:14 Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the
LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.
Human wealth by comparison is ridiculously tiny. Bill Gates is a
pauper compared to God.
The poorest heir of God is a trillion times richer than Bill Gates. Why
do we covet, envy, Bill Gates? 1 reason, unbelief in our father’s
riches.
A second way -2. God is rich because he has made everything out
of nothing and he can do it again.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
FROM NOTHING.
God’s resources for creating whatever he wants is nothingness. And
that never ends.
3. A third way. It is not what he owns or His capacity to make out of
nothing.
God is infinitely rich because In Himself, he is the most valuable
thing in the universe.
He is himself an infinitely valuable treasure.
God himself is our treasure.
John Piper wrote a book called "God is the Gospel." And in it, he
asks this question.
If when you die, you could go to heaven and heave all the blessings of
heaven. Your family members. No sin, no sickness, a perfect body.
No more hunger. All the capacity to enjoy everything you enjoy here
in this life with no limitations…
But…God was not there. Would you want to go?
Eph 3:8 uses the phrase, "The unsearchable riches of Christ"
That refers to all that Christ gives. But not only that, it also refers to
what Christ is.
When Jesus died on the cross, he bought for us the greatest treasures
of the universe, but he also became for us the greatest treasure in the
universe.
That is the riches of God.
B. What about the wisdom and knowledge?
Basically, knowledge is facts. Wisdom is the ability to use facts to
accomplish good goals.
First, God’s knowledge.
God knows every fact recorded in every book in every language in
the world, past present and into eternity.
And he knows all these things without any effort. He is at rest. He
does not sweat when asked a Calculus problem.
And he knows how every thought and event and action affects every
other one. No exceptions. He knows every eventuality.
That is what it means to be God.
C. Wisdom? God is able to use all these facts, events and everything
in the universe to bring about what he intends.
He intends to get HIS GLORY ON DISPLAY for the everlasting
enjoyment of his people.
We will worship joyfully forever.
Grace….Is God giving to me out of his infinite supply.
Fountain that never runs dry.
II. Second Phrase "And His grace toward me…" The grace of God is ALWAYS TOWARD YOU.
We tend to think that God’s grace is only effective in certain
situations.
No, we cannot exist without God’s grace.
The grace that extends to all people we call common grace.
The grace that God shows us in salvation is saving grace.
Then there is living and dying grace.
I want to talk about living grace, mainly.
His grace comes to us through situations, people, thoughts, the Word
of God, through the community of believers here, and prayer.
God’s grace has a PURPOSE. That is in the phrase "His grace
toward me was not in vain."
The two great purposes are God’s glory and our good or our joy.
When you come to worship, you are distracted. By grace, God helps
you focus.
When you lose your job, God is doing that by his grace.
You might say "What???" How? God knows everything. He knows
exactly what is best for you. He knows what will bring you ultimate
happiness and satisfaction. And he works toward that.
When you have a child, God’s grace is toward you.
When you cannot have children, God’s grace is toward you.
When you get a raise at work. When your husband leaves you.
Or when you struggle with singleness, God is pouring out grace on
you.
You might say, "Wait, wait,…When someone sins against me? "
Divorced, robbery, rape…
I do not mean that those things are good in themselves. But God does
allow them.
What I mean is that life is a great tapestry, and God is weaving it with
many different colors and fabrics. And although we cannot always
see the finished product, it is GOOD.
Romans 8:28 is always true. And we know that all things work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose.
And it is his grace that is doing that.
III. The third Phrase "I labored more abuntantly …" God gives Grace when you Work Hard---AND trust in his grace.
Paul worked hard at being an apostle. Verse 9.
I want to apply this verse to life today.
I started with, "Joy is work." (2 Cor 1:24) we are "workers for your
joy" Staying close to Jesus is hard work. Just working to recognize
that the grace of God is with you is hard work. It takes commitment
and discipline.
1 is prayer. It does not come naturally. If you make a time and place
for it, you will do it. If you just let it come naturally, it will not.
2 is daily Bible reading. You may say, "I don’t have time." You do.
You have time for the things that you want.
If you had cancer and the doctor said, "You must take ½ hour every
day and hook yourself up to this machine in your home and sit
quietly." What would you do?
The cancer of sin will eat away at your soul without the word of God
in your mind.
3 is Bible memorization. People think of that as a child’s exercise.
There is not one great Christian who was not serious about Bible
Memorization. You cannot do it without memorization.
I do not want to hit you with a club and say, "DO MORE" I want you to know that God has brought his grace
1 Corinthians 15:- verse 10
Before we get to that, I want to look at 2 verses.
2 Cor 1:24
Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
These two verses have spoken volumes to me lately.
They say this: 2 Cor 1:24 The job of appointed leaders in the church is to help you with your joy. And JOY is work. Leaders need to be serious about Joy.
Heb 13:17
If we do not do our work with joy, it will not profit you. God loves a cheerful pastor.
I have not always been joyful. I don’t mean fake joy. I have complained, groaned, been sad, fearful, angry at times. (to my children and wife as well). And those times have not served your joy.
I need to repent because God’s grace has been with me. God has always provided every ounce of what I need ---in order to do what he has given me to do.
I want to share with you today how 1 Cor 15:10 has ministered to me. And I hope it will be a help to you. Look at the verse. The grace of God is definitely the topic.
There are 3 separate phrases. You can see them.
1. By the grace of God I am what I am.
2. His grace toward me was not in vain.
3. I labored..but the grace of God was with me…
I. The first phrase "By the grace…" What is the Grace of God?
A simple, well-known definition is "God giving me what I do not
deserve."
