Gift of Grace, 3 December 2017
The Gift of Grace
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
Ephesians 2:1-10
Big Idea: One of God’s greatest gifts is grace—unmerited favor.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Have you ever encountered anyone grumpy at Christmastime? It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be the most stressful time of year, the most depressing time of the year, the most lonely time of the year.
Have you ever been the grumpy one at Christmastime? Maybe you’ve been upset when people said, “Happy Holidays?” Perhaps you’ve blamed others for the loss of loved ones. Here’s the unpopular truth: hurt people hurt people. Our sinful human nature is prone to want to retaliate, to react when we are hurt or offended.
We have sung about grace. It is truly amazing. It is unmerited favor, an undeserved gift.
Last week we began our Gifts of Christmas series looking at the gift of expectancy. Advent is about arrival, about coming. Like Black Friday has spread from a day to a season, Christmas has spread from a day to a season of shopping, parties, and vacations.
But Advent is different. In some ways it’s not about the present, but the past and future. We are in between the first arrival of the Messiah and the second arrival, the return of Jesus Christ. We read the Old Testament which looks forward to the birth of Jesus. Essentially we remember the future!
But we also await the arrival, second coming of the Messiah.
The gift of expectancy is precious. Part of the joy of a vacation is the planning, the anticipation. As much as I would love for you to invite Heather and me on an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii next week (we’d find a way to clear our schedules and go!), perhaps even better would be the same invitation for a date further in the future (February would be perfect!) which would allow us to eagerly await the experience.
Today we’re looking at the gift of grace. We recently did a series on the subject, Grace is Greater. You can read the notes and listen to the podcasts at PastorKirk.com. Grace is a precious gift.
Grace is the name of a girl.
Grace is a prayer before a meal.
Grace is simple elegance or refinement of movement.
Grace is a gift, and true gifts are not earned, but rather unmerited blessings.
Non-profit giving statements often include this statement:
No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution.
If that’s really true, it might be considered an act of grace.
I want to turn your attention back to that video of Louis. How does that guy feed himself in that body cast?
Seriously, though, some might say he got what he deserved, a ride on the conveyer belt and painful injuries from his rude, obnoxious behavior. Then again, he got what he did not deserve—a Christmas gift from a person he offended.
I don’t know about you, but I am more troubled by Christians who behave badly than those who do not claim to follow Jesus. I expect people without faith, hope and love to be arrogant, selfish, and mean. But Christians? The word “Christian” means “little Christ.” Whenever I see a speeding car with a fish on the back, a megaphone-toting evangelist yelling at people, or pastors fawning over politicians I think of the old Bon Jovi song, “You Give God a Bad Name!” Okay, that’s not the exact title, but that’s what comes to mind.
Disclaimer: I give God a bad name sometimes. It’s not my intent, but my life does not always look like a “little Jesus.” I can be arrogant, self-righteous, and judgmental—among other things—and it’s in those moments that I especially need God’s gift of grace. I know what I deserve from God: eternal punishment for my countless sins and offenses toward a holy, perfect Creator. Instead, God so loved me and you and every man, woman child of every age, race, nationality, orientation, language, and religion that He sent His only Son, Jesus, into our world as a gift of grace to offer forgiveness, salvation, hope, peace, love, and joy.
But a gift isn’t yours until you take it, until you receive it.
Did Louis receive the gift of grace? Did he truly experience the grace of being right with God and others, or was he bound up in a religious quest?
Maybe the controversy about saying “Happy Holidays” versus “Merry Christmas” is not relevant, but what religious attitudes do you possess? Am I the only one guilty of judging non-Christians for not acting like Christians? Am I the only one guilty of trying to be right instead of trying to further a relationship? I find it easy to laugh at the video but the reality is in our post-Christian culture, Christians do not have a good reputation. I wish the first thing people thought of when they heard “Christian” is Jesus, love, generosity, kindness, hospitality, and grace.
Instead, we’re known more for what we’re against than what we’re for. This really frustrates me—and it’s hardly a new phenomenon—but what can we do? What can I do? I believe the only thing I can do is experience God’s grace and share it generously with others.
Jesus came as Emmanuel, God with us. He passed the baton to His disciples, the first Christians, who have passed it to us. You might be the only “little Jesus” people encounter this Christmastime. I don’t know anyone who is searching for religion—rules and regulations—but our world is crying out for relationships, friendship, hope, love, grace.
