“Grace…It’s Not Just A Girls Name…”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_nkalyo3jk

July 19, 2015
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
We are saved by Grace alone.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grace
https://answers.yahoo.com/question
(All Scripture Is From the NIV Bible)
Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9
John 1:14-17
Hebrews 4:16
1 Peter 4:10


Prayer for God’s word to be heard through me or in spite of me…
Grace:
:a way of moving that is smooth and attractive and that is not stiff or awkward
: a controlled, polite, and pleasant way of behaving
a :  approval, favor <stayed in his good graces>
b archaic :  mercy, pardon
c :  a special favor :  privilege
d :  disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
e :  a temporary exemption :  reprieve
:  a short prayer at a meal asking a blessing or giving thanks

What is this grace we keep hearing about...“But by the grace of God go there I…” “Grace…It’s not Just a girl’s name…” Why is this grace so important to us?

A couple of weeks ago…I talked about salvation and one of the blessings…the gifts of salvation is grace…
Grace: Ephesians 2:4-5New International Version (NIV)
“4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
And even more verse 8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

 But…how do we define this grace…this wondrous gift given to us from God….?
“Definition: Grace is God's unmerited favor. It is kindness from God we don't deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor. It is a gift from God. Grace is divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration (rebirth) or sanctification; a virtue coming from God; a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine favor.”

Wow…God has really done that for us. Just think about it for a moment…We are given this grace because of God’s great love for His creation called humanity. It can’t be bought, borrowed or stolen by anyone. So many things are uncertain in the world in which we live but this is one thing that stands firm…it is a rock on which we can stand when the world’s chaos swirls around us.
I heard this acronym for Grace…God’s Grace:
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense…
God paid for our salvation with the cost of His own Son so that we may obtain this grace from Him… This is affirmed in John 1 which states:
John 1:14-17New International Version (NIV)
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
It is by God through Jesus that we receive this marvelous grace of God.

So…now that we have been given grace…what are we to do with it?  Do we even have to do anything with it…I mean is this something that we get to hold on to for dear life…to kind of hoard as our own? The Best Answer I think there is to this question is this:
With this grace we need to… “To have grace is to have compassion towards others without judging them and without showing partiality. Grace causes us to reach beyond self to touch the life of a person in need. When someone has grace they are willing to forgive without waiting to be asked and pray for those who deliberately try to hurt or hinder them. Grace is heart thing, not a mind thing.”
Grace can be shown…be given…even if we don’t want to …grace is an action word not a feeling. Grace is something that is shared with others. Hmmmm…It seems that most of the gifts we are given have nothing to do with the heart, with feelings, and everything to do with relationship and showing what we have been shown by God…

Hebrews tells us in chapter 4 verse 16:
Hebrews 4:16New International Version (NIV)
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We can approach God in prayer with the confidence of a child because of the grace shown us through Jesus.
And 1 Peter 4:10 tells us:
“1 Peter 4:10New International Version (NIV)
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Grace is something we are given to share…to gift others as we too are gifted with that same grace from God.

Grace…it’s not just a girl’s name. It is something to be shared with others as we too have been gifted it through our Risen Lord Jesus. Grace has nothing to do with the mind…if we think about it…contemplate over it…we may feel no one deserves our grace…but it is a heart thing…we give grace out of the joy we have because we are given grace… Maybe…just maybe…if we put aside our feelings and put grace before us…we may become that grace giver that we are called to be. Grace…it’s not just a girl’s name but a way we should live our lives…graciously that is. What do you think?
Amen…