WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:02.879 Well, praise God. We are here another Sunday. 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:07.200 Amen. Come here. God's word is to sing his praises 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:11.380 because he is worthy. So today I would like to 00:00:11.380 --> 00:00:15.939 talk about the confidence of God's grace. Hear 00:00:15.939 --> 00:00:18.440 the words of the Lord from Ephesians chapter 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:23.820 two, verses one through ten. And you, he made 00:00:23.820 --> 00:00:28.079 alive who were dead in trespasses and sins. In 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:30.219 which you once walked according to the course 00:00:30.219 --> 00:00:33.159 of this world. According to the prince of the 00:00:33.159 --> 00:00:36.799 power of the air. The spirit who now works in 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:41.000 the sons of disobedience. Among whom also we 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:44.399 all once conducted ourselves. In the lust of 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:48.000 our flesh. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:51.240 and of the mind. And were by nature children 00:00:51.240 --> 00:00:56.219 of wrath. Just as the others. But God being rich 00:00:56.219 --> 00:01:00.090 in mercy. Because of his great love with which 00:01:00.090 --> 00:01:04.090 he loved us. Even when we were dead in trespasses. 00:01:04.250 --> 00:01:08.230 Made us alive together with Christ. By grace 00:01:08.230 --> 00:01:12.129 you have been saved. And raised up together. 00:01:12.510 --> 00:01:16.010 And made us sit together in the heavenly places. 00:01:16.049 --> 00:01:21.150 In Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come. He 00:01:21.150 --> 00:01:25.049 might show his exceedingly riches of his grace. 00:01:25.269 --> 00:01:29.799 In the kindness. Toward us in Jesus Christ. For 00:01:29.799 --> 00:01:36.180 by grace you have been saved through faith. And 00:01:36.180 --> 00:01:40.000 this is not of yourselves. It is a gift of God. 00:01:40.459 --> 00:01:45.459 Not of works. Lest anyone should boast. For we 00:01:45.459 --> 00:01:48.939 are his workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus 00:01:48.939 --> 00:01:52.659 for good works. Which God prepared beforehand. 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:56.469 That we should walk in them. Let's pray together. 00:01:57.450 --> 00:01:59.750 Father, we thank you for this time of gathering. 00:02:00.030 --> 00:02:02.489 Father, we thank you, Lord, that your word is 00:02:02.489 --> 00:02:05.489 the ultimate authority of truth. And Father, 00:02:05.569 --> 00:02:08.150 you have blessed us with it. Father, we have 00:02:08.150 --> 00:02:11.069 everything we need to live a life of godliness 00:02:11.069 --> 00:02:14.789 through your word and by obedience. Father, as 00:02:14.789 --> 00:02:18.009 we see it in holy scriptures. Father, I pray 00:02:18.009 --> 00:02:20.030 that your spirit would move on our hearts today. 00:02:20.389 --> 00:02:24.090 Father, as we hear from you in Jesus name. Amen. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:32.180 Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:02:32.419 --> 00:02:36.439 there is something we need to settle in our hearts 00:02:36.439 --> 00:02:40.219 before we can properly understand the Christian 00:02:40.219 --> 00:02:45.500 life. The success of God does not depend upon 00:02:45.500 --> 00:02:49.939 the strength of man, but upon the grace and faithfulness 00:02:49.939 --> 00:02:56.479 of God himself. That truth sounds simple. But 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:59.419 it becomes remarkably important when we begin 00:02:59.419 --> 00:03:02.639 to look honestly at ourselves, at our families, 00:03:02.819 --> 00:03:06.500 at the church, and at the world around us. We 00:03:06.500 --> 00:03:12.620 see our weaknesses and failures. We see how easily 00:03:12.620 --> 00:03:16.159 people wander, how quickly enthusiasm fades, 00:03:16.460 --> 00:03:19.979 and how often our best intentions fall short. 00:03:20.439 --> 00:03:23.300 Sometimes we look at our own lives in wonder. 00:03:24.009 --> 00:03:26.789 How will I ever become the Christian God has 00:03:26.789 --> 00:03:30.189 called me to be? Sometimes we look at our families 00:03:30.189 --> 00:03:33.229 and wonder, will our children remain faithful? 00:03:33.409 --> 00:03:37.430 Will the next generation love God? Sometimes 00:03:37.430 --> 00:03:40.909 we look at the church and we see weakness. We 00:03:40.909 --> 00:03:44.830 see discouragements. We see disagreements, immaturity 00:03:44.830 --> 00:03:49.449 and sin. And we wonder, will God's purposes really 00:03:49.449 --> 00:03:53.250 prevail? And we look at the world around us. 00:03:53.870 --> 00:03:57.750 And we see unbelief. We see hostility toward 00:03:57.750 --> 00:04:02.129 Christianity. We see confusion about truth and 00:04:02.129 --> 00:04:06.870 morality. We see people rejecting the authority 00:04:06.870 --> 00:04:10.930 of God's word. We see a culture that seems to 00:04:10.930 --> 00:04:14.009 be moving further and further away from the things 00:04:14.009 --> 00:04:18.009 of God. And sometimes we can begin to wonder 00:04:18.009 --> 00:04:22.420 whether the church will be able to stand. But 00:04:22.420 --> 00:04:25.259 those questions reveal something important about 00:04:25.259 --> 00:04:29.560 us. We are often tempted to measure our future 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:34.060 by the strength of what we can see. If we see 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:37.899 strength, we become confident. If we see weakness, 00:04:38.139 --> 00:04:41.259 we become discouraged. If we see growth, we become 00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:45.519 hopeful. If we see failure, we begin to wonder 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:49.199 whether everything is falling apart. But the 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:52.279 gospel gives us another way. To look at the Christian 00:04:52.279 --> 00:04:56.600 life. Our confidence is not found in what we 00:04:56.600 --> 00:05:00.519 can do for God. Our confidence is found in what 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:05.379 God has done, is doing, and has promised to finish 00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:10.439 for us. That confidence is grace. He does not 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:13.319 need human strength to accomplish his purposes. 