God's Character (4)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Grace
Turn to Exo. 34, Gen. 33, and Rom. 3 to continue our discussion of the character of God.
As we begin the Advent season, understand that the word Advent comes from the Latin word Adveno, which means to arrive or to come to, which is what God did 2,027 years ago. God became a man and entered our broken world, walked among humanity, and shared in our suffering – which is what mercy does. Jesus suffered and died on a cross because of our sins and for our sins, rose from the dead and said, “I shall return.” It’s during the Advent season that the people of God look back to Christ’s first Advent while anticipating and looking forward to the second.
So who is this God that would do such a thing? What would compel Him to save a world who has denied their Creator, who has rejected His love, and exchanged His truth for lies? What have we done to deserve such love – a gift that can never be earned?
Understand that everything God does flows from His character. Unlike us,
God’s character is consistently and eternally consistent. God’s character is reliable, trustworthy, unchanging. God’s character does not fluctuate.
He doesn't have bad days or mood swings. Can you imagine - “Watch out! He’s in a bad mood today! Ain’t nobody getting in.”
The reality is, God is either who He says He is and who He has revealed Himself to be or He is the biggest phony in all history. C.S. Lewis, talking about Jesus said we have three options -
Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. ~ C.S. Lewis
If He’s a liar or lunatic, we can go home. But if He’s Lord, then we better pay attention to what He says and who He is.
Because God is infinite and limitless, so are His attributes. Keep in mind that God’s love, mercy, grace, patience, etc. are eternal and limitless. God’s love and grace will never come to an end. Our sin or our infirmities will never exceed God’s ability to forgive.
So who is this God who would save us?
The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
We covered mercy two weeks ago, so let’s look at this word gracious, which is an adjective describing God’s character. Gracious comes from the word grace.
What is grace?
Grace (חַנּוּן - ḥǎn·nûn in Heb. and χάρις - charis in Grk.): the underlying idea of grace is to impart favor in the form of a gift.
This gift can be physical – a tangible object or the presence of a person. “I am gracing or gifting you with my presence.” But most often in Scripture,
Grace is often used in the context of extending a favorable attitude (e.g. forgiveness) to an unfavorable or underserving person.
The person giving grace does so by choice and not by any merit of the other person.
An example is in Genesis 33 when Jacob reconnected with his older brother, Esau, whom Jacob had avoided for about 25 years. Jacob had cheated, deceived and lied to his brother and father. He was self-centered, disloyal in many ways and stole Esau’s birthright and inheritance. Jacob was such a scoundrel and treated Esau with contempt, that Esau had planned to murder him, but Jacob fled to a neighboring country. Jacob stole something from Esau that he could never give back. By all intents and purposes, Jacob would be forever guilty.
In Gen. 33, Jacob was about to meet Esau, and he had no idea what would happen. He assumed it was going to get ugly and prepared for bloodshed. Esau had every right to be angry and deal harshly with Jacob. Jacob sent hundreds of goats and sheep and camels ahead trying to appease. They saw each other, and as Esau approached, Jacob bowed down several times. Jacob knew that he had done his brother wrong, and so he expected the worst. However, there was a surprise.
But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?” “To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” he said.
But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”
What happened? Where was the anger?
Esau chose grace.
He extended a favorable attitude of forgiveness toward his undeserving brother. How could Esau choose grace after all Jacob had done? What Jacob did was unconscionable. So how could Esau choose grace? Because
Grace is not about the Offender – it’s about the Offended and what the Offended chooses to do with the offense.
Esau extending grace had nothing to do with the flocks or herds or any merit on Jacob’s part. Jacob did not deserve or earn grace, though he tried, as many of us do with God.
Esau chose grace because of his own character, and not Jacob’s.
True, Jacob asked for grace, but I think it’s worth considering - when did Esau chose grace. I think it was long before Jacob asked.
Now, we’re interested in God’s character and not Esau’s. Nonetheless, what we just read is an example of how God’s grace works. God’s grace toward us is purely a gift to us, not because we deserve it or can earn it or of any merit of our own. Grace is given entirely because of God’s character and His goodness and His love for all. Though we deserve the consequences of our sin, eternity in Hell, God has chosen grace over wrath, and He offers it freely to all. Grace is available now because of what Jesus did on the cross. His grace simply needs to be received by faith.
Understand something -
God is never angry when we use the cross to seek grace and forgiveness.
It was for joy that Jesus endured the cross – knowing that through His death all people could be reconciled to the Father through faith.
Grace is God’s free gift to saints and sinners, and He is delighted to give such a gift.
God is delighted when we use the cross to have our sins washed away because that’s what the cross is for. So use it and use it as often as you need it!
The cross will never lose its power to cleanse …! We’re all welcome!
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
That’s the only way.
Who pays the price for grace? The Offended.
The Offender never pays for grace. See,
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus, the Offended, paid it all – while we the Offenders pay nothing.
What do we do with this grace?
Listen closely.
To those who have never confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, or to those who have but did not mean it - to you I say, Admit, Believe, and Commit. If that’s you, tell the person next to you so when we finish you and that person can come forward so we can pray.
To those who have received God’s gift of salvation and yet still fight against grace – you’re still trying to earn God’s love and approval and forgiveness. Listen - you can’t! It is impossible. You never earn God’s grace, and you will wear yourself out trying.
Grace can only be received.
“But I don’t deserve it!” That’s why it’s grace.
This was me for many years. Then I read,
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
To those who have received and enjoy God’s grace, don’t forget to give grace. As we have freely received – we freely give.
All -
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
