Jesus Is - Grace

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Jesus Is: Grace.

 

What is Grace?

Webster’s Dictionary

·             elegant or refined movement; poise

·             the free and unmerited favor of God

 

3 Things We Need To Understand About Grace:

 

1.           Grace Is More Than A Principle or Idea; Grace Is A Person. And His Name Is Jesus.

John 1:15-17 ESV

“We have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

 

·             The moment you lower grace to an idea or mere principle, you devalue it.

 

·             It’s easy to abuse a principle, to manipulate a system. It’s much harder to abuse a person or violate a relationship.

 

The Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5-7

Jesus gives them a way to live they had never heard of before (5:1-6)

Jesus preaches to them about keeping the law of Moses (5:17-7:6)

(613 Commandments in the law of Moses – 248 do’s 365 don’ts)

Jesus tells them, “you’ve already missed it” (7:7-28)

 

2.           We Need To Learn To Trust In Jesus More Than A Set Of Rules.

 

Why? Because rules are not enough.

 

·             Rules are often arbitrary.

 

·             Rules are powerless.

 

·             Rules are external.

 

·             Rules point us toward ourselves.

 

·             Rules are often based on fear.

 

·             Rules emphasize the negative.

·              

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

 

·             Bottom Line: Rules are meant to lead us to a relationship with Jesus, not to replace a relationship with Jesus.

 

 

The Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-32

 

3.           In Order For Us To Experience The Embrace Of Grace, There Had To Be A Weight.

 

1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession,…

 

·             Everything that rules tried to do, grace did better… AND MORE.

 

… that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

 

·             Grace did more than rescue us from our sin. Grace restored our identity.

 

 

Final Thought:

Condemnation Says: Look at YOUR progress. It’s not good enough.

Grace Says: stop focusing on YOUR progress and focus on what I have already done for you.

 

Bibliography/Resources:

Blue Letter Bible Dictionary/Thesaurus  

Jesus Is by Judah Smith

Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University – Charles Talbert