THE JOY OF GRACE

THE JOY OF GRACE
Luke 15:1-10

I. The Joy of Grace
a. Grace releases joy in our lives because it sets us free from:
i. The burden of the past
1. Philippians 3- 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
ii. Our guilt and shame
1. Hebrews 10- 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
iii. The consequences of other people’s actions on our lives
1. Romans 8- 5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man[e] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;
b. Grace gives us a new purpose, a new family, and a new home
i. John 14- 1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going."
ii. John 14- 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
iii. John 15- 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
II. The Reluctance Towards Grace- Jacob and Esau- Genesis 33
a. The reluctance to receive Grace
i. Jacob had a reluctance to return home because he feared the consequences of his actions with Esau.
1. Romans 8:1- Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
ii. Before Jacob saw Esau- he sent ahead of him gifts to pave the way. For us to receive Grace—we do not need to be fixed or give God gifts—we just need to believe and repent.
1. Going to the doctor’s after we feel better
2. 1 John 1- 8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
3. Hebrews 4- 14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[e] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
4. Psalm 103: 12- As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
5. Jeremiah 31:34- "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
b. The reluctance to give Grace
i. Genesis 27- 41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
ii. It is easier to say forgive and forget then to do it. But only through forgiving can we stop reliving the offense.
iii. MLK, JR- "Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.
iv. God wants us to trust Him that He will right the wrongs
1. Isaiah 61:7- 7 Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs.
2. It is not our job to change people or circumstances—it is our job to act in faith by expressing love.
a. Love keeps no records of wrongs.
v. We have a responsibility as receivers of Grace to be givers of Grace
1. Luke 12:48- From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
2. Galatians 4- 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,[a] Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
III. Living in the Joy of Grace
a. Galatians 5- 1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
b. 13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature[a]; rather, serve one another in love.