Enjoying Grace in 2015.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] All right, go ahead and have a seat welcome to Village Church. This is your first time here. My name’s Steve [0:05] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church [0:08] If you have your Bibles go ahead and open them to Ephesians chapter 2 [0:11] We’re gonna be in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 through 10 last week. We began [0:18] 2015 by taking a look at what it looks like to follow Jesus the [0:23] Environments that we need to enter into the things that we need to commit to all

[0:29] Because of what Jesus has given us therefore we submit to his plan and we take joy in [0:37] His grace as we do that though something can creep into our lives as we’re obeying God as we’re seeking to [0:45] Follow Christ [0:47] Oftentimes what happens inside of our lives is we begin to not [0:53] Worship Jesus we begin to not look at his grace and be in awe of who he is [0:59] But instead we begin to base our lives on religious

[1:04] obedience [1:05] It’s an obedience that just wells up from within us where we attempt to prove our value [1:12] Where we seek to prove our worth that we’re worthy of being in [1:18] Following Jesus that we’re worthy of being in the church that we are [1:23] Valuable among other people that we may think even have more value than us and our life becomes [1:29] About seeking to prove that we’re just as good as everyone else even in relationship to following Jesus

[1:36] Our obedience does not come from a treasuring of Christ from an awe of his grace instead [1:44] our obedience comes [1:46] Simply because we want to be validated or [1:50] On the other side of that we may look [1:55] At following Jesus we may look at all of the things that God says we’ll enter into we may look at all of the [2:01] Wonderful grace that he’s given us and then proclaim that well because I’m forgiven because I no longer

[2:08] Have to prove my worth because I cannot lose the grace of Jesus would become completely indifferent to the things of God [2:17] We see no change in our lives because we don’t see the value of change [2:21] We don’t see the work of grace in our lives and grace becomes something that’s cheap and becomes something as an excuse for us [2:28] To stay exactly where we are and never grow [2:32] Becomes an excuse for us to remain completely stagnant in our relationship with Christ, but we continue to say well [2:39] This is what Jesus died for he died for me being stagnant therefore. No change is needed. No movement is needed

[2:46] There are two struggles that you will have in [2:50] Following Jesus in 2015. These are two postures in your life [2:56] That will prevent you from enjoying the grace of God [3:00] The first one is the self righteousness that can come from performance [3:07] That can come from you truly [3:10] Seeking to be and seeking to prove that you’re better than everybody else that you have the market cornered on Jesus

[3:16] based on your religious obedience your performance and [3:20] The second danger that I want to look at today is the self righteousness because it is actually a form of self righteousness [3:27] That comes from indifference [3:30] to the things of God [3:32] From not growing and following Jesus from not committing to the environments that will help you follow [3:39] Jesus Christ and I want to look at a passage that if you’ve spent time in church

[3:43] This will be a familiar passage to you [3:46] You may have even seen it in the handout this morning and said well. Well, I’ve got nothing to learn today [3:51] I know this text I know Ephesians 2 [3:55] But when Paul brings these things up to us specifically in this church, he’s writing to a church [4:01] He’s writing to predominantly Christians this text [4:05] But he constantly writes to us and he says I write to you by way of reminder

[4:10] And I’ll tell you that if you move from a place in your life where this type of text renews you [4:17] Then this first thing of performance is something that’s going to be a great temptation in your life [4:23] When you believe that you no longer need to be refreshed by the gospel. Well, you’ve ceased [4:29] to worship Jesus [4:31] And so I want to look at this text [4:33] Says in verse 8 for by grace you’ve been saved through faith and this is not your own doing it is the gift of God

[4:43] Not a result of works

[4:48] For so many of us [4:51] That should be such a liberating phrase [4:56] If you highlight underline whatever you do just underline that text highlight that phrase [5:03] And preach that phrase to yourself every day [5:08] Not a result of works why [5:15] So that no one may boast