00:05:13.699 --> 00:05:16.399 He does not need perfect people to build his 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:19.779 church. Or sinless families to preserve the covenant 00:05:19.779 --> 00:05:22.709 faithfulness. Or Christians to guarantee the 00:05:22.709 --> 00:05:26.029 salvation of his people. Grace does not wait 00:05:26.029 --> 00:05:29.009 for us to become strong before God can work. 00:05:29.529 --> 00:05:33.509 Grace is what God gives us because we fall short 00:05:33.509 --> 00:05:38.589 of the glory of God. Listen to the way Paul describes 00:05:38.589 --> 00:05:41.790 our condition in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1. 00:05:42.009 --> 00:05:46.189 And you he made alive who were dead in trespasses 00:05:46.189 --> 00:05:49.649 and sins. Paul does not say we were struggling. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:53.399 He does not say that we were spiritually sick 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:57.459 and simply needed some assistance. He says we 00:05:57.459 --> 00:06:02.120 were dead. And then, after that statement, comes 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:05.480 one of the most beautiful expressions in Scripture. 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:12.360 But God. We were dead, but God. We were enslaved 00:06:12.360 --> 00:06:16.839 to sin, but God. We were separated from Christ, 00:06:17.060 --> 00:06:22.220 but God. We were without hope. But God, Paul 00:06:22.220 --> 00:06:26.259 continues, but God, who was rich in mercy because 00:06:26.259 --> 00:06:30.040 of his great love with which he loved us, even 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:33.319 when we were dead and trespasses made us alive 00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:38.579 together with Christ. That is grace. Grace does 00:06:38.579 --> 00:06:41.620 not merely improve people who are already moving 00:06:41.620 --> 00:06:45.199 in the right direction. Grace raises the dead. 00:06:45.699 --> 00:06:48.509 Grace does not merely give a little help. To 00:06:48.509 --> 00:06:51.870 people who almost made it. Grace accomplishes 00:06:51.870 --> 00:06:54.110 what sinners can never accomplish for themselves. 00:06:54.810 --> 00:06:58.170 And because salvation begins with grace. The 00:06:58.170 --> 00:07:02.689 Christian life continues by grace. And our perseverance 00:07:02.689 --> 00:07:07.750 rests upon God's grace. So today I want us to 00:07:07.750 --> 00:07:12.050 see four truths. Grace begins where human strength 00:07:12.050 --> 00:07:18.079 ends. Grace accomplishes. What God promises. 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:22.839 Grace produces a people who live differently. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:29.579 And grace preserves what God has begun. Point 00:07:29.579 --> 00:07:32.339 one. Grace begins where human strength ends. 00:07:32.699 --> 00:07:36.879 The first thing we must understand is that grace 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:40.680 becomes precious only when we understand how 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:45.019 desperately we need it. Human beings. Naturally 00:07:45.019 --> 00:07:47.240 want to contribute something to their salvation. 00:07:47.779 --> 00:07:50.220 We want to believe that there was something in 00:07:50.220 --> 00:07:53.240 us that caused God to choose us. We want to believe 00:07:53.240 --> 00:07:56.879 that we were wise enough to understand the gospel. 00:07:57.800 --> 00:08:01.199 Strong enough to respond. Good enough to be accepted. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:04.920 Faithful enough to remain. But the scriptures 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:10.540 destroys that confidence. Not to leave us hopeless. 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:14.810 But to give us a better confidence. The Bible 00:08:14.810 --> 00:08:17.509 tells us that salvation belongs to the Lord. 00:08:18.310 --> 00:08:20.709 Ephesians 2 does not begin with our decisions. 00:08:20.970 --> 00:08:24.829 It begins with our death. And you he made alive 00:08:24.829 --> 00:08:28.250 who were dead in our trespasses and sins. That 00:08:28.250 --> 00:08:31.970 is where grace begins. Grace begins where human 00:08:31.970 --> 00:08:35.690 strength ends. Dead man cannot revive himself. 00:08:36.129 --> 00:08:40.370 A blind man cannot give himself sight. A slave 00:08:40.370 --> 00:08:44.259 cannot simply declare himself free. A sinner 00:08:44.259 --> 00:08:48.019 cannot manufacture a new heart. That is why salvation 00:08:48.019 --> 00:08:52.019 is entirely dependent upon the mercy of God. 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:55.519 Paul said, by grace you have been saved through 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:59.360 faith. And that is not of yourself. It is a gift 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:04.480 from God. Notice these words. Not of yourself. 