The Love of God - Part 6 "Love and Grace"

Our Great Commission
The Love of God
Part 6: Love and Grace
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org


ANNOUNCEMENTS

6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”

WHERE WE ARE AT

† Maturing in Christ
† Understanding in Christ


This Series: The Love of God

Previously:
Part 1: The Love of God
Part 2: Love your Neighbor
Part 3: Love your Neighbor II
Part 4: Love your Brother
Part 5: Love your Enemy




TODAY’S SERMON: Our Great Commission
The Love of God
Part 6: Love and Grave



OPEN IN PRAYER



Baker Theological Dictionary of the Bible

GRACE – The word ‘grace’ in the bible, like forgiveness, repentance, regeneration, and salvation, mean something as broad as describing the whole of God’s activity toward man or as narrow as describing one segment of that activity.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward man.


I. IN THE BEGINNING

a. Grace first appears as the word heen in Genesis 6:8, speaking about the grace that was shown to Noah. This is described as Noah “finding favor in the eyes of the Lord”.

The rest of the references to the word mostly refer to the grace man shows towards man.

Grace is a reflection of God and His character.

When we show grace, we show God to others.


b. Heen is not only translated “find favor”, but also as “be pleased with”.

In Exodus 33, Moses found favor with God, God was “pleased with” him.

So not only will God show us unmerited favor, but He can also be pleased with us.

When was the last time God showed you favor?

When was the last time God was pleased with you?

If you’re not sure, you may ask yourself, when was the last time I showed grace to someone else?
c. Moses was again shown grace in the form of finding favor with God in Numbers 11:4-17.

When the people of Israel were complaining at having only manna and not any meat, Moses cries out to the Lord about the burden of judging the entire people by himself.

Moses receives unmerited favor from God as the Lord appoints seventy Elders of Israel to help Moses carry the burden.

In your time of need, cry to heaven for the Lord’s grace to fall upon you.

When looking at the life of David in 2 Samuel 15:26 in the Old Testament, we see that David states that if he finds favor in the Lord’s eyes (grace), then God will bring him back.

But if he does not, the David is ready to “Let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”

David recognizes that the unmerited favor of God has to do with God’s choice, not his.

Do you acknowledge God’s sovereign rule in your life?

Or do you “tell” God what to do in your life???

Are your prayers to the Lord requests for Him to exercise His grace in your life, to find favor with you, or are you simply giving Him a set of instructions on what He “must” do for you?

Who’s will is really leading your life?

Is it your will and what you want, or have you truly submitted to the Lord?

Do you say you have submitted to the Lord, yet try to leaf Him around with your prayers and demands?

It is not until we realize as David, and Samuel and others in the Old Testament, that God is God, and His will is His will.

II. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Romans 9
“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

Jesus gives us many examples of Grace in the New Testament, as one who truly “lived” out the Word.

Showing the unmerited favor to many as an example to us.

When Jesus came, He said He did not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it.

But the Law without grace I cruel.

Law is needed because of sin, yet grace will bring the sinner to reconcile with God.

The Law condemned the adulterous woman, which states she must be stoned…

But Grace said “those without sin cast the first stone”, and Jesus spoke to her and said “Go and sin no more”.

Mercy, forgiveness, love all are found in grace, and shown in our showing grace to others.


III. HERE AN NOW

Can we show love without forgiveness?

Can we show mercy without warrant?

Grace is needed in our lives, first from the Lord to us…but then from us to others.

CONCLUSION

We need to ask ourselves;

When was the last time God showed me favor?

When was the last time God was pleased with me?

When was the last time I showed grace to someone else?

Grace towards others can be found in many forms…

Forgiveness

Mercy

Kindness

There are many ways to show others the grace of God.

We need to remember that there is death in the Law, but life in the law of Love.