[5:21] For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works [5:27] That’s a little tension [5:28] Not a result of works before works

[5:34] Which God preferred prepared beforehand that we should walk in them pray with me father

[5:46] Our time is so fleeting [5:51] Or it’s my prayer right now that you would give us the privilege of [5:57] Trusting in you Lord strengthen our faith this morning help us to trust in your grace [6:03] And then help us to make that next step to where we live lives of enjoying [6:10] your grace [6:11] May we live in awe and treasure and worship of Jesus Christ our Lord

[6:16] It’s in his holy name. I pray Amen [6:20] Number one this morning [6:21] I want us to understand that if he’s in chapter 2 specifically in verses 8 through 10 one of the messages of the many [6:27] Messages that are in that text is that enjoying grace means that you have nothing left to prove

[6:37] Enjoying grace means that you have nothing left to prove and and so that sounds so [6:42] Wonderful, but it will be one of the most different especially in our culture [6:46] It will be one of the most difficult things that you can live [6:50] Because it doesn’t just mean that you have nothing to prove to Jesus

[6:56] You know that you have nothing because of grace to prove to the person next to you [7:02] You have nothing [7:05] You have nothing to prove to anyone and [7:09] This isn’t just about your relationship with Christ you have because of Jesus nothing to prove about [7:16] anything in your life to anyone [7:20] You have nothing to prove about your job

[7:23] You have nothing to prove about your home [7:25] You have nothing to prove about your bank account. You have nothing to prove about your education [7:31] You have nothing to prove in your life [7:35] because [7:37] Jesus has proved [7:39] Everything that you will ever truly need to be proved for an eternity

[7:47] and [7:48] that strikes us as [7:51] so

[7:53] Because of how we’re conditioned not just in our culture because of how we’re conditioned even in our discipleship

[8:01] It feels like we have everything to prove [8:05] It feels like we have [8:08] Everything to prove to the person next to us [8:10] It feels like we have everything to prove to the people in our neighborhood. It feels like we have everything to prove [8:15] But that is the anti [8:18] Gospel this reality that you think that you have something to prove and the reason being is that grace is not simply the starting point

[8:26] Of Christianity if grace was just the starting point of Christianity, then you would have plenty to prove [8:32] Yet grace is how you get in but then you earn your keep [8:36] It’s like I know I don’t deserve the job that I have but the day I got that job [8:39] I had to prove that I should stay there so that they wouldn’t fire me [8:43] But how often do we take that into our thoughts about God?

[8:48] That I have to be obedient because well, he’ll fire me I have to be obedient or he won’t bless me [8:56] I have to be obedient or I’m not gonna have any of his favor. I have to obey so that I’ll [9:02] Deserve to be here. That’s not the gospel

[9:08] Not only does grace earn your entryway into the kingdom of God, but you will always [9:15] Need that same grace to stay there is no obedience that you will have in your life [9:20] That is so good that you deserve to be in the kingdom of God by it because all of our greatest obedience is always [9:27] tempered by the worst of sin

[9:31] You have nothing to prove and you cannot enjoy the grace of God until you realize that [9:38] That Jesus has paid your way in Ephesians chapter 1 Paul writes with no punctuation [9:45] For almost 10 verses this amazing praise of all that Jesus has done for him in him in the beloved in [9:54] Christ that he’s given our way in from eternity past to eternity future [9:58] It’s all about Jesus and then in Ephesians chapter 2 he begins to unpack for us not God’s point of view [10:06] But our point of view he says that we were dead in our trespasses and sins

[10:10] We walked like the rest of mankind through this world spiritually dead [10:16] unable to obey God unable to please God [10:21] Unable to worship God and then in verse 4 it has the two most important words in all of Scripture [10:27] But God being rich in mercy with the love with which he loved us made us alive [10:35] Together in Christ Jesus, and then he comes down to verse 8 [10:39] And he begins to flesh out just exactly how that works

