Caring for Members in Unrepentant Sin

Member Care Meeting, November 17, 2024

God’s Plan for Unity, Part 1

The Link between Grace and a Gratitude Attitude

The Power of God’s Grace to the Gentiles, Part 2

The Power of God’s Grace at Work (Ephesians 2:8-10)

God often uses the weak, insignificant, and the unworthy. We can think about Moses, Joshua, Daniel, Gideon, and more. God delights in using underdogs to achieve great victories and to display His power and glory. God does this through His grace. Today we will look at how God’s grace is applied and His work is accomplished.

The Power of God’s Grace through Christ. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Some people spend their lives trying to do more good deeds than bad, hoping to close the gap of sin that separates us from God. Saying a prayer and doing good deeds cannot save us; God must make us spiritually alive. He does this through Christ by His grace.

The Power of God’s Grace in You

Just as Paul was changed from a persecutor of Christians to a called apostle of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 2 contrasts what we once were as sinners to the new creations we are in Christ by the power of God’s grace.

Praise God for Our Salvation, Part 2: Praise to the Son.

In Christ, we are chosen by God and predestined to adoption as sons and daughters. These spiritual blessings are from the Father (Eph. 1:3-6).

Ephesians 1:7-12 explains the role of the Son of God in our salvation and how the church can praise God for His glorious grace.

Praise God for Our Salvation, Part 1: Praise to the Father

Today’s theme mimics a parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 20:1-16 about a landowner going out and hiring workers. Although some workers started early in the day and others much later, the landowners gives all the workers the same wage, exactly what he promised to give them. The workers who started early in the day complained, but Jesus said "am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you angry because I'm generous?"

We'll see in Ephesians 1:1-6 that some get more than they deserve, but no one gets less than they deserve. Ephesians 1:3 tells believers that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. The blessings we receive are sourced in Heaven. This means the purpose of these blessings is from God, originate in Heaven, and are given to us.

In this first chapter of his letter, Paul praises the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Today we will talk about the Father.

Attributes of God Manifested in Jesus Christ.

During the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22) and only three months away from crucifixion, Jesus is confronted for the final time in His public ministry by the Jewish religious leaders. Jesus’s desire for these religious leaders to believe is an act of His mercy, an attribute of God manifested in Christ. Though not mentioned in this passage, the twelve disciples are witnessing the debate between Jesus and the religious unbelief at Solomon’s portico (John 10:23). It was customary for open theological debates to occur during festivals and for followers to be near their Rabbi. Jesus’s followers were only three years old in Christ or less. Though Jesus is specifically addressing unbelief, He is mindful of those listening to Him and how His words might strengthen them. Just as Peter had to be instructed by Paul (Galatians 2), it is normal for the followers of Jesus to become unsettled at times by circumstances and situations.

It probably took Noah 75-100 years to build the Ark. Even though God was sorry He made man, Noah found grace in His eyes. Noah preached, but no one turned to God. If any of them came to God, even in the last hour, they would have received God’s grace.Grace is unmerited favor from heaven, something offered to us that we don’t deserve.

Speech in the New Testament.

This week, we will look at what the New Testament says about God's grace as evidenced in our speech.

God’s Grace in Difficult Times

The majority of the New Testament writings begin and end with the mention of help from heaven in the form of grace that comes to us by the Spirit of God. Grace saves us, and it is grace that consistently changes us through the glorious agony of sanctification as we live our everyday lives. When grace is our tutor unto Christlikeness, whether things are good or bad, we are pressed to forget those things which are behind and to move forward unto the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. We pursue Christ, allowing His grace to mold us into His image.

Job's Repentance.

Wisdom for God's People Enduring Calamity.

Most Christians are enduring some level of difficulty at any given point in their life. The story of Job offers us wisdom in how to endure crisis and calamity in a godly way.

Job’s Perspective

Job is a book of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10). Wisdom is not merely knowledge. Wisdom is living the knowledge of God’s will, being able to apply what we know. The genuinely saved person longs to know the will of God and perseveres in living it. Job 1:1 describes Job as blameless and upright, fearing God and turning away from evil, giving us a brief description of the person of Job and his character.

The Joy of Reciprocal Sharing.

Grace bookends this passage in 2 Corinthians. Those who are overwhelmed with grace are compelled to share their resources. God is the centerpiece of today's passage, 2 Corinthians 9:8-15. He gives to us first; we realize many benefits from His giving.

God's Care for Those Who Share.

Remember that this whole section of 2 Corinthians 8-9 is bookended by grace. In 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, God is mentioned repeatedly, and His work is cause for rejoicing. When God is at the controls of our lives, He will care for those who share resources because they care for His cause. If we want to know the full capability of God's grace, we will meditate on Christ's riches generously shared with us. His divine reciprocity was given for a cause.

Models of Integrity in Giving.

The Corinthian church had been distracted by an unbelieving group among them from an important part of worship. They had responded well to Paul's correction in his first letter. In 2 Corinthians, he has continued to explain what growing Christians do.

Virtues of Grace.

2 Corinthians 8:7-8 discusses the position of a believer. As they are grown by grace, they will exhibit a series of virtues, of which giving is the last that Paul lists. These virtues work together and are only the result of God's work. Paul compliments the Corinthians and assumes they will keep growing.