Our text for today was written by Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus, a very cool city I was privileged to visit last year. It was a once-powerful, influential city in the Roman empire. He wrote to some of the first Christians…
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
Even the most righteous, Christ-like person on the planet was once a sinner without hope. Paul—who wrote this—was previously known as Saul, one who persecuted Christians! What a transformation! That’s grace.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)
Last Sunday during baptism we symbolically placed people into a water grave to die to their sinful past in order to be resurrected as new creations. We have been saved by grace. Paul even says it again.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
We receive grace. We can’t earn it. We can’t take credit for it. We can’t boast about being a Christian or having salvation, the forgiveness of sins, the hope of heaven, or a relationship with our Creator. It’s a gift.
Likewise, religion’s quest to be good enough for God is futile, it’s doomed to fail. But grace, the gift of God, is amazing.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than He does right now.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than He does right now.
That’s grace!
So What?
If you’ve received grace, if you’ve experienced it, don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Share it…lavishly!
I know it can be difficult to put others first, to listen when you want to speak, to give when you’d rather take, to go after that good parking place when the wind is howling, to bake cookies for that neighbor who drives you crazy, to go out of your way to be kind to the office Grinch…but that’s grace.
And just a reminder: nobody deserves grace! So it doesn’t matter if the person is young or old, a Christian or a Muslim, gay or straight, a Wolverine or a Buckeye…if you’ve received grace it needs to be shared.
Religion is about being right.
Grace is about relationship, about love, about a gift, about Jesus…and that’s who we remember and await. As we live between his first and second arrivals, we celebrate what He has done and look forward to what He will do.
Let’s not be like Louis—proud, loud and arrogant. He ends up in a full body cast, restricted and bound up, a great picture of what religion does. Let’s re-present Jesus well as people giving the gift of grace. I pray when people hear we’re Christians, they think
“You’re the ones who were handing out blankets that night it got so cold downtown.”
“You’re the ones who served coffee to those with whom you ideologically disagree.”
“You’re the ones who took a team over to the country that had the earthquake.”
“You’re the ones who sat by my mother’s bedside when she passed away last year.”
Life is more than being right. God-intended life is about being right with our Creator as well as being right with others…because of the gift of grace, a gift we can both receive and share.
Credits: title and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
Ephesians 2:1-10
Big Idea: One of God’s greatest gifts is grace—unmerited favor.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Have you ever encountered anyone grumpy at Christmastime? It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be the most stressful time of year, the most depressing time of the year, the most lonely time of the year.
Have you ever been the grumpy one at Christmastime? Maybe you’ve been upset when people said, “Happy Holidays?” Perhaps you’ve blamed others for the loss of loved ones. Here’s the unpopular truth: hurt people hurt people. Our sinful human nature is prone to want to retaliate, to react when we are hurt or offended.
We have sung about grace. It is truly amazing. It is unmerited favor, an undeserved gift.
Last week we began our Gifts of Christmas series looking at the gift of expectancy. Advent is about arrival, about coming. Like Black Friday has spread from a day to a season, Christmas has spread from a day to a season of shopping, parties, and vacations.
But Advent is different. In some ways it’s not about the present, but the past and future. We are in between the first arrival of the Messiah and the second arrival, the return of Jesus Christ. We read the Old Testament which looks forward to the birth of Jesus. Essentially we remember the future!
But we also await the arrival, second coming of the Messiah.
The gift of expectancy is precious. Part of the joy of a vacation is the planning, the anticipation. As much as I would love for you to invite Heather and me on an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii next week (we’d find a way to clear our schedules and go!), perhaps even better would be the same invitation for a date further in the future (February would be perfect!) which would allow us to eagerly await the experience.
Today we’re looking at the gift of grace. We recently did a series on the subject, Grace is Greater. You can read the notes and listen to the podcasts at PastorKirk.com. Grace is a precious gift.
Grace is the name of a girl.
Grace is a prayer before a meal.
Grace is simple elegance or refinement of movement.
Grace is a gift, and true gifts are not earned, but rather unmerited blessings.
Non-profit giving statements often include this statement:
No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution.
If that’s really true, it might be considered an act of grace.
I want to turn your attention back to that video of Louis. How does that guy feed himself in that body cast?
Seriously, though, some might say he got what he deserved, a ride on the conveyer belt and painful injuries from his rude, obnoxious behavior. Then again, he got what he did not deserve—a Christmas gift from a person he offended.
