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Message: Unearned

A message about the Grace of God and the New Covenant

1. Intro: An Invitation From Jesus - Matt 11:28-30 [ Slide 2 ]

Many of you are tired.

Tired of trying harder and still falling short.

Tired of wondering if you have done enough for God.

Some of you are tired of sin winning.

Today I want to show you why you feel that way and what God always intended instead.

The answer lies in what Pastor Mike taught a few weeks ago in Romans 1.

I’m not ashamed of the Gospel - Rom 1:16

Why was Paul not ashamed of the gospel? He gives us a clue in Acts 20:24 “ The Gospel of Grace”.

The answer is GRACE! That is what made the gospel such good news for Paul and for us!!

The gospel is not just good news for getting saved.

It is the power that makes Matthew 11 an actual daily reality rather than a nice sentiment.

To understand why grace is such good news, we must first understand The Two Covenants.

2. Two Very Different Covenants - Hebrews 8:6-13 [ Slide 3 ]

Here we see there are Two primary Covenants for mankind

The First Covenant, called the Old Covenant, was a covenant of LAW (vs 8-9)

The Second Covenant, the New Covenant, is a covenant of GRACE (vs. 10-13)

Let’s quickly review the differences between them:

[ Slide 4 ] The Two Covenants: A Summary

Old Covenant

New Covenant

Basis

Obedience to law & works of the flesh

Grace of God & Faith in Christ

Law

Over 600 Laws including Ten Commandments

One Law - The Law of Christ to Love One Another

Promises

Provision, Protection, Prosperity, and Favor among Nations if you obey (Deut 28:1-14)

The Blessing of Abraham: Justification by Faith, the Holy Spirit, a New Heart, God causing us to obey, and promises of Provision, Protection, and Persecution (Gal 3:13-14; Mark 10:29-30; Phil 4:19; 2 Tim 3:12)

Curses

Many curses if you disobey (Deut 28:15-68)

No Curses (Gal 3:13-14)

Conditions

Man’s ability to obey the law

Faith in Christ

Forgiveness

Animal sacrifices

Jesus, the final sacrifice

Righteousness

Has to be Earned through obedience (Gal 3:10-11)

Is freely Given through Christ (Heb 8:10-12 and 2 Cor 5:21)

Fruit It Produces

Bondage, Condemnation, Death (Gal 3:10-11; 2 Cor 3:6-9)

Freedom, Righteousness, Life (Gal 4:28-5:1; 2 Cor 3:6-9)

Power Source

Our Fleshly Heart and Human Effort

A New Heart and The Holy Spirit causing us to obey

Status

Obsolete (Heb 8:13)

Remains Forever (2 Cor 3:11)

Core Distinction

What YOU do for God

What GOD has done for you

Paul’s Warning Against Mixing

Gal 3:1-3; Gal 3:10-11; Gal 5:1; Gal 5:4; Gal 5:18

You cannot mix law and grace. They are mutually exclusive systems running on completely different power sources.

There are no rows in this table

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For further study read Hebrews 8:6-13, Galatians 3:1-5, Galatians 4:21-5:1, Galatians 5:16-18, and Deut 28.

[ Slide 5 ] As you review this table, which covenant does it look like you’re living according to today?

Tip: The Righteousness, Power Source, Fruit It Produces, and Core Distinction rows are the easiest ways to identify which you’re living according to.

This table also gives a glimpse into the true nature of God’s Grace...

3. What is The True Nature of God's Grace and how does it apply to us today?

1. Grace has been defined in many ways… most of them poorly. As a result, many erroneous conclusions have been made about grace.

Some say it means we can do whatever we want… this leads to license and destruction (Jude 4)

Some say it must be balanced with Law to avoid the above mistake… this leads to legalism and religion (Gal 5:2-4).

Neither of these are true grace… they are cheap grace!

2. [ Slide 6 ] Greek: Grace = “Charis” (5485): good will, loving-kindness, favor. (From God, towards man)

In practical terms, it means God positively does for us what we cannot do for ourselves!

3. [ Slide 7 ] The best biblical definition of Grace - Titus 2:11-14.

Here we see God’s Grace is for our Salvation AND our Sanctification!

In fact, throughout the new testament we see that Grace ALWAYS raises the standard of righteousness, not lowers it. (Murder, Adultery, Loving your enemies, Sermon on Mount, etc)

4. [ Slide 8 ] The difference grace makes in our lives is this:

Under the Old Covenant, The Law showed us the standard and said do it in our own strength.

Under the New Covenant, Grace raises the standard and then gives us the power to do it.

This should make us realize we need all the grace we can get. We need more of Jesus and less of ourselves!

