Grace Is Christianity, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. Wait wait wait wait.

He's a criminal. He's a sinner could be a murderer is getting what he deserved what you mean today. Where's the restitution. What does he have to do absolutely can't do when anyone all have sinned and fall short of God is none righteous, no not one cannot repeat religious people do viewing the thinking religion will make you righteous contrary to the word of God joining us today on this additional fellowship in the world. Pastor Canoga Park Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of social monitor located in Metairie, Louisiana that's going Pastor Bill Gebhart now once again he shows up how God's word. Our world gnosis is as he emptied himself of all of his divine prerogatives, what you doing stupid is the son of God is God incarnate, it becomes a man he still bring he's born in a manger. He still bring he's raising the carpenter's son in Nazareth, he still bring Scripture even says that when Peter was sinking in the water. He stooped down to pick them up the night before he was crucified.

He stooped down he washes their feet and ultimately goes across stoops because that's what Christ grace stoops grace is still God stooping toward man says something else though it says with his finger.

We were on the ground. I want to have fun read about that and the reason is, no one knows what he wrote so everybody has an opinion. I mean, are some said no. He wrote that is right in the 10 Commandments when make much sense in the context but that's what they said he was doing.

I heard a guy this week. I heard them actually say this. He said he wrote it takes one to know one. I understand why he did that but I don't think that's what Jesus wrote some say that maybe he's just realizing the plight of man and man just came from dust. That's how God created them and here's man now know what makes the most sense is is just buying time is just allowing this time. Grace stoops, the woman has to be thinking what's going on here what's happening here, but when they persisted.

Don't miss that very strong Greek word come on come on terrace. What's a law say come on, says when they persisted in asking him, he straightened up. Grace stoops truth stands to do one truth I give it to you I give you truth.

He said he was without sin among you, that him be the first to cast a stone at her. No one expected that your without sin you custom. If your without sin, you cast a stone in your kinda wondering like what's really what why is he saying this what's really going on here Jesus know something about us when stalwart altars.

Jesus knows how to place or go with me to Matthew five for a moment.

Matthew five in verse 27 sermon on the Mount. He says you have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. That's true that's in the law but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart, that's a different group and said you're missing the point. You're all adulterers member their all men standing there, Jesus is. That's the problem with religion.

That's the problem with that you don't understand your own dilemma.

You don't understand the depth of your own problem. You always try to take the easy way out back now to John. He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her missing geyser for looking for justice.

None of us have any hope at all.

If you want justice. There is no hope for any human being that's the point Jesus is making verse eight he stooped again and wrote on the ground.

Grace stoops grace stoops to stand. Grace stoops mailing is.

Let's give this a little more time. Now there thinking about it when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones he was left alone in the woman where she was in the center of the court. Grace stoops and conviction happens stones fall to the ground. The name caller shut their mouths have nothing to say. Conviction enters the human heart. The oldest first.

Why couple reasons. Maybe there my more mature maybe you have a bigger longer memory and realize just how sinful they are.

Grace stoops truth stands. Grace stoops and now guess what happened. Truth stands he stands up, straightening up, Jesus said, her woman, where are they did no one condemn you can imagine what she's thinking.

I don't know if she has any understanding of the depth of what's going on here. She said no one Lord Jesus that I do not condemn you either go from now on sin no more truth speaks cheap grace never pretends that sin is in sin and never pretends that you go and sin no more grace is free to us, but unimaginably costly to him.

It causes in the agony of the cross. He understands that it is always a serious thing to us since it always be serious. You don't abuse grace you're grateful for it motivate you, but we never abuse it. Sin is recognized. Grace is applied in Jesus always gives reassurance and sin will be paid for always being accused as I said before religion accuses seer not doing it.

You're not doing enough. You're not doing it right.

You need to do what we tell you, then you'll be right camping and no different than the woman. Satan always accuses us never stops effect in Revelation 12 in verse nine it says he who accuses us before God day and night.

Then I he accuses us to see what Bill did you see what Bill thought do see what he's doing now in our high priest, Jesus Christ simply says grace screws paper grace. There is a justice behind it through the finished work of Jesus Christ. God doesn't wink at sin. Grace is no abuse wonderful wonderful fact Satan doesn't have the final word Christ does condemnation doesn't get to decide. Grace does. We've all been caught in the act of sin have only all of us we deserve to be condemned. We can't make restitution, God offers us the undeserved unearned and honorable grace of God and when we get we get a clear conscience we get a clear record we get a clear heart. We are free from accusation. We are free from condemnation, not just for our past sins, but our present and future ones. Who wouldn't want to believe that. Who wouldn't want to believe that I don't understand me now.

Ephesians chapter 2 Ephesians chapter 2, Paul gives us the theology of the story.

We just looked at verse 1R situation in these first through three verses in their true he says and you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air of the spirit that is not working in the sons of disobedience.