[10:42] And he tells us he looks us in the eye and he says for by grace you have been saved

[10:51] By grace [10:53] You don’t deserve God [10:55] But because God is so good [10:58] You have him because God loved you so much you can know him [11:04] Because God loves you to the extent he wants to take you from dead and make you alive by grace [11:12] You have been saved and friend. Let me tell you this morning by grace. You will always be saved

[11:22] I will never on my best day be to the place where I deserve God’s love [11:29] Never [11:31] And Paul explains this in Romans 7 he says the moment that I’m actually obeying God [11:35] I find that the man of sin is close at hand. I don’t know who I am sometimes [11:38] Because I’m doing so good and obedience and then boom pride comes in for that obedience

[11:46] Motivation for pleasing others comes into that obedience even my greatest of obedience is always tempered by sin

[11:57] Therefore if I have anything to prove

[12:02] What will be my condition is not one of someone who’s in God’s kingdom [12:09] It’s not someone that God will just give me his love if I have anything to prove I’m bankrupt [12:13] If I have anything to prove I am still in Ephesians 2 1 I am dead in my sin

[12:21] Jesus has done it all

[12:26] Says that we’re saved by faith [12:29] This faith is this great gift that God gives us in his love where we believe not that we’re worthy [12:35] But we believe that Jesus is worthy that he is righteous that he is valuable that Jesus saves you from eternal [12:43] Condemnation and therein lies salvation and there is no salvation anywhere else [12:48] It has nothing to do with what you’ve done earned been worthy of been smarter about it’s all about [12:57] Jesus this is both the beginning and the ends of salvation

[13:03] The New Testament never moves on to part 2 the part you play [13:09] The part you earn the part you prove it always stays right there [13:15] Focus dead on in Jesus what he has done what he is doing what he will do

[13:23] Doesn’t move on to then become about how you become worthy or eventually earn your keep it always was and always will be based [13:30] Fully on Jesus therefore grace must remove all self-centeredness

[13:39] All self-centeredness, you know that when you attempt [13:43] To prove your worth whether it be to God or whether it be to others

[13:52] You cease to focus on Jesus and you begin to focus on yourself

[13:57] That is pride [13:59] See every attempt that you have in this life to prove your worth to be validated by others

[14:09] The source of that is pride [14:12] The source of that is you wanting to be the center of something [14:17] It is the attempt that Adam and Eve had where they sought to unseat God and seat themselves in his throne

[14:27] So this phrase is not [14:30] Your own doing not a result of works must be the anthem over top of your life [14:37] Life must become then about experiencing grace [14:42] All attention and focus is off of you and on Jesus if you’re to point [14:49] Anyone anywhere it is to Jesus. It’s never to you

[14:56] It’s never to you

[15:00] When your life [15:03] Is about experiencing grace Jesus is your proof of and for everything [15:13] Someone comes to you and says why is Christianity true? Would you ever be audacious enough to say? Well, let me tell you about myself here. I [15:21] Am why Christianity is true?

[15:26] If that’s the greatest apologetic you have for the faith, do you see how faulty it is [15:31] Jesus is why Christianity is true [15:34] Jesus is why our faith is valid [15:37] If you can only point to your obedience if you can only point to yourself [15:44] In the center of your faith is on the wrong place and it must be moved [15:47] It must be repented of you must begin to enjoy grace because grace is not of you grace is about how much you give

[15:53] Don’t deserve and how much he does deserve and how much he gives you because it’s an undeserved gift

[16:00] Jesus is everything when we spend our lives congratulating ourselves above experiencing the grace of God

[16:10] Our relationship with Jesus will stagnate our [16:13] faith [16:14] Will weaken and at worst will be proven to be completely untrue and that we did not come to faith because we treasured Jesus [16:21] But rather we saw it as another task in which we could prove ourselves and improve our superiority in [16:27] That form of religious obedience is quite ugly in the face of what grace actually is [16:32] One of the worst things that you could ever do