5. Paul Was Unashamed Because He Knew The Gospel of Grace is The Power of God For Salvation!

It saves us from the punishment and power of SIN.

It also saves us from STRIVING for righteousness (God’s Acceptance).

[ Slide 9 ] Grace NEVER gives us freedom TO sin!

Rather, grace freely gives us what we could never earn: Victory over sin’s power and acceptance before God.

6. It Does Both of These By Accomplishing 3 Things In Us.

4. [ Slide 10 ] This Is Who You Are In Christ - 1 John 3:1-2

1. [ Slide 11 ] You are BELOVED! (”beloved”) - Loved + Accepted by God. (Rom 9:25-26)

Don't need to earn it or work for it

You simply rest in it

This meets our greatest need for love & acceptance!

2. [ Slide 12 ] You are given a NEW IDENTITY as sons of God! (”children of God”) (Gal 3:26)

You have a new identity - old has gone, new has come

You are no longer regarded according to the flesh

At Jesus' Baptism God called Jesus His beloved son - don't overlook how Profound it is that now John, under inspiration of the Spirit, calls you the same!

3. [ Slide 13 ] You are given a NEW NATURE! (”shall be like Him”) (2 Cor 5:21)

This is incredibly powerful because now you learn that God didn't just give you a new name or a new label called son on top of the same old you.

He has actually given you a new spiritual DNA

His seed is in you, His Spirit

You have a new heart and His law written on it

[ Slide 14 ] This means You are no longer Just a wretched sinner! You are a son of God with His righteous nature in you!

This means your life no longer has to be about trying to earn righteousness or gain victory over sin.

You now have Christ’s righteousness in you and victory over sin is yours in Jesus!

Here is why this matters for how you actually live today.

Because of who you now ARE in Christ, listen to what God says is now true about you...

[ Slide 15 ] Read: Romans 8:1-4

[ Slide 16 ] The righteous requirement of the law is no longer demanded FROM you. It is now fulfilled IN you.

That is what grace actually does.

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And because of that truth, Jesus extends the same invitation today that He extended two thousand years ago.

6. Closing: You Can Find Rest For Your Soul Today

1. Remember where we started this morning. Let me read those words one more time, but this time I want you to hear them differently than you did when we began.

[ Slide 17 ] Read: Matt 11:28-30

2. [ Slide 18 ] Jesus is not asking you to try harder. He is asking you to come, surrender, and let Him do the work in you. Will you?

You can find rest from striving for God's favor, love, and acceptance!

No matter how much religious work you do, you can never make God love you more than He already does!!

He is inviting you to rest in His love and acceptance By FAITH!!

You can find rest from the power of sin dominating your life!

[ Slide 19 ] Because of Grace you no longer need to fight FOR victory over sin. You fight FROM victory over sin.

Why? Because you are not JUST a sinner, you are a son, with a new nature, capable of overcoming your flesh and walking in the Spirit moment by moment!!

3. Today, I invite you to consider the invitation of Jesus to step into a new way of living: the way of His grace

Allowing Him to do for you what you are unable to do in yourself.

This is His passion towards you

This is His Promise for you

Will you lay aside doing things your way and make Room for Him to Have His way in you?

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REFERENCE ONLY (NOTE PART OF MESSAGE): 5. How Grace Changes Everything!

Remember we said that the Power of the Gospel:

Saves us from the power and punishment of SIN

Saves us from the pursuit of STRIVING for righteousness (Acceptance)

Now we see how...

FIRST: By Grace, The righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in you (Rom 8:1-4, 19-16)

SECOND: Because Righteousness is in you, you’re no longer under the Law and no longer need to be under sin. (Rom 6: 12-14)

We see this further explained back in 1 John:3-9

V3: Because we have this hope we purify ourselves - we work out our salvation as He works in us.

You simply surrender and obey = always say yes to Him

V5: Take away our sins = He doesn't leave as stuck in them. He gives us freedom + victory over them.

V6-7: John points to our practice (pattern) not our perfection.

He already acknowledged we can sin in 1 John 1:9

Here He explains how to rule our soul (flesh) and walk in the victory Jesus gave us: we must practice Righteousness.

As He convicts us and shows as His ways, we respond with “Yes Lord” and then practice living just like Jesus

Not in our strength but by His Spirit and the promise that He will write His law on my heart (conviction + wisdom) and He will cause me to obey it.

V8-9: Here He explains why we don't have to live under the power of sin any longer

The reason lies in our new nature - His seed is in us.

Because I am made righteous, I can live in righteousness.

Just like it is simple for a duck to do what comes naturally for it (because of its nature), so it can be simple for us to do what comes naturally for us when we abide in Christ and walk in the spirit!

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