"The Gospel of the Grace of God"
Acts 20:22-24
1. The story of Napoleon and the sleeping soldier.
2. Acts 20:24
a. Paul’s ministry in life.
b. "To testify to the gospel of the grace of God."
3. The word "Gospel" means good news, and "Grace" means unmerited favor; so Paul was given the ministry to proclaim the good news...
a. That God has provided a way of salvation for sinners.
b. And this was given freely not out of any debt to us (Eph. 2:8-9).
4. Three points to summarize the "The gospel of the grace of God."
I. The need for grace.
A. The Bible describes man’s true condition.
1. Rom. 3:23
2. Jas. 2:10
3. Rom. 6:23
4. Isa. 59:2
5. Isa. 64:6 (Illus.)
B. What do these passages really mean to us.
1. We are all guilty.
a. Every accountable person has sinned.
b. We have no right to go to heaven.
c. We can never be good enough to go to heaven.
2. Our sins have alienated us from God!
a. Because of our sins we no longer have a relationship with God.
b. We are separated from God (false feeling).
c. If not resolved it will result in eternal separation i.e. hell!
3. As sinners, we cannot accomplish the removal of our guilt on our own!
a. We cannot run away from this guilt!
b. We cannot work our way out of this guilt.
C. Notions of our goodness should never deceive us.
1. Therefore, the first requirement of salvation is recognition of our own guilt.
2. Once we acknowledge our guilt we can appreciate...
II. The provision of grace.
A. Out of "love", God has provided His Son.
1. Jn. 3:16
2. I Jn. 4:9
3. How can we explain this love?
a. Eph. 3:19
b. Rom. 5:8
B. Out of "justice", God has provided His Son.
1. I Jn. 4:10 (propitiation)
2. Rom. 3:24-26
3. Why? His justice must be satisfied. He cannot let sin go unpunished.
C. Therefore God’s grace functions this way.
1. God’s justice requires an appropriate sacrifice for sin.
2. Because He loves us, He provided His Son as that sacrifice.
3. God, therefore, recognizes the death of Jesus on the cross as a suitable ransom for our sins; paid in full.
D. God has done the satisfying of His justice out of His love. What we cannot earn God has provided.
1. But the provision of grace is not without conditions.
2. If it could the entire world would be saved.
3. Therefore, we need to consider...
III. The reception of grace.
A. Andrew Jackson
B. Receiving God’s grace requires obedience.
1. Heb. 5:9
2. Rom. 6:17-18
3. Such obedience requires:
a. Rom. 10:13-14, 17
b. Heb. 11:6; Jn. 8:24
c. Acts 17:30; Lk. 13:3
d. Rom. 10:10; Acts 8:36-37
e. Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16
C. Receiving God’s grace requires holy living.
1. Tit. 2:11-13
2. God’s grace is amazing, but grace will not turn sin into righteousness...
Turn disobedience into obedience...
Make acceptable worship out of vain worship...
Turn adultery into legitimate marriage...
Make truth out of error...
Save those who those who know not God and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ (II Thess. 1:8).
D. However, such obedience has nothing to do with earning or meriting salvation
(Tit. 3:4-5).
1. Lk. 17:10
2. Jn. 3:5
3. Rom. 6:3-8
4. Gal. 3:26-27
1. God has ordained through the obedience of the gospel that we receive the wonderful grace of God.
2. But grace will not turn sin into righteousness...
Turn disobedience into obedience...
Make acceptable worship out of vain worship...
Turn adultery into legitimate marriage...
Make truth out of error...
Save those who those who know not God and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3. Have you accepted the grace of God? Do you see your need for it? Know the love behind it? Ready to obey the reception of it?
Jim Pharr
Lenoir, NC