Embracing God's Love: Faith, Grace, and Action

 

Summary

### Summary

Welcome, everyone, and Happy Mother's Day! Today, I want to share a message that the Lord has placed on my heart, which is particularly fitting for this special day. Reflecting on the love, grace, and mercy that our mothers, grandmothers, and influential women in our lives have shown us, I am reminded of the unconditional love that God has for each of us. John 3:16 is a verse that many of us learned early in life, and it encapsulates the depth of God's love: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This verse teaches us about the sacrificial love that mirrors the love many mothers have for their children. [01:22]

As we delve into the Book of James, we see that faith is more than just belief; it is faith in action. James 2:14-19 challenges us to consider what good it is to have faith without deeds. If we see someone in need and do nothing, our faith is dead. James emphasizes that our faith should be evident through our actions. Even the demons believe in God and shudder, but they do not act on that belief. Our faith should be alive and active, manifesting in good deeds that reflect Jesus living in us. [08:52]

James is not suggesting that our deeds save us, but rather that our actions are a testimony of our faith. When we help others, it is not to earn salvation but to demonstrate the love and grace that God has shown us. Our actions can inspire others and draw them closer to God. We must remember that we are not to judge others, as only God knows our hearts and our journeys. Jesus loves us unconditionally, and He is always ready to forgive us when we ask. [12:49]

Grace is the foundation of our Christian faith. Romans 5:15 tells us that the gift of grace through Jesus Christ is far greater than the trespass of Adam. God's grace overflows to many, and it is a gift that we can never earn or repay. Reflecting on my own life, I have experienced grace in many ways, often receiving forgiveness and love when I did not deserve it. This grace has been a constant presence, teaching me valuable lessons and shaping my faith. [17:58]

In John 1:14, we learn that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. Jesus came to show us the way and to offer us the gift of eternal life. Each of us is special and chosen by God, designed to worship and love Him. As we grow in our faith, we must remember that it is not just about believing but also about living out our faith every day. 2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that we live by faith, not by sight. Faith is a daily practice, and it grows as we immerse ourselves in God's Word and live according to His teachings. [22:57]

Finally, I want to leave you with a blessing from Numbers 6:24-26: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." May this blessing be a reminder of God's love and grace in your lives. Happy Mother's Day to all, and may you feel the special love that God has for each of you. [25:49]

### Key Takeaways

1. Unconditional Love Reflects God's Love: John 3:16 teaches us about the sacrificial love of God, which mirrors the love many mothers have for their children. This love is unconditional and selfless, reminding us that God’s love for us is boundless and eternal. Just as mothers lay down their lives for their children, God gave His only Son for our salvation. [01:22]

2. Faith in Action: The Book of James emphasizes that faith without deeds is dead. Our faith should be evident through our actions, reflecting Jesus living in us. When we help others, it is not to earn salvation but to demonstrate the love and grace that God has shown us. Our actions serve as a testimony to our faith and can inspire others to draw closer to God. [08:52]

3. Grace as the Foundation of Faith: Romans 5:15 highlights that the gift of grace through Jesus Christ is far greater than the trespass of Adam. God's grace is a gift that overflows to many, teaching us valuable lessons and shaping our faith. This grace is a constant presence in our lives, reminding us of God's unconditional love and forgiveness. [17:58]

4. Living by Faith Daily: 2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that we live by faith, not by sight. Faith is a daily practice that grows as we immerse ourselves in God's Word and live according to His teachings. It is not just about believing but also about living out our faith every day, trusting in God's plan and His provision. [22:57]

5. Blessing and Peace from God: Numbers 6:24-26 offers a beautiful blessing, reminding us of God's love and grace. "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." This blessing serves as a reminder of the peace and love that God offers to each of us, encouraging us to live in His grace and share it with others. [25:49]

### Youtube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[01:22] - Unconditional Love Reflects God's Love
[08:52] - Faith in Action
[12:49] - Demonstrating Faith Through Deeds
[17:58] - Grace as the Foundation of Faith
[22:57] - Living by Faith Daily
[25:49] - Blessing and Peace from God

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
2. James 2:14-19 - "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder."
3. Romans 5:15 - "But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!"

