I have decided to start posting weekly sermon overviews for our faith community. You can listen back to this past week's sermon here. You can watch it here.
Sermon Overview for "Radical Grace"
Have you ever heard the saying, "God helps those who help themselves?" It is amazing how many people believe this saying to be true. It is even more amazing to realize the countless number of people who think the saying is found in the Bible.
When did we start expecting grace, rather than being amazed by it?
Let’s raise our eyes from ourselves to God and rediscover the radical grace found in God’s Holy Word.
We will learn this truth!
“God helps those who cannot help themselves.” - Charles Spurgeon
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” Acts 9:1-6(ESV)
The Big Idea: Saul's conversion is proof of the power of God's radical grace
Lessons from Saul's Conversion
1. Hold out hope for everyone
a) Even those who are hostile to the gospel message
b) Do not count out brilliant, highly educated, leaders
c) God interrupts Saul’s rebellion
Radical grace initiates before we do!
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8(ESV)
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. - John 6:44 (ESV)
We love because he first loved us. - 1 John 4:19 (ESV)
2. See the real problem clearly
a) Our problem is not just that we are failing God, but we are fighting God
Putting the amazing back in grace. It is God's mercy that is the center of grace.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, - Colossians 1:21 (ESV)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. - Ephesians 2:1-3, ESV
The self-centered gospel says, “I am valuable, and that’s why God loves me.” The biblical gospel says, “I am valuable because God loves me!”
The self-centered gospel makes grace expected, but the biblical gospel makes grace amazing because God is the center of all grace.
Augustus Toplady had it right in the hymn "Rock of Ages":
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die!
Is he drawing you? Then shout it from the rooftop.
Oh wretched man that I am. Raise this corpse from the dead! I am tired of dancing with this cadaver. Wash me savior, make me whole, bring me to life!
3. Stop messing around with Jesus' bride
a) When you persecute the church, you persecute Jesus.
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. - Ephesians 5:29-30
Grace is shown in Jesus’ sacrificial death for sinners. He laid down his life for those who he loved while they were taking his life.
Let’s make it personal. While we took his life, He took our sins! What radical grace. And it wasn’t an after thought.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:14-18, ESV)
God made plans for you, and Jesus willingly went to the cross for God's glory and your joy!.
Come take a piece of the bread – his body we broke
Come drink freely of the cup – his blood shed for our salvation
COMMUNION.
I broke up this sermon with communion in the middle. Our fellowship sang "Rock of Ages" and "All I Have is Christ" together.
Results of Saul's Conversion
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. – Acts 9:7-9 ESV
1. A new relationship with God.
2. A new relationship to the church.
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. Acts 9:10-19
a) Ananias had an ear open and courageous obedience.
Question: Who will go to the hostile in our society?
b) Saul responded in baptism and connection.
“There is no such thing as secret discipleship. Either your secrecy will destroy your discipleship, or your discipleship will destroy your secrecy.” – Alistair Begg
3. A new relationship to the world.
And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” - Acts 9:20
a) Saul proclaimed Jesus as savior.
b) Saul goes from persecutor to persecuted.
And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket - Acts 9:21-25
Truth: The radical grace of God saves and transforms the hardest of hearts.
Visit The Bridge Community Church for information on meeting times as well as ways to connect in cell family, baptism, and mission.
