Ephesians 2:4 – 9But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Grace is a terribly misunderstood word and defining it sufficiently is difficult. One of the best definitions for it would be God's unmerited favor. A.W. Tozer said, “Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines him to bestow benefits on the undeserving.”It's the absolute undeserving, unmerited, and unearned gift offered to humanity.
In a previous post I stated that parenting was God's humility training plan. But it's also and somewhat more of a way for us to try and show grace to our children. We should correct them not necessarily with a punishment that fits their disobedience, but instead with Grace.
Imagine if you will standing in a funeral home as the casket of a young man comes in. His mother, a widow behind him crying. He is her only son, and her only support. Then suddenly the mourners are interrupted by a man who hurries forward, “here let me deal with the dead, I can bring him back to life.”“All this man needs is education,” explains the man while boldly approaching the casket. And from his books of science and philosophy he attempts to teach the young man in the coffin. But in vain he watches for the flush of life to return; there is no response. Education has failed.
Another man approaches the scene, confidently proclaiming that he can bring the young man back to life, and so he begins, “Now young man, make up your mind that you are going to live. Exert your will, and choose to live – the choice is yours. You can get up if you only will”. But there is no response as the previously confident man looks upon the lifeless face of the young man. Free choice and will-power has failed.
Then another man came toward the crowd, calmly and with a sense of peace about him. For a few moments no one moves. Then the man speaks, “My friends, do you not know that what this man needs is religion? Through the knowledge of our doctrine he will be revived”. And he sat down by the coffin’s side. “Now I will reveal to the young man the precepts of the law, for if he will keep them faithfully he will live again”. “But” inquires one of the bystanders, “how can a corpse observe the laws since he cannot even hear your words? Until he is first alive, all your precepts will avail nothing”. Sorrowfully the man walks away, Religion has failed.
Then from the crowd steps the figure of One who walks with perfect confidence and composure to a scene of certain failure. A sudden hush falls on the expectant throng as he stands for a moment beside the coffin. Then He speaks, his voice calm but authoritative. “Young man, I say unto thee, arise!”
Eagerly the people draw close. Who is this? What power is there behind his simple words? What manner of man is this? But then their questions are suddenly answered. The eyelids quiver, the flush returns to the cheek; the heart throbs once more, and the young man rises to his feet.
What had happened? Jesus imparted Life. The man was dead and it was Life that he needed. This is the one great essential. Education will not do; nor will free choice or human rights; not even religion, however sincere it may be, will ever make the grade. None of the things we regard as being of value is equal to the task of restoring life.
ONLY GOD'S GRACE BEGETS LIFE!
How often do we think about grace? Consider your own life. We need not even look very far or at great and mystifying examples. For instance, how many of us parked our cars at home each day and thought of God’s grace that brought us home safely. To the majority of us grace is only a concept. An abstract idea that the pastor uses to explain certain principles from the pulpit. We understand grace, but do we know grace. Do we know him personally?
The Russian Czar, Alexander, used to love to disguise himself and mingle with his people to hear what they have to say. One night he visited the army camp and listened to some soldiers. While passing a tent he saw a young soldier sitting at a table with his head on his arm, sound asleep. The Czar tiptoed to the back of the chair and looked over his shoulder. There on the table before him he saw a loaded revolver. Beside the revolver was a sheet of paper with a long list of gambling debts.
After seeing the total the Czar noted a sentence below the figures saying, “who can pay so much?” Suddenly the czar understood the situation. The young officer had gambled away all he had and was about to take his own life for fear of not being able to meet his debts. Then the czar took up the pen and below the young soldiers question wrote the words “I, Alexander, Czar of Russia”. Quietly he turned away and went home. The next morning the young officer woke up and immediately took hold of the revolver when suddenly he saw writing on his letter that he had not put there. He read the words of the Czar and in amazement he dropped the revolver. At that moment a messenger came to his tent with a bag of money from the Czar. The young soldier’s debt was paid and his life was spared.
Friends, we too, have accumulated a large amount of debt. A debt so great that none of us would ever be able to pay the price. But there is good news, we don’t have to. See, just as Noah received his righteousness as a gift through grace and the young soldier his life through a gift, so too do we receive the gift of God’s grace that paid our debt for us in order that our lives might be spared.
The well-known preacher, A. T. Pierson, once said, “However poor a preacher, I can preach the gospel better than Gabriel can, because Gabriel cannot say what I can say, “I am a sinner saved by grace.”
2 Corinthians 12:8-9 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
May You Be Blessed With Peace and Understanding
