ࡱ> IKH U&bjbj %DjjU"l&$:D&M%$$$$$$$O& o($$% $$dzx#|$~ @cyZ& #$%0M%$))$&&"Thank You God, For Your Grace!" 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 INTRO. As I think upon some of the Great BIBLE words, Salvation, Redemption, Sanctification, Assurance, Forgiveness, and Glorification, I believe the one that means the most to me is (one previously not mentioned), Grace. For Grace is the FOUNDATION of ALL those just mentioned! If it wasn't for Grace NO MAN could be saved! We would be without HOPE, doomed to an eternal hell! But THANK GOD, the SCRIPTURE tells us, "For by grace are ye saved through FAITH; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the GIFT of God: Not of WORKS lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9). The most marvelous feature of grace is that it is freely given by GOD to lowly mankind. That's just the definition we have of grace-the unmerited favor of God to an undeserving world. All that we are or ever hope to be, as God's people, rests on the GRACE OF GOD! The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:10 declares, "But by the GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM: and HIS GRACE which was bestowed upon me was not in vain..." I pray each one here today can say that! I want to title the message today, "Thank You God, For Your Grace!" I want each of us today to ask ourselves this question, "Where would I be today apart from the GRACE OF GOD?" Some here today may be living just that (apart from the GRACE OF GOD), because you have never accepted HIS SON, AS LORD and SAVIOR, and became a partaker of HIS GRACE! If you're in that situation, please consider this offer of GRACE today! Paul, in his writings, spoke much about the GRACE OF GOD. In fact, in Paul's writing's alone, the word "Grace" is found 95 times. The apostle Paul was a very educated man who could have relied greatly upon the FLESH, but he realized that ALL HE WAS, was by the GRACE OF GOD! For that He was truly thankful! What about you Christian? Do we thank God enough for HIS GRACE? I want us to see 7 things that Paul mentions that GOD'S GRACE does for us as believers. GOD'S GRACE: (1) ENRICHES US Text: 1 Corinthians 1:5aThat in everything ye are enriched by him THE EXTENT OF THESE RICHES. Notice the words in everything ye are enriched. They had been enriched by Him in ALL THINGS! This was a benefit of Gods grace as v4 tells us, the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF THESE RICHES. The Greek word for "enrich" means simply "to make rich". Revelation 2:9--Christ told the Church at Smyrna--"I know thy poverty, but thou art rich..." IN Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul declares for us the extravagance of grace that has been bestowed to us through Christ Jesus. Notice what v3 says, Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. The extravagance of the riches of Gods grace is clearly seen in Philippians 4:19 where Paul declares, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ILLUS: Our normal, ordinary view of salvation is hopelessly and ridiculously inadequate. Our trouble is that we always start with ourselves instead of starting with God. Instead of going to the Bible and looking at its revelation and discovering there what salvation means, I start with myself and certain things that I want and desire, certain benefits that I always want to enjoy in this life and in this world. I want forgiveness of sins; I want peace of conscience and of mind; I want enjoyment and happiness; I want to be delivered from certain sins; I want guidance; I want this and that; and my whole conception of salvation is reduced to that level.... The most wonderful thing of all is not that my sins have been forgiven, nor that I may enjoy certain experiences and blessing as a Christian. The thing that should astound me ... is that I am a child of God, one of God's people. -- D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in Safe in the World. Christianity Today, Vol. 34, no. 7. WE are RICH because of His GRACE. Materially, we may be poor, but spiritually if He is Our Lord and Savior, WE ARE RICH! GODS GRACE ENRICHES US, and also GODS GRACE (2) GIVES US UTTERANCE 1 Corinthians 1:5bIn all utterance GRACE GIVES US COURAGE (2 Timothy 1:7, 8). ILLUS: Every Christian ought to be ready to stand up courageously and unashamedly for the Lord. How inconsistent that a person redeemed by the blood of Christ experiencing saving power should cower before an unbelieving world! On one occasion Frederick the Great invited some notable people to his royal table. Including his top-ranking generals. One of them by the name of Hans von Zieten declined the invitation because he wanted to partake of communion at his church. Some time later at another banquet Frederick and his guests mocked the general for his religious scruples and made jokes about the Lord's supper. In great peril of his life, the officer stood to his feet and said respectfully to the monarch, "My lord, there is a greater King than you, a King to whom I have sworn allegiance even unto death. I am a Christian man, and I cannot sit quietly as the Lord's name is dishonored and His character belittled." The guests trembled in silence, knowing that von Zieten might be killed. But to their surprise, Frederick grasped the hand of this courageous man, asked his forgiveness, and requested that he remain. He promised that he would never again allow such a travesty to be made of sacred things. (Romans 1:16) B. GRACE GIVES US CONVICTION (Psalms 107:2, 3; Acts 4:18-20). He who believes is strong, he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions.- Anonymous (Revelations 12:11). (3) GIVES US KNOWLEDGE Text: 1 Corinthians 1:5cAnd in all knowledge GRACE BRINGS LIGHT (2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Ephesians 1:13-23). GRACE BRINGS LEARNING (2 Peter 3:18; John 15:16-17, 26; John 16:13). (4) CONFIRMS US Text: 1 Corinthians 1:6, 8aEven as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. Who also shall confirm you unto the end. GRACE MAKES US SONS (Romans 8:14-16). GRACE MAKES US SECURE (2 Timothy 1:9-10, 12b; 1 Peter 1:3-5). (5) GIVES US ALL SPIRITUAL GIFTS Text: 1 Corinthians 1:7So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 8:32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things. GIFTS ARE GIVEN SO WE MIGHT SERVE (1 Peter 4:10). B. GIFT ARE GIVEN SO WE MIGHT SHINE (2 Peter 1:2-4; Matthew 5:16). (6) WILL MAKE US BLAMELESS Text: 1 Corinthians 1:8bThat ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. A. THE REALIZATION OF HOW WE OUGHT TO LIVE (1 Thessalonians 5:22-24). B. THE REFLECTION OF THE LORD FOR WHOM WE OUGHT TO LOOK (Philippians 2:15-16a; 3:20-21). (7) CALLS US UNTO FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST Text: 1 Corinthians 1:9 FELLOWSHIP MEANS ABIDING (John 15:4-5; 1 John 1:3-7; 4:13). FELLOWSHIP MEANS IDENTIFYING (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:10). CLOSING: Romans 5:1-2 says, "Being justified by FAITH, we have PEACE WITH GOD through OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. By whom also we have ACCESS BY FAITH INTO THIS GRACE WHEREIN WE STAND, and REJOICE IN HOPE of the GLORY of GOD." Praise GOD For HIS MARVELOUS GRACE! LOST FRIEND, Will You accept the FREE GRACE OF GOD while it is available to you today? God's GRACE can save you today, if you will only receive it! CHRISTIAN, We ARE SAVED BY HIS GRACE! 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