The Doctrine of Amazing Grace

THE DOCTRINE OF AMAZING GRACE

THE STORY OF JOHN NEWTON

8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. 10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. Ephesians 2:8-9
 
There’s a story told about C.S. Lewis attending a conference on comparative religions. Several people were debating what was unique about Christianity. After numerous suggestions were rejected, Lewis interjected. “What’s unique about Christianity? Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.
 
GRACE – God’s favor and power for living
1.Saving Grace – Saving grace is the free and unmerited operation of God’s person and presence that initiates the spiritual life of God’s people. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
 
2.Common Grace -Common grace, as an expression of the goodness of God, is every favor, falling short of salvation, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world enjoys at the hand of God; this includes the delay of wrath, the mitigation of our sin-natures, natural events that lead to prosperity, and all gifts that human use and enjoy naturally. The deadliest force in the world is not nature, not winds, not rains, not earthquakes. Dangerous force is not animals, jungle. The dangerous force – most dangerous and deadly force is humans. They can plot evil. They can devise harm. They’re not like animals who kill because they’re designed to kill. That’s how the food chain works. Humans are designed to give life, but they are amazingly crafty at creating death.
 
The Bible says all have sinned. All have sinned. In fact, if you go back to the beginning in the book of Genesis, you read this: “Now the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The earth was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on earth and the earth was filled with violence.” The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. Psalm 145:9
So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45
 
How?
1.Self Revelation
2.Conscience
3.Word
4.Law – Government
5.Providence
 
3.Sanctifying Grace Sanctifying grace is God’s freely given presence and power to restore the fullness of God’s image in which we are created. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 3:18
29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers.” Romans 8:28-29
 
4.Sustaining Grace – God’s power to hold us together in a time of need (like glue) My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.”
1 Peter 5:12
 
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, oh take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
 
 


Jesus in My Place

Jesus In My Place

Mark 15:22-41

Seven things God was Doing at the Cross

1. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” 1 Cor. 15:3
2. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

3. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

4.“Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.Isaiah 53:4-6

5.“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

6. God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.” Romans 3:25

Three Things Jesus Took In My Place

1. Jesus suffered under the judgment of God (vv.21-32)
2. He entered the darkness (v.33)

· Physical darkness represents spiritual darkness – to turn away from God always leads to darkness. (cf. 1 John 1:5-7)

· Darkness – You cannot see you, things, or others correctly. It is the same in spiritual darkness. In the Bible darkness and disintegration go together (no light leads to a withering away.)

3. He is forsaken by the Father (v.34)

Two Takeaways:

1. Jesus endured all this on the cross so that you would never know what it is like.
2. Looking at the cross may not tell you why you are suffering, but it can tell what it is not. It is not because God does not care.
 


Jesus Overcomes Resistance in His People

“Jesus Overcomes Resistance in His People”

Mark 6:1-56

1.Jesus Overcomes Unbelief (vv.1-13)

Unbelief – unbelief is a choice not to follow the light you have received.
*Familiarity leads to unbelief. Unbelief leads to a shallow relationship with God and you do not experience God.
*Only 2 places Jesus was astonished (amazed, Marveled)
*Unbelief is the most prevalent besetting sin in OT (Hebrews 3)- people who had seen the miracles
*You can grow up with all the info and not believe…unbelief is a choice not to follow the light you have received. (Judas)

2.Jesus Overcomes Our Sin (vv.14-29)

*Habitual Sin – when we surrender to sin and do not even fight it much less kill it.
*Herod’s palace was like the world – entertainment and worldly passing pleasure – chasing things.
See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12

3. Jesus Overcomes Hidden Resentment (vv.30-56)

*The disciples have seen the miracles but now are walking with Jesus in ministry. They are having to deal with people problems and expectations.
*We are always battling against unbelief and sin

a. John (the greatest among men) Jesus allowed to be killed.
b. Jesus fed the people that could probably have gotten home ok.
c. The disciples did not understand the miracles’ primary purpose was not just to meet human need but to reveal Gods glory.

How Does Jesus Do this? (Overcome Resistance)
1.Jesus is patient with us (he works with you, when you understand this, it should soften your heart)
2.Jesus will come to you (v.45) Jesus saw them struggling with the oars
3.Jesus defends his own (he prays for us. Advocates for us) In ch.7 the disciple are accused by the Pharisees and Jesus defends them.

Takeaway: We all battle unbelief and sin at times…we all get confused and disappointed and our hearts become hard, cold, or just distant (hurt). He will not leave you alone if you reach out.

 


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