The Inexhaustible Riches of God's Grace
Summary
In Ephesians 1:7, Paul speaks of the "riches of His grace," a phrase that encapsulates the essence of the gospel. This morning, we delve into this profound statement, recognizing that the scriptures are not merely to be skimmed but to be deeply contemplated, much like standing before a masterpiece in an art gallery. The danger lies in becoming familiar with the letter of the scripture without truly receiving its spirit. The scriptures are meant to feed the soul, enrich the mind, and move the heart.
Paul's epistle to the Ephesians is a testament to the riches of God's grace, a theme that permeates his writings. He speaks of redemption through Christ's blood, the forgiveness of sins, and the unsearchable riches of Christ. These riches are not just a theological concept but a reality that should ravish our hearts and move us to praise. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, was transformed by this grace, and it became the driving force of his life and ministry. He was amazed by the grace that saved him and desired that everyone would know and experience it.
The riches of God's grace are inexhaustible, illimitable, and all-sufficient. They are not given in response to our requests but are poured out freely, even in spite of our rebellion. This grace is characterized by its liberality and abundance, reflecting the very nature of God. It is a grace that offers free and full forgiveness, complete reconciliation with God, and the assurance of salvation. It is a grace that provides the gift of the Holy Spirit, empowering us to live victorious lives.
As Christians, we are called to know and experience these riches. Our lives should be marked by joy, praise, and a sense of security, reflecting the triumph of the New Testament believers. The riches of God's grace are not just for eternity but are available to us now, offering us a foretaste of the glory to come. We are invited to come to God just as we are, to receive and rejoice in the riches of His grace.
Key Takeaways:
- The scriptures are meant to be deeply contemplated, much like a masterpiece in an art gallery. They are not just words to be skimmed but truths to be meditated upon, feeding the soul and enriching the mind. [03:42]
- The riches of God's grace are inexhaustible and all-sufficient, reflecting the very nature of God. They are not given in response to our requests but are poured out freely, even in spite of our rebellion. [23:13]
- God's grace offers free and full forgiveness, complete reconciliation with God, and the assurance of salvation. It is a grace that provides the gift of the Holy Spirit, empowering us to live victorious lives. [32:16]
- As Christians, our lives should be marked by joy, praise, and a sense of security, reflecting the triumph of the New Testament believers. The riches of God's grace are not just for eternity but are available to us now. [40:59]
- We are invited to come to God just as we are, to receive and rejoice in the riches of His grace. This grace is characterized by its liberality and abundance, offering us a foretaste of the glory to come. [42:10]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to Ephesians 1:7
- [00:28] - The Riches of His Grace
- [01:03] - Scripture as a Masterpiece
- [02:43] - The Spirit of the Scriptures
- [04:27] - Analyzing the Riches of Grace
- [06:27] - Redemption and Forgiveness
- [08:00] - The Change in Perspective
- [09:52] - Paul's Ecstasy Over Grace
- [11:48] - The Driving Force of Paul's Ministry
- [13:53] - Knowing the Riches of Grace
- [16:42] - The Test of Our Christian Profession
- [19:46] - Estimating the Riches
- [23:13] - The Liberality of God's Grace
- [32:16] - Complete Reconciliation
- [40:59] - Joy and Security in Grace
- [42:10] - Invitation to Receive Grace
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Ephesians 1:7
---
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul mean by "the riches of His grace" in Ephesians 1:7, and how does this phrase encapsulate the essence of the gospel? [00:28]
2. How does the sermon compare the scriptures to a masterpiece in an art gallery, and what is the danger of merely skimming through them? [03:42]
3. According to the sermon, what transformation did Paul undergo due to the grace of God, and how did it impact his life and ministry? [10:24]
4. What are some of the specific aspects of God's grace mentioned in the sermon that are available to believers now, not just in eternity? [40:59]
---
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "redemption through Christ's blood" relate to the idea of the "riches of His grace" as discussed in the sermon? [06:27]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the "riches of God's grace" should affect a believer's daily life and sense of security? [40:59]
3. How does the sermon describe the liberality and abundance of God's grace, and what does this reveal about the nature of God? [23:13]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between knowing the riches of God's grace and experiencing joy and praise in one's life? [14:26]
---
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your personal engagement with scripture. Do you find yourself skimming through it, or do you take time to deeply contemplate its truths? How can you improve your study habits to better "feed the soul and enrich the mind"? [03:42]
2. Consider a time when you felt unworthy of God's grace. How can the understanding of God's inexhaustible and all-sufficient grace change your perspective on forgiveness and reconciliation? [32:16]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of experiencing joy and security as a result of God's grace. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a life marked by joy and praise? [40:59]
4. How can you actively remind yourself of the "riches of God's grace" in your daily life, especially during challenging times? What specific practices or habits could help reinforce this awareness? [27:20]
5. The sermon invites believers to come to God just as they are. What barriers might be preventing you from fully accepting this invitation, and how can you overcome them? [42:10]
6. Identify one area in your life where you struggle to accept God's free and full forgiveness. What steps can you take to embrace this aspect of God's grace more fully? [29:01]
7. How can you share the message of God's abundant grace with others in your community? Think of one person you can reach out to this week to discuss the impact of grace in your life. [11:48]
Devotional
Day 1: Contemplating Scripture as a Masterpiece
The scriptures are not just words to be skimmed but truths to be meditated upon, feeding the soul and enriching the mind. Much like standing before a masterpiece in an art gallery, the Bible invites us to pause, reflect, and allow its profound truths to penetrate our hearts. This deep contemplation is essential to truly receiving the spirit of the scriptures, rather than merely becoming familiar with their letter. By engaging with the Bible in this way, we allow it to feed our souls, enrich our minds, and move our hearts. [03:42]
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV)
Reflection: What specific passage of scripture can you meditate on today, allowing it to deeply penetrate your heart and mind like a masterpiece?