#### Observation Questions
1. According to John 3:16, what did God do to show His love for the world? How does this reflect the sacrificial love of mothers? [01:22]
2. In James 2:14-19, what is the relationship between faith and deeds? Why is faith without deeds considered dead? [08:52]
3. How does Romans 5:15 describe the difference between the trespass of Adam and the gift of grace through Jesus Christ? [17:58]
4. What does 2 Corinthians 5:7 mean when it says, "we live by faith, not by sight"? How is this concept emphasized in the sermon? [05:18]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the sacrificial love described in John 3:16 compare to the love many mothers have for their children? What does this teach us about God's love? [01:22]
2. Why does James emphasize that faith must be accompanied by deeds? How can our actions serve as a testimony to our faith? [08:52]
3. What does it mean to live by faith daily, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:7? How can this practice shape our daily lives and decisions? [05:18]
4. How does the concept of grace in Romans 5:15 shape our understanding of God's forgiveness and love? How has grace been a constant presence in your life? [17:58]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced unconditional love from someone. How did this experience help you understand God's love better? [01:22]
2. Think of a situation where you saw someone in need but did not act. How can you ensure that your faith is accompanied by deeds in the future? [08:52]
3. How can you make living by faith a daily practice? What specific steps can you take to immerse yourself in God's Word and live according to His teachings? [05:18]
4. Share a personal story where you experienced God's grace. How did this experience shape your faith and understanding of God's love? [17:58]
5. How can you demonstrate the love and grace of God to others in your daily life? Identify one specific action you can take this week to help someone in need. [08:52]
6. Reflect on the blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. How can you be a source of peace and blessing to those around you? [25:49]
7. Is there a specific area in your life where you need to ask for God's forgiveness and grace? How can you take steps to change and grow in that area? [16:09]

Devotional

Day 1: Unconditional Love Reflects God's Love
Reflecting on the love, grace, and mercy that our mothers, grandmothers, and influential women in our lives have shown us, we are reminded of the unconditional love that God has for each of us. John 3:16 encapsulates the depth of God's love: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This verse teaches us about the sacrificial love that mirrors the love many mothers have for their children. Just as mothers lay down their lives for their children, God gave His only Son for our salvation. This love is unconditional and selfless, reminding us that God’s love for us is boundless and eternal. [01:22]

1 John 4:9-10 (ESV): "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt the unconditional love of someone in your life. How can you reflect that same love to others today?


Day 2: Faith in Action
The Book of James emphasizes that faith without deeds is dead. Our faith should be evident through our actions, reflecting Jesus living in us. James 2:14-19 challenges us to consider what good it is to have faith without deeds. If we see someone in need and do nothing, our faith is dead. Even the demons believe in God and shudder, but they do not act on that belief. When we help others, it is not to earn salvation but to demonstrate the love and grace that God has shown us. Our actions serve as a testimony to our faith and can inspire others to draw closer to God. [08:52]

James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Reflection: Identify one person in your community who is in need. What specific action can you take today to help them and demonstrate your faith in action?


Day 3: Grace as the Foundation of Faith
Romans 5:15 highlights that the gift of grace through Jesus Christ is far greater than the trespass of Adam. God's grace is a gift that overflows to many, teaching us valuable lessons and shaping our faith. Reflecting on our own lives, we often receive forgiveness and love when we do not deserve it. This grace has been a constant presence, reminding us of God's unconditional love and forgiveness. It is a gift that we can never earn or repay, but it continually shapes our faith and our relationship with God. [17:58]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: Reflect on a moment in your life when you experienced God's grace. How did it shape your faith and your understanding of God's love?


Day 4: Living by Faith Daily
2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that we live by faith, not by sight. Faith is a daily practice that grows as we immerse ourselves in God's Word and live according to His teachings. It is not just about believing but also about living out our faith every day, trusting in God's plan and His provision. As we grow in our faith, we must remember that it is a journey that requires daily commitment and trust in God. [22:57]

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it challenging to trust God? How can you practice living by faith in that area today?


Day 5: Blessing and Peace from God
Numbers 6:24-26 offers a beautiful blessing, reminding us of God's love and grace. "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." This blessing serves as a reminder of the peace and love that God offers to each of us, encouraging us to live in His grace and share it with others. As we go about our daily lives, let us carry this blessing with us and be a source of peace and grace to those around us. [25:49]

Philippians 4:7 (ESV): "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: How can you be a source of God's peace and grace to someone in your life today? What specific action can you take to share His love and blessing with them?

Quotes

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "And today, I want all of you, moms, grandmoms, aunts, uncles, everyone to know how special you are in God's sight. Nobody else can tell you that the way that a relationship with the Father can wrap his arms around you when you need him the most, and you can feel that love that comes from him." [25:49]( | | )

2. "When I think of my mother and my grandmother, my aunts, the ones that have been influential in my life, I think of love, grace and mercy, none of which I deserved. But I know that the Lord instilled those things in their heart. And then they, in turn, gave them to me." [01:22]( | | )

3. "Our dads are great. They do many things, but our dads can't seem to quite love us, embrace us and care for us the way our moms can. So the verse I wanted to excuse me with this thing. It's patched somehow. OK, John 3, 16, my favorite verse. My mom did not take me to church very often, but she always sent me." [01:22]( | | )

4. "If it wasn't in your mom, you know, the Lord is so gracious to us he sends us people to love us he sends us our grandmas he sends us aunts uncles how many of you ever ever been to this church and not been loved by Denise her heart opens up and just wraps around all of us." [05:18]( | | )

5. "Faith is something that you do every single day when you get up you can say praise God I am alive today and then we go into our prayer causes we prepare ourselves for the day he lifts us up no man is able to lift us up no man is able to lift us up no matter what has happened in the night where maybe we didn't rest or or we had on our hearts someone to pray pray for especially so by faith we get up by faith we live by faith we extend love." [06:58]( | | )

### Quotes for Members

1. "When we think of a mother's love I don't think the Lord lets us go through life without experience it in some way. And then faith when we when we go to church and we hear those words in the bible we are always thinking about there really a god you know we believe there's a god by faith we believe there's a god and we see him doing things all the time amen always always working for us he never tires of us he never sleeps we can always bring our petitions to him and he never leaves us." [05:18]( | | )

2. "Faith comes from hearing a message and the message is heard through the word of god so as we as we grow in the lord amen we we begin to read the word and you know if i wanted to prove something to you using the word i could go in the bible i could find one little something that would prove to you what i was believing but how about read it from one side to the other side and then you get all those things in between where you're not just quoting one scripture." [06:58]( | | )

3. "The gift is not like the trespass he's talking about adam adam's sin many have died by the trespass of that one man but much more did god's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man jesus christ overflowed to the many and then i can say that i received so much in grace in my lifetime i was one of those people that could get away with a lot people didn't think i was mischievous this look but i was very mischievous and because i could get away with things other people would put me up to doing things you know and the teacher would never suspect they i would never get in trouble they'd just find somebody else to blame and i wasn't going to stand up and say yeah i did it so you know i was very often given grace when i certainly did not deserve it." [17:58]( | | )

4. "Our faith is more than just word it is jesus alive in us would jesus alive in you not meet a need that they could need that they would not be someone hungry give them some someone food so the bible says even the demons believe and they shudder but the thing is they never change they never help they never do any good for anyone and when you do something good for someone it isn't to make your salvation that's not your salvation you're doing but it is a part of your testimony and when you do something for someone everyone sees some of what you're doing you don't know who really sees but people see what you're doing for someone your love for them you're caring for them all of those love faith and grace characteristics come through you very naturally when you are full of the Holy Spirit and he's living in you." [12:49]( | | )

5. "When you point a finger and you judge you're setting yourself up for someone to point their finger at you and judge you and nobody can know you other than Lord Jesus Christ he's the one that loves you like mom like a dad like like the closest friend like the only person from the church that's keeps Mobil truckin my life I saye person that you would ever want to be with he loves you in a way that you you have trouble receiving sometimes sometimes when we have done things that we're so ashamed of it's hard for us then to receive the love that god has for us but i'm here to tell you today that there is no one that has done anything that god can't forgive you of especially when you are reaching to him when you're asking him he says just knock on the door ask me i'm where is he he's right on the other side waiting waiting for you to just knock on that door so that he can open it so don't forget whatever your need is just to just to ask him because that's what he's wanting that's what he's waiting for." [14:16]( | | )

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Transcript
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