Download.. June 7, 2009, Sunday Morning service. Bro Dave Goble.
TEXT: JOHN 1:1-15, 16-17
16: And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17: For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
And of His fulness we All have Received His offering, and His Grace ...for grace. Only in Christ Fulness, have we Found Grace. Have You truly found Grace of Jesus' fulness ?
Br D Goble shared a "an account", of a religious meeting that took place, where the service was very lively with much commotion, from a visiting group of emotionally zealous young attendees. The unrestrained emotional conduct, caused many interruptions, so that it took the preacher much longer to conclude his thoughts. Later when the same group was gathered for an evening meal, a good elderly saint of God in offering thanks, prayed " Father we thank you for the group of young people and their zealous expressions, but Father we wonder sometimes why there is so much Steam that goes through the whistle and not enough steam through the pistons." The thought is, we of course should be thankful for the "steam going through the whistle (verbal praise,etc.)but it is much more important that we have" the steam driving the pistons" (the "life fruits" that back it up.) They both have their place, (the whistle as a warning and reminder that the train is there) yet much more the steam through the pistons, is the driving Force in the Movement of the train. We need trains to Move and sometimes, the whistle to blow. Grace for Every need.
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD
Noah was found acceptable or with grace and mercy, in the eyes of God.
Genesis 32:5 Jacob sent many gifts of his riches to Esau before meeting him, so he could Find Grace and Mercy, to be found Acceptable in spite of the breach that had been between them.
Proverbs 3:34 "Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly."
This was not the "same" transfer of grace found in the New Testament. Grace was given then,.. to the lowly or humble.
Romans 5:12, 19-21 12:
12:Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
19: For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
By the obedience of One, Jesus' sacrifice made all rep-enters, righteous, or,...delivered From sin, and it's compulsion.
Verse 20: Where offenses abounded, grace did much more abound. Israel had not been faithful as God's plan had provided for. God hated when the people kept the law in unrighteousness. For in The Law, there was No grace,.. or Mercy of Salvation for the humble.
By Mercy are we Justified. By Grace we are sanctified. Mercy is actually Deliverance,..the Forgiveness that we do not deserve. We have All sinned and been under the death sentence, for the sins we have committed. Only once a year,.. in the Old Testament, was there a "sacrifice" applied for their sins which could not provide a Continued grace. Only by God's extension of mercy through Salvation, can we escape that "sentence." Escape from a Continual relapse into that failure of sin, which causes you to do things that you said that you would Never do. While in sin, even "smart people," will make poor decisions that will have an ill effect on their lives.
In the 70"s there was a particular country headed fast into the cesspool of sin, primarily in the form of using cocaine. A "high" class of people ( lawyers, doctors, etc) , fell into the drug usage adversely affecting their ability to function, changing their personality. Without the grace of God there is No "brakes" for the things you said you would never do. No grace. Similarly Israel with their much backsliding found themselves here, with No grace for the many years through the good kings, and the bad. Graciously, God gave some more "latitude" of mercy when under the rule of the evil kings. There is a curse when we do Not follow God's way. God's way is always conditional. Grace is a vehicle that delivers Mercy, on the wings of prayer. Even though Undeserving. Grace is the Spirit of God. God creates Good and evil. He commands us to seek His good.
Romans 5: 18, 20
18: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
20: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Abounding offenses by the law was found by Apostle Paul, even after Jesus came, because they were living by the law and not by the grace in Salvation. Your version of morality is ugly to God. Jesus was the paid sacrifice to obtain forgiveness for and from deliverance of having "our own morality," and for a "shadow" of what God wants us to be. Have you found Grace? There is No room for God's grace if holding on to your own morality. You cannot in truth confuse Grace with temporal success, which is vanity. Human success can not be relied upon in any spiritual context. For Grace, is not evidenced by material success or gain. We are thankful for all temporal gain God might allow, but Real grace is evident regardless if we have no material goods or have ill health. Grace is much more demonstrated in spite of not having good health, not having family, not having a home.
Have you found Grace ? Grace upon Grace ? New Testament grace comes from Jesus through kindness, forgiveness, long-suffering for the opposition in our trials.
Romans 5:15
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
The free gift is Grace, Mercy and Pardon for our sins. The Gift of Grace. Do you have grace? Do you have the Gift of His Forgiveness of your sins, Once and for all, Never needing to return ? Because His Gift of Grace, Keeps us in His Holiness. If we remain in sin, our "grace " is only a mirage or concept Without substance. People that are given Grace,.. are expected to Grow in it.
II Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Evidence of Grace will increase our understanding of God's Nature and ability to handle life's problems. We did not have practice living in God's grace,.. Before salvation. Growing in God's grace,.. is growing in the ability to handle hard trials. It takes a Continual growth. Are you growing in Grace? Are you increased in your grace,.. with life's increased challenges?
Do you have the grace of God in your heart, with Mercy for the sinner? If you have not been delivered Out of sin, your claim of God's grace,.. is False. With the advancement of time,... you need to see an advancement of Your Grace.
