Grace for Grace

  

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Grace is the undeserved gift of God.

 

If you were in our first service last week, perhaps youheard Pastor Marques say that:

• Justice is getting what we deserve.

• Mercy is not getting what we deserve.

• Grace is getting what we do not deserve.

 

There are good people and there are bad people in this world, but there are no perfect people. Both good people and bad people are lost people who need to be saved. Just like the good man named Nicodemus who came to Jesus in John 3. Jesus told him, “You must be born again!”

 

Men may judge you and friends may forgive you, but only Jesus can save your soul. No one else can give you eternal life but Jesus. We are saved by grace.

 

Ephesians 2 

8  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9  not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 

• If I have committed a crime, justice demands a judge sentence me appropriately. This would be just.

• If I have committed a crime against another person, the person I have injured might be merciful to me and not press charges. The judge may let me go and not give me what I deserve. That’s mercy.

• If I commit a crime worthy of death and the judge’s son pleads with his father to offer his own innocent life in exchange for mine and furthermore gains his father’s agreement to adopt me and teach me how to be better man and one day inherit everything originally intended for the son … that is an act of love we call grace.

 

John 1:17  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

 

This is what John the Baptist saw when he said:

 

John 1:29  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

 

Let’s get everything God intended for us to get out of this verse.

 

First: John saw Jesus coming toward him. Two things here:

• The original language used here indicates that Jesus was coming not only in John’s direction but also for John’s advantage.

• Interpreting the scriptures, as we always should, in light of what this means for us today … simply put:

o Jesus is always coming towards us for our benefit.

o Can you see Jesus coming towards you?

 

If you cannot imagine Jesus coming towards you, to give you something you don’t deserve, you don’t know Jesus.

 

John the Baptist said about Jesus. “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

 

Once again the original language gives us great insight into what John meant when he made this declaration. For example:

 

• “who takes away the sin”

o takes away = to remove from another, bear, and carry off.

o The verb form is often called a “historical present.”

• This is where we witness something that has already been done as though we are there and it is presently being done.

 

John was declaring the grace of God. Jesus has taken away the sin of the world: John’s sin, my sin, your sin, and the sin of those who have not even been born yet. We have been forgiven and offered eternal life through the mercy and by the grace of God. This grace is a gift we do not deserve. 

 

Perhaps you have already received this gift. If so, we who are born-again should be ever grateful for the grace of God. We have been saved, we are being saved, and one day we will be saved. 

• God is working on us.

• God is working for us.

• God is working through us.

 

Maybe you have not yet imagined Jesus coming towards you to take your place and give you His. Perhaps you fear the justice of God, or even hope for the mercy of God, but you have not believed in the grace of God.

 

You can receive this gift of faith right now. You can be saved by the grace of God through the faith God is willing to supply. He will give you the faith you do not deserve, have not worked for, and cannot otherwise obtain.

 

John 1:16  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

 

We have grace for grace. God will make you able to accept His Son by faith. You have the grace to believe. Will you simply invite Jesus into your heart today. 

 

The world is filled with good people and bad people, both are lost, and both need to be saved. If you have never personally invited Jesus Christ into your heart, do it now. Be saved and be thankful today!

 

Let’s pray.