00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:09.759 That phrase destroys our boasting. It removes 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:13.460 the ground from underneath human pride. It directs 00:09:13.460 --> 00:09:17.519 all glory toward God. If salvation depends upon 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:22.139 us, then even in heaven, we would have something 00:09:22.139 --> 00:09:26.379 to boast about. But God has designed salvation 00:09:26.379 --> 00:09:29.620 so that the only person who receives the glory 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:33.740 is God himself. The Christian does not stand 00:09:33.740 --> 00:09:37.000 before God and say, look what I have accomplished. 00:09:37.179 --> 00:09:41.500 The Christian says, look what God has done. And 00:09:41.500 --> 00:09:45.860 that is grace. And this is where the gospel gives 00:09:45.860 --> 00:09:49.759 us tremendous confidence. If my salvation depends 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:53.679 upon my strength, then I have every reason to 00:09:53.679 --> 00:09:57.419 be afraid. Because I know myself. I know how 00:09:57.419 --> 00:10:00.759 inconsistent I can be. I know how quickly my 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:04.100 courage can disappear. I know how easily temptation 00:10:04.100 --> 00:10:07.980 can expose my weaknesses. I know how often I 00:10:07.980 --> 00:10:11.850 fail to do what I know I should do. If everything 00:10:11.850 --> 00:10:16.389 depends upon me, I have no foundation that is 00:10:16.389 --> 00:10:20.570 solid. But if salvation depends upon God's grace, 00:10:20.909 --> 00:10:25.549 then I can rest. My foundation is no longer my 00:10:25.549 --> 00:10:30.269 performance. My foundation is Christ. My foundation 00:10:30.269 --> 00:10:36.230 is God's promises. The foundation is grace. That 00:10:36.230 --> 00:10:40.450 does not make sin unimportant. It makes grace 00:10:40.450 --> 00:10:44.610 infinitely glorious. We do not minimize our weaknesses. 00:10:44.950 --> 00:10:48.389 We understand our weaknesses, what they teach 00:10:48.389 --> 00:10:51.769 us. Our weaknesses teach us to stop trusting 00:10:51.769 --> 00:10:55.350 ourselves and start trusting the God who is strong 00:10:55.350 --> 00:10:58.929 enough to save us. Think about how often scripture 00:10:58.929 --> 00:11:03.470 brings God's strength into view precisely when 00:11:03.470 --> 00:11:07.250 human strength has failed. God calls Abraham. 00:11:07.899 --> 00:11:10.240 When the circumstances surrounding the promise 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:16.120 appeared impossible. God brings Israel out of 00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:19.980 Egypt. When Israel had no military power capable 00:11:19.980 --> 00:11:24.220 of defeating Pharaoh. God brings his people through 00:11:24.220 --> 00:11:27.259 the Red Sea. When there was nowhere for them 00:11:27.259 --> 00:11:30.960 to go. God gives victory through Gideon's 300 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:34.399 men. When an army would have seemed far more 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:38.679 reasonable. God uses David. A shepherd boy to 00:11:38.679 --> 00:11:42.519 confront Goliath. And again and again, God places 00:11:42.519 --> 00:11:45.500 people in circumstances where human strength 00:11:45.500 --> 00:11:51.600 is insufficient. Why? Because God is teaching 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:56.220 us to trust Him. The Lord does not need circumstances 00:11:56.220 --> 00:12:01.139 to be favorable so He can accomplish His purpose. 00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:04.259 He does not need the odds to be in His favor. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:08.289 He does not need... to us to provide what he 00:12:08.289 --> 00:12:12.909 lacks. God lacks nothing. God saves us. When 00:12:12.909 --> 00:12:17.350 God saves us, he saves us. When God calls us, 00:12:17.490 --> 00:12:21.830 he calls us. When God promises, he is faithful. 00:12:22.509 --> 00:12:26.190 And when God begins his work in a sinner, he 00:12:26.190 --> 00:12:29.649 does not suddenly discover that that sinner is 00:12:29.649 --> 00:12:33.690 more difficult to save than he expected. God 00:12:33.690 --> 00:12:37.610 knew exactly what we were when he saved us. He 00:12:37.610 --> 00:12:41.049 knew every sin. He knew every failure. He knew 00:12:41.049 --> 00:12:43.809 every weakness. He knew every future failure. 00:12:44.149 --> 00:12:48.129 He knew that every time we would stumble, he 00:12:48.129 --> 00:12:53.169 knows. Yet grace came. And that is humbling. 00:12:54.009 --> 00:12:59.649 But it also deeply comforting. God's grace did 00:12:59.649 --> 00:13:03.279 not begin with an inaccurate assessment. Of who 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:08.980 we were. Amen. He knew us completely. And he 00:13:08.980 --> 00:13:12.500 saved us anyway. So when you see weakness in 00:13:12.500 --> 00:13:15.759 yourselves. Do not conclude that God has lost 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:19.320 control. When you see weakness in your families. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:23.159 Do not conclude that God's promises have failed. 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:26.820 When you see weaknesses in the church. Do not 00:13:26.820 --> 00:13:29.299 conclude that Christ has abandoned his bride. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:34.019 Instead, remember where grace begins. Grace begins 00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:37.679 where human strength ends. And when human strength 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:41.460 ends, God's strength has not even begun to run 00:13:41.460 --> 00:13:48.100 out. Point number two. Grace accomplishes what 00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:53.159 God promises. Once we understand that grace begins 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:56.980 where human strength ends, we can see another. 