Appreciating God’s Grace Love, mercy and adding to the package

Ephesians 2:4-5 ✤ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Consider What Grace is Not It is not license to sin

Romans 6:1-2 ✤ 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ✤ 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

2 Peter 1:5-11 ✤ 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ✤ 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ✤ 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ✤ 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ✤ 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ✤ 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. ✤ 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Consider What Grace is Not It is not license to sin It is not based on human performance Romans 5: but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Consider What Grace is Not It is not license to sin It is not based on human performance It is FREE, but not CHEAP Deitrich Bonhoeffer, THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” ”Cheap grace is the enemy of our church.”

1 Peter 1:18-19 ✤ 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, ✤ 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. Don’t confuse FREE with CHEAP 1 Corinthians 6:20a …for you were bought with a price. Acts 20:28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood “What cost God so much cannot be cheap for us.” D. Bonhoffer

What Salvation by Grace is… Hebrews 2:9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Grace that costs God is substitution

What Salvation by Grace is… 1 John 4:9-10 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Grace that costs God is substitution Costly grace exacts a high price paid

What Salvation by Grace is… R. Turner, ‘89 - “When someone does you wrong, if you take the idea that you must be paid for whatever is lost before the record is settled, this is not forgiveness. True forgiveness is when one is willing to “bear the cost’ and say, ‘I’ll just take the hurt on me. You have hurt me, but will take it. I forgive you.’ Sin is against God, but God takes the beating in that He sent Jesus to die to pay the price for OUR sin.” Grace that costs God is substitution Costly grace exacts a high price paid Grace is taking the punishment

Grace is Love from a True Father ✤ 29 ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. ✤ 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ Luke 15:29-30 The elder son was… 1. Bitter 2. Jealous, and 3. Resentful

Grace is Love from a True Father ✤ 29 ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. ✤ 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ Luke 15:29-30 The elder son was… 1.Bitter 2.Jealous, and 3.Resentful Saw the father as a master, issuing commands, giving rewards

Grace is Love from a True Father Luke 15 The elder son was… Like the Pharisees, w/ checklists, and a Master/slave relationship v. 3-7 – Sinners needing help? He is like a shepherd searching out one lost lamb v – Treating publicans like people? He is like a woman searching for a valuable coin Accused of eating with sinners? He is like a loving father missing his son

Romans 4:6-8 6 …God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” Our God is our Father Loving Forgiving Merciful He wants obedience and is ready to welcome us home. The price is already paid.