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Elements of Grace – God’s Grace is Personal

Pastor Scott Applegate

Sermon Notes:

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:1-7 NIV

  • Grace is the unmerited and un-earnable favor and forgiveness of God based upon the merits of Jesus Christ
  • Grace is God giving us the power to do what we could never do on our own

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to son-ship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” Ephesians 1:3-10 NIV

  1. God’s grace tells me that apart from Jesus I am infinitely lost and in need of rescuing

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way…” Isaiah 53:6 NIV

  • We receive this amazing grace when we accept that we ourselves are the lost sheep in this parable – stubborn, prone to wonder and helpless
  1. God’s grace tells me that I am also infinitely treasured
  • Grace shows me I am lovable (John 3:16)

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” Augustine

  • Grace shows me I am valuable (1 Corinthians 7:23)
  • Grace shows me I am forgivable (Ephesians 1:4, Isaiah 43:25)
  • Grace shows me I am capable (1 Corinthians 15:10)
  1. God’s grace was costly

“…he was led like a lamb to the slaughter…” Isaiah 53:7 NIV

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17 NIV

“Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” Romans10:4 NIV

“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Galatians 2:21 NIV

  1. God’s grace calls for a response of costly worship

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Matthew 25:6-13 NIV

“Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” Isaac Watts (“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”)

  • Is Jesus getting the leftovers of my life or is He getting my all?