Embracing Grace: Our Identity and Transformation in Christ
Summary
In today's gathering, we celebrated the incredible journey of grace and salvation that God has provided for us through Jesus Christ. We began by acknowledging the contributions of our young adults and worship team, recognizing their growth and the impact they have on our community. We also highlighted upcoming events, such as a business dinner and a masterclass on the book of Revelation, which promise to enrich our understanding and fellowship.
The core of our discussion centered on the profound nature of salvation. We explored the concept that, as Christians, we start at the finish line because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. This means that we are not striving for righteousness; rather, we have been gifted righteousness through Christ. This is a radical departure from the world's view, where effort and merit are required to achieve acceptance. Instead, we are made new, born again, and are a new creation in Christ. This transformation is not just positional but intrinsic, changing us from the inside out.
We delved into the idea of "glorious grace," which is God's eternal view and opinion of us. Before the foundation of the world, God saw us in Christ as holy and blameless. This perspective is not contingent on our behavior but is rooted in His eternal plan and love. Our identity in Christ is secure, independent of our actions, and is a testament to the cosmic scope of God's salvation plan.
Furthermore, we discussed how this acceptance grace leads to empowering grace, enabling us to live lives that reflect our new identity in Christ. This grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and to live self-controlled, upright lives. It is not about behaviorism but about living out the reality of who we are in Christ.
As we concluded, we were reminded of the vastness of God's salvation and the invitation to step into this eternal relationship with Him. For those who have not yet embraced this gift, the call to believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior was extended, emphasizing the eternal life and transformation that comes with this decision.
Key Takeaways:
1. Starting at the Finish Line: In Christ, we begin our spiritual journey at the finish line, having already received the gift of righteousness. This is a radical shift from striving for acceptance to living from a place of victory and transformation. Our identity is secure in Christ, and we are made new from the inside out. [59:54]
2. Glorious Grace: God's eternal view of us is one of holiness and blamelessness in Christ, established before the foundation of the world. This perspective is not based on our behavior but on His eternal plan and love. Our identity is rooted in this divine perspective, independent of our actions. [01:15:52]
3. Empowering Grace: Acceptance grace leads to empowering grace, enabling us to live lives that reflect our new identity in Christ. This grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and to live self-controlled, upright lives, not through behaviorism but through the reality of who we are in Christ. [01:22:30]
4. Cosmic Salvation: God's salvation plan is cosmic in scope, encompassing all of creation and established before time began. It is not about us or our behavior but about His eternal purpose and love. This understanding liberates us from performance-based living and anchors us in His grace. [01:19:10]
5. Invitation to Salvation: The invitation to step into this eternal relationship with God is open to all. By believing in Jesus and receiving Him as Lord and Savior, we enter into the fullness of His salvation, experiencing transformation and eternal life. This decision is a response to the incredible gift of grace offered to us. [01:20:38]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[53:56] - Business Dinner Invitation
[55:23] - Masterclass on Revelation
[57:43] - Humorous Story
[59:54] - Starting at the Finish Line
[01:02:11] - New Creation in Christ
[01:03:31] - Seated in Heavenly Places
[01:09:43] - Understanding Grace
[01:15:52] - Glorious Grace
[01:17:44] - Identity in Christ
[01:19:10] - Cosmic Salvation
[01:20:38] - Invitation to Salvation
[01:22:30] - Empowering Grace
[01:22:30] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Hebrews 10:14 - "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
2. Ephesians 1:3-4 - "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight."
3. Titus 2:11-12 - "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."
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Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, what does it mean to "start at the finish line" in our spiritual journey? [59:54]
2. How does the sermon describe the concept of "glorious grace"? [01:15:52]
3. What role does "empowering grace" play in the life of a believer, as discussed in the sermon? [01:22:30]
4. How does the sermon explain the cosmic scope of God's salvation plan? [01:19:10]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the idea of starting at the finish line challenge traditional views of striving for righteousness? [59:54]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our identity in Christ is independent of our actions? [01:15:52]
3. How does the concept of "empowering grace" differ from behaviorism, according to the sermon? [01:22:30]
4. What implications does the cosmic nature of God's salvation have for how we view our place in the world? [01:19:10]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the idea of starting at the finish line. How does this perspective change the way you approach your daily walk with Christ? [59:54]
2. Consider the concept of "glorious grace." How can you remind yourself of God's eternal view of you in your daily life? [01:15:52]
3. How can you actively live out "empowering grace" in your interactions with others this week? What specific actions can you take to reflect your new identity in Christ? [01:22:30]
4. The sermon emphasizes that our identity is secure in Christ. How can this truth help you overcome feelings of inadequacy or failure? [01:15:52]
5. How does understanding the cosmic scope of God's salvation plan affect your view of global issues and your role in addressing them? [01:19:10]
6. In what ways can you extend the invitation to salvation to those around you who have not yet embraced this gift? [01:20:38]
7. Identify one area of your life where you struggle with performance-based living. How can you shift your focus to living from a place of grace and acceptance? [01:19:10]
Devotional
Day 1: Starting at the Finish Line
In Christ, believers begin their spiritual journey at the finish line, having already received the gift of righteousness. This concept challenges the common notion of striving for acceptance and instead invites us to live from a place of victory and transformation. Our identity is secure in Christ, and we are made new from the inside out. This transformation is not merely positional but intrinsic, changing us fundamentally. As we embrace this truth, we are called to live out our new identity, not through our efforts but through the grace that has been freely given to us. [59:54]
"For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." (Hebrews 10:14, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you still striving for acceptance? How can you begin to live from the victory and transformation that is already yours in Christ today?
Day 2: Glorious Grace
God's eternal view of us is one of holiness and blamelessness in Christ, established before the foundation of the world. This perspective is not based on our behavior but on His eternal plan and love. Our identity is rooted in this divine perspective, independent of our actions. Understanding this glorious grace allows us to rest in the security of our identity in Christ, knowing that it is not contingent on our performance but on God's unchanging love and purpose. [01:15:52]
"Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." (Ephesians 1:4, ESV)
Reflection: How does knowing that God sees you as holy and blameless in Christ change the way you view yourself? What steps can you take to align your self-perception with God's eternal view of you?
Day 3: Empowering Grace
Acceptance grace leads to empowering grace, enabling us to live lives that reflect our new identity in Christ. This grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and to live self-controlled, upright lives, not through behaviorism but through the reality of who we are in Christ. It is a transformative power that equips us to live out our faith authentically, guided by the Holy Spirit. As we embrace this empowering grace, we are called to live in a way that honors God and reflects His love to the world. [01:22:30]
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle with ungodliness? How can you rely on God's empowering grace to overcome this struggle and live in alignment with your new identity in Christ?
Day 4: Cosmic Salvation
God's salvation plan is cosmic in scope, encompassing all of creation and established before time began. It is not about us or our behavior but about His eternal purpose and love. This understanding liberates us from performance-based living and anchors us in His grace. Recognizing the vastness of God's salvation plan invites us to participate in His redemptive work in the world, knowing that our lives are part of a much larger story that God is writing. [01:19:10]
"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:19-20, ESV)
Reflection: How does understanding the cosmic scope of God's salvation plan change your perspective on your daily life and actions? What is one way you can participate in God's redemptive work in the world today?
Day 5: Invitation to Salvation
The invitation to step into this eternal relationship with God is open to all. By believing in Jesus and receiving Him as Lord and Savior, we enter into the fullness of His salvation, experiencing transformation and eternal life. This decision is a response to the incredible gift of grace offered to us. As we embrace this invitation, we are called to share the good news of salvation with others, inviting them to experience the same transformation and eternal life that we have received. [01:20:38]
"And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1 John 5:11-12, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about the invitation to salvation? How can you share the good news of Jesus with them in a loving and authentic way this week?
Quotes
1. "I love Christianity so much that we talked about this two weeks ago because we're starting at the finish line. We're actually starting at the finish line. Last week I talked about we're starting with Pentecost. Perfection. You say, well, how can we start with perfection? How can we start with righteousness? It's because what God has done in Christ Jesus, he's given us a gift of righteousness. Every religion tries to be good, tries to be loved by God, tries to do more, tries to be accepted, tries to be fine themselves. What we do, we actually find ourselves, when we become a Christian and we find ourselves in Christ, we find ourselves on the finish line, not at the starting line." [59:54] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "It's not about you. It's for you, but not about you. Now, don't get me wrong. When you become a Christian, we start living that way. That's a totally different story. That's not salvation. That's working out your salvation. I'm talking about his great salvation. What is his great cosmic salvation? That is his cosmic salvation. It was all outside. Even the new covenant. Even the Abrahamic covenant. Not the Sinai one. But he never wanted that one anyway. It's another one. Totally different one. It's not ours anyway. But the new covenant. The covenant is always between the Father and the Son for you, not with you. It is not about you. It never will be about you." [01:19:10] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When you step into Christ, you step into a cosmic salvation. If you like a universal salvation. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not a universalist. But they do get it. They do get that Christ did it all for everyone. Absolutely right. But everywhere in the Bible it says, those who believe. For God so loved the world that he gave. It's a gift. For those who believe will not perish and have eternal life. So you're always. You always have to believe. You've got to be born again. You can't even see the kingdom if you're not born again." [01:20:38] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Your acceptance by God as a son and daughter is anchored listen to this now anchored in the eternal realm of glory and redemptive story and cannot be broken that's here and this is given to us and when you say yes sir jesus you're right and we're here again seated in heavenly places with him it empowers us this empowers us for life people this is how you become powerless powerful sorry into the things that you struggle with this about how you become christ -like this is how you do who you are you become you become somebody and then like christ born again and then he makes you something and then he makes you something he empowers you we do what we are we do what we are" [01:22:30] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Grace means god's correction and rebuke does not involve a withdrawal of his acceptance but rather a proof of his love for us god delivers us from self -effort and the heresy of the self -made person grace brings the sunshine of heaven come on sunshine of heaven into our hearts it releases us from the oppression of people's negative opinion i am so over it and i'm so learning how to deal with it this these days i just laugh at it like jesus there's a god just laughs at the foolish things of man just laughs so dumb grace nullifies satan's accusations and evaporates guilt regret and condemnation come on anybody grace sets us free to what god created us to be an enthusiastic joyful spontaneous unpredictable risk -taking secure holy awesome people" [01:09:43] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Before you were ever lost in Adam, you were already found in Christ. That should be on your car, a sticker on your car. Before I was ever lost in Adam, I was already found in Christ. That is so good. Let's make it. Say, we'll make one of those. Come on, so good. God decided before you had ever created time. Only. Eternal realm existed to bless you in every spiritual way. Blessings in Christ in this way. He decided from eternity to see you in Christ, blameless and glorious. What a wonderful thing this is." [01:17:44] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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