00:13:57.690 --> 00:14:01.309 we can see something even greater. Grace does 00:14:01.309 --> 00:14:05.190 not merely offer us help. Grace accomplishes 00:14:05.190 --> 00:14:09.110 what God promises. This is where the sovereignty 00:14:09.110 --> 00:14:14.330 of God becomes deeply comforting. God does not 00:14:14.330 --> 00:14:17.210 merely make salvation possible and then stand 00:14:17.210 --> 00:14:21.389 back to see what happens. God saves, God calls, 00:14:21.610 --> 00:14:25.289 He regenerates, He justifies, God sanctifies, 00:14:25.429 --> 00:14:29.480 and He preserves. And God glorifies. The entire 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:34.600 work rests upon him. Paul writes in Philippians. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:38.039 Be confident of this very thing. That he who 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:41.419 began a good work in you. Will complete it until 00:14:41.419 --> 00:14:45.720 the day of Jesus Christ. Notice who began the 00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:51.080 work. He did. And who accomplished it. He did. 00:14:51.740 --> 00:14:55.299 And that confidence. That's the confidence of 00:14:55.299 --> 00:14:59.539 grace. Paul does not say, I am confident because 00:14:59.539 --> 00:15:03.340 the Christians are strong enough to finish. He 00:15:03.340 --> 00:15:05.960 says he is confident because God will complete 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:10.399 what he had begun. That is a completely different 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:15.139 foundation. Think about what it means for us. 00:15:16.179 --> 00:15:22.379 God's promises does not depend upon our ability 00:15:22.379 --> 00:15:26.120 to make them come true. God promises depends 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:31.080 upon God's ability to keep them. And there is 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:34.200 a world of difference between those two things. 00:15:34.779 --> 00:15:38.480 If God says he will build his church, he will 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:42.899 build his church. If Christ says Christ will 00:15:42.899 --> 00:15:46.379 have a people from every nation, Christ will 00:15:46.379 --> 00:15:49.879 have a people from every nation. If God says 00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:52.929 his sheep will hear his voice. His sheep will 00:15:52.929 --> 00:15:57.570 hear his voice. If God says nothing can separate 00:15:57.570 --> 00:16:00.549 his people from the love of God in Christ Jesus, 00:16:00.889 --> 00:16:06.269 then nothing can. Why? Because God wins with 00:16:06.269 --> 00:16:10.429 grace. God chose Abraham when Abraham had no 00:16:10.429 --> 00:16:14.789 ability to create a nation, God promised. God 00:16:14.789 --> 00:16:18.529 preserves Israel when Israel repeatedly proves 00:16:18.529 --> 00:16:22.580 unfaithful. God raises up David. When David is 00:16:22.580 --> 00:16:26.059 merely the shepherd boy. God uses Gideon. When 00:16:26.059 --> 00:16:29.679 Gideon considered himself insignificant. God 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:34.320 uses Moses. When Moses feels incapable. God takes 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:37.519 fishermen and tax collectors. And makes them 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:41.720 apostles. God takes Saul. A persecutor of the 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:45.100 church. And makes him Paul. A preacher of the 00:16:45.100 --> 00:16:49.259 gospel. Again and again. Scriptures put human 00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:54.269 weakness. Beside divine strength. Why? Because 00:16:54.269 --> 00:16:57.529 God wants his people to know where the glory 00:16:57.529 --> 00:17:01.970 belongs. The story of redemption is not look 00:17:01.970 --> 00:17:05.910 what a great people God found. It is look what 00:17:05.910 --> 00:17:09.349 a great God saves sinners. And that is grace. 00:17:10.009 --> 00:17:12.750 And this matters when we think about the future. 00:17:13.329 --> 00:17:17.230 We can become anxious because we cannot control 00:17:17.230 --> 00:17:20.019 the future. We cannot control our children's 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:23.619 decisions. We cannot control the culture or the 00:17:23.619 --> 00:17:26.480 government. We cannot control what happens in 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.880 the church. We cannot control what will happen 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:34.200 tomorrow. But God's sovereignty means that our 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:37.160 inability to control the future does not mean 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:41.500 the future is out of control. The future belongs 00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:44.980 to Christ. The church belongs to Christ. Our 00:17:44.980 --> 00:17:48.549 families belong to Christ. Our salvation belongs 00:17:48.549 --> 00:17:53.490 to Christ. And Christ is not losing. There may 00:17:53.490 --> 00:17:56.289 be seasons when the church appears weak. There 00:17:56.289 --> 00:17:58.190 may be seasons when the world appears powerful. 00:17:58.829 --> 00:18:01.609 There may be seasons when righteousness seems 00:18:01.609 --> 00:18:05.289 to be retreating. But appearances do not determine 00:18:05.289 --> 00:18:12.130 God's purposes. God's promises do. Consider Christ's 00:18:12.130 --> 00:18:15.670 words in Matthew 16. I will build my church. 00:18:16.089 --> 00:18:18.589 And the gates of Hades shall not prevail against 00:18:18.589 --> 00:18:23.109 it. Notice what Christ did not say. He did not 00:18:23.109 --> 00:18:26.809 say, I will try to build my church. He did not 00:18:26.809 --> 00:18:31.150 say, I will try. I will build my church if enough 00:18:31.150 --> 00:18:34.130 Christians cooperate. He did not say, I will 00:18:34.130 --> 00:18:36.609 build my church as long as the culture remains 00:18:36.609 --> 00:18:42.089 favorable. He said, I will build my church. That 00:18:42.089 --> 00:18:46.490 is the language of divine authority. Christ is 00:18:46.490 --> 00:18:48.809 not waiting for the world to give him permission 00:18:48.809 --> 00:18:53.210 to reign. He is reigning. He is not wondering 00:18:53.210 --> 00:18:56.829 whether his kingdom will survive. His kingdom 00:18:56.829 --> 00:19:00.250 is coming and is here now. And because Christ 00:19:00.250 --> 00:19:03.549 is building his church, we can work with confidence. 