WORD OF HIS GRACE

Sunday Morning - September 29, 1996

Read: Acts 20:26-38

Text: Acts 20:32 "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified."

BUILD - embolden, edify

INHERITANCE - reward for service

SANCTIFIED - holy, separated

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

PERSUADED THEM

Acts 13:43 "Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."

BE STRONG IN GRACE

2 Timothy 2:1 "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

1 Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

GRACE THE POWER OF CHRIST

2 Corinthians 12:9 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my [CHRIST] strength is made perfect in [OUR] weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

GRACE ON DISPLAY

Ephesians 2:7 "That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

GRACE FOR SERVICE

Hebrews 12:28-29 "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably [WELL PLEASING] with reverence and godly fear: 29. For our God is a consuming fire."

HOW CAN I HAVE GRACE?

2 Peter 1:2 "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge [epignowsis, doctrine] of God, and of Jesus our Lord,"

Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [Christ]."

Romans 5:2 "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

FAITH GIVES SUBSTANCE

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

GROWING PROCESS

2 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."

THRONE OF GRACE

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

DOES GRACE REIGN?

Romans 5:21 "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

UNDER LAW OR GRACE?

Romans 6:11-16 "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto [THE] sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12. Let not [THE] sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

13. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto [THE] sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

14. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

15. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto [LEADING TO] death, or of obedience unto [LEADING TO] righteousness?"

YOU ARE UNDER GRACE IF GRACE REIGNS

YOU ARE UNDER LAW IF SIN REIGNS!

LAW FOR THE DISOBEDIENT

1 Timothy 1:8-9 "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers ..."

EVIDENCE OF GRACE:

BOLDNESS

Acts 4:33-34 "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. GENEROSITY 34. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,..."

1 Corinthians 16:3 "And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality [GRACE] unto Jerusalem."

CONTENTMENT

2 Corinthians 9:8 CONTEXT GIVING "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency [contentment 1 Tim 6.6] in all things, may abound to every good work:"

COMMITMENT

2 Corinthians 6:1 "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."

2 Corinthians 6:4-6 "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5. In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6. By pureness, by knowledge, ..."

ENDURING GRIEF

1 Peter 2:19-20 "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."

JESUS OUR EXAMPLE:

2 Corinthians 8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Romans 12:6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;"

WORD OF HIS GRACE AND CHRIST

Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Nehemiah 8:10 "...for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

AMBITIOUS TO BE WELL PLEASING

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 "Wherefore we labour [ambitious], that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted [well pleasing] of him. 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."