[16:34] Your life a nightmare for you would be for people to see you’re weak [16:40] Yet the very basis of faith in Jesus is that you are weak

[16:47] Therefore at best [16:50] When you’re showing everyone how unweak you are when you don’t admit you’re ever sinful [16:57] When you never have any repentance to point to of at all whatsoever

[17:03] You’re just simply seeking to prove that you don’t need Jesus [17:08] I see antithesis of what the New Testament says faith is this is that we are weak. He is strong. Therefore. We need him

[17:18] Therefore if your greatest nightmare is to be seen as one that is weak [17:23] Believe the gospel and be freed [17:26] from that prison of pride a prison of [17:31] self-centeredness [17:33] You see we’re made righteous in Jesus [17:37] And in Jesus alone if we want others to validate us rather than trust in the grace of God

[17:45] Then we’re seeking our validation in the wrong place our validation is Jesus on the cross it’s not in my obedience [17:50] It’s not in my disobedience is nowhere. It’s only ever fully in [17:55] Jesus [17:55] See many of us struggle to enjoy grace because we dwell on proving

[18:02] That we’re worthy that we’re right [18:07] That we’re doing the right thing [18:09] Well and others well, they’re wrong. They’re not at my level yet

[18:15] You see when your life is all about that

[18:20] How can it be spent in awe of Jesus when frankly you’re just spending all of your time navel-gazing [18:26] You’re so in awe of yourself so wrapped up in your greatness. How can you ever look at the greatness of Jesus Christ? [18:33] How can you ever be in awe of him if you’re so in awe of you?

[18:41] In the film [18:42] Great work Harry Potter the Chamber of Secrets

[18:50] Harry finds this mirror and it’s this mirror that will show you your wildest dreams come true [19:00] and [19:01] For Harry it was his parents whom he had lost long ago [19:06] And so he just sat there gazing at it and someone else came and they saw something different Harry’s like well something’s something’s up with [19:12] This and so so Dumbledore comes and explains to him. He says, you know many men [19:16] Have this is an odd analogy

[19:20] Many men have have stood before this mirror [19:24] And ages have passed many men have sat from this mirror for so long. They never did anything

[19:33] They had no opportunity to see what their wildest dreams could possibly be because they died simply looking at what they thought should be [19:42] Yet many of us our relationship with Christ will never grow because we’re so in awe of what we see just in the mirror [19:48] That we never see the wonder that’s available in him in him alone

[19:55] So often when we look at our lives our lives are made up of a great series of self high-fives [20:03] Of you congratulating yourself [20:05] You need look no further than Facebook to see the greatest collection of self high-fives the world has ever seen

[20:13] When I want to see the depravity of pride I simply click on my browser and go to Facebook [20:19] And I see wonder and greatness all in about three minutes

[20:26] What are we captivated by in our lives [20:29] Number two this morning enjoying grace means you can

[20:34] rest [20:35] Join grace means you can rest in Matthew chapter 11 verse 28 [20:41] Jesus gives us this great reminder of what grace is all about. He says come to me all who labor and are heavy-laden. I [20:50] Will give you rest

[20:53] Let me ask you a question to the outside world does your faith look like rest

[21:04] Does your faith look like a burden has been lifted off of you [21:10] Or does your faith look like you’re not only heaping burdens on yourself, but you’re heaping burdens on everyone around you as well [21:18] See Jesus tells those who are burdened and heavy-laden under the weight of life [21:24] religion sin [21:25] Etc [21:27] To come and find the rest in him. This is what Jesus is telling us

[21:29] This is what grace does it gives us rest

[21:36] You see one of the reasons that in the church we don’t have a Sabbath day under the law [21:44] It’s because Jesus is our rest [21:47] He is our eternal rest if following Jesus doesn’t equate the promise that Jesus gives here [21:55] Then what is wrong? [21:57] When was the last time you experienced great rest in your faith I [22:02] Think for most of us if not all of us we came to Jesus for peace

