April 17th, 2005, Sunday Morning

"Under Grace"
When you're saved, you're no longer "under the law" but "under grace"


OPENING: Romans 6:11-14


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INTRODUCTION: Peter (one of Jesus' disciples) had a life-changing experience at Joppa when God came to him in a dream (Acts 11:4-9). He learned the new reality of walking with Jesus Christ in the world--that salvation (being saved) was not just for the Jews but all mankind (Acts 11:17). When you're saved, you're forever under God's grace--you cannot lose it. However, this is not a blank check to continue in your old lifestyle. We must be vigilant to continue living life as spiritually pure as possible. Else, you're not walking under the grace of GOD.

I. STOP LIVING THE OLD LIFE

• Romans 6:12: Stop letting sin (the unwholesome desires) be king over your body--fight your earthly desires to remain spiritually pure
  
  
• Ephesians 6:12: This is not a battle of physical strength but against principles and strong spiritual wickedness
  
  
• You are not alone; We all have similar temptations and problems through life--it's a struggle for all of us and we can relate and be strength to each other
  
  
• 1 Corinthians 9:27: You must discipline your body when it is tempted by the world; your spirit must be stronger than your flesh
  
  
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13: GOD allows no temptation you do not have the power to overcome
  
  
• When the chain of sin departs from you, so should your old lifestyle
  
  
  • Romans 3:20: The law was given to us not to tell us how to live but to show us where we sin
    
    
    • Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"
      
      
    • Romans 6:23: And the price of sin is death; but God's gift is eternal life and saving grace (being saved)
      
      
    • Romans 5:20: Sin may be strong but His grace to forgive you is ALWAYS stronger
      
      
      • Romans 6:15: However, while Heaven is guaranteed, grace is not a blank check to continue in your old, sinful lifestyle
      
      
    • Romans 6:14: With grace, sin no longer has dominion over you
    
    
  • Romans 6:18: And you may now live by faith and the Spirit of GOD can work within you to help you move successfully forward in life
  
  
• It's THE life-changing decision only you can make--no one else can make it for you
  
  
  • 2 Corinthians 6:2: TODAY is the day to make your decision; others can pray for you but they can't change you--change comes from within
    
    
  • Roadblocks to get beyond to make this decision:
    
    
    • Proverbs 21:2: Stop blaming others for your life's problems (i.e., how students feel about their teachers; how employees feel about their bosses)
      
      
    • Proverbs 23:7: You MUST have a "can do" attitude because the Bible says you are what you believe you are (and can be)
      
      
      • Winning has always been hard; no one gives away victories!
        
        
      • It's not that you can't; you are just in the mindset you do not want to because you're not willing to pay the price of change (giving up the old lifestyle)
        
        
        • ILLUSTRATION: One of Jane Pauley's show topics was diabetes
          There was a lady on there not doing well in her battle against diabetes

          She was a nurse who knew full well the dangers of diabetes and it had her scared

          But she would not change her diet or habits to help the problem

          The next person on the show was a man who had won his battle with diabetes and had lost 70 pounds and was living a much disciplined life in fighting diabetes

          He would not ever go out and eat with others because when he did, the weight would come back on

          He said he would do whatever it took to keep his diabetes under control

          Jane Pauley then turned to the lady to see her response and she could not handle his suggestions

          She didn't want to change--she'd rather face the ravages of diabetes than struggle to live a healthy life.
  
