The Power Of Grace - Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. What is the principal here the principle is this true David Grace is so powerful that in spite of all your consistent sitting is without limits for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word. Our world is October 30, 1961 Soviet Union detonated the most powerful weapon ever created, was nicknamed Czar Obama king of the bombs. It was a thermal nuclear warhead 50 Mt. That is 50 million tons of TNT. It was 1400 times more powerful than the bombs that the United States dropped on Japan and Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In fact, it was 10 times more powerful than all the explosives that were used in World War II by all the opposing armies, 50 million tons. Try to imagine if you took an Olympic size swimming pool and filled it with TNT end and the bottom to the top that would be enough to attend Olympic size swimming pools and filled them and and and talk about it. That would be enough. In fact, it would take 11,000 Olympic size swimming pools filled and and top to bottom with TNT. All this in a bond that was 26 feet long and 6 feet in diameter. 11:32 AM.

It was detonated 13,000 feet above the surface north of the Arctic Circle. Mid to Sheik Abbe was the place where they detonated a person that would standing 60 miles away would suffer 3rd° burns over their entire body mushroom cloud was 40 miles high eight times that of Everest. The diameter of the club's 25 miles window shattered over 600 miles away in measure to 7.1 on the Richter scale and was still measurable on its third time around the circumference of the earth. Shockwaves the devastation was unimaginable. The service of the land was obviously leveled in a 44 mile diameter. It was destroyed and then the scientist said and then completely rebuilt Bonaparte and then put together hills were leveled valleys were filled. In fact, when it was finished they said over that. That that area was a smooth as an ice-skating rink.

That's the devastation that it did.

Many scientists claim that that was the greatest demonstration of power that the world has ever seen. The reasoning for it was that 1500 mi.² were completely changed.

I respectfully disagree with. I think the greatest power that the world is ever seen is grace of God the grace of God is been operating since creation.

It was so powerful that it has had does have and will have the power to actually change billions and billions of people's lives, the grace of God is not a destructive power as our bomber was it's a construct of power. It was the power behind creation was the power behind the cross is the power behind the myriads of save souls both in heaven here on earth right now. It will be the power behind the new heaven and a new earth, but most importantly I think the you and to me is what the grace of God has done for us and what it can do in your life.

No wonder those words were written.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost now found was blind, now I see this morning when I would like to do is illustrate the power of the grace of God used for Old Testament examples familiar stories with very different people in the what I would like you to do is to figure out who to you most identify with which character which issue comes up in your life is a manifestation of the power, the grace of God which open the Bible is the book of Joshua and Joshua chapter 2 Joshua chapter 2. As I said each of these stories will be very familiar, but each one makes a very profound point. Verse one then Joshua the son of nun sent to men spice eagerly from should team saying go and view the land, especially Jericho, and so they went and they came into a house of a harlot whose name was Rahab and he lodged there.

You know the story Rahab the harlot she's hiding out the spies but there's something amazing about this and that is her own faith in her own testimony in verse eight now before they lay dying she came up to them on the roof and she said to them, I know that the Lord is giving you the land that the terror of you has fallen us that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water the Red Sea before you when you come out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, and Shai Hahn and Og, whom you utterly destroyed and when we heard our hearts melted and no courage remain in any man any longer because of you. And in this statement. For the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above and earth beneath, she makes this incredible statement and we know how the story then moves on.

I like it turned chapter 6 of Joshua it here. We seek sort of the outcome.

Verse one now Jericho was tightly shut.

Because of the sons of Israel. No one went out and no one came in and the Lord said to Joshua. See, I have given Jericho into your hands with its king and its valiant warriors and you shall march around the city and he said all the men of of war circling the city wants and will do that for six days also.

Seven. Preshow carry seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark and then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times and the priest shall blow the trumpets and it shall be that when they make a long blast of the ram's horn and when you hear the sound of the trumpet that all the people shall shout with a great shout in the wall.

The city will fall on flat and the people go up every man straight ahead.

We talk about that a pass that's one heck of a battle plan and it by the waves, grace, someone else is doing the work here. But what I want to do is look at a couple of verses deliver 17 and the city shall be under the ban and all that is in it belongs to the Lord. Only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house you live, because she hid the messengers we sent. And then in verse 25. However, Rahab the harlot in her father's household and all that she had Joshua spared and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers from Joshua sent out the spine. Jericho wanting a little bit different.

Look at this. There's no question that Rahab benefited no doubt sick. She was spared and her family were spared.

We know something else about Rahab that in Hebrews chapter level and have a Hall of Fame of faith. Her names are she is put there is one of the great illustrations of a person of faith, but there's a lot more to that story. For example, Rahab marries a man name Salamone.