[22:09] But only based the beginning on rest [22:14] Because very soon after you moved on [22:17] to proving yourself by performance [22:20] You hope for rest in heaven, but until then you’ve either got to keep up religiously [22:26] You’ve got to keep up financially [22:29] You’ve got to keep up materially you’ve got to keep up medically

[22:33] educationally professionally with the newest trend whatever it is that you have to keep up with it is a burden that Jesus wants to [22:41] Deliver you from if you’ll only find your rest in him and say I have nothing to prove in all of these areas [22:47] Because Jesus has done it all on the cross. He’s done it all in the resurrection therefore I can rest

[22:55] I [22:56] have peace I [22:58] Have freedom from this great anxiety [23:00] I can have freedom from the stress this world is pouring on to me. I can have peace [23:05] I can have joy I have nothing more to prove to anyone [23:11] Friends do you your core values in your life for how you live and communicate from others spring from an awe of Jesus?

[23:19] Or from the baggage that you are carrying from hurt and shame [23:26] Do they come from finding your identity in Jesus or what you think you have to prove to the world

[23:35] See Jesus alone offers the rest that you need to build a life that is centered on finding peace from all of those things

[23:45] See some of you are hurt so you’re attempting to prove that no one can hurt you anymore [23:54] See some of you have shame

[23:58] See you’re fighting to prove [24:01] You’ll never be ashamed again all the while your obedience is nothing more [24:08] Than the shame that you still carry [24:11] See some of you came into the faith, and you didn’t have a great deal of hurt [24:14] You didn’t have a great deal of shame, but you had a great deal of success [24:18] a great deal of strength

[24:20] And so you’ve entered into the faith saying well. I’ll just continue to prove myself

[24:27] And what you’ve lost in that journey

[24:33] Religious obedience or sometimes it’s not even religious obedience you attempt to follow Christ by proving yourself in a number of [24:39] Ways that I just mentioned [24:43] And all the while you’ve missed the great thing that Jesus says he has to offer that sounds so beautiful I mean [24:49] Rest sounds good [24:52] Always I mean it’s like 7 a.m.. And I’m like bedtime sounds good

[24:58] Jesus says you’re heavy laden your burden you’re carrying it come to me you can rest enjoy his presence

[25:07] And oftentimes we equate rest to sleep, and we say well. Why would I just want to sleep my life away? [25:14] Sleep is not the only type of rest that comes you sometimes you sleep so much because you’re so burdened all day [25:21] Sometimes the greatest rest that you can experience is while you’re wide awake [25:25] And it’s just the rest of mentally knowing and faithfully believing Jesus is enough

[25:32] You see when we have to show our [25:36] Superiority through means that aren’t gospel centered it reveals restlessness [25:43] It reveals a lack of trust in the superiority of Jesus [25:49] Because he truly is superior [25:52] It truly is see when you rest in the grace of Jesus you don’t fall into the trap of comparison [25:59] Because that’s a rest killer

[26:01] That’s a peace [26:04] killer [26:05] So the world around us does [26:08] As they compare themselves to one another [26:10] But so often that’s exactly what we do either because we feel absolutely inferior to everyone around us [26:19] Or simply because we think we’re absolutely superior to everyone around us. We’re comparing ourselves to one another

[26:26] but frankly [26:27] You cannot go far in that text to realize that

[26:33] Jesus is the gift that takes away all grounds for boasting. You know comparison is boasting [26:41] When you compare yourself to someone else you’re either seeking a way to boast or seeking a way to take someone else’s boast away [26:50] But it’s all the same it’s all pride. It’s all boastful and Jesus says that’s the enemy of grace [26:58] Stop comparing yourself to the people in this room

[27:02] Stop comparing yourself to the people in your community group

[27:07] Stop comparing yourself to someone on your street someone on your job someone just somewhere that you don’t even know [27:14] And how foolish is that we compare ourselves to people we see on a screen