00:19:04.309 --> 00:19:08.210 This does not make us passive. It makes us faithful. 00:19:08.470 --> 00:19:11.349 We preach because Christ is building his church. 00:19:11.390 --> 00:19:14.450 We evangelize because Christ is gathering his 00:19:14.450 --> 00:19:17.789 sheep. We disciple because Christ has commanded 00:19:17.789 --> 00:19:21.990 us to make disciples. We raise our children in 00:19:21.990 --> 00:19:25.089 the fear and admonition of the Lord because Christ 00:19:25.089 --> 00:19:29.009 is Lord over our homes. We gather for worship 00:19:29.009 --> 00:19:32.930 because Christ is worthy of worship. We pray 00:19:32.930 --> 00:19:35.950 because God has ordained prayer as one of the 00:19:35.950 --> 00:19:38.490 means by which he accomplishes his purposes. 00:19:39.069 --> 00:19:43.519 We work because our labor is not in vain. Paul 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:47.920 says in 1 Corinthians 15, 58. Therefore, my beloved 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:52.059 brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding 00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:55.039 in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:58.900 is not in vain in the Lord. Our labor is not 00:19:58.900 --> 00:20:03.839 in vain. Why? Because God's purposes do not depend 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:07.660 upon our strength. That means we can labor without 00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:12.339 fear. We can preach without despair. We can evangelize 00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:16.019 without anxiety. We can pray because God hears. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:21.140 We can obey because God is working. We can persevere 00:20:21.140 --> 00:20:25.559 because God is faithful. God wins with grace. 00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:31.859 Point number three. Grace produces a people who 00:20:31.859 --> 00:20:36.220 live differently. There is, however, a great 00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:40.180 danger we must avoid when we hear that salvation. 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:44.180 Is by grace. We might begin to think. That obedience 00:20:44.180 --> 00:20:47.799 no longer matters. But the scripture never teaches 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:51.640 that. Grace does not produce. Lazy Christians. 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:56.460 Grace produces new Christians. The same passage 00:20:56.460 --> 00:20:59.779 that tells us. We are saved by grace. Immediately 00:20:59.779 --> 00:21:03.660 tells us. Why we have been saved. Paul says in 00:21:03.660 --> 00:21:07.799 Ephesians 2 .10. We are his workmanship. Created 00:21:07.799 --> 00:21:11.460 in Christ Jesus. For good works. which God prepared 00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:15.980 beforehand that we should walk in them. Notice 00:21:15.980 --> 00:21:20.279 the order. We are not saved because of good works. 00:21:20.619 --> 00:21:25.960 We are saved for good works. Works are not the 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:30.180 root of our salvation. They are the fruit. Grace 00:21:30.180 --> 00:21:33.140 changes what we love. Grace changes what we pursue. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:36.839 Grace changes what we do, how we worship, how 00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:40.289 we treat our families, how we work. How we respond 00:21:40.289 --> 00:21:43.289 to suffering. How we respond when someone wrongs 00:21:43.289 --> 00:21:47.289 us. How we think about our possessions. How we 00:21:47.289 --> 00:21:49.769 think about our neighbors. How we think about 00:21:49.769 --> 00:21:54.009 the church. The Christian life is therefore not 00:21:54.009 --> 00:21:58.049 an attempt to earn God's favor. It is a response 00:21:58.049 --> 00:22:01.710 to having already received God's favor in Christ. 00:22:02.289 --> 00:22:06.130 We obey because we have been loved. We serve 00:22:06.130 --> 00:22:09.680 because we have been served. We forgive because 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:13.539 we have been forgiven. We show mercy because 00:22:13.539 --> 00:22:17.799 we have received mercy. We pursue holiness because 00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:22.380 Christ made us his own. Grace does not lower 00:22:22.380 --> 00:22:25.440 the standard of holiness. Grace gives us a new 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:28.839 desire to pursue it. That is why the Christian 00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:31.880 life should look different. Not because Christians 00:22:31.880 --> 00:22:35.740 never struggle or never fall. The difference 00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:39.819 is that grace has been given. A new direction. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:45.079 We may stumble. But we get back up. We may fall 00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:48.259 but we repent. We may be discouraged. But we 00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:52.359 return to Christ. We discover another area of 00:22:52.359 --> 00:22:56.099 sin. But grace teaches us. To bring that sin 00:22:56.099 --> 00:22:59.859 into the light. The Christian does not say I'm 00:22:59.859 --> 00:23:03.200 good enough. The Christian says Christ is good 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:08.109 enough. Because he has saved me. I want to become 00:23:08.109 --> 00:23:13.210 more like him. That is the work of sanctifying 00:23:13.210 --> 00:23:17.529 grace. And this gives us a very important perspective 00:23:17.529 --> 00:23:21.670 on our lives. Sometimes we expect God's grace 00:23:21.670 --> 00:23:26.609 to produce dramatic changes immediately. We want 00:23:26.609 --> 00:23:29.890 to see obvious victories. We want every struggle 00:23:29.890 --> 00:23:33.269 resolved right now. We want every temptation 00:23:33.269 --> 00:23:37.000 conquered. We want every family problem fixed. 