Embracing Grace: The Heart of Christian Life

Now the point I'm emphasizing therefore is this that to start correctly while it is of vital and supreme importance is not enough we must continue in the same way for if we don't we shall soon find ourselves unhappy in other words I'm laying it laying down this proposition that it may be that we've divided all the things that we've considered hither to but we had none of those I difficulties we may have had correct teaching the gospel has presented to us may have been good andral and so on and we were saved from all those we started corrected we are in the Christian Life yes but I say if we don't continue if we don't maintain our course in the same way we get into trouble. [00:05:00]

The principle is that in the kingdom of God everything is ental Al different from what it is in every other Kingdom that's the principle for it say the kingdom of God is not like that it's like something else now that's the controlling principle it seems so obvious doesn't it and yet how prone we are to forget it in detail the first thing we've got to realize is that if any man be in Christ Jesus he's a new creature he's a new creator all things have passed away behold all things have become if only we realize that as we should that where we are in a in which everything is the the whole Foundation is the it's got nothing to do in the sense with the principle of that old life that's the principle. [00:26:03]

Now the point about these people is you see that they started well but they got into trouble later on oh I say how often does that happen and that's why it's dealt with so frequently in the New Testament he did one well who has hindered you there is a sense I suppose in which all these new testament Epistles were written to help just this kind of person you see these young Christians had come into the early church and all was well for a while then they got into trouble they became miserable Christians they became depressed and these Epistles are written in order to help and to bring them out of that bom so I say it is something that constantly is threatening us danger tends to dark our Footsteps in the Christian Life all along the line it isn't enough I say again that we start correctly we may drop back into bondage. [00:13:31]

Now it is the truth that we are only told about this agreement in the case of these first people we are told later on he went out at the third hour and he saw others standing in the marketplace Idol and he said unto them go ye all into the vineyard and whatsoever is right I will give you and so he said to all the subsequent groups there's no thought about an agreement he just says you go and work and that's right I'll give it you and they went quite happily but these first people there was an agreement about this price this penny a day which to me seems to the death that these men uh demanded an agreement so that there you feel at the the very beginning there's something wrong about their attitude they they they've got this tendency to strike a bar and to to to to make certain demands and to postulate certain things. [00:15:31]

The principle is that in the kingdom of God everything is ental Al different from what it is in every other Kingdom that's the principle for it say the kingdom of God is not like that it's like something else now that's the controlling principle it seems so obvious doesn't it and yet how prone we are to forget it in detail the first thing we've got to realize is that if any man be in Christ Jesus he's a new creature he's a new creator all things have passed away behold all things have become if only we realize that as we should that where we are in a in which everything is the the whole Foundation is the it's got nothing to do in the sense with the principle of that old life that's the principle. [00:26:03]

Do not keep a record or an account of your work give up being bookkeepers in the Christian Life we must desire nothing but his glory nothing but to please him so do not keep your eye on the clock but keep it on him and on his work do not keep on recording your work and labor keep your eye on him and his glory on his love and his honor and the extension of his kingdom keep your attention on that and on nothing else have no concern as to how many hours you've given to the work nor how much you've done in effect leave the bookkeeping to him and to his grace let him keep the accounts listen to him saying it himself let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth that is the way you are to work in his kingdom you are to work in such a way that your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing for this reason thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. [00:33:03]

The secret of a happy Christian Life is I say to realize that it's all of Grace and to rejoice in the fact that it's all of Grace having done everything says our Lord in another teste you're nothing but unprofitable servant that's his view that's his teaching and I say that's the secret of it all wasn't that his own way it was according to St Paul look not every man says Paul in his own things but every man also and the things of others let this mind be in you also which was also in Christ Jesus what was that mind well he didn't look at himself he didn't consider himself he made himself of no reputation he emptied himself of the Insignia of his eternal glory he didn't regard his equality with God as something to be held on to and to be grasped and said it's mine I'll hold on to it come what me I Won't Let It Go not at all he laid it aside he humbled himself he forgot himself and he went through all he endured and did all he did look looking only to the glor of nothing else mattered with him but that the father should be glorified and that men and women should come to the father that's the secret not watching the clock not assessing the amount of work not keeping the record in the book forgetting everything except the glory of God the privilege of being called to work for him at all the privilege of being a Christian the grace that has ever looked upon us and has left resued us and redeemed us and removed us from Darkness to light Grace at the beginning Grace at the very end so that when you and I come to lie Upon Our Death Beds the one thing that should comfort us and help us and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us at the beginning not what we've been not what we've done but the grace of God in Jesus Christ Our Lord it starts with Grace it must continue with Grace it ends with Grace gra wondrous Grace. [00:38:03]

