Our Creator is good. Our Creator is just. Our Creator is love, all-knowing, everywhere-present. Our Creator documented His laws on how we should live. But you and I have a sinful, rebellious nature. Sometimes we break His laws willingly and sometimes we just make mistakes.

Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve. Grace cannot be earned. Grace is never deserved. Grace is a gift. What sins and disobedience have you and I committed against a holy God, Who created us? How do those acts of rebellion compare to the acts of Paul?

You remember Paul pursued those who professed Jesus as the Messiah. He actively searched for them to imprison and execute them. But one day He met Jesus and his perspective changed. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul talked about that amazing grace of God. 2 Corinthians 9:¹⁴ And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Paul calls God’s grace an unspeakable gift.

How can you explain God’s grace?

How can you describe God’s grace?

We do not deserve His forgiveness

John 3:¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

1 John 1:⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What does His forgiveness mean to you?

We do not deserve His redemption

Jesus’ death and resurrection purchased our freedom from the slave of sin.

Titus 2:¹¹ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

¹²Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

¹³Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

¹⁴Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

What does His redemption mean to you?

We do not deserve His salvation

We are saved from the penalty of our sin. We are being saved from the pattern and habit of sin. Some day we will be saved from the very presence of sin and lose our sin nature.

1 Thessalonians 5:⁸ But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁰Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

What does His salvation mean to you?

We do not deserve His love

Jeremiah 31:³ The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

What does His love mean to you?

We do not deserve His relationship

Ephesians 1: ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

What does a relationship with Him mean to you?

We do not deserve His acceptance

Ephesians 1:⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.

What does His acceptance mean to you?

We do not deserve His strength

2 Corinthians 9:⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:⁶ For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

What does His strength mean to you?

Grace like any other gift can be refused. Grace is offered by your Creator to you. Will you receive His grace or will you refuse His grace? The gift is His. The choice is yours.

All Because of God’s Amazing Grace – Stephen R. Adams

Amazing grace! Oh, how sweet the sound That saved a poor sinner like me!

Though once I was lost Yet now I’m found Tho’ I was blinded now I see!

And it’s all because of God’s amazing grace!

Because on Calv’ry’s mountain He took my place!

And someday, some glorious morning I shall see Him face to face,

All because of God’s amazing grace!

Thro’ disappointment and danger, too. Thro’ labors and sorrows we’ve come!

But God’s grace was guided safely through; And it will surely lead us home!

Then with the ransomed around God’s throne We’ll praise our Redeemer and King!

We’ll tell how His mercy for sin did atone, Thro’ countless ages this song we’ll sing!

It was all because of God’s amazing grace!

Because on Calv’ry’s mountain He took my place!

Oh! someday, some glorious morning I shall see Him face to face,

All because of God’s amazing grace!

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed  and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will       accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti