A message by Pastor Michael Palmer
Given to
August 9, 2009
Do You Want to See
The Grace of God?
Acts 11:19-30; 12:20-25;
13:1-5
I.
WHAT IS THE GRACE OF GOD SPOKEN OF
HERE IN ACTS 11:23?
1. It is
the sovereign hand of God moving through His Spirit and His proclaimed Word to
convict, woo, and draw people to Himself (repentance and faith).
2. It is
the power of God to change a life—a supernatural transformation.
3. It is
forgiveness of sin—the unmerited favor of God.
4. It is
the fruit of the Spirit manifested in the lives of the people as they daily
appropriate Jesus.
5. It is
the freedom, purpose and meaning brought to people’s lives that were formerly
captive to the world, the flesh and the devil.
6. It is
the truths of the Word of God applied to our minds and hearts.
7. It is
the outward visible manifestation of the Lord God Himself in and through His
people resulting in humility, thanksgiving, contagious praise and an increased
love for the Savior!
8. Grace
is the DESIRE and POWER to do God’s will.
We have
been fortunate at Green Ridge to have seen (and continue to see) the very grace
of God in our midst. I believe there are
“mercy drops” and the Lord wants to manifest Him self even more in the
future—through this body.
II. WHAT
WERE THE ELEMENTS PRESENT IN ACTS THAT NEED TO BE PRESENT TODAY IF WE ARE GOING
TO BE IN A POSITION TO WITNESS/EXPERIENCE GOD’S GRACE?
(Note: we cannot manipulate this but we can put
ourselves in position to be in the pathway of His Grace!)
1. THE
EARLY BELIEVERS (JEWS) HAD BEEN CHALLENGED TO TAKE GOD’S WORD (THE MESSAGE OF
THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION) TO THE GENTILES.
Acts 8:1-8
Peter in Acts 8:22-25 (Samaritan)
Acts 20—Peter and Cornelius
Acts 10:34-48
The
point of all this—the Gospel is meant to be taken to others! As the Gospel goes inward and transforms, it
then must go outward. The message of the
Gospel is centrifugal in its thrust.
2. THERE
WAS A TRANSPARENCY AND A DAILY HUMILITY OF CALLING ON THE LORD MOMENT BY MOMENT.
3. THERE
WAS AN UNFLINCHING COMMITMENT TO THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS AND THE RESURRECTION.
The Word of God was taught consistently.
4. THERE
WAS SIMPLE TRUST IN JESUS AMIDST THE DIFFICULTIES THAT MIGHT COME AS A RESULT
OF OBEDIENCE TO JESUS.
See
Acts 12:3-6 . . . Amazing—Peter is sleeping the night before he is to be
executed!
5. THE
WITNESSING THAT TOOK PLACE WAS DONE BY EVERY BELIEVER (Acts 11:19-21).
Note
that those who had been scattered from
6. THERE
WAS BIBLICALLY BASED EXHORTATION TO CONTINUE WITH THE LORD
III. THE
END RESULT OF GRACE IS MORE GRACE EXTENDED RESULTING IN MORE PRAISE AND GLORY
TO GOD (Acts 13:1-5).
IV. DO
YOU WANT TO SEE (OR CONTINUE TO SEE) THE GRACE OF GOD?
1. We need
a willing heart—willing to be sent—allowing you to be “burdened” by others who
need Christ! We can ask the Lord to give
us the want to!
2. We
must be willing to be a team with others in this process—take time to
communicate together about what the Lord is calling you (your class or group)
to do.
3. We
need a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit:
·
Clean life
·
In the Word
·
Love everybody-no bitterness
·
Under authority
4. We
must actually begin sharing the message of Jesus with others.
5. We
must develop relationships with those who need Christ and love them
unconditionally
6. We
must be MISSIONAL—not just soaking the Word and preaching for ourselves but
take His Word to other venues so that others might
hear—missions—evangelism—discipleship.
I believe the Lord wants us to
see an outpouring of His Grace; people sincerely coming to Jesus to forgive
them, transform them and make them His missionaries —His ambassadors.