Discovering Grace: The Joy of Sharing Salvation

What is the greatest discovery of your life? For some, it might be fire, farming, or medicine, but for those who have encountered Christ, the greatest discovery is the empty tomb—He is risen. Today’s story from 2 Kings 7 is a vintage gospel account, where the most unlikely people—four lepers, outcasts and desperate—become the first to discover and share God’s saving grace. Samaria was under siege, famine was so severe that hope was lost, and yet, in this darkness, God’s grace broke through in a way no one expected.

The lepers, facing certain death, chose the only option left: surrender to the enemy. In their desperation, they stumbled upon an abandoned camp, overflowing with food and riches, left behind by an army God had supernaturally scattered. Their joy was overwhelming, but it quickly turned to conviction—they could not keep this good news to themselves while others starved. This is the heart of the gospel: grace is not for the privileged or the pious, but for the desperate, the empty, the ones who have run out of options and turn to God as their last hope.

Grace is amazing because it is utterly undeserved and freely given. It is not just a gift, but the gift of God Himself. As C.S. Lewis discovered, true joy is not found in possessions or achievements, but in God alone—He is the fuel our souls were made for. When we encounter this grace, we become the luckiest people in the world, not because of anything we have done, but because God has chosen to give Himself to us.

But grace is never meant to be hoarded. The lepers realized that keeping the good news to themselves was wrong; good news demands to be shared. Evangelism is not a duty, but an instinct born from experiencing something too wonderful to keep quiet about. Even when the good news is met with skepticism, as it was by the king of Israel, God’s truth stands firm. Doubt does not defeat the gospel; it often refines and deepens our faith. In the end, God’s word is confirmed, and the city is saved—not by the powerful, but by the least likely.

God’s grace is for all, and He delights to use the weak and the outcast to bring salvation. While Christ may be our last resort, He was always God’s first choice for us. Let us receive this amazing grace with gratitude, and let it overflow from our lives to others, so that all may know the joy of the greatest discovery.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Desperation is the Doorway to Grace God’s grace often finds us when we have exhausted every other option and come to the end of ourselves. Like the lepers, it is in our emptiness and bankruptcy of spirit that we become open to receive what only God can give. The Lord draws near to the brokenhearted and fills the empty with His gifts, reminding us that our need is not a barrier but a bridge to His presence. [05:54]
• 2. Grace Makes Us the Luckiest People The lepers’ discovery of abundance in the enemy camp is a vivid picture of how God’s grace surprises and overwhelms us. We are not just forgiven; we are given the riches of Christ Himself, making us the luckiest people alive. This joy is not something we can manufacture or control—it is a gift that points us back to the Giver, who alone satisfies the deepest desires of our hearts. [16:55]
• 3. Good News is Too Good to Keep to Ourselves True encounter with God’s grace creates an instinct to share. The lepers could not keep silent while others perished, and neither can we if we have truly tasted the goodness of God. Evangelism is not a burdensome duty but the natural overflow of joy, and a test of whether we have really grasped the wonder of the gospel. [24:25]
• 4. Skepticism is Part of the Journey to Faith When the lepers shared the good news, they were met with doubt and suspicion, not immediate acceptance. The gospel often seems too good to be true, and honest doubts are not a threat to God’s truth. In fact, wrestling with skepticism can refine our faith and prepare us to receive a reality greater than we imagined. [35:18]
• 5. God Uses the Unlikely to Accomplish His Purposes The salvation of the city came not through the powerful or the religious, but through outcasts acting out of desperation and even mixed motives. God delights to use the weak, the broken, and the overlooked to display His power and mercy. If God can use lepers to save a city, He can use anyone who is willing to be an agent of His grace.
  
  ** [36:56]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:02] - The Greatest Discovery: The Empty Tomb
• [02:00] - Faith as the Great Equalizer
• [03:32] - Desperation and the Last Option
• [05:54] - God Draws Near to the Brokenhearted
• [08:02] - Emptiness Precedes God’s Filling
• [09:02] - The Lepers’ Risk and God’s Miracle
• [11:04] - Surprised by Joy: The Gift of Grace
• [14:18] - C.S. Lewis and the Nature of Joy
• [16:55] - Grace is God Giving Himself
• [18:51] - Realizing We Are the Luckiest
• [20:08] - Good News Must Be Shared
• [24:25] - Evangelism: Instinct, Not Duty
• [26:59] - The Fire of God’s Word
• [29:07] - Why Did You Not Come Sooner?
• [32:04] - House Church as a Rescue Boat
• [34:09] - Skepticism and the Too-Good News
• [36:56] - God Uses the Outcast
• [38:01] - Christ: God’s First Choice
• [39:05] - Responding to Amazing Grace

Bible Reading

2 Kings 7:3-16 (ESV) — > 3 Now there were four men who were lepers at the entrance to the gate. And they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘Let us enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives, we shall live, and if they kill us, we shall but die.” 5 So they arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians. But when they came to the edge of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no one there. 6 For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us.” 7 So they fled away in the twilight and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys, leaving the camp as it was, and fled for their lives. 8 And when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent and ate and drank, and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and went and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent and carried off things from it and went and hid them. 9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.” ... 16 Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.

Matthew 5:3 (ESV) — > “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Psalm 34:18 (ESV) — > The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Observation Questions

1. What desperate situation were the four lepers facing, and what options did they discuss among themselves? ([03:32])
2. According to the story, what miracle did God perform that changed the fate of Samaria? ([09:02])
3. How did the lepers respond after discovering the abandoned camp and its riches? What did they decide to do next? ([20:08])
4. When the lepers shared the good news, how did the king and his officials initially react? ([34:09])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God chose to use four outcast lepers, rather than the powerful or religious leaders, to bring salvation to the city? What does this reveal about God’s character? ([36:56])
2. The lepers said, “What we are doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves.” Why is it so important that good news is shared, especially in the context of the gospel? ([23:17])
3. The king doubted the good news at first, suspecting a trap. What does this teach us about the role of skepticism and doubt in the journey to faith? ([35:18])
4. The sermon says, “Grace is not just a gift, but the gift of God Himself.” How does this understanding of grace differ from simply receiving blessings or answered prayers? ([16:55])

Application Questions

1. The lepers only turned to the enemy camp when they had run out of all other options. Can you think of a time in your life when you only turned to God as a last resort? What happened, and how did you experience God’s grace in that moment? ([05:54])
2. The sermon says, “Grace is amazing because it is utterly undeserved and freely given.” Do you struggle to accept that God’s grace is for you, even when you feel unworthy? What makes it hard to receive grace? ([14:18])
3. The lepers realized it was wrong to keep the good news to themselves. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear about the hope or joy you have found in Christ? What is one step you could take to share with them this week? ([24:25])
4. The king’s skepticism shows that good news can seem “too good to be true.” Are there areas of your faith where you struggle with doubt or skepticism? How can you bring those doubts honestly to God? ([35:18])
5. The sermon says, “God delights to use the weak, the broken, and the overlooked to display His power and mercy.” Do you ever feel too weak or unqualified to be used by God? How might God want to use you, even in your weakness, to bless others? ([36:56])
6. The story challenges us not to “hoard” the gospel. What are some practical ways our small group or church can make sure we are not just enjoying God’s grace for ourselves, but actively sharing it with others? ([23:17])
7. The sermon mentions that true joy is found in God Himself, not in possessions or achievements. What is one area of your life where you are tempted to look for joy apart from God? How can you reorient your heart this week? ([16:55])