How Grace Works

What Gods Grace Can Still Do!

Romans 5
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
19 Dec, 2010 AM
Bible Baptist Chrch, Ballincollig, Cor!, "reland
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I. Introduction (Heb 12:28)
A$ %ome gi&ts that 'o can gi(e this Christmas are be'ond monetar' (ale) *et, #hat cold be more
(alable than a brand ne# 2011 +errari, -r a top.o&.the.line /100 million l0r' *acht,)
B$ "t cold onl' be one thing 1 the gi&t o& 2RAC3)
C$ "t is something that costs the gi(er 343R*56"72, and the recei(er 7-56"72)
D$ 2od in 6eb 12 sa's plainl', 8Let9s ha(e 2RAC3):
3$ "& there is one thing to get and recei(e this Christmas, it has to be 2RAC3)
+$ 2race is #hat Christmas is all abot
1$ ;e ha(e changed Christmas to <st gi(ing and recei(ing e0pensi(e gi&ts
2$ Bt Christmas is spposed to be abot gi(ing and recei(ing priceless gi&ts
=$ And 'o can9t begin to gi(e #ithot grace
II. Message
A$ Grace is Undeserved >Romans [email protected]
1$ 5hat is #hat a 2"+5 is 1 ndeser(ed 1 nearned
a$ 2i(en to people #ho ha(e no strength, or abilit' to li(e good, per&ect, godl' li(es
b$ "t is gi(en to the C72-DL* 1 the #ic!ed
c$ "t is &reel' gi(en to sinners) 7ot to good people, or to decent and moral people 1 bt sin&l
people
d$ +reel' gi(en to people #ho ha(e messed.p, &ailed big time, and &allen, o(er and o(er and o(er
again)
2$ ;ho is a candidate &or 2RAC3,
a$ 2race is o&&ered to e(er'one >3ph =?D,AB
b$ 5he person that is a candidate &or grace is not the sinless, or the per&ect, or the good, or the
spirital, bt the gilt', the sinner, the condemned, the ndeser(ing, the lost
c$ 6e') *o thin! 'o are prett' good, and deser(e 2od9s second chances,,, ;ell 'o don9t)
7one o& s do, and 'et 2RAC3 is &or e(er'one #ho sins)
=$ 5he people #ho get 2od9s grace, don9t deser(e it) Remember that)
B$ We Had Better Define Wat !Grace" is
1$ 2race is 7-5 something 'o can hold, and &eel
2$ "t is an attitde 1 and it is an attitde that 2od has, than!&ll')
=$ "t is simpl' an intense desire to give, #hen others #old onl' 5AE3, or demand
F$ "t is the abilit' to o(erloo! a lot o& #rong, and instead o& measring ot <stice and penalt', it
cases 2od to &orgi(e s, and &orget or sins
5$ "t is the gi(ing o& something o& (ale to someone #ho does not and cannot e(er deser(e it)
@$ 5he opposite o& grace is bitterness
a$ ;hen 'o ha(e grace as an attitde, 'o 2"43 to those #ho don9t deser(e
b$ ;hen 'o are bitter, 'o ;"566-LD &rom people becase the' don9t deser(e
C$ Grace is #bso$ute >Romans 5?9.11B
1$ 2race 6as a Prpose >5its 2?11.1FB
a$ 5o sa(e a sinner >3ph 1?DG 2?A,9B #hen the' oght to be <dged
1B "t <sti&ies, pardons, completel' &orgi(es a #rong
2B "t sa(es &rom righteos #rath 1 that 'o deser(e)
=B "t pro(ides an atonement, a &ll pa'ment &or past &ailres
b$ 5o <sti&', pardon >5its =?DB someone #ho shold be condemned
c$ 5o sho# the lo(e o& the 2i(er
d$ 5o change the recipient >Rom @?15B 1 not lea(e them as the' are
e$ "t e(en goes so &ar as to call s to a ne# li&e and prpose as a belie(er >25im 1?9B
2$ "t lea(es nothing ndone, or le&t &or 'o and " to do, bt to accept)
=$ "t holds no grdges, or n&orgi(eness
F$ "& it #ere not &or grace, all o& s #old be in hell, or headed there 1 &or sre
5$ 5hat9s #h' it is PR"C3L3%%
D$ Grace Has a %ost >Romans 5?9B 8throgh him:
1$ "t doesn9t come &ree to the 2i(er)
2$ 2race is the abilit' to pa' o&& #hat someone else o#es 'o 1 no matter ho# mch the' o#e
=$ "t is e0tremel' e0pensi(e to the 2i(er
F$ *et mst be paid &or b' the 2i(er 1 paid in &ll b' the gi(er
5$ 5hat ma!es it so that 2race is +R33 to the recei(er 1 no costs, and no strings attached
@$ 2race 6as a Price >3ph 1?DG 6eb 1=?20B
a$ ;hat did 2-D pa' ot so that 'o cold recei(e the gi&t o& eternal li&e,
1B 6is onl' begotten %on 1 the blood o& an innocent, &or all s gilt')
2B 6is o#n honor and reptation 1 the' moc!ed and spit pon the %on o& 2od)))
b$ %in cost the #hole hman race
c$ 2race ma!es it possible to &i0 #hat sin rined)
3$ Grace Must &o' (eign >Romans 5?12.21B