[27:21] And simply rest in the grace [27:24] That Jesus is enough [27:28] That when you want to see the life that you should live you look to him [27:32] And when you look to him, you don’t find an overlord that’s ready to whip you you find an [27:38] loving Lord [27:39] He’s there just give you more grace

[27:42] And say keep resting in me [27:45] It’s the boastful man that can’t rest in Jesus [27:49] He has to prove that he is right

[27:53] grace relieves my need [27:56] To always be right

[28:00] That is the hardest thing for me

[28:07] That I will not [28:10] Be any higher in the kingdom of God whether I’m right or wrong [28:16] Because I have nothing to prove [28:20] Jesus is enough it replaces my passions with Jesus always being right [28:28] And if he’s always right, well, that’s good enough

[28:33] That’s as good enough [28:37] But a performance is not the only thing [28:41] That causes self-righteousness [28:44] You see because it will be easy for us to do this and walk away and say man I feel so good [28:50] So relieved I’m not gonna do anything [28:54] All right. I’m not even gonna come to church next week

[28:58] Nothing to prove that guy

[29:02] But that’s not the end of the story

[29:08] Thirdly this morning enjoying grace means you can obey [29:13] You say whoa [29:15] That’s a contradiction. No, it’s not I [29:19] Will say there is tension in this but it’s certainly not a contradiction you see because you have nothing to prove [29:25] You have all the rest in the world [29:29] afforded you and

[29:31] What that gives you is an opportunity

[29:35] to fearlessly [29:36] Walk into the life [29:38] That God has made for you no in verse 9 when he says [29:44] This is not a result of works so that no one can boast [29:48] Okay, so it’s not something I’m doing. It’s not something I’m proving. It’s not something I can take credit for [29:54] But if it was just some stagnated reality of forgiveness where this gift has been given to me

[30:02] Then what in the world would I possibly have to boast about?

[30:06] You see I think that phrase not something that you can boast about that phrase that it’s it’s not a result of works [30:13] No one can boast. I think it’s preparing us [30:17] To not boast of the things behind us, but also not boast of the things in front of us [30:24] Because in verse 10 he gives us a declaration [30:28] Of how the implications of the gospel are going to change everything in our lives and the end of verse 9 is to protect us [30:34] From the self-righteousness that could come when God begins to do this work because there’s always going to be that temptation

[30:40] He says that no one can boast for we are his [30:45] workmanship [30:46] Created in Christ Jesus to do what good works?

[30:54] There’s something for me to do in this there is a [30:58] Implication for me to follow there are commands for me to obey [31:03] Friends in difference [31:06] towards the things of God [31:09] Towards being his workmanship [31:11] Towards never seeking to move on to verse 10 in difference comes from insecurity

[31:19] And friends insecurity is pride

[31:24] See insecurity is [31:28] This constant grabbing for security that you think is out of reach [31:33] But it’s a work that you’re doing it’s something that you’re responsible for it’s something that you’re trying to grab [31:39] Even though you think you can’t have it even though you think you can’t get it the worst thing though that you could be insecure [31:45] About is the gospel of Jesus Christ because it is not a fruit of faith

[31:50] We just were his workmanship understand the self-righteousness isn’t just about performance because there are many [31:58] Changes that the gospel will bring into your life [32:00] I mean think about the reality of what would change in your life when you truly finally believe I have nothing left to prove to anyone

[32:09] Well, I can rest in Jesus that change everything for all of you

[32:15] Which is everything [32:17] There’s not a part of your life that will be unaffected by that

[32:24] Because idolatry is just taking something that isn’t God and putting it in the place of God and spending your life pursuing it

[32:32] And the greatest insecurity of your life will come if you lose that idol [32:37] Unless you’ve replaced it with the true God