A better definition is : Grace is the overflow of the self-sufficiency
of God.
The best picture is of a fountain. When you are thirsty, you can
come to it and get a drink of clear, pure water. But this fountain
never runs dry. Jeremiah 2:13 God calls himself the fountain of living
waters.
It is God giving to us out of his unlimited supply. (Vague isn’t it?)
So, if GRACE is God giving to us, what does he have that we need?
We could be here all day. So, Just 3 things.
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His
ways past finding out!
The depth –that means that the things that follow are deep. VERY
DEEP. That is why he says OH!
Riches, Wisdom and Knowledge.
RICHES First.
A. God is rich. Very Rich. In 3 ways
1. He is rich because he owns everything.
Ps 24:1 The earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness, The world
and those who dwell therein
God owns the earth, everything in it, all the people in it. And you.
Deut 10:14 Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the
LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.
Human wealth by comparison is ridiculously tiny. Bill Gates is a
pauper compared to God.
The poorest heir of God is a trillion times richer than Bill Gates. Why
do we covet, envy, Bill Gates? 1 reason, unbelief in our father’s
riches.
A second way -2. God is rich because he has made everything out
of nothing and he can do it again.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
FROM NOTHING.
God’s resources for creating whatever he wants is nothingness. And
that never ends.
3. A third way. It is not what he owns or His capacity to make out of
nothing.
God is infinitely rich because In Himself, he is the most valuable
thing in the universe.
He is himself an infinitely valuable treasure.
God himself is our treasure.
John Piper wrote a book called "God is the Gospel." And in it, he
asks this question.
If when you die, you could go to heaven and heave all the blessings of
heaven. Your family members. No sin, no sickness, a perfect body.
No more hunger. All the capacity to enjoy everything you enjoy here
in this life with no limitations…
But…God was not there. Would you want to go?
Eph 3:8 uses the phrase, "The unsearchable riches of Christ"
That refers to all that Christ gives. But not only that, it also refers to
what Christ is.
When Jesus died on the cross, he bought for us the greatest treasures
of the universe, but he also became for us the greatest treasure in the
universe.
That is the riches of God.
B. What about the wisdom and knowledge?
Basically, knowledge is facts. Wisdom is the ability to use facts to
accomplish good goals.
First, God’s knowledge.
God knows every fact recorded in every book in every language in
the world, past present and into eternity.
And he knows all these things without any effort. He is at rest. He
does not sweat when asked a Calculus problem.
And he knows how every thought and event and action affects every
other one. No exceptions. He knows every eventuality.
That is what it means to be God.
C. Wisdom? God is able to use all these facts, events and everything
in the universe to bring about what he intends.
He intends to get HIS GLORY ON DISPLAY for the everlasting
enjoyment of his people.
We will worship joyfully forever.
Grace….Is God giving to me out of his infinite supply.
Fountain that never runs dry.
II. Second Phrase "And His grace toward me…" The grace of God is ALWAYS TOWARD YOU.
We tend to think that God’s grace is only effective in certain
situations.
No, we cannot exist without God’s grace.
The grace that extends to all people we call common grace.
The grace that God shows us in salvation is saving grace.
Then there is living and dying grace.
I want to talk about living grace, mainly.
His grace comes to us through situations, people, thoughts, the Word
of God, through the community of believers here, and prayer.
God’s grace has a PURPOSE. That is in the phrase "His grace
toward me was not in vain."
The two great purposes are God’s glory and our good or our joy.
When you come to worship, you are distracted. By grace, God helps
you focus.
When you lose your job, God is doing that by his grace.
You might say "What???" How? God knows everything. He knows
exactly what is best for you. He knows what will bring you ultimate
happiness and satisfaction. And he works toward that.
When you have a child, God’s grace is toward you.
When you cannot have children, God’s grace is toward you.
When you get a raise at work. When your husband leaves you.
Or when you struggle with singleness, God is pouring out grace on
you.
You might say, "Wait, wait,…When someone sins against me? "
Divorced, robbery, rape…
I do not mean that those things are good in themselves. But God does
allow them.
What I mean is that life is a great tapestry, and God is weaving it with
many different colors and fabrics. And although we cannot always
see the finished product, it is GOOD.
Romans 8:28 is always true. And we know that all things work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose.
And it is his grace that is doing that.
III. The third Phrase "I labored more abuntantly …" God gives Grace when you Work Hard---AND trust in his grace.
Paul worked hard at being an apostle. Verse 9.
I want to apply this verse to life today.
I started with, "Joy is work." (2 Cor 1:24) we are "workers for your
joy" Staying close to Jesus is hard work. Just working to recognize
that the grace of God is with you is hard work. It takes commitment
and discipline.
1 is prayer. It does not come naturally. If you make a time and place
for it, you will do it. If you just let it come naturally, it will not.
2 is daily Bible reading. You may say, "I don’t have time." You do.
You have time for the things that you want.
If you had cancer and the doctor said, "You must take ½ hour every
day and hook yourself up to this machine in your home and sit
quietly." What would you do?
The cancer of sin will eat away at your soul without the word of God
in your mind.
3 is Bible memorization. People think of that as a child’s exercise.
There is not one great Christian who was not serious about Bible
Memorization. You cannot do it without memorization.
I do not want to hit you with a club and say, "DO MORE" I want you to know that God has brought his grace
posted by Bob M at
10:57 AM
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