1$ Death has reigned long enogh
a$ "t has had a grip on 'ong and old, rich and poor, smart and dmb) Death has al#a's had the
&inal sa' in e(er' li&e)
b$ "t reigned e(en &rom Adam ntil Moses, e(en #ithot the La# o& 2od being #ritten 1 becase
it #as in or o#n hearts #hat #as right and #rong
c$ And then it onl' got #orse as the la# #as #ritten do#n 1 the ten commandments didn9t help
s, it <st made sin more sin&l)
d$ "t #as in charge #hen people sinned a little, and #hen people sinned a lot)
e$ Death reigned becase o& sin)
&$ "t reigned o(er !ings and papers
g$ "t reigned o(er Premiers and Popes
h$ "t reigned o(er 5aoiseachs and Prime Minsters
i$ "t reigned o(er Pharaohs and sla(es
<$ Death and sin has reigned long enogh
2$ Let 2race Reign 7o#
a$ -ne man, Adam, rined or li(es
b$ -ne Man, Hess Christ, can sa(e an' li&e)
c$ Remember, 2race has the po#er to?
1B 5o sa(e a sinner
2B 5o change the sinner 1 not lea(e them as the' are
=B 5o gi(e e(er'one a ne# li&e and prpose as a belie(er)
d$ -h that #e #old let 2race reign >Rom @?1FB, instead o& bitterness, and #rath, and anger, and
hrt, and grdges, and re(enge)
e$ 2RAC3 is the po#er to 2"43G the po#er to +-R2"43)
&$ 2race 6as Po#er >25im 2?1B 1 Be strong in ;6A5, 2race) Becase 2race is a greater po#er
than sin, and greater than gilt, and greater than 'or past)
1B 2od9s grace is all 'o need 1 no matter #hat 'o are going throgh >2Cor 12?9B
2B "t o(ercomes all other po#ers in 'or li&e, all other bondage >Rom 5?20,21B
=B "t is the onl' thing that ma!es 'o di&&erent >1Cor 15?10B
FB "t lasts &ore(er >3ph 2?DB 1 doesn9t #ear o&&) 2od9s gi(ingness ne(er #ears o&&) Aren9t 'o
glad,
g$ 5he more sin there is in 'or li&e, the more grace there is in Christ to &i0 that sin >5?15.19B
h$ " #ish 'o belie(ed this)
i$ -h that 2RAC3 #old R3"27 in or hearts, in or homes, in or <obs, in or thoghts, in or
memories, in or hrts)
+$ Grace Must Be )*+erienced >6ebre#s 12?2AB
1$ 2race can be blo#n, missed, neglected >6eb 12?15B
2$ "t can be per(erted >Hde 1?FG 2al 1?@B
=$ People <st 8ta!e ad(antage o& it: all the time
a$ Bt that is the natre o& grace 1 it is 563R3 to be ta!en ad(antage o&
b$ Remember, it is gi(en to those #ho do not deser(e it, and 7343R ;"LL deser(e it)
F$ "& 'o and " are not care&lI
a$ ;e can recei(ed it in (ain >2Cor @?1B 1 #ithot appreciation >C& Rom 1?21B, &lippantl',
ninterested 1 it is gi(en bt not recei(ed)
b$ ;e can e(en se it, and then abandon it and thro# it a#a') 6appens absoltel' all the time
c$ ;e can easil' replace grace #ith sel&ish things
d$ ;e can easil' ignore grace or o(erloo! it instead o& someone9s #rongs against s) 2od is
ha(ing %CC6 2R3A5 2RAC3 #ith some o& 'o, and 'o #on9t e(en notice
e$ 2race is no good nless it is accepted, recei(ed, possessed, e0perienced)
&$ "& someone tries to PA* &or the &ree gi&t, the' miss it)
5$ 30perience 2RAC3 this Christmas)
a$ M37D a Jarrel
b$ 5ell someone, K" lo(e 'o$K
c$ 2i(e something a#a'..anon'mosl'$
d$ +orgi(e someone #ho has treated 'o #rong$ 7o matter 6-; #rong)
e$ Pt a#a' 'or #rath #ith a so&t ans#er$
&$ 5rn a#a' %-M3-73 3L%39% #rath #ith a so&t ans#er
g$ 4isit someone in a nrsing home$
h$ ApologiLe i& 'o #ere #rong$
i$ Be especiall' !ind to someone #ith #hom 'o #or!$
<$ Mite e0pecting those that hrt 'o to earn 'or &orgi(eness)
!$ 2i(e as 2od ga(e to 'o in Christ, #ithot obligation, or hesitation, or h'pocris'$
@$ "& 'o &ind an' and all o& that impossible, then it is becase 'o ha(e not recei(ed grace
*-CR%3L+ >Romans 5?21B "t is called being born again)
D$ 2od onl' gi(es grace to the hmbled, the bro!en, the empt' >1Peter 5?5B
III. %onc$usion
A$ %ome gi&ts that 'o can gi(e this Christmas are be'ond monetar' (ale)
B$ 3speciall', the gi&t o& 2RAC3)
1$ "t is something that costs the gi(er 343R*56"72, and the recei(er 7-56"72)
2$ 2od in 6eb 12 sa's plainl', 8Let9s ha(e 2RAC3):
=$ "& there is one thing to get and recei(e this Christmas, it has to be 2RAC3)
F$ Becase, 2race is #hat Christmas is all abot$ Grace I, %rist-as.
a$ "t is all abot 2"4"72
b$ And abot ha(ing the A55"5CD3 o& gi(ing, to no matter #ho)
c$ "& *-C got some grace this Christmas, 'o got the most e0pensi(e gi&t
d$ "& 'o 2A43 some grace this Christmas, 'o ga(e the most priceless o& gi&ts)
5$ Wat is !Grace",
a$ "t is an attitde 1 and it is an attitde that 2od has, than!&ll')
b$ "t is simpl' an intense desire to give, #hen others #old onl' 5AE3, or demand
c$ "t is the abilit' to o(erloo! a lot o& #rong, and instead o& measring ot <stice and penalt', it
cases 2od to &orgi(e s, and &orget or sins
%. Ho' Does Grace Wor/0
1. Grace is Undeserved
a$ 7e(er earned, or else it is not &reel' gi(en) ;hat are 'o #illing to &reel' gi(e,
b$ 5he people #ho get 2od9s grace, don9t deser(e it) Remember that)
2. Grace is #bso$ute
a$ "t can sa(e a sinner >3ph 1?DG 2?A,9B #hen the' oght to be <dged
b$ "t can <sti&', pardon >5its =?DB someone #ho shold be condemned
c$ "t sho#s the lo(e o& the 2i(er
d$ "t can change the recipient >Rom @?15B 1 not lea(e them as the' are
e$ "t e(en goes so &ar as to call s to a ne# li&e and prpose as a belie(er >25im 1?9B
&$ "t lea(es nothing ndone, or le&t &or 'o and " to do, bt to accept)
=$ Grace Has a %ost 1 it is all 8throgh him:
a$ "t doesn9t come &ree to the 2i(er)
b$ "t is e0tremel' e0pensi(e to the 2i(er
c$ 5hat ma!es it so that 2race is +R33 to the recei(er 1 no costs, and no strings attached
d$ ;hat did 2-D pa' ot so that 'o cold recei(e the gi&t o& eternal li&e,
1B 6is onl' begotten %on 1 the blood o& an innocent, &or all s gilt')
2B 6is o#n honor and reptation 1 the' moc!ed and spit pon the %on o& 2od)))
e$ ;hat are *-C #illing to pa' so that someone else e0periences grace,
F$ Grace Must &o' (eign >Romans 5?12.21B
a$ Death has reigned long enogh) ;oldn9t 'o agree),
b$ Let 2race Reign 7o#
1B 2RAC3 is the po#er to 2"43G the po#er to +-R2"43)
2B "t o(ercomes all other po#ers in 'or li&e, all other bondage >Rom 5?20,21B
=B "t is the onl' thing that ma!es 'o di&&erent >1Cor 15?10B
FB "t lasts &ore(er >3ph 2?DB 1 doesn9t #ear o&&) 2od9s gi(ingness ne(er #ears o&&) Aren9t 'o
glad,
c$ 5he more sin there is in 'or li&e, the more grace there is in Christ to &i0 that sin >5?15.19B
d$ " #ish 'o belie(ed this)
e$ -h that 2RAC3 #old R3"27 in or hearts, in or homes, in or <obs, in or thoghts, in or
memories, in or hrts)
5$ Grace Must Be )*+erienced >6ebre#s 12?2AB
a$ 2race can be blo#n, missed, neglected >6eb 12?15B
b$ "t can be per(erted >Hde 1?FG 2al 1?@B
c$ People <st 8ta!e ad(antage o& it: all the time
1B Bt that is the natre o& grace 1 it is 563R3 to be ta!en ad(antage o&
2B Remember, it is gi(en to those #ho do not deser(e it, and 7343R ;"LL deser(e it)
d$ Hst don9t miss this 2"+5 o& all gi&ts)
e$ 30perience 2RAC3 this Christmas)