Day 2: The Liberality of God's Grace
The riches of God's grace are inexhaustible and all-sufficient, reflecting the very nature of God. This grace is not given in response to our requests but is poured out freely, even in spite of our rebellion. It is characterized by its liberality and abundance, offering us free and full forgiveness, complete reconciliation with God, and the assurance of salvation. This grace is a testament to God's boundless love and generosity, inviting us to receive it with open hearts and minds. [23:13]
"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." (Ephesians 2:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways have you experienced the liberality of God's grace in your life, and how can you extend that grace to others today?
Day 3: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
God's grace offers free and full forgiveness, complete reconciliation with God, and the assurance of salvation. It is a grace that provides the gift of the Holy Spirit, empowering us to live victorious lives. This empowerment is not just a theological concept but a reality that transforms our daily lives, enabling us to overcome challenges and live in alignment with God's will. By embracing this grace, we are equipped to live lives marked by victory and purpose. [32:16]
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, ESV)
Reflection: How can you rely on the Holy Spirit's empowerment to overcome a specific challenge you are facing today?
Day 4: Living in Joy and Security
As Christians, our lives should be marked by joy, praise, and a sense of security, reflecting the triumph of the New Testament believers. The riches of God's grace are not just for eternity but are available to us now, offering us a foretaste of the glory to come. This joy and security are rooted in the assurance of God's love and the certainty of our salvation, inviting us to live with confidence and gratitude. [40:59]
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand." (Philippians 4:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: What is one way you can express joy and gratitude for God's grace in your life today, even amidst challenges?
Day 5: Invitation to Receive Grace
We are invited to come to God just as we are, to receive and rejoice in the riches of His grace. This grace is characterized by its liberality and abundance, offering us a foretaste of the glory to come. It is an open invitation to experience the fullness of God's love and to live in the freedom and joy that His grace provides. By accepting this invitation, we align ourselves with God's purpose and experience the transformative power of His grace. [42:10]
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally come to God today, just as you are, to receive and rejoice in His abundant grace?
Quotes
I regard the scriptures and these great statements as being similar and comparable if you like to a great art gallery where there are great and famous and wonderful paintings hanging upon the walls. Now there are some people who visit such places in some such way as this they buy a copy of the guide at the door and with guide in hand they walk around the gallery. [00:01:06]
There is a danger in other words that we may be familiar with the letter of the scripture but never rarely receive the spirit. We may be familiar with the superficialities with the mechanics as it were and may have that kind of superficial knowledge of and acquaintance with the statements of scripture but after all the scriptures were meant to feed the soul and to enrich the mind and to move the heart. [00:03:40]
The way in which the Apostle under the inspiration of the spirit is able to reduce it all to this phrase which he puts before us and then expects us to meditate upon and to pray over and to think about until our hearts shall be ravished by it even as his heart undoubtedly was when he first wrote it. [00:05:05]
Grace was to him in the words of Philip Dridge a most Charming sound melodious to his ears it was the thing I say that had ravished his heart and had moved his entire being and he never mentions the word grace in a sense except that he goes off into some kind of ecstasy and produces his superlatives and all his great adjectives. [00:09:59]
The riches of his grace it was because of that of course the apostle was so constantly moved by it and his greatest desire in life was that everybody might know this that everybody might experience The Riches of God's grace there it is you see in that third chapter in the e8th verse that's his calling unto me one less than the least of All Saints is this Grace given. [00:11:32]
To know the riches of God's grace invariably leads to the same result as it did in the case of Paul and that is to make us sing to make us praise God to make us rejoice to Rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of Glory you see it was because he knew the riches that the Apostle writes about them prays about them goes into his ecstasies about them. [00:14:26]
God must be liberal he giveth liberally he giveth all together God can only act in one manner because he is God and that is that he gives with this fullness with this Freedom with this super abundance without let or hindrance or limit God gives all as it were always he doesn't give grudgingly. [00:24:38]
The riches of God's grace are inexhaustible, illimitable, and all-sufficient. And that's the astounding thing you're and you and I this morning needy needing so many things we've come into a large place as the psalmist puts it we've come into a wealthy place I Cried unto the Lord in my distress and he brought me into a large into a wealthy place. [00:26:59]
Realize my friend that salvation is as the result of the riches of his grace nothing to pay absolutely free it's the free grace of God it's is a free salvation Just As I Am Without One Plea but that thy blood was shed for me that's the language of the Christian nothing in my hands I bring simply to thy cross I cling naked come to thee for dress helpless look to thee for Grace. [00:30:20]
If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ if you believe that he's died for your sins and born your punishment if you are resting only upon him this morning I suggest to you I tell you I Proclaim authoritatively to you that you will have a complete reconciliation to God did you know that did you know that there's nothing between you and God because Christ has died for you. [00:32:16]
Heaven means being in the presence of God and enjoying him without let or hindrance or restraint do you know that according to the riches of God's grace we are given a for test of that here in this world we have access to the father by Christ through the spirit it's all the result of the riches of his grace. [00:37:55]
We have tasted the four taste of all that God has got in its fullness for us awaiting Us in heaven and then think of the armor that he speaks of in the last chapter of this great epistle every provision that we need that we may withstand in the evil day against the Ws of Satan every part of us covered completely there are some aspect of the riches of his grace. [00:40:59]
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?