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October 8, 2020 7:05 am
Just after Chuck Swindoll officiated the memorial service for an American sports icon you deliver the message you're about to hear today Tom Landry was the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in a committed follower of Jesus Christ his legacy of grace and integrity provided the living illustration for the passage in Ephesians 2 that were studying right now. Paul said, for we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works from the series in Ephesians called becoming a people of grace represents today's message God's artwork on display.
I can tell you from a few years experience, knowing Tom Landry, the late great Tom Landry that he walked the walk.
Whether it was laughing on the shoulders of his team when they when they beat Miami in January 1972.
Just as he walked the walk. When he wept alone over the grief of the loss of his daughter Lisa to liver cancer after the birth of her little baby.
I thought several times in the many meetings that I attended before, we had the final memorial for him. I thought, I think Tom Landry would stand upright here and say stop, quit talking about me so much talk about the one I love and believed in, because he liked all who become God's workmanship was saved by grace through faith. And it wasn't of himself. See verse eight with a great reminder. It's all by grace, by the way it's by grace through faith but the faith is an unseen journey by God's grace since we are all verse one dead in trespasses and sins. Verse two walking according to the culture that's lost its way.
Since we are all in that category of lostness only grace would cause our loving holy God to reach down into the ranks of humanity and pick us to be one of his own only grace would give his spirit the empowerment to give you the ability to say yes yes Lord only grace. So when you believe justice when Landry believed it was a private attorney, but it leads to a public walk saved by grace through faith. That's when he started to walk the walk. Until then he only walk the talk, but when Christ came to live in his life. Randy White couldn't look the other way and believe me there are those who watch us more closely than they'll ever read a gospel account of Christ challenging his will was it because we started going to church because we began to do a Bible study because we decided to quit swearing or because we decided we would be faithful to our mate wasn't because we were christened art or dedicated art not know no, no, look at it were saved by grace through faith, not of yourselves, not as a result of works, it didn't start within yourself and it didn't come because you worked at it, it's all of grace. Look at the words, not one, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Not even Tom Landry can boast not even Mother Teresa could boast not even your good godly mother can boast not even your faithful father can boast the best pastor the most sacrificial servant.
The most significant missionary none will ever be able to walk like a peacock around heaven or pound their chests, saying I did it anymore than you and I can walk off an airplane and say I flew here on my own. You don't get from there from here to there like that no one may boast. By the way, if it were based on works. Stop and think how many women would you know you had worked enough. Let's go there three a day.
I think three good works. A day ought to be enough to expect of anybody if you're busy to good works. Now you say that that's not enough, about 66 is a lot I'd say maybe sick daughter 12. Some of you would say 1212. The 15 to 59 about 30 a month.
What's only one a day maybe it ought to be 120 and see were going with enough giving about 50% of what you make is that enough. Well let me you 50% is not enough, about 75%. Is that enough that don't work right. What if you live under a bridge. You don't even own a home so that you give everything you got, you have a home is that enough you're still wearing those closer to go there. I mean, how much is enough for you say I earned my way and did it. There's another guy who lives across the tracks you don't have the benefit you've gotten he won't be able to do what you did have a chance to do were not all created equal. Much as I love the man wrote that you know it's not true. Now we are all created at the same level but equal were not the same breaks the same intelligence when a lot of the same gifts when a lot of the same skills is not equal. Equal playing field were all equal to sinners. That's why the gift works dominant. If I come to you and say here's a gift. Don't do anything for you just take just take a gift it's get your ticket get to make the flight you take to get you got the flight, you can earn it. If you earned it. It's a way each speaking of which turned from Ephesians to Romans four, is one of my favorite two verses in Romans this is so good. Romans for four and five.
He's just been talking about Abraham who came by faith. Even Abraham and he says as we compare the wage with the gift. Look at verse four. You'll remember, your job now to the one who works, his wages not credited as a favor, but as what is do you stop reading further. If you work you earn a wage, it's do you I've never seen anyone nor have I ever at the time of getting my paycheck said all thank you thank you thank you so grateful for this gift to be the they would look at us like we were from Jupiter. You didn't is not a gift. You earned it.
It's your way just to check take. That's right, I earned to the one who works, his wages not credited as a favor to favor. I'm not doing you a favor paying you $20 an hour for your work.