I don’t know about you, but I am more troubled by Christians who behave badly than those who do not claim to follow Jesus. I expect people without faith, hope and love to be arrogant, selfish, and mean. But Christians? The word “Christian” means “little Christ.” Whenever I see a speeding car with a fish on the back, a megaphone-toting evangelist yelling at people, or pastors fawning over politicians I think of the old Bon Jovi song, “You Give God a Bad Name!” Okay, that’s not the exact title, but that’s what comes to mind.
Disclaimer: I give God a bad name sometimes. It’s not my intent, but my life does not always look like a “little Jesus.” I can be arrogant, self-righteous, and judgmental—among other things—and it’s in those moments that I especially need God’s gift of grace. I know what I deserve from God: eternal punishment for my countless sins and offenses toward a holy, perfect Creator. Instead, God so loved me and you and every man, woman child of every age, race, nationality, orientation, language, and religion that He sent His only Son, Jesus, into our world as a gift of grace to offer forgiveness, salvation, hope, peace, love, and joy.
But a gift isn’t yours until you take it, until you receive it.
Did Louis receive the gift of grace? Did he truly experience the grace of being right with God and others, or was he bound up in a religious quest?
Maybe the controversy about saying “Happy Holidays” versus “Merry Christmas” is not relevant, but what religious attitudes do you possess? Am I the only one guilty of judging non-Christians for not acting like Christians? Am I the only one guilty of trying to be right instead of trying to further a relationship? I find it easy to laugh at the video but the reality is in our post-Christian culture, Christians do not have a good reputation. I wish the first thing people thought of when they heard “Christian” is Jesus, love, generosity, kindness, hospitality, and grace.
Instead, we’re known more for what we’re against than what we’re for. This really frustrates me—and it’s hardly a new phenomenon—but what can we do? What can I do? I believe the only thing I can do is experience God’s grace and share it generously with others.
Jesus came as Emmanuel, God with us. He passed the baton to His disciples, the first Christians, who have passed it to us. You might be the only “little Jesus” people encounter this Christmastime. I don’t know anyone who is searching for religion—rules and regulations—but our world is crying out for relationships, friendship, hope, love, grace.
Our text for today was written by Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus, a very cool city I was privileged to visit last year. It was a once-powerful, influential city in the Roman empire. He wrote to some of the first Christians…
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
Even the most righteous, Christ-like person on the planet was once a sinner without hope. Paul—who wrote this—was previously known as Saul, one who persecuted Christians! What a transformation! That’s grace.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)
Last Sunday during baptism we symbolically placed people into a water grave to die to their sinful past in order to be resurrected as new creations. We have been saved by grace. Paul even says it again.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
We receive grace. We can’t earn it. We can’t take credit for it. We can’t boast about being a Christian or having salvation, the forgiveness of sins, the hope of heaven, or a relationship with our Creator. It’s a gift.
Likewise, religion’s quest to be good enough for God is futile, it’s doomed to fail. But grace, the gift of God, is amazing.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than He does right now.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than He does right now.
That’s grace!
So What?
If you’ve received grace, if you’ve experienced it, don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Share it…lavishly!
I know it can be difficult to put others first, to listen when you want to speak, to give when you’d rather take, to go after that good parking place when the wind is howling, to bake cookies for that neighbor who drives you crazy, to go out of your way to be kind to the office Grinch…but that’s grace.
And just a reminder: nobody deserves grace! So it doesn’t matter if the person is young or old, a Christian or a Muslim, gay or straight, a Wolverine or a Buckeye…if you’ve received grace it needs to be shared.
Religion is about being right.
Grace is about relationship, about love, about a gift, about Jesus…and that’s who we remember and await. As we live between his first and second arrivals, we celebrate what He has done and look forward to what He will do.
Let’s not be like Louis—proud, loud and arrogant. He ends up in a full body cast, restricted and bound up, a great picture of what religion does. Let’s re-present Jesus well as people giving the gift of grace. I pray when people hear we’re Christians, they think
“You’re the ones who were handing out blankets that night it got so cold downtown.”
“You’re the ones who served coffee to those with whom you ideologically disagree.”
“You’re the ones who took a team over to the country that had the earthquake.”
“You’re the ones who sat by my mother’s bedside when she passed away last year.”
Life is more than being right. God-intended life is about being right with our Creator as well as being right with others…because of the gift of grace, a gift we can both receive and share.
Credits: title and some ideas from The Skit Guys.