“AMAZING GRACE”
Just one lesson won’t change a person…. BEGIN TO THINK/CHANGE
* WHO Can Save? WHAT can Save?
WHO? WHAT?
God Grace (God by His marvelous grace)
Jesus Blood (Sent His Only Son to shed His blood)
H/S Gospel (Who sent the Spirit who revealed the Gospel)
Every- Obedience (That every person might obey/be redeemed)
Person
* Problem = EMPHASIS and BALANCE
* (Ref. to hand illustration above) Which ones do we emphasize? (We don’t ignore any! Emphasize some over others). ALL IMPORTANT – LACK OF BALANCE LEADS TO PROBLEMS – LACK OF U/STAND/ HOW EACH APPLIES/FITS TOGETHER AND WORKS.
* J.W. DEBATE
* Ohio/ motel/restaurant/ “You a Baptist preacher? ONCE SAVED ALWAYS
SAVED/ “WRONG”…. “You a Church of Christ preacher.” “Right” “You believe
ONCE SAVED NEVER SAVED” “Right” “That’s Wrong” “If I’m wrong and you are
wrong… who is right?”
* UNFAIR FOR PREACHERS TODAY… BEC. PREACHES ARE TREATED
DIFFERENTLY – Modern time/ don’t act normal around preacher. (“Preacher
coming”- Emergency clean up mode)(Preacher’s house gets dirty)(Pedestal/Elevate)-
(Little boy on farm/ ran in with dead RAT… “Momma look! A rat/ I smashed his brains
out w/rock…. (saw the preacher) “And the dear Lord has taken it to heaven!”)
* ALL STAND IN NEED of balance on GRACE! (Preacher’s as well!)
* IMPORTANT how we look at the Word. (I look at the Word as a DISCIPLE (learner).
* I don’t need u/stand Greek to u/stand GRACE!
1. WE ARE GOOD ON SPECIFICS BUT POOR ON GENERALITIES
A. (Draw umbrella curve) Love, Joy, Peace, Mercy, Gentleness, Kindness,
1.) Church = strong on SPECIFICS (H.B.R.C.B., LS etc…)
2.) Religious neighbors strong on GENERALITIES (Love, Joy, Peace, Bro.
kindness…)
B. In other words:
1.) ‘Grace’ Preacher = grace, grace, grace… knows nothing a/judgment/hell
fire/damnation (Social feel good gospel)
a.) Question: WHY PREACH ON GRACE W/O acknowledgment of
SIN/DAMNATION bec. GRACE COVERS SIN AND SAVES FROM
CERTAIN DAMNATION.
b.) Out of balance
2.) ‘Hell-fire and Damnation’ Preacher = sin, sin, sin, damnation and hell fire…
(Feel bad gospel)
a.) Question: Why preach on sin, hell fire, damnation w/o GRACE which
covers sin, and provides a confidence of being heaven bound.
3.) WE DON’T NEED MORE HELL FIRE PREACHERS OR GRACE
PREACHERS…. WE NEED MORE PREACHERS OF BALANCE WHO KNOW
HOW THIS ALL FITS TOGETHER.
4.) How – appreciate GRACE if never see how sinful we are?
a.) Paul APPRECIATED GRACE… saw himself “CHIEF OF SINNERS.”
(1 Tim.1:15) cf. vs 13-14
5.) Created a generation of GUILT RIDDEN ‘SPIRITUAL MASOCHISTS’ (love a
whipping).
a.) “I just don’t feel good till I’ve been to church and gotta good whipping.”
b.) IMPORTANT: “JESUS IS NOT OUR DEBT COLLECTOR! HE IS OUR
DEBT PAYER”
6.) “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save
the world through him” (John 3:17).
7.) IMPORTANT: “Man is NOT GOING TO BE LOST if refuse to BELIEVE,
REPENT, BAPTIZED HE