[32:41] When he says were his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that he’s prepared beforehand for us to walk into [32:47] He’s telling us that everything you do in your life in grace has its aim at showing [32:54] the value of Jesus in your life [32:58] But did you know that even if you aren’t seeking to show Jesus is your everything even if you aren’t seeking to show that Jesus [33:05] Is of the greatest value in your life. You are showing his value in your life

[33:12] Frankly you’re showing that you don’t value

[33:17] That salvation is cheap that redemption isn’t important that grace isn’t

[33:24] The mainstay of your life

[33:28] This contrast between works that I’m responsible for and works that he [33:34] Is building in my life and he is ushering me into there will be tension in that life [33:41] But trusting in God’s grace embraces the change that he wants to bring look in Titus chapter 2 [33:49] in Titus [33:50] The Apostle Paul is writing to a pastor and how he should lead his church [33:55] He says this he says the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people

[34:02] Training us [34:04] That is so different than how many of us look at grace [34:09] See grace is something that causes great action in your life

[34:14] Grace is something that trains you to do something it prepares you for [34:22] Something so many of us treat grace as if it’s a thing that just comes in doesn’t really do anything [34:28] It’s a gift that I kind of hold on to and then at the pearly gates [34:31] I’ll hand it to someone and say I had the gift

[34:37] But Paul writes about he says it is a force in your life that is going to train you to renounce [34:44] ungodliness to renounce worldly passions and to live self-controlled [34:49] Upright godly lives in the present age doing what? [34:54] waiting for Jesus [34:57] This is you spend your life in all you spend your life in hopefulness you spend your life focusing where?

[35:06] Jesus [35:08] Grace comes in changes your perspective on everything and when he says things like worldly passions [35:15] He’s not simply speaking of things that are immoral [35:17] He’s also speaking of things that are just a moral, but you make idols

[35:24] Because you will no longer seek the things that everyone else is seeking and if you can seek it without Jesus [35:31] Then you probably shouldn’t seek it at all

[35:36] When you don’t trust the validity of the claims of grace though [35:41] You will be hesitant to make the changes it evokes you to make

[35:49] When you know that God has changes that you need to make some of them will be very small [35:57] Some of them though will be life altering [36:03] They’ll change everything

[36:09] And when you so hesitant [36:12] Ah

[36:16] That’s showing you don’t trust the validity you’re insecure [36:21] About whether God is actually right or not whether God is actually being true

[36:27] And some of you are afraid that you will fail

[36:33] So for some of you failure is the greatest fear you have in your life

[36:40] And so you never do anything [36:44] Friends the only failure in grace is to not enter the joy that it offers [36:51] You will never see the workmanship of God [36:58] You will never see the beauty of being his workmanship [37:05] If you don’t enter the work

[37:11] Because when he says we’re his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that he’s prepared for us beforehand [37:17] He’s talking about a journey that he’s prepared for us to walk and it’s not just a moment, but it’s a lifetime and [37:24] For you to have that workmanship part. You must begin to enter the good works part

[37:31] And if you never enter those good works

[37:36] And friend you’ll never see him move

[37:39] You’ll never see him work and if you don’t do that, well, do you trust his grace? What are you boasting about?

[37:47] What are you believing in? [37:49] What are you following? You see sometimes when you reverse engineer these things you can come to some very scary conclusions about your life

[37:58] And oftentimes that’s what we need to do with our lives in Jesus

[38:04] And fourthly this morning not only does enjoying grace produce obedience, but enjoying grace means you can put forth effort [38:13] You can put forth great effort. You see if I’m not afraid of failing because I’ve done that. I [38:22] Mean I did it before Jesus

[38:26] Always [38:27] You realize that before Jesus you were never successful at anything you thought you were but you were dead [38:32] I mean nobody goes to the funeral home and says man. He looks successful right now [38:38] No, he looks dead [38:41] Dead in his trespasses and sins is what you were without Jesus [38:44] But then when you enter into Jesus it creates this fearlessness where failure is concerned because on my worst day I return for grace