  
• Romans 8:13 and Colossians 3:5: To live by the lusts of your flesh is to die; to deny your body those immoral, earthly things is to punish your body and live forever
  
  
• APPLICATION: Proverbs 6:9 and 19:15
  
  
  • It takes no effort, energy or discipline to sin and do wrong
    
    
  • God's grace is not being given for you to sit on it and never use it, but to live in it
    
    
  • Make that decision today: let GOD, not sin, reign in your body

II. YOU STOP BY CHANGING YOUR LOCATION

• When you stand near sin, you are listening to lust/desire
  
  
  • ILLUSTRATION: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
    
    
    • God instructed them not to eat from that Tree of Life
      
      
    • When the serpent lied to Eve about the tree--saying it was OK even when she knew God said it wasn't--she continued to LISTEN to the serpent and LOOK at the tree--now desiring it
      
      
    • LESSON LEARNED: If you do not run from sin, you will listen and be drawn
    
    
  • Paul's advice to the church in Corinth:
    
    
    • 1 Corinthians 6:18: "Flee fornication."
    • 1 Corinthians 10:14: "flee from idolatry."
    • 2 Timothy 2:22: "Flee also youthful lusts"
    • 1 Timothy 6:11: To flee these things is to "follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."
  
  
• Move away from sin to a good location
  
  
  • 2 Timothy 2:22: Flee from "youthful lusts" to "righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart"
    
    
  • TESTIMONY: Genesis 39:1-12
    Joseph, a Hebrew servant to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, was repeatedly asked by Potiphar's wife to sleep with her

    Joseph not only denied the offer but fled her when she grabbed him

    Joseph did the right thing--he fled rather than stay where she was because she may have eventually won him over
  
  
• APPLICATION:
  
  
  • Galatians 5:13: God has given you freedom not to serve your flesh but your friends (everyone in this world)
    
    
  • Flee from that which is evil; pursue that which is good

III. YOU CAN DO THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE UNDER GRACE NOW

• We are not under the law
  
  
  • Galatians 4:9-10: The believers in Galatia didn't believe faith in Jesus Christ was enough; they believed you still had to do works and observe rituals and the law to become saved and keep God happy with you; this is not true
    
    
  • Galatians 5:18: "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."
  
  
• We are under the grace of God in Christ Jesus
  
  
  • Romans 6:14: Paul says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
    
    
  • Ephesians 2:8: As it's worded here, His Saving grace is a gift and you don't work for gifts
    
    
  • Romans 10:17: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
  
  
• Being under grace doesn't make the Saved immune to dangers and weakness--you must use this given grace to serve GOD; even the men of the greatest faith and relation to Jesus suffered
  
  
  • ILLUSTRATION: There were times Peter, one of Jesus' disciplines, became weak in grace
    
    
    • John 18:10: On the night of Jesus' arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, Peter attacked those who tried to arrest Jesus
      
      
    • Mark 14:67-72: And when Peter was accused by a maid of knowing Jesus, Peter denied he knew Jesus three times
    
    
  • Overcoming these dangers/weaknesses is what tests your Christian character and earns you testimonies to strengthen the faith of others
    
    
    • Romans 5:3: Being able to overcome trials and tribulations increases your patience
      
      
    • Acts 14:19-22: DEMONSTRATION OF BEING FULL OF GRACE: Paul was stoned almost to death for his preaching; after being dragged out of the city, his reaction was to get up, go back into the city, and begin preaching again!

CLOSER

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In the beginning (Moses' time), the penalty for a single sin was death in hell

• DISPENSATION: Man had to live under the law in order to survive; however, the Bible states all have fallen short of God's measure

SOLUTION: God reconciles Himself to the world by sacrificing His only Son so the free gift of grace may be offered to all mankind, so they may live forever in Heaven

• The gift of eternal life comes from God, through faith in Jesus Christ; you cannot work for it--just believe in Jesus Who died for you
  
  
• It's a gift you must WANT to receive

Once under grace, you are no longer bound by the law because in the end, you will not die but live forever with God

Be vigilant...

• Not to fall back on living under the law, believing you have to do works/things in order to live; simply believe that Jesus' death, burial and resurrection is sufficient to give you eternal life
  
  
• To run from sin and compromising situations--not to try and endure or overcome it; else, you will be overcome by it

No matter how bad you believe you lived/wasted life, it's not too late to still become saved, walk with GOD, and overcome the world to the point you finish life with GOD telling you, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23)