Now the point about these people is you see that they started well but they got into trouble later on oh I say how often does that happen and that's why it's dealt with so frequently in the New Testament he did one well who has hindered you there is a sense I suppose in which all these new testament Epistles were written to help just this kind of person you see these young Christians had come into the early church and all was well for a while then they got into trouble they became miserable Christians they became depressed and these Epistles are written in order to help and to bring them out of that bom so I say it is something that constantly is threatening us danger tends to dark our Footsteps in the Christian Life all along the line it isn't enough I say again that we start correctly we may drop back into bondage. [00:13:31]

Now the point I'm emphasizing therefore is this that to start correctly while it is of vital and supreme importance is not enough we must continue in the same way for if we don't we shall soon find ourselves unhappy in other words I'm laying it laying down this proposition that it may be that we've divided all the things that we've considered hither to but we had none of those I difficulties we may have had correct teaching the gospel has presented to us may have been good andral and so on and we were saved from all those we started corrected we are in the Christian Life yes but I say if we don't continue if we don't maintain our course in the same way we get into trouble. [00:05:00]

The principle is that in the kingdom of God everything is ental Al different from what it is in every other Kingdom that's the principle for it say the kingdom of God is not like that it's like something else now that's the controlling principle it seems so obvious doesn't it and yet how prone we are to forget it in detail the first thing we've got to realize is that if any man be in Christ Jesus he's a new creature he's a new creator all things have passed away behold all things have become if only we realize that as we should that where we are in a in which everything is the the whole Foundation is the it's got nothing to do in the sense with the principle of that old life that's the principle. [00:26:03]

Do not keep a record or an account of your work give up being bookkeepers in the Christian Life we must desire nothing but his glory nothing but to please him so do not keep your eye on the clock but keep it on him and on his work do not keep on recording your work and labor keep your eye on him and his glory on his love and his honor and the extension of his kingdom keep your attention on that and on nothing else have no concern as to how many hours you've given to the work nor how much you've done in effect leave the bookkeeping to him and to his grace let him keep the accounts listen to him saying it himself let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth that is the way you are to work in his kingdom you are to work in such a way that your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing for this reason thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. [00:33:03]

The secret of a happy Christian Life is I say to realize that it's all of Grace and to rejoice in the fact that it's all of Grace having done everything says our Lord in another teste you're nothing but unprofitable servant that's his view that's his teaching and I say that's the secret of it all wasn't that his own way it was according to St Paul look not every man says Paul in his own things but every man also and the things of others let this mind be in you also which was also in Christ Jesus what was that mind well he didn't look at himself he didn't consider himself he made himself of no reputation he emptied himself of the Insignia of his eternal glory he didn't regard his equality with God as something to be held on to and to be grasped and said it's mine I'll hold on to it come what me I Won't Let It Go not at all he laid it aside he humbled himself he forgot himself and he went through all he endured and did all he did look looking only to the glor of nothing else mattered with him but that the father should be glorified and that men and women should come to the father that's the secret not watching the clock not assessing the amount of work not keeping the record in the book forgetting everything except the glory of God the privilege of being called to work for him at all the privilege of being a Christian the grace that has ever looked upon us and has left resued us and redeemed us and removed us from Darkness to light Grace at the beginning Grace at the very end so that when you and I come to lie Upon Our Death Beds the one thing that should comfort us and help us and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us at the beginning not what we've been not what we've done but the grace of God in Jesus Christ Our Lord it starts with Grace it must continue with Grace it ends with Grace gra wondrous Grace. [00:38:03]