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:42.359 We want every weakness removed. But much of God's 00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:47.420 work is quieter than that. A man who once responds 00:23:47.420 --> 00:23:52.200 in anger learns to hold his tongue. A wife who 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:56.619 once carried bitterness learns to forgive. A 00:23:56.619 --> 00:23:59.299 father who neglected his spiritual responsibilities 00:23:59.299 --> 00:24:04.339 begins leading his family. A young person learns 00:24:04.339 --> 00:24:08.279 to love the Word of God. A Christian who once 00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:13.640 lived primarily for himself begins giving generously. 00:24:14.579 --> 00:24:18.819 Someone who once avoided conflict and difficult 00:24:18.819 --> 00:24:23.819 people begins praying for them. Some people who 00:24:23.819 --> 00:24:29.680 would not admit wrongs learns to say, I was wrong. 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:34.339 Please forgive me. Those things may not make 00:24:34.339 --> 00:24:40.079 headlines, but they are evidence of grace. It 00:24:40.079 --> 00:24:44.420 looks like repentance, patience, faithfulness. 00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:48.519 It looks like continually to worship when life 00:24:48.519 --> 00:24:51.480 is difficult. It looks like opening the Bible 00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:56.079 when you do not feel like it. Or opening or praying 00:24:56.079 --> 00:25:00.039 when you feel discouraged. It looks like choosing 00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:04.230 obedience. When sin would be easier. Grace is 00:25:04.230 --> 00:25:06.569 not merely something we talk about on Sunday. 00:25:07.170 --> 00:25:10.910 It changes how we speak to our spouses. How we 00:25:10.910 --> 00:25:13.910 conduct our business. How we treat our employees. 00:25:14.170 --> 00:25:18.130 How we respond to our neighbors. It changes how 00:25:18.130 --> 00:25:22.349 we behave when nobody is watching. Because grace 00:25:22.349 --> 00:25:26.589 has taken hold of the whole person. And gives 00:25:26.589 --> 00:25:30.569 us a very important perspective on the church. 00:25:31.630 --> 00:25:34.289 The church is not a gathering of people who have 00:25:34.289 --> 00:25:38.250 arrived. It is a gathering of sinners whom Christ 00:25:38.250 --> 00:25:41.769 is transforming. Every person sitting around 00:25:41.769 --> 00:25:46.650 you is a testimony to God's grace. Some are further 00:25:46.650 --> 00:25:50.150 along than others. Some struggle in ways you 00:25:50.150 --> 00:25:53.769 can see. Others struggle in ways you cannot. 00:25:54.589 --> 00:25:57.309 Some are strong in one area and weak in another. 00:25:57.569 --> 00:26:02.869 Yet all of us stand on the same ground. Grace. 00:26:02.869 --> 00:26:05.470 That should change the way we treat one another. 00:26:06.009 --> 00:26:09.490 There is no room for spiritual pride in the church 00:26:09.490 --> 00:26:13.349 building who builds his church upon grace. We 00:26:13.349 --> 00:26:16.109 did not save ourselves. We did not make ourselves 00:26:16.109 --> 00:26:21.130 worthy. Christ brought us here. Christ redeemed 00:26:21.130 --> 00:26:25.369 us. Christ sanctified us and is sanctifying us 00:26:25.369 --> 00:26:30.609 today. And Christ is still working. we see our 00:26:30.609 --> 00:26:35.769 weakness in another believer, our first response 00:26:35.769 --> 00:26:41.329 should not be pride. It should be patience and 00:26:41.329 --> 00:26:44.910 prayer. It should be mercy. Because the same 00:26:44.910 --> 00:26:47.910 grace that is working in them is the grace that 00:26:47.910 --> 00:26:52.529 is working in us. And when we ourselves fall, 00:26:52.789 --> 00:26:56.210 grace teaches us not to run away from Christ, 00:26:56.289 --> 00:27:00.119 but to run toward Him. The gospel does not say 00:27:00.119 --> 00:27:03.839 get yourself cleaned up and then come back. It 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:09.079 says come to Christ, confess, repent, believe, 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:13.700 walk again. That is grace. Grace produces a people 00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:16.680 who live differently, not because they are stronger, 00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:20.920 but because God is changing them from the inside 00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:24.539 out. And that brings us to our fourth point today. 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:30.890 Grace preserves. What God has done. And what 00:27:30.890 --> 00:27:35.509 he has begun. Perhaps one of the greatest comforts 00:27:35.509 --> 00:27:38.589 of the Christian faith is this. The grace that 00:27:38.589 --> 00:27:43.589 saves us. Is the grace that keeps us. God does 00:27:43.589 --> 00:27:46.750 not bring us into his family. And then leave 00:27:46.750 --> 00:27:50.410 us to survive on our own. He does not say I saved 00:27:50.410 --> 00:27:54.269 you. Now see if you can make it to the end. God 00:27:54.269 --> 00:27:57.150 who began the work. Is the God who carries us 00:27:57.150 --> 00:28:00.599 forward. That is why Paul could say in Philippians 00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:04.339 1 .6, Be confident of this very thing, that he 00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:07.880 who began a good work in you will complete it 00:28:07.880 --> 00:28:11.940 until the day of Jesus Christ. There will be 00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:15.059 moments when you feel strong. There will be moments 00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:18.359 when you feel incredibly weak. There will be 00:28:18.359 --> 00:28:21.619 moments when faith seems easy. There will be 00:28:21.619 --> 00:28:25.170 days when trusting God feels difficult. There 00:28:25.170 --> 00:28:27.789 will be seasons of victory. There will be seasons 00:28:27.789 --> 00:28:30.910 of painful struggle. But our confidence cannot 00:28:30.910 --> 00:28:35.329 rest on how we feel on that particular day. Our 00:28:35.329 --> 00:28:38.210 confidence rests upon the faithfulness of God. 00:28:38.650 --> 00:28:42.509 And that is what makes grace so powerful. Grace 00:28:42.509 --> 00:28:45.549 does not simply meet us at the beginning of salvation. 