She is married that's nice and they have they have a little boy and his name is Boaz and Boaz goes up and is married. He marries a woman named Ruth and they have a little boy and his name is Obed Obed marries and he has a little boy. His name is Jesse. Jesse marries and has several little boys but one of them is named David Rahab David something here about the power of grace and I don't want you to miss this Rahab teaches us something. Grace is so powerful that it can erase your old label and give you a new one. Think of how she was known who would like that Rahab the harlot every time she mentioned Rahab the harlot doesn't help. In Hebrews a Hahn simply means prostitute fornicating prostitute associate. She is Rahab the harlot. She's also great great grandmother of David. She is also in the lineage to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior see what was changed by the grace of God. A lot of us have labels labels from our past. Some of them were given by her parents stupid parents going that when your little job on your stupid loser, more serious ones abuser trap thief attic dummy divorce orphan criminal. These labels these are labels that we receive. You may have a label someone may mention your name and then I have a label the way you were grace changes all that grace gives new labels forgiven, accepted, love child of God friend of Christ new creature St. joint air. These are the labels of grace and grace has the power to do that grace has the power to erase your old label give you new one.

The second story I'd like to go 25 miles southwest of Jericho to the great-great-grandson. His name is David and I like to go with me to second Samuel chapter 11. We all know the story of David and a great story when my favorites often. Samuel the prophet, priest, those in the house of Jesse because God says that's where you're going to find the king and singleton parades all the sons out on the most impressive down and God says the Samuel general none of them will do. Samuel says the Jesse to have any other sons. These were just one just a little one is 10 sheep piece will bring him in and he does.

God whispers in the same as here is one statement, it isn't long only a chapter later we find that this teenage boy faces Goliath we know the story well when all of a sudden his fame goes everywhere. The people sing about them such an impressive guy. Of course got the notice of Saul who was the illegitimate king and Saul's paranoia took over and Saul spent a lot of time hunting him down, wanting him dead but we know the story David becomes the king and when you think about it when impressive guy is. He's handsome. He's a fierce warrior. He's musically extremely talented is a great leader of men.

There's an important thing to know. He has real flaws. I mean real flaws. David has character flaws and not just little flaws but big ones we have this tendency to think of David as a man after God's own heart, so he so exemplary is not even before this chapter will look at right here even before then. When David was running from Saul. He went and went to the priest of knob and defeat as many told him that he was in a sense, working for Saul so you have to give us the food and they gradually did.

And then Saul showed up and he killed them all for doing that as David was lying and then it happened in the springtime when the kings go off to war, David decides not to go out and spend a little more time. Verse two says when it was evening came David Rosen's bed and walked around the roof of his king's house from the roof he saw a woman bathing and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. We were supposed to be at war with his army wasn't.

I'm not even sure it's a coincidence. He's out there at that time. So David sent inquired about the woman and one said is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of LEM, the wife of Uriah the Hittite and David sent a messenger and took her when she came to him. He lay with her and when she had purified herself from her uncleanliness. She returned her house and the woman conceived and she sent told David that I'm pregnant and Amanda kindly read about the papers that kinda man manpower corrupting this David that you think right there, they would say look, I have to make this right. But he doesn't now guzzle we often do when we sin, how can I get out of this. How can I make sure nobody knows. I got an idea. Uriah is a very faithful soldier mine. I will bring him back in the front and on the savings that will give him some reason he has to be your number send a message back with them that look you probably really miss your wife so wanted to go and be with your wife for night or so and then you go back to front sounds a good plan. That way when she's pregnant.

Everybody will say, but that Uriah's baby. By the way, what kind of man would have his own baby and then allowed to be the pretend baby of another man, David Uriah won't do it.

He wants nothing to do with. He said the other soldiers on back. I'm not going to do that that would be right. So David comes up with another plan. How can I murder Uriah the know will know any guess that plan and it basically is a plan Halo cleverly charged the enemy and their archers or shooting arrows with no charge, but tell everybody not to charge except Uriah will charge so everyone charged your Iran anybody stopping it like it running in it.

He died smarter well come in. I went doesn't stop there. This great leader of men man after God's own heart, even his own family.

His son Amnon decides that he will rape his half-sister Taymor and he does, and David finds out about your David did nothing into anything. Absalom is to Mark's full brother and he takes matters into his own hands and he resents and then hates his father from that day forward. That's David seek what is the principal here the principle is this true David grace is so powerful that in spite of all your consistent sinning is without limits.

Grace is so powerful that in spite of all of your repeated and consistent sinning. It is without limits.

