Grace, It's Really Amazing - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ ever not a long time. The absence of time for her and you know why this brings inner you don't deserve you 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 when Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word are Laurel's grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved how precious did that grace appear the hour I first the provision of grace with grace is provided taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved what you mean by that I say what I know he meant he learn to start fearing God and stop fearing all the things were afraid notice my fears relieved just how precious did that grace appear in the hour I first believed the provision of grace. Have you thought about that with me to Romans chapter 5 Romans chapter 512 apostle Paul writes it covers virtually everything in Romans five it covers our past. It covers our present any covers the future. Paul writes, therefore, having been justified by faith, by the way of your believer at all. In Jesus Christ, in his finished work on the cross for you. You have been justified.

You're not waiting for it is past tense is not just past tenses past perfect, it means something it happens in the past but the results of that happening go on forever and were justified simply means this. You have been declared righteous.

What a great thing. He's not saying you're pardoned. He's not saying you're not guilty he's declaring you righteous by grace. He says we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ in the present, we have peace with God, through whom also he said we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand and we exalt or better word. Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

We have a future if certain, will result in the hope of the glory of God. My past forgiven my present I have peace and access to God my future. I have a certitude to be with him forever. When overwhelming thought of the grace of God is not only this, we also rejoice or exult in our tribulation, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance. Perseverance, proven character, proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us, that's a part we don't like much, but is a great insight by Paul Newton understood that God's changing is changing, and by the way, notice how the change works. It's kind of an interesting way to put it another way, we would like and I don't think. But he says it starts out with tribulation trouble trials. By the way when I'm hurting when I go I go to God's will I do I not much I can do I have to persevere.

In other words, I have to wait on God. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Mount up with wings like eagles walk not grow weary run than what happens. He said whenever you persevere, you begin to change your character begins the change you have what he calls, proven character, you become more like Jesus Christ and he said Annette set you up. He says for the hope that is not disappoint.

See, God saves us by grace but he doesn't just leave us the way were saved is changing us. Every one of us, conforming us into his image. Paul then goes on as if while we were still helpless at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. That's how it is all happen. He says for one would hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for a good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrated his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

While I was a wretch. He died. I say this all the time to say it again.

Nothing you will ever do will make God love you more.

Nothing you ever do will make God love you less, to get that that's with the grace of God is the great theologian Karl Barth at Harvard. Coming from the Europe over to lecture is asked by one bright young student. What is the greatest theological truth, he is ever learned. Barth looked at the group and said, Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so what is a bigger truth in a was a greater reality than that Jesus loves you look at the provision of grace is an amazing thing. In fact, is he goes on he says in verse 11 and not only this, but we also exalt the rejoice in God's word Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation. I am forever right with God. What a great standing. Why grace when that's amazing in the that's amazing.

That's why he called it that amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, while you think of Newton you think of how overwhelmed it was just the way we should all feel the next verse is the promise of grace through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come was grace that brought me safe thus far.

Grace will lead me home. Notice those three things was a danger things a scary things are Freda if you're afraid of something new in danger toils boy how hard is it been the labor in a fallen world, just that you, God, and cut out a living. Snares went about those temptations. What about those. What about the snares. What about the sin that so easily beset us. The writer of Hebrews says what about those in our life you realize all the dangers and all the toils and all the snares in your life. Here is you made. You made it, and why you made grace grace. What I think are some of the stupid things that have done, especially in a very special period of life called teenage years were the kind of things you do could cost your life and so many easy ways, but here you are going. Newton understood this. Like almost nobody understood this. For example, Newton was in a storm at sea. It was down below and the word on the ship was sinking Rob on down. He decided in his own mind's eye that he set up a minute I want to die. Up on deck, breathing fresh air so he goes up to the deck when someone the deck And spot them and tells him that he wants to do a particular duty right there on the deck Baeza starts the duty And then says I need my knife for my cabin and so I want you to go down below and get it. So Newton said I will II certain down he goes on his way back up he sees the men replace them at that station we swept overboard by wave and I too many dangers, toils and snares I have already come Newton talks about when he was on the sea, went on a hunting trip with a bunch of his friends.

He was climbing up a bag with a shotgun did apparently have a savior they didn't have a mentor. Whatever was the trigger got powder burns the side of his face and blew his hat off that much grace of God. Newton was so drunk on board one night on a ship that the wind blew his hat off and went out into the ocean and he jumped overboard to go get it. They have to understand some John Newton could not swim even sober.

He could not swim. He was so fortunate that a man on the other side of the ship saw it ran across jumped over and saved him. He's been through an awful lot of stuff.

In fact, 1754. Newton was given a commission as a Capt., when a brand-new ship called the be in the day before meeting was to go on the ship. The BMB it's Capt. he went into seizures which had even from his childhood, but these were so bad that he couldn't he could rehabilitate himself. He couldn't come back from and had to resign and so we never want to see again all by the way they had appoint another And enter the be and when the B was at sea. There was the slaves revolted on that ship took over the ship and killed the captain Newton has any idea through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come was grace that brought me safe thus far told me to second printing separate forms of what the apostle Paul says, second Corinthians chapter 4 just a few pages the right. The apostle Paul says there in verse seven we have this treasure in earthen vessels. In other words, I have the presence of God in my body we have this treasure in earthen vessels, literally, earthen vessels, means clay pots Howard Hendricks, who I just love as you know is a mentor sorta brings us up to date for us.

And when he says that he says we have the treasure of God in the peanut butter jars and where the peanut butter jars. You see, we have this treasure of God in a peanut butter jar. We have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing greatness of the power he said will be of God and not from ourselves. Notice them.

What he says we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed, but not despairing. Persecuted, but not forsaken struck Don but not destroyed. She paused and threw it. Verse 16 therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying at the inner man is being renewed day by day for momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. While we took. He says while we look not at the things which are seen by the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen. He says there eternal.