00:28:46.089 --> 00:28:50.529 Grace follows us all the way home. When Peter 00:28:50.529 --> 00:28:53.839 failed, grace was there. When David fell into 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:57.539 grievous sin, grace was there. When Elijah became 00:28:57.539 --> 00:29:00.500 discouraged, God's grace was there. When the 00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:03.119 disciples fled from Christ, grace was there. 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:06.980 When doubting Thomas doubted, grace was there. 00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:10.500 And when God's people stumble today, grace is 00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:15.000 still there. That does not mean God excuses sin. 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:19.990 It means that the failures of his people. Do 00:29:19.990 --> 00:29:23.630 not overflow the faithfulness of God. The covenant 00:29:23.630 --> 00:29:27.150 is stronger than our inconsistency. Because the 00:29:27.150 --> 00:29:31.490 covenant rests upon God's faithfulness. That 00:29:31.490 --> 00:29:35.789 is why we can repent. If our salvation depended 00:29:35.789 --> 00:29:40.690 upon our perfect performance. Repentance would 00:29:40.690 --> 00:29:44.650 become terrifying. But because Christ has accomplished 00:29:44.650 --> 00:29:48.309 our redemption. We can come boldly to the throne 00:29:48.309 --> 00:29:52.289 of grace. We can confess our sins. We can receive 00:29:52.289 --> 00:29:56.210 forgiveness. We can get back up. We can continue 00:29:56.210 --> 00:30:00.109 walking. Not because we are strong enough. Because 00:30:00.109 --> 00:30:03.890 grace, God's grace is strong enough. Think about 00:30:03.890 --> 00:30:06.769 the comfort found in the words of Jesus in John 00:30:06.769 --> 00:30:12.349 chapter 10, 27. My sheep hear my voice. I know 00:30:12.349 --> 00:30:16.390 them and they follow me. And then Jesus says 00:30:16.390 --> 00:30:20.119 in John 28. And I give them eternal life and 00:30:20.119 --> 00:30:23.460 they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone 00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:27.619 snatch them from my hand. Notice the security 00:30:27.619 --> 00:30:31.440 of that promise. Christ does not merely say that 00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:34.140 his sheep have eternal life if they manage to 00:30:34.140 --> 00:30:37.960 keep themselves secure in his hand. He says they 00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:40.880 will never perish. No one will snatch them from 00:30:40.880 --> 00:30:44.700 his hand. That is the security of grace. There 00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:47.809 may be times when your faith feels small. There 00:30:47.809 --> 00:30:49.730 may be times when you wonder whether you can 00:30:49.730 --> 00:30:53.089 make it. Remember this. Your hope is not found. 00:30:53.809 --> 00:30:57.349 Your hope is not that you will never become weak. 00:30:57.650 --> 00:31:01.230 Your hope is that God will never become unfaithful. 00:31:01.849 --> 00:31:06.769 And He never will. That does not give us permission 00:31:06.769 --> 00:31:10.569 to become careless. It gives us freedom to become 00:31:10.569 --> 00:31:14.890 faithful. That's the difference. If we do not 00:31:14.890 --> 00:31:18.369 obey because we are afraid, That one failure 00:31:18.369 --> 00:31:21.549 will cause God to abandon us. We obey because 00:31:21.549 --> 00:31:24.490 we belong to him. We do not pursue holiness. 00:31:24.750 --> 00:31:27.329 Because we are trying to convince God to love 00:31:27.329 --> 00:31:31.329 us. We pursue holiness. Because he has already 00:31:31.329 --> 00:31:36.130 loved us in Christ. We do not persevere. Because 00:31:36.130 --> 00:31:39.769 we are trying to earn our final salvation. We 00:31:39.769 --> 00:31:44.430 persevere. Because God is preserving us. And 00:31:44.430 --> 00:31:48.539 that means even our. Perseverance is a testimony 00:31:48.539 --> 00:31:52.359 to God's grace. When we get to the end of our 00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:56.440 lives, we will not look back and say, I was remarkably 00:31:56.440 --> 00:31:59.799 faithful. We will look back and say, God was 00:31:59.799 --> 00:32:03.380 remarkably faithful. God preserves what He begins. 00:32:03.819 --> 00:32:07.740 That means we look forward to the future with 00:32:07.740 --> 00:32:11.460 confidence. Not confidence in ourselves, but 00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:16.460 confidence in Him. The same grace, That found 00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:20.099 us. Will sustain us. The same grace that justified 00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:23.579 us. Will sanctify us. And the same grace that 00:32:23.579 --> 00:32:26.720 carried us this far. Will carry us to the end. 00:32:27.339 --> 00:32:30.799 And that is why God's people. Can say with confidence. 00:32:31.400 --> 00:32:37.880 God wins with grace. So my conclusion is this. 00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:43.200 The Christian life. Is not a story about. What 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:47.140 man can accomplish for God. It is a story of 00:32:47.140 --> 00:32:51.640 what God in His grace accomplishes for man. We 00:32:51.640 --> 00:32:54.440 have seen our weakness. We have seen our sin. 00:32:54.660 --> 00:32:59.000 We have seen our ability to save ourselves. But 00:32:59.000 --> 00:33:02.660 above all that, we have seen the grace of God. 00:33:03.059 --> 00:33:07.339 And that is where our confidence must rest. Our 00:33:07.339 --> 00:33:10.619 confidence rests in the God who is faithful. 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:14.259 The God who takes dead sinners and makes them 00:33:14.259 --> 00:33:18.220 alive. The God who takes those who are far away 00:33:18.220 --> 00:33:21.799 and brings them near. The God who begins a good 00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:25.400 work in his people and promises to carry through 00:33:25.400 --> 00:33:29.640 to completion. Paul says in Philippians 1 .6 00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:33.700 again, be confident in this very thing that he 00:33:33.700 --> 00:33:37.079 who began a good work in you will complete it 00:33:37.079 --> 00:33:41.440 until the day of Jesus Christ. That is grace. 00:33:41.779 --> 00:33:45.279 And perhaps this is why One of the most beloved 00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:49.079 hymns the Christian church has endured for generations. 00:33:49.799 --> 00:33:53.819 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved 00:33:53.819 --> 00:33:58.720 a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm 00:33:58.720 --> 00:34:05.380 found. I was blind, but now I see. Grace is amazing 00:34:05.380 --> 00:34:09.519 because we did not deserve it. We could never 00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:13.210 earn it. And can never accomplish our salvation 00:34:13.210 --> 00:34:18.309 ourselves. And that grace is not merely an idea. 00:34:19.409 --> 00:34:24.170 Grace has a name. Jesus Christ our Lord. The 00:34:24.170 --> 00:34:28.170 grace of God revealed to us in his son. The one 00:34:28.170 --> 00:34:32.409 who came for sinners. Lived a perfect life. Died 00:34:32.409 --> 00:34:35.809 upon the cross for our sins. And rose again in 00:34:35.809 --> 00:34:40.440 victory. That is the gospel. We were dead. but 00:34:40.440 --> 00:34:43.739 God made us alive. We were guilty, but Christ 00:34:43.739 --> 00:34:47.320 bore our guilt. We were far away, but Christ 00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:50.420 brought us near. We could never save ourselves, 00:34:50.780 --> 00:34:54.719 but Christ saves. So when we sing amazing grace, 00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:58.679 we are rejoicing in the Savior who gives us that 00:34:58.679 --> 00:35:02.559 grace and to His people whom He saves. And beloved, 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:06.699 that grace does not stop at our conversion. That 00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:10.300 same grace that saves us. Is the grace that sustains 00:35:10.300 --> 00:35:14.480 us. When you are weak. His grace is sufficient. 00:35:15.139 --> 00:35:19.559 When you fall. His grace restores. When you are 00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:23.500 discouraged. His grace gives hope. When you cannot 00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:26.519 see what God is doing. His grace teaches you. 00:35:26.619 --> 00:35:30.199 To trust in the one who can. And when the Christian 00:35:30.199 --> 00:35:33.539 family. Comes to the end. Of his earthly pilgrimage. 00:35:34.260 --> 00:35:39.400 We will discover. That even then. Ourselves home. 00:35:40.420 --> 00:35:43.800 Grace carried us. From the beginning to the end. 00:35:44.360 --> 00:35:48.880 Salvation belongs to the Lord. So don't leave 00:35:48.880 --> 00:35:51.559 this morning. Looking inward and asking. Am I 00:35:51.559 --> 00:35:55.599 strong enough? You are not. Do not ask. Am I 00:35:55.599 --> 00:35:58.460 good enough? You are not. Do not ask. Have I 00:35:58.460 --> 00:36:02.039 done enough? You never could. Look instead to 00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:05.260 Christ. Look to the cross. Look to the empty 00:36:05.260 --> 00:36:10.400 tomb. Look to the grace of God. The gospel declares 00:36:10.400 --> 00:36:13.679 that God wins with grace. And that is why we 00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:16.380 have confidence. That is why we can worship. 00:36:16.639 --> 00:36:19.780 That is why we can repent. And that is why we 00:36:19.780 --> 00:36:25.159 can persevere. And that is why we can face tomorrow 00:36:25.159 --> 00:36:32.460 without fear. Our hope is in what God has done. 00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:36.119 What God is doing. And what God has promised 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:39.739 to finish. And when our strength finally reaches 00:36:39.739 --> 00:36:44.019 its limits. God's grace never will. When our 00:36:44.019 --> 00:36:47.179 ability finally fails. God's faithfulness will 00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:51.719 not. When we have nothing left to offer. Christ 00:36:51.719 --> 00:36:55.420 will still be enough. So go from this place with 00:36:55.420 --> 00:36:58.860 confidence. Not confidence in yourselves. But 00:36:58.860 --> 00:37:02.820 confidence in your God. Trust in his grace. Rest 00:37:02.820 --> 00:37:06.119 in his grace. Walk in his grace. And when you 00:37:06.119 --> 00:37:08.539 are reminded of your weakness, do not despair. 00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:12.179 Remember the gospel. And because God is faithful, 00:37:12.500 --> 00:37:16.539 his grace will have the final word. And amen. 00:37:18.260 --> 00:37:23.099 As we open this up with a time of prayer to the 00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:23.440 congregation.