[38:53] I return for rest when I fall on my face as I have as I will I [39:01] Return to the Savior and he says come on in I’ll fix you up [39:07] I’ll forgive you. I’ll give you grace. I’ll help you to repent you will be my workmanship

[39:17] Everything about your life [39:20] Is about faith in Jesus when your effort is about his workmanship

[39:28] You will say no to a lot of things that would benefit you but not make him look great [39:35] And you will say yes to things [39:39] That will not benefit you, but will make God look great [39:47] See effort is this hard thing see some of us expended on things that just really are fruitless where Jesus is concerned [39:56] And some of us use grace as the excuse to never exert effort towards anything specifically those things that matter

[40:05] When grace creates this yearning for Jesus to where I never want to be outside of his presence [40:11] I never want to be apart from him. Therefore the greatest effort in my life is expelled [40:17] Towards doing the things that he is doing because I believe that I can’t fail because I’m his workmanship [40:24] Because I’m created in Christ Jesus and because of the good works are things that he has prepared beforehand [40:32] You see sometimes we look at verse 10 and we say how is this grace

[40:38] When in reality all that you see in verse 10 is grace [40:42] Because it’s still not you accomplishing anything, which is why you can’t fail [40:47] Which is why you can expel great effort and always see great return [40:52] Because it’s his work therefore there is no failure [40:57] Will things not always work out the way that you thought they would no they won’t work out the way that you thought they would [41:02] They rarely will

[41:03] But they always work out the way that he knows they will [41:08] Why because Jesus is ruling and reigning right now over my life over this world? [41:16] Over every moment of every day and nothing takes him by surprise [41:21] Why because he’s God because is the author because he’s victorious [41:25] Because he died for my sins and arose from the dead to give me brand new life in which I can walk [41:33] Every day and realize this beautiful work of grace where he says I am working on you right now

[41:41] In this moment in this place as you walk in the life that I have prepared [41:47] An only response that I can have is God you are so great. I am so unworthy. I worship you and you alone

[41:59] My greatest prayer for you

[42:06] Is that you will enjoy grace

[42:12] The gospel is not opposed to effort

[42:15] The gospel is opposed to earning

[42:20] Because Jesus has earned it all Jesus has paid it all [42:26] If you are God’s workmanship [42:28] Then you will walk into the life that you know he wants you to live obediently [42:37] otherwise [42:38] You are still living under your works [42:43] Under your effort boasting in yourself

[42:50] If you’re God’s workmanship you will enter [42:56] his works [42:58] And stop boasting of your own

[43:01] Because you have nothing left to prove [43:04] And you have nothing that you can ever lose that truly matters

[43:12] In 2015

[43:15] Enjoy grace as the band comes up this morning. I want to pray for you for just a moment [43:22] And then I want to enter into a time of communion, let me pray for you our father

[43:34] Grace is so difficult for us to wrap our lives around

[43:41] We are conditioned to not understand it. We are conditioned to earn everything [43:47] We are conditioned to fight for what we believe is ours. We are conditioned to prove our worth [43:53] We are conditioned to pour ourselves into things that don’t matter and not pour ourselves into things that do matter

[44:01] My prayer right now [44:04] Is that each and every person in this room in 2015 will stop the fight of proving themselves [44:11] And start the rest of enjoying grace

[44:15] But they will stop the fight of earning trinkets that will rust fade [44:23] And begin the effort of following you and being your workmanship [44:28] Jesus you paid it all Jesus you are enough

[44:33] Jesus let us worship you in his name. I pray

[44:40] There’s six stations around this room

[44:44] The cup represents the blood that Jesus shed

[44:49] As he took our sins and gave his life the bread represents his body being broken for you [44:56] the greatest work [44:58] That has ever been done the greatest work that ever will be done and the work that we cling to [45:04] Until the day that we see him face to face [45:08] Is trusting in his cross believing in his resurrection following him [45:15] If you believe that this morning these tables are open for you