He says grace change my perspective to grace, change perspective, by the way Paul was stoned and left for dead beat was Rod's almost shipwrecked. Almost every little wrong is like was a lot like Milton's deposit.

I was even perplexed about that at all. I don't will be not at all.

How does that apply to you and me way I view it in the way I played myself is this.

I know exactly how long I'm been a beater, just as long as God was matter. I know that I'm to be here as long as God wants me here and I don't believe him to be here for five minutes more or five minutes less and I don't know about you but that's frame to me and by the way that's not based lamenting about me. We think it is on a week and we can decide this. You can't.

You cannot better men than me going to be with the Lord long before my age might have said before, my best friend in seminary went in his early 40s my point of view we had awful lot going form a lot to contribute to God's kingdom of God took him home and their other men there.

I still respect like Dr. Dwight Pentecost lose roaring into his mid-90s you see grace has brought me safe thus far. Grace will lead me home.

That's peaceful, that's peaceful.

We worry so much becomes one of the dangers of our life were so worried about it is really nothing to worry about scriptures click on. You see, it's relaxing is the grace of God, the power is all his. That's was so wonderful about it. Paul knew it, sorted Newton. They both by the way love Paul of the so much eroded Newton so much that he wrote about it. Romans 828 of a somewhat Romans 828. What would you say that I think I know it all things right all things work together for the good right all things we but it's hard for us to figure that out by the lake because under all things are a lot of things that happen that I don't when understand, but I wonder if you think about the first three words very much and we know you remember that. And we know that's apposite and we know Noosa gets right Paul, we know we know all things work together.

We know that question. Do you know that you see how I know that the amazing grace of God sees God's grace. I know that we know that all things work together. That is the promise of grace doesn't matter. The dangerous toils and snares are not grace is going to lead you home and final verse, verse, I alluded to a lot earlier, the bursa was added 1909, Excel, and use this verse because when he was reading about Tom's cabin. He was so overwhelmed by it. When we've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise and when you first when we praise in God for his grace is grace. She that's what were praising them for what you see when you see this, I see a whole redeemed people don't overwhelmingly fill with one thing and that is gratitude. Gratitude. That's what grace produces grace, produces gratitude and notice it.

He puts it in a picture here. That's just overwhelming to me forever when we've been there 10,000 years. You can even imagine how long ago 10,000 years. 8000 BC came and met 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun. We know less days now to sing God's praise and will be first begun.

It's a beautiful picture of what for ever for ever you get it you get that Velma told me a long time ago and in fact is this week told me again that when I was a student at Dallas seminary we live in Plano, Texas. She was in the car she came to read like and this was being played on Christian radio. Amazing grace and she said when that verse was sung right there that red light in Plano, Texas.

I got God.

You see the significance of that when we've been there 10,000 years. 10 bright shining as a son. We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun you are for ever. People forever. Not a long time. The absence of time for ever and you know why grace just grace your Internet, you don't deserve it but you get someone is set said grace is like getting a 25 ^ diamond delivered to your door that nobody ordered somebody else pay for that's grace and that's what he says and we as a people and that's what Newton understands is be filled with gratitude, not just forever.

By the way, we should be the most joyful thankful people on the planet. Now we ask you coming today are you filled with gratitude just overflowing with gratitude. Thankful you want to be. Almost all of you brought up by border, you realize the overwhelming majority of believers who've ever lives in Jesus Christ never had a Bible you think offer that everything is thanking God for that. There believers. Even though over the world would do anything to have five pages. Your Bible and you. Carry it out from the backseat from the trunk next Sunday open the trunk, get Megan you're here and I'm to assume you relative health. You do, you do realize that this week.

1 million people die this week did on 1 million people died last anywhere you thankful and think that it why not you. You see you thankful for something like that 500 million people in our world.

Starting I don't think you are. You might think you are this close to lunch but do you think offer that she are you grateful for that. All of us and I mean all of us in this room, if you look at us historically of all the people whatever lived all of us.

From an economic point of view of financial worker in the top 3% of all the people who ever lived. All of us top 3% 97% of all the people ever live reporting your you think that you thankful or you complain about money. You see we have so much we can be so grateful for and so thankful for, and maybe most importantly, you will completely free to come here today worship and didn't want to come you have to want to go someone else could is completely up to you that's not the way it's been for believers in many places in the world. That's not the way it is today. All worship in secret thankful. Notice the grace that God has bestowed on us should make us grateful people is a great hymn is just a great hymn when you think about it from that point of view. The plan of grace is to save you the power of grace finds you and changes to the provision of grace touches us so that we have peace with God for our past we have access to God in the present. We have a certain hope from God for future.

The promise of grace is to keep us and give us an eternal perspective of life in the praise of grace is the privilege of the saved the think God, now and forever John Newton was right.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved people just like you and me spring. Father, I must confess that, like almost everything good in my life I find myself taking grace for granted. I understand it theologically, but I don't ever seem to get my ownership of it emotionally, mentally, it's mine.

Father I pray for all of us not to take grace for granted. To see it for what it is. It's amazing that you one infinite holy God would stoop so low as the touch people just like us who not only rebelled against you in a garden but continue to rebel against you every day of our lives father I'm overwhelmed by the grace of God I thank you father that that grace not only saves me, but that grace keeps me in that future grace that you have promised me is mine. Father, I love you, but only because you first love me I love Jesus Christ, but only after he showed his love for me that he came to this earth and died in my place father for us. Grace is free for him. It was experiencing your wrath on all sin for all time. Father, I am so thankful that he took my place. Thank you for your infinite wonderful amazing Jesus listening to Pastor Bill give her on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world.

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