Embracing Grace: Our Spiritual Need and Invitation
Summary
Our greatest need is spiritual, and this is why Jesus came—to address the spiritual death caused by sin. If life feels incomplete or unsatisfactory, it may be because God is still at work in your life, offering grace, the greatest gift. Grace is not earned; it is freely given to all, regardless of past actions or current status. This truth is central to our series, "The Season of Grace," where we explore Ephesians 2:1-10. Grace is often misunderstood or complicated by religious practices, but it is simple and profound. It is not a reward for good behavior but a gift for those who are forgiven.
Reflecting on my journey, I realized that understanding grace intellectually is different from experiencing it in the heart. This transformation happened for me in a dorm room, where grace moved from a concept to a lived reality. Many have left the church because the message of grace was unclear, replaced by a focus on behavior and rules. The story of the prodigal son illustrates this, showing that grace is for everyone, not just those who seem deserving.
At Boulder Mountain, we emphasize that grace is for all people. Ephesians 2 reminds us that we were all dead in sin, but God, rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. This transformation is not about fixing our old selves but receiving a new heart, as illustrated by the story of a heart transplant. The law shows us our need for a Savior, not as a means to earn grace but to highlight our dependence on God's mercy.
The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 includes unlikely figures, demonstrating that grace is for everyone, even those society deems unworthy. Jesus' interaction with the paralytic in Matthew 9 shows that our greatest need is spiritual healing, not just physical. Grace is inviting to the unrighteous but threatening to the self-righteous, challenging religious norms and traditions.
As we approach Christmas, let us remember that Jesus came to offer grace and forgiveness. Our role is to invite others to experience this grace, not to save them but to point them to the Savior. Let us be bold in sharing this good news, knowing that grace is the heart of the gospel.
Key Takeaways:
1. Spiritual Need Over Physical Need: Our deepest need is spiritual, not physical, financial, or emotional. Jesus came to address our spiritual death caused by sin, offering grace as the ultimate gift. This grace is not earned but freely given to all who accept it. [24:10]
2. Grace is for All: Grace is not a reward for good behavior but a gift for the forgiven. It is available to everyone, regardless of their past or current status. This truth challenges religious norms that emphasize behavior over grace. [08:08]
3. Transformation Through Grace: Understanding grace intellectually is different from experiencing it in the heart. True transformation occurs when grace moves from a concept to a lived reality, as illustrated by personal testimonies and biblical stories. [04:50]
4. The Law and Grace: The law exposes our need for a Savior, highlighting our dependence on God's mercy. It is not the opposite of grace but a tool to show us our need for forgiveness and transformation. [16:49]
5. Inviting Others to Grace: Our role is to invite others to experience the grace of Jesus, not to save them but to point them to the Savior. This involves sharing the good news boldly and creating opportunities for others to encounter grace. [36:31]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:27] - Introduction to the Series
- [03:00] - Personal Journey with Grace
- [05:37] - The De-churched and Grace
- [06:19] - The Prodigal Son and Grace
- [08:08] - Grace for All People
- [12:31] - But God: Mercy and Grace
- [13:17] - The State of the Unsaved
- [15:03] - A New Heart in Christ
- [18:06] - The Genealogy of Jesus
- [20:46] - The Paralytic's Greatest Need
- [24:10] - Spiritual Needs Over Physical
- [28:57] - Protecting What We Value
- [30:33] - Matthew's Calling
- [36:31] - Inviting Others to Grace
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Season of Grace
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 2:1-10
- Matthew 9:1-8
- Ezekiel 36:26
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Ephesians 2:1-10 say about our spiritual condition before receiving grace? How does this passage describe the transformation that occurs through grace? [08:46]
2. In Matthew 9:1-8, what was the initial reaction of the scribes when Jesus forgave the paralytic's sins? How did Jesus respond to their thoughts? [20:46]
3. According to Ezekiel 36:26, what does God promise to give us, and how does this relate to the concept of grace discussed in the sermon? [15:03]
4. How does the story of the prodigal son illustrate the concept of grace as described in the sermon? [06:19]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon explain the difference between understanding grace intellectually and experiencing it in the heart? Why is this distinction important for personal transformation? [04:50]
2. The sermon mentions that grace is inviting to the unrighteous but threatening to the self-righteous. What does this mean, and how does it challenge traditional religious norms? [25:28]
3. How does the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 demonstrate that grace is for everyone, even those deemed unworthy by society? [18:57]
4. In what ways does the law highlight our need for a Savior, and how does this understanding enhance our appreciation of grace? [16:49]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually dead or distant from God. How did you experience grace during that period, and what steps can you take to remain open to God's grace in your life? [24:10]
2. The sermon emphasizes that grace is not earned but freely given. How can you remind yourself of this truth when you feel the pressure to "earn" God's love through good behavior? [08:08]
3. Consider someone in your life who may feel unworthy of grace. How can you share the message of grace with them in a way that is inviting and non-judgmental? [36:31]
4. The sermon suggests that our greatest need is spiritual, not physical. How can this perspective change the way you pray for yourself and others, especially in times of physical or emotional distress? [20:46]
5. Think about a time when you were self-righteous or judgmental towards someone else. How can you use the understanding of grace to change your attitude and actions towards them? [25:28]
6. The sermon encourages us to invite others to experience grace. Identify one person you can invite to a church event or spiritual conversation this week. What specific steps will you take to extend this invitation? [36:31]
7. Reflect on the concept of receiving a "new heart" as mentioned in Ezekiel 36:26. What areas of your life need transformation, and how can you actively seek God's grace to bring about this change? [15:03]
Devotional
Day 1: Spiritual Needs Take Precedence Over Physical Desires
Our deepest need is spiritual, not physical, financial, or emotional. Jesus came to address our spiritual death caused by sin, offering grace as the ultimate gift. This grace is not earned but freely given to all who accept it. [24:10]
Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."