Among them we too all formerly lived in the lust of our own flesh and dodging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and she says were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest no different than pausing all sin and fall short of the glory of God to the Romans.

None of us can make it on our own merit pieces. But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love of what you love. This evening we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come, that he might show the surpassing riches of the grace and the kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. And then these great words by Paul. For by grace you been saved through faith that not of yourselves is a gift of God is not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. You see, is there a place for good works. Yes, when the other side of grace. On the other side of salvation. We have good works were never justify that way were justified only by the grace of God.

It's hard to imagine someone to read that text did not want to believe that I don't want to believe that. I hope it's not true.

Notice it's all based on the finished work of Christ, and even there, what we see is grace.

The last batch you want to look at is Luke chapter 23 Luke chapter 23 verse 32 you know the scene to others also who were criminals were being led away to put to death with him. The Romans are going to crucify three that day ever crucify thousands. These are criminals. Most likely, either real crimes like murder or they were zealots, political zealots against wrong when they came to a place called the skull, there they crucified him in the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. The first words of Jesus on the cross of the seven things you said. But Jesus was saying and I love that was saying by the way, there's a very good chance he said this over and over that once Jesus was saying. Father forgive them not withered, even in the last stooping effort. They mocked him, they spit on them. They beat him they scourged him they nailed him to cross his response to all that his father forgive them, as the love of God, and they cast lots dividing up his garments among them, and the people stood by looking at them. Even the rulers were sneering at him, saying he saved others, let him save himself if this is the Christ of God's chosen one right in the end, the religious leaders are sneering Grace, grace.

The soldiers also mocked him, coming up to him offering him sour wine and saying if you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. This is now the results of this inscription above and this is the king of the Jews could've said this is the King of Kings and Lord of lords. One of the criminals who hang there was hurling abuse. Adam, I don't know how I had the energy to hurl abuse once your crucified.

Remember, the way this works are hanging by your hands and they put a little slanted stoop under your tailbone and the only way you will die with a fixation and the only way you can breathe the push yourself up by your feet to get yourself up to get Erin talking is something it doesn't happen a lot on crosses it doesn't work that way, but he's got his get a shot in. He wants to hurl abuse. Adam is an amazing thing. But the other answered rebuking him and said do not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation, and we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for IDs. This man is done nothing wrong is amazing. Sinners reared its ugly head.

Even at the cross and this man says there's something wrong here and then one of the most amazing things that happens in the word of God, and he was saying Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Remember me when you come into your kingdom. How obviously stupid is that this amended deserve to be crucified by his own lips. What does he have offer. What can he do you see what getting what is it he brings to the table. He has no bargaining power. He can't make restitution. He can't do anything and then grace speaks, he said them. Truly I say to you today you will be with me in paradise. What what today you will be with me in paradise. Wait wait wait wait wait.

He's a criminal. He's a sinner, he could be a murderer. He's getting what you deserve what you mean today. Where's the restitution. What does he have to do nothing, absolutely nothing because he can't do any more than you can do or anyone can do all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one you Repeat religious people to be doing the thinking religion will make you righteous contrary to the word of God is even more amazing when you think about this to even from certain perspectives.

He said truly I say to you today and say you have to be 10,000 years in purgatory, you have to work us all off know you're not today paradise with me.

Just like Abraham just like David just like Isaiah, just like you can be with me that's grace. That's grace. This man had nothing to offer just like us. By the way. Grace is in fair, it's better than fair is amazing. It's absolutely amazing. No restitution while why wouldn't everybody believe in biblical Christianity. What would your reasoning be and I don't want to believe in this, please remember I beg you James that if you're guilty of one aspect of the law.

One stumble.

You're guilty of the whole law.

There's nothing you could ever do to justify yourself before a holy God. Maybe in other words, every time we sin, it has a gotcha attached. Every time we sin, and has a gotcha you know why Jesus came to get you. That's why he came he came to get you. That's grace.

That's the grace of God. All he wants from you is this that you put your trust in your faith in his person and his sacrifice. He says I'll give you everything that's grace. Why wouldn't everyone want to believe in biblical Christianity spring father. We have no words to express our gratitude for the grace of God. It has done for each and every one of us we could never do for ourselves is the whole of man. It offers to all men a chance to be forgiven of their sin, to stand in righteousness before you to have eternity as their destiny was the apostle Paul says we even become joint heirs of everything that you create. Not because of what we've done but because of what you have done. Thank you for sending your son. The instrument of grace. Jesus, we thank you the life you live the death you died just offer us the grace of God. Father I pray if anybody hears hearing my voice and they've never really one of the trucks that they understand there's nothing else they can trust it will ever change theirs before God that they accept this free gift call talk about in Ephesians 2 they have forgiveness of sins. Thank you race past the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just listen to the message one more time.

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