You earned it. We agreed on the fee you were never that for the last 30, 40 hours you work to wage but verse five to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly's faith is credited as righteousness is that a relief. God is not walking around heaven looking for great wages. People who are earning their way up there. He is not doling out Paychex because you have earned your way in our God puts it all on the same level he gives you eternal life is a gift and you take it or you leave it one man paraphrases it this way if you're a hard worker and do a good job. You deserve your pay.
We don't call your wages a gift, but if you see that the job is too big for you that it's something only God can do and you trust him to do it. You could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you work well that trusting him to do it is what gets you set right with God by God. She gift. I love the sheer gift. The result is when we stand before our Lord in heaven back to Ephesians chapter 2 when we stand there we will say like everyone around us. I am here, by the grace of God my name on earth was, but I am here as a recipient of grace. I only lived five years on earth but I got here by the gift of grace. I lived 87 years on earth and I am here because of grace.
I I ran Xerox Corporation. I ran the little the largest I was a pastor of the largest church in the United States and I'm here, but the grace of God I blew it as a pastor and I'm here because I believed in Jesus Christ and on here, but the grace of God I never pastor the church larger than 40 people throughout my ministry and I'm here for the grace of God and the wife of a of a difficult man to live with but I'm here with the grace of God on the wife of the name everybody in this place would know when I'm here with the grace of God, you got it easy. It's all gift now having established, are there no works since were not going to walk around heaven bragging and strutting and it's all up an act of grace is the are there no works. Wait a minute. There are no works to get you in.
But there are works that prove your workspace theology has this equation faith plus works equals salvation. Grace based theology teaches faith equals salvation followed by works. How I know that you love the way it reads for that connective it's explaining. No one may boast.
For weight we are his workmanship to gladden is not even politically correct doesn't say work persons ship it says workmanship. I love that we are his workmanship. I'm really getting crotchety in this age of my life on what I read that I thought Craig God you didn't change it you left it meant ship.
We are God's foyer mob PO EMA boy name we get word pulling from we are God's poetry in motion to like that.
What I think it was FF Bruce who said we are God's work of art. God's masterpiece while that means when I get in and snap on a seatbelt. By faith I become on my journey toward glory. His workmanship and on this flight called the Christian life began to live out the works he created and prepared before hand that I would walk in them reads we are his workmanship. It means that which God is creating that which God is building it. It's like were on the world on the campus sitting on the easel.
In each one of us has its own canvas or her own canvas and God takes out his brush chooses the paint and selects them to be the look just uniquely like us and we live that out summer in dark and somber colors were difficult days and even years. Some are written in suffering and loss and sorrow. Some include tragic disappointments and some look like you just one success after another summer economically well-off summer. Economically wrapped in some pictures have difficult sicknesses and diseases connected to them and others are the picture of health. I you didn't think that your living out his workmanship, not great but the disc the little shading of disappointment it it's in their it's right there where he painted.
You can't figure it out on this is like appreciating a tapestry from the underside.
The old poets is not to Loomis Island and the shuttle sees the fly will God enroll the canvas and explain the reasons why the dark threads are is needful in the Weaver skillful hands as the threads of gold and scarlet in the pattern he has plan this canvas and this has a wonderful Christian couple, but there painted individually, and God is one thing in her life and another thing in his life.
Together they go through things in the disappointment with her children, or the heartache or the great experience of achievement. Can you imagine the parents of Tom Landry if if they were alive how they would feel with their son so painted in their campuses. God's grace for that boy grew up like each one individual campus each child. God gives you as an individual canvas. Each one is God's workmanship raisin just like worst thing you can do is raise all the kids the same manner you just like your brother or sister. Each one has been created a certain weight wise is the parent who makes a study of each child and adjust and adapt the training. Accordingly, one doesn't need as many spankings as another okay now the one who gets more won't think that's fair, but it'll take a while for him to understand.
He's on a different campus. One will be very coordinated and gifted, enabling upfront and able to help others will be quiet and dreamy and artsy and talking to one that's another subject, but were all his workmanship treated with dignity. It's God's work in progress poetry in motion masterpieces and God's, the artist look at who created it's created in Christ Jesus for good works.
He thought it up.
He's got the game plan in mind he's putting us together, just as he would have us go together.
It's wonderful God's indescribable gift given to us in death Valley.
