Sunday May 29, 2022
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2 Corinthians 5:17- “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Philippians 1:6- “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Romans 12:2- “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
2 Corinthians 3:18- “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
TRANSFORMING GRACE!
If there’s anyone who knew about transforming grace it’s the guy who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote all four of the scriptures above!
One minute Paul is the greatest opponent of the church and after an encounter with Jesus Christ he becomes the churches biggest advocate!
PAUL KNEW TRANSFORMATION! IT WASN’T JUST SOMETHING HE TALKED ABOUT IT WAS SOMETHING HE EXPERIENCED!
Philippians 3:6- “I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.”
AFTER HIS ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST
Philippians 3:9- “ I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”
TALK ABOUT TRANSFORMATION!
Transformation took place in Paul’s life as he no longer depended on fulfilling the law but he put his faith in Jesus Christ and experienced the GRACE OF GOD!
Paul experienced transforming grace!
Paul’s transformation did not come through obeying the law!
THE LAW TRANSFORMS NO-ONE INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST!
Galatians 3:1-4 (MSG)- “You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a spell on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it’s obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the cross was certainly set before you clearly enough. Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!”
If my transformation started with grace, it continues with grace and it ends with grace!
Some will say it this way. “I was saved by grace but I stay saved by works.”
THAT’S HERESY!
Romans 11:6- “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.”
IT’S ONE OR THE OTHER FRIENDS!
Some of us feel like we have to pay God back for our salvation! Is that a free gift?
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN CHEATING ON JESUS!
Romans 7:1-4- “Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.”
You can’t be married to both the law and Jesus Christ! WHY?
ONE IS RELIGION AND THE OTHER IS RELATIONSHIP!
This Christian life is not about a bunch of religious “do’s” and don’t’s”
It’s about a relationship with our Heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ!
Galatians 2:19-21- “For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.”
Wouldn’t you much rather be married to a person than a religious list of do’s and don’ts”
IT’S BECAUSE OF GOD’S GRACE WE ARE TRANSFORMED!
THREE THINGS YOU AND I NEED TO KNOW AS WE CLOSE OUT THIS SERIES ON THE GREATNESS OF GRACE.
- The Law empowers sin.
1 Corinthians 15:56- “For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.”
The law points out right and wrong! The law is overbearing, fault finding, critical and judgmental.
The law actually gives ammunition to the accuser, Satan!
The law cannot empower you to do right, it can only point out what’s wrong!
2. Transforming Grace forgives sins.
Ephesians 1:7- “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”
Romans 4:7-8- “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”
3. Transforming Grace transforms us
Titus 3:3-7- “Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But— When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”
CONCLUSION: What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?
Many people are trying to impress Jesus by keeping a good relationship with the law.
Some say that if you preach too much on grace people are going to go out and sin.
GRACE DOES NOT PRODUCE SIN. GRACE PRODUCES RIGHTEOUSNESS!
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A HOLY CHURCH YOU PREACH ON GRACE. THE LAW DOES NOT PRODUCE HOLINESS IN OUR LIVES. Ephesians 2:8-9- “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”