Bob Josey - Thriving in Jesus Chapter 13- From Precept to Practice- Jun 5, 2022

SLIDES

Thriving in Jesus

Chapter 13

From Precept to Practice

Introduction

For me one of the most beautiful and meaningful words in the English language is GRACE. I’m sure all of us know someone named Grace. There are many churches and ministries that have the word Grace as part of their name. Grace is a profound word and one of the most important doctrines found in the Bible. But like most other words, Grace has more than one meaning and that meaning, or course, depends on the context. In today’s lesson we are going to look at several facets of the word grace because grace is the overriding and prevailing dynamic that we should focus on at the beginning of our Christian life, throughout our Christian life, and at the end of our Christian life. 1 Peter 4:10 even tells us that there are many facets of grace.

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

The word manifold means various or different kinds. Today we are going to see different kinds of grace. The Illustration below is of two exhaust manifold that goes on both sides of an engine An exhaust manifold has several different ports, depending on the number of cylinders, that takes the exhaust gas from each cylinder and sends it to the catalytic converted and then to the muffler.

Since grace is the overriding and prevailing dynamic in our Christian life from the beginning to the end and everywhere in between, it is something we must try to get our arms around and hold on to. Concerning getting one’s arms around and holding on to the importance of the dynamic of grace in our lives, Chuck Swindoll tells the following story that helps us understand this a little better.

“Cynthia and I were on vacation at Sea Word with some of our children and grandchildren. It was amazing to watch those brave men and women who dive in the tank with Shamu the whale and the other big creatures. I thought, ‘That whale is so gracious not to put them into eternity with just a nudge of her nose.’ In fact, you get the feeling that they are fed handfuls of fish just to placate them, just to keep them in a real good mood that when the trainers get in the tank they’ll be able to get out of the tank a later on. And I watched as they hung on to their fins and tried to get there arms around those big bodes.

The subject of grace is like that – a big subject to try to get your arms around or to get a hold on it.”

Before we begin discussing the different facets of grace, we should first discuss the well head from which all facets of grace comes. There was absolutely grace in the Old Testament because there can be no forgiveness of sin unless there is grace. But at the incarnation of the Son of God, God manifested His’ grace in quality and quantity as it had never manifested it before. We see this manifestation of grace in John 1:14-17.

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ”

16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

Frist notice that the Word refers to Jesus who was born of Mary and tabernacled among the Jewish people. Jesus manifested His glory to those in Isarel. Then John says that Jesus “was full of grace and truth.” The word full means that an object contains within itself all that it will hold. Jesus was filled to the brim with grace and truth from the Heavenly Father. We will see the different aspects of grace in a few minutes. Everything that Jesus taught and lived was truth from the Father. Basically verse 16 says “out of His fulness we have received grace upon grace.”

The reality of grace upon grace was seen in the first night United States aircraft bombed Baghdad. We had one wave of bombers after another. When one wave of bombers finished, there would be another wave to take their place. For hours and hours there was constantly a wave of planes bombing Baghdad. Another illustration is the ocean. At high tide there is constantly one wave of water after another. When one wave depletes, there is another to take its place. Because of Jesus, God’s grace is never ending. There will always be grace available for the believer in Jesus wave after wave after wave.

Since we know that all types of grace comes from the well head who is Jesus, we now need to try to get a hold on to the importance of the dynamic of grace in our lives and to explore the different facets of grace provided for the believer in Jesus But before we begin, I want to emphasize something Pastor Joel said in the chapter for today. Many Christians are under the impression that every time they read the word grace in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, it means “unmerited favor or underserved favor or “something that cannot be earned or bought.” As we will see today, “unmerited favor,” as profound as it is, is just one facet or aspect of grace.

Grace as Unmerited Favor

Since we just discussed “unmerited favor” as being one of many aspects of the word grace, let’s begin there. The verses most of us are familiar with concerning grace meaning “unmerited favor or undeserved favor” is found in Ephesians 2:4-9.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

In Ephesians 2:4–9 Paul pointed out the relationship of three important words - love, mercy, and grace: Mercy concerns God’s compassion which moved Him to send a Savior for the lost world. But God’s mercy alone was not enough because if it had been, the sacrificial death of Christ would have been totally unnecessary. Divine love, on the other hand, was the motivating force behind all God did in providing salvation. Yet God’s love or commitment could not realize its desire to save sinners unless there was a total satisfaction for sin. This was provided in the atoning death of Christ, and only then could God’s grace be freely bestowed on the lost. Grace can be defined therefore as God’s unmerited favor or undeserved favor in the giving of His Son, through whom salvation is offered to all.

Grace in Greetings and Closings

Paul in most of his epistles had a similar salutation or greeting as seen in Ephesians 1:2.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

Paul in His greeting or salutation wished the believers in Ephesus would receive God’s grace and peace. Since Paul is writing to believers in Jesus, he is not wishing them unmerited favor or peace with God. They have already received both of those when they were saved. What he is wishing them is divine enablement and wellbeing. We will talk more about grace meaning divine enablement in a few minutes. At end of some of some Paul’s closing of epistles, he also wishes grace to those to whom he is writing as seen in Romans 16:24.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

As with the salutation, the word grace here means divine enablement.

Grace as a State of Being

In some passages grace refers to a state which one has been brought and to be under its authority as seen in Romans 6:14.

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

In this part of Paul’s epistle to the Romans, he is writing to Jewish believes in Jesus, not Gentiles. The word under means under the authority of. Before Jesus’ sacrificial death, Jews were under authority of the Law of Moses. The Jews who trusted in Jesus as Savior and Messiah have been transferred from the authority of the Law of Moses to the authority of grace under the New Covenant. Being under the Law of Moses brought condemnation and now being under the New Covenant brings grace.

It's like a couple who moves from Great Britain to the US. At some time they become US citizens. They have been transferred from being under the authority of the laws of Great Britain to being under the authority of the laws of the United States.

Grace as Divine Enablement

It is this aspect or facet of grace that we are going to spend the remainder of our time today. Once one trusts in Christ as their Savior, this becomes the most important aspect of grace in one’s life. This aspect of grace is what we deal with every day and were the rubber meets the road. Hebrews 4:16 is the quintessential verse that sets the stage for this facet of grace, divine enablement.

Therefore (because Jesus is our High Priest in heaven at the Heavenly Tabernacle) let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that (purpose) we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

For you who are here today or watching on Zoom, what needs or problems do you have? Think about that for a few seconds. Since each of us has problems and needs and since Jesus is the Messiah and our High Priest in Heaven, we can drew near to Him in prayer because we have trusted in Him as our Savior. This is His promise to us. But when we do go to the throne of grace in prayer, we must go with confidence or boldness. James 1:6-7 tell us what will happened if we do not to the throne of grace with boldness and confidence.

6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,

The purpose for believers going to the throne of grace is to receive mercy and grace to help in time of need. Mercy is when God shows His kindness and compassion to believers in time of need. Whereas, grace in this context is divine enablement. God enables believers with strength, power, wisdom, and material resources in time of need. Wheather it concerns us dealing with our family members, our ministry, our job, our next-door neighbor, those within our class or church, Bible study or personal things such as finances, health, or sin, God will provide the needed resources, wisdom, or strength to deal with any matter. Remember what John 1:16 says, For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. When a believer is in need, God will send wave after wave after wave of divine enablement to him or her.

Let’s look at a few verses that deal with grace being divine enablement from God.

2 Timothy 2:1

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:4-7

4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,

5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,

6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you,

7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 Corinthians 9:12-14

12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.

13 Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,

14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the

surpassing grace of God in you.

1 Corinthians 15:10

10 But 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 not I, but

the grace of God with me.

1 Corinthians 3:10

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master

builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man

must be careful how he builds on it.

1 Corinthians 9:8

8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having

all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every

good deed;

2 Corinthians 12.9

9 And He has 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.

To sum up, even though there are several facets of grace, they have one thing in common, they come from and originate in Jesus the Messiah. Charles Ryrie in His excellent book on The Grace of God says this, “When that grace which was reveled in Christ is received by the believer, it then governs spiritual life by compounding favor upon favor. It equips, strengthens, and controls all phases of his life.”

The Greyhound had been thrashing about in the north Atlantic storm for over a week. Its canvas sails were ripped, and the wood on one side of the ship had been torn away. The sailors had little hope of survival, but they mechanically worked the pumps, trying to keep the vessel afloat. One of these men was John Newton. He was exhausted from working the pumps so he transferred to helm.

During the storm, Newton had time to think. His life seemed as ruined and wrecked as the battered ship he was trying to steer through the storm. Since the age of eleven, he had lived a life at sea. Newton had a reputation for profanity, coarseness, and debauchery which even shocked many a sailor. However, His mother taught him Scriptures He remembered Luke 11:13 seemed to assure him that God might still hear him: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him."

That day at the helm, March 21, 1748, was a day Newton remembered ever after, for "On that day the Lord sent from on high and delivered me out of deep waters." Many years later, as an old man, Newton wrote in his diary of March 21, 1805: "Not well able to write; but I endeavor to observe the return of this day with humiliation, prayer, and praise." Only God's amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slave-trading sailor and transform him into a child of God. Newton never ceased to stand in awe of God's work in his life. This is the man who wrote

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)

That sav’d a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

SELAH