If grace had limits. David would've exposed it.

That's David.

The apostle Paul wrote this to Timothy. He said Christ Jesus came into the world to save the sinners. He said, among whom I am chief. He knew that. Romans five says where the sin increased, grace abounded all the more David can escape the consequences.

By the way you receive the grace we think of the consequences baby died.

David prayed that the baby died in Matthew one and verse five.

Where's going through the genealogy of all these to Jesus Christ. When it comes to David. Matthew writes this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the David was born. Solomon by the wife of Uriah. It's clear David doesn't escape at sea. David teaches us something here, but in a lot of ways is and he lot like us, don't we all put the grace of God to the test. Briggs laws responsible his blessings. How often do you think about the own sinning your own life, especially the habitual one. The one with the writer of Hebrews is so easily entangles you how many times how many times am I gonna do this. How many times it just goes on and on and on. You see, that's what ends up happening to us and what we learn from David.

Is this regardless of how far you straight regardless of how guilty you feel, regardless of how long you've avoided God's grace awaits you and has no limits is a powerful the grace of God is the third example, the book of Judges 2 pages deal up the book of Judges chapter 6 Thruway how we learn the grace of so powerful that it can erase your own labels and give you new ones through David.

We learn the grace of so powerful that in spite of all your persistent sitting is without limits, and I would run into another character. Character a lot of us can identify with is known as one of the great judges of Israel, God raised up men and women at this period of time to judge the nation to protect them from their enemies on the outside and apostasy on the inside and one of them was known as Gideon Bob Gibson's Bibles is a very very famous guy is not very impressive verse well the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and they said to him, the Lord is with you.

Oh valiant warrior, there's a new label. I got understandings. I'm in the Army and the angel of the Lord using the angel the Lord the often he is the son of God O.

The Lord is with you. Oh valiant warrior now watch this response. Gideon said him oh my lord if the Lord is with us, then why has all this happened to us and where all the miracles that our fathers told us about and then the Lord bring us up out of Egypt, but now the Lord is a business is in the land of Midian, wine, wine, wine, wine, wine when you become a presidential talking to you a lot of things on my mind here. Just amazing nonvoters Lord looked at him and said go in this restraint and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. I not sent you. You see, when the Lord says you to do something. Guess what to do. It and he said Lord how my gonna deliver Israel, behold, my family is the least and Manasseh, and I'm the youngest in my father's house think I can do this when I gonna do here not adequate for this Lord said him shortly. I will be with you, and you shall the feed Midian is one man let me be clear about this one more time. So Gideon said what will okay about this and if I found favor in your sight. Any sale favored one, so sure you know what you talking about so I found favor in your sight, he says, then show me a sign that it's usually speaking to me. Please do not depart for Mary says, until I come back to go make an offering America right in front of humans would you do with it to verse 21. The angel the Lord put at the end of the staff that was in his hand touched the meat and the unleavened bread and fire spring up in the rock and consume the meat and the unleavened bread and the ends of the Lord vanished from sight.

When Gideon saw that it was the angel the Lord. He said Alaska Lord God. For now, I have seen the angel of the Lord face-to-face and the Lord said to him, peace be with you. Do not fear you shall not die, so he knew what was bothering him. He's afraid now that sounds like it's gonna be a great story and I would wish right there. Everything went great, but it doesn't. Verse 36 then Gideon said to God it if you will deliver Israel through me, as you said you would see if if you gonna deliver Israel through me like you said you would use a behold, I have put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor and if there is due on the fleece only, and it is dry and all the gone then I will know that you will deliver Israel through me as you have said how about this all put out a fleece you could do over, but I want to mingle on the ground right because otherwise you just doing morning and when you know there was you because are doing morning is due everywhere. This is due only on the fleece.

When we learn about him side effect of his excuses and faith assessment have, how does your faith stack up to his pretty good about yourself. You have to walk and it was so when he rose early next morning to squeeze the fleece.

He joined the Duke the fleece a bowl full water. It was dry everywhere else that would do it right. No.

Then Gideon said to God, I do not do not let your anger burned against me think seat. He says that I may speak once more. Please let me make a test once more with the fleece. Let it now be dry only on the fleece and B do all the ground and God did so, that night and it was dry only on the fleece in the doing when you learn Gideon, you learn this grace is so powerful that in spite of all of your inadequacies and your lack of faith God can still do great things. Grace is so powerful that in spite of all of your inadequacies in your lack of faith God can still do great things through the grace of God and one from Howard O'Connor, Pastor Bill on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you dislike of the sum of the method one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online that website you will find on with today's broadcast. Also, many of her previous audio programs as well Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible.

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