We wind up Mount Whitney enjoying the view of the grace of God, our whole life begins to be transformed and we begin to live out that life for his glory and by his strength and power and get some easy if we walk the walk.
Now tell you the problem because we are around a lot of humanism. The problem is people will see the greatness and they'll think you get the credit they really will. The world watches a life sees a remarkable example of integrity and faithfulness and discipline and passion and intensity and an determination and love and forgiveness. No hypocrisy free of bitterness. These inescapable qualities of Christ likeness and end dates out.
I'm going to get control of my life. You can't can't do it that's flying from here to there on your own silly it's impossible to start with the gift member whips you start with the gift did something really okay to get electronic things until he get shot. You start with the gift and you go from there. You don't start with the works and earn your William one man put it this way like the way this is written James Montgomery Boyce before we saw with our eyes physically, but we were spiritually blind. Now we see with spiritualize and everything seems new before we were spiritually deaf.
Now we been given ears to hear. We hear and respond to Jesus teaching before our thinking was dark and we called good we call the good, bad, we call the bad good things of God were foolish to but now our thinking has been changed. We evaluate things differently. Our minds have been renewed and are being renewed day by day before our hearts were hard. We hated God we did not even care very much for others. Now our hearts are softened because our hearts have been remade. We now give food to the hungry water to the thirsty homes to strangers close to the naked care to the sick and comfort to those in prison. See how it works because I'm a do-gooder trying to earn my way answer that my good works will outweigh my band works work work were so if that's the way it's a gift to Gideon now living the life is for the works command. We said goodbye to one of God's masterpieces this week. I wish you could have been with me through the scenes of those men and that reunion so wonderful thing. Have you notice not even in the press of a hint of criticism is amazing people to thank me for words I please if you can't do that service need to hang it up. I met Caesar and follow the law that I just got out of the way and let the man who walked the walk to story this what you want is what you want take the gift walk the walk you're listening to Insight for living. Please stay with us because we've set aside several minutes to hear Chuck Swindoll conclude our time together in prayer to learn more about this ministry. Visit us online@insightworld.org Justice Tom Landry left a legacy of faithfulness and integrity at Insight for living ministries. It's our passion to do the same Christ established the perfect model for us. Filled with grace, mercy and kindness. To that end, we're calling on friends like you to join us in the all-out effort to bring God's message of grace to 195 countries of the world.
We've done this mission, vision, 195 with boldness we're calling on you to join us. Together we can implement the great commission of Jesus Christ by making disciples through the radio. Our website the mobile app, CDs, books, DVDs, the podcast live streaming and more. Whatever amount he prompts you to invest in vision 195 will truly make a difference to give a one time contribution today. Call us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or one of the best ways to leverage your giving is by becoming a monthly companion in this relationship you automate your monthly giving having 12 times the impact over the course of one year to become a monthly companion go to Insight.org/monthly companion, you know, Chuck has a voracious reading appetite and is come across a book he's highly recommending to you in a day when it's easy to feel fearful and overwhelmed to cover offers a clear path to finding peace and God's protection. It's written by fellow pastor and radio Bible teacher Philip to Corsi was heard on the daily program called know the truth, you can purchase a copy of to cover by going to Insight.org/store or by calling us if you're listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 now once again, here's Chuck Swindoll.
Join me in a few moments of prayer. Will you father, we will never get over the wonder of your grace. We thank you for it. No wonder we call it amazing Grace because you have taken us just as we are and you have made us like Christ in your plan is to spend eternity with us and were so grateful we haven't earned our way in. Because had we done that we would be boasting over it. But all amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now I am found, was blind but now I see. Thank you for every person listening today father and for the matchless grace you have applied to their lives. Each one of them may they come to realize it more and more that this magnificent message of grace never ceases. And as long as this good news of Christ is reaching out to the world. It's lost its way. Grace comes in its wake ready to accept whoever just as they are by your grace, and so we live with gratitude because of your grace and we anticipate that Dave and we will see you because of your grace and you will accept us faultless before the presence of your glory with exceeding and when we been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun will have no less days to sing your grace than when we first begun.
We love you, father, and we thank you for your amazing grace in the name of Jesus, our Savior be listening Friday when Chuck Swindoll continues his study in Ephesians.
Call becoming a people of grace right here on Insight for living. The preceding message God's artwork on display was copyrighted in 2000 2001 and 2009 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited