Sermon scripture (all scriptures from NIV)
Phillipians 1: 3 – 11 ----- “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you , since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.”
Sharing God’s Grace
Sermon by Bobbi Hess for LaPorte UMC on 7/26/15
When Pastor Bill asked me to preach today he suggested I talk about my time with the youth of LaPorte. I said ok. I am also talking about some of the lessons I think they learned along the way, lessons for all of us.
A few weeks ago I sat out there in my pew while 3 of the senior youth talked about me. What they said brought tears to my eyes. It was comforting to know that the thing I most wanted them to know was confirmed. They knew I love them. I have always – and I mean always! – thought the most important thing a youth in any similar situation could leave with after their time was done was to know that they were LOVED! Loved by me (or whoever was in charge) but, more importantly, to know that my love was just a mere shadow of how much God loves and cares for them. I feel more than sure that these kids know that. These kids have a deep and profound love of God. They have learned that as they grew up in the church, studied and been taught about how much God loves them. They have learned that as they felt how much their family loved them, knowing that God loved them even more than their parents. And in part they have learned to love God because they knew how much I loved them, how much God loved me and how much more he loved them. I make no claims to how much head knowledge I gave them, but the amount of heart knowledge was far more important to me..
Some of you may be wondering why I included the reading from Samuel… the Senior MYF used that scripture once to bring a lesson to the Junior MYF. They all learned a lesson that day! Hey kids, big and little – nice and loud now - what do you say when you hear god calling you??? (speak lord, for your servant is listening!) I mean I guess they could say “go away Lord, I don’t want to hear you” or “go tell Mary, its her turn today” but if they’re smart they’re going to use the correct answer! Aren’t we kids???
When I read the scripture from Philipians that I just read aloud, 2 phrases jumped out at me. “it is right for me to feel this way(happy and thankful to God) about you, for I have you in my heart” and “all of you share in God’s grace with me.” These words don’t just apply to the youth I have worked with over the years, but to all my brothers and sisters in Christ. I rejoice in all of you and am thankful to God for you because we all share in God’s grace, whether young or old or in-between!!!!
We have 2 things to consider from that scripture. First is grace.. what is it, where is it, etc. the other key element though is the idea of sharing in grace.
When I have taught the Credo confirmation classes, one of the more important lessons has been on what Grace is and what it means to us. Let’s have a little quiz here…. See how much we all know about grace. You ready?
Question 1: how much does grace cost? Nothing. $0.Zip.
Zilch. Nada. It is a free gift.
Question 2: who do we get grace from? God.
Question 3: what do we have to do to get grace? Nothing
Question 4: is there any way we can pay for it or swap
something for it or do something for it? No.
question 5: well then, how do we get grace? We believe Christ – the only begotten son of god – died for our sins and rose again to give us salvation from our sins, make us right with god and guarantee eternal life. We have faith in god. And in exchange we receive the gift of grace from god. In response to that gift we love and serve god, working together in that grace to bring god’s love and good news to all the earth.
In Romans 5 paul tells us about that grace (vs 1 &2)“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”(vs 12) “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” (vs 15 – 17) But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin; The judgement followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” (vs 20 – 21) “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Adam (the “one man” he talks about) sinned and brought death to all people. God gave the law to moses so people would know what to do or not do, know that they were sinning and had sinned in other words. Nonetheless, people didn’t stop sinning. Go figure !
So as he had planned from the beginning of time, God in his grace sent his son to earth. He lived, was crucified and buried. on the 3rdday he rose from the dead. After appearing to numbers of witnesses, he ascended into heaven. In his death he took on the sins of everyone on earth. In his resurrection he guaranteed those who believe in him eternal life. God didn’t do that because he had to, it was a GIFT! It was grace! Once we believe and have faith in God, we experience that grace. But grace isn’t a gift we unwrap, say “isn’t that nice, thank you very much”and put on the shelf to admire from time to time. It’s a way of life.
But what about sharing in God’s grace? If we could buy or earn it, it wouldn’t be grace! Grace is an absolutely free gift from God. Why wouldn’t we want to share in it? Sometimes it seems like we just don’t want to share or we under-rate it. As if - if it is free then it isn’t worth much! rather we should be praising god for such a priceless gift! We should be sharing grace among ourselves to better serve god and sharing grace with those around us so others can accept god’s gift and wade into the river of grace for themselves.
Galatians 2: 20 – 21 says “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing”. IdonotsetasidethegraceofGod! What a powerful statement. There is so much religion that clearly sets aside that grace and works on trying to earn or buy salvation, doing good works not because they are prompted by God’s grace, but because they frantically are trying to pay God back for their salvation, and/orliving as if rules and laws are necessary for a person to go to heaven or to stay on God’s good side. How hard they work for what they got free!How easily they set aside the grace of God! It’s tragic how many people and groups of people have, are or will set aside that grace, trusting in themselves and not in God! How little faith they actually have, but many puff themselves off as people of great faith because they have done so much or suffered so much or gave so much in their own power! God doesn’t want that, he wants us to SHARE in his almighty over-powering flood of grace!!
Let’s think about the believers in Charleston – people of faith who opened their hearts and doors to those who needed prayer. After the slaughter, it was so clear to all that they lived in grace. The survivors didn’t surrender to fear and anger, they forgave the shooter and the next week were back with the doors and their hearts opened to those in need. I call that living in grace!! They wrapped themselves in grace and shared that grace with others. What a witness that life of grace is in a sinful darkened world!! What a blessing seeing God’s grace in action must have been to those who saw it!
We receive other gifts when we accept Gods grace, Very special gifts that the spirit bestows upon us. Again, not the kind of gifts you put on the shelf, but spiritual gifts to be used in serving God. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 12 “about spiritual gifts I do not want you to be ignorant. There are different gifts but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 2 Peter 4: 8 – 11 tells us that Gods grace is the means by which we use those gifts. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms”. It is the guiding force for us to use to work for God.
In closing I wish to share with all of you – especially the young people I shared God’s grace with - some of the words Paul wrote to the young Timothy as he grew deeper into his ministry.2 Tim. 1: 8 – 9 says “ Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord… join with me (or share with me) by the power of God who has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace, this grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.“. Chap 2:1 says to “ be strong in the grace that is in Christ jesus.’. Chap 3:14 tells us (as I now tell you) “as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of because you know those from whom you learned it.”. I look forward to sharing in god’s grace with all of you as we serve and love him in the future.
Let us pray.
God from the beginning of time you have had a plan and a purpose for us to share your grace with you. Help us to humbly and with great thanksgiving serve and love you by that grace. In the name of your precious son, amen.
Please stand and join me in singing our final hymn, number 561 “Jesus, United by thy Grace”. The words may not be ones you know, but the tune is familiar. If you feel so called, feel free to come to the altar rail and pray.
Benediction: Go forth, sharing God’s grace with all you meet and know. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.