Reflection: Consider an area in your life where you are seeking physical or material fulfillment. How can you shift your focus to address the spiritual need underlying this desire?
Day 2: Grace is a Gift for Everyone
Grace is not a reward for good behavior but a gift for the forgiven. It is available to everyone, regardless of their past or current status. This truth challenges religious norms that emphasize behavior over grace. [08:08]
Titus 3:5-7 (ESV): "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
Reflection: Think of someone you know who feels unworthy of grace. How can you demonstrate to them that grace is a gift available to all, regardless of their past?
Day 3: Experiencing Grace Transforms the Heart
Understanding grace intellectually is different from experiencing it in the heart. True transformation occurs when grace moves from a concept to a lived reality, as illustrated by personal testimonies and biblical stories. [04:50]
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Reflection: Reflect on a moment when you experienced grace in a transformative way. How did it change your perspective or actions?
Day 4: The Law Highlights Our Need for Grace
The law exposes our need for a Savior, highlighting our dependence on God's mercy. It is not the opposite of grace but a tool to show us our need for forgiveness and transformation. [16:49]
Galatians 3:24 (ESV): "So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith."
Reflection: Identify a rule or expectation you have been trying to meet. How can you shift your focus from striving to meet this standard to relying on God's grace for transformation?
Day 5: Inviting Others to Experience Grace
Our role is to invite others to experience the grace of Jesus, not to save them but to point them to the Savior. This involves sharing the good news boldly and creating opportunities for others to encounter grace. [36:31]
Matthew 5:16 (ESV): "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who needs to hear about the grace of Jesus. What is one specific way you can share this message with them today?
Quotes
And so, next point, if it is not good, God is not done. If it is not good in your life right now, if you can't say and you can't sing this morning in this room that it is good and it is well with your soul, yeah, everything else may not be well, but it is well with my soul, then let me propose to you, then, that God's not done working in your life, that God is offering you today grace, the greatest gift to ever be given. Amen. [00:00:22] (38 seconds)
Religion is really difficult. Difficult. Religion is a weight. Religion is difficult to follow. And so how did we take this very easy, complex, simple complex of grace, and we made it so difficult? So we're looking at Ephesians chapter 2, a little background on me. Gave my life to Jesus. Said yes to Jesus when I was about eight years of age. [00:02:37] (24 seconds)
Grace is not earned, it is offered. So if you're taking notes, grace is not earned, it is offered. Listen, grace is not for good people. Grace is not for bad people. Grace is for all people. There is no one that took more of God's grace to save than it took to save me. It takes the same amount of grace, my friends. Eternal life is not a reward for good people. It is God's gift for forgiven people. [00:08:20] (33 seconds)
But God, but God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, he made us alive together with Christ. When did he do that? When did God show up? When does he give us mercy? While we were trespassing. While we were in our sin is when God shows up. But God, I'm so grateful for being a sinner in our trespasses. We're but God's verses. [00:11:44] (32 seconds)
He gives us a new heart. He takes that, Ephesians 2, 1 through 3, he takes it out and he gives us a new heart. Ezekiel 36 .26 says I will give you a new heart and I will give you a new heart. I will give you a new spirit. Tara Storage had a daughter who was 13 and this daughter died in a skiing accident. It was this family's worst nightmare. They went through the funeral, they went through a burial, lots of tears, but they decided to donate their daughter's organs. [00:14:28] (35 seconds)
And God did not give us the law to encourage us to live a perfect life. He gave us the law to expose our need for a Savior. That we're all in need of a Savior. Christ for me, with me, all the pronouns. Christ for me, with me, beside me, ahead of me, under me, et cetera. But Jesus in you is the most repeated phrase of Paul throughout the epistles. Amen. [00:16:24] (29 seconds)
The greatest need of any individual on the planet is that their sins be forgiven. And Jesus knows that. And so he's lowered down below and Jesus says to his friends, I don't think he's talking to the paralytic in this passage. He says to his friends, I see your faith. I see the work that you did to get him here. And he says to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven. [00:22:06] (25 seconds)
What happens in the church when the gospel is not front and center? Other things become more important. The building becomes more important. The lawn becomes more important. Tradition becomes more important. What Jesus did when he showed up is he upset. the religious institution of the day. So let's make sure that doesn't happen here. They asked Jesus, what's the most important commandment? He says, love God and love people. That's it. [00:28:37] (40 seconds)
Our job is not to save. Our job is to simply invite. As what's been said many, many hundreds of years ago, it's just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. And that's what we're doing here at Boulder Mountain. Would you join me in prayer? Father, thank you for grace. Forgive us when we've overcomplicated grace, when we've added things to grace, when we've made people feel like they have to behave a certain way in order to receive grace. [00:36:31] (29 seconds)
I thank you for that message. If anyone in the room here today has not received the goodness and the grace that you offer, that we would do that today. Father, for the prayer requests in the room, I pray that those who need prayer would come forward for prayer today. It would be a privilege and an honor to pray with people this morning. Thank you for your goodness. Thank you for loving us first. In Jesus' name, amen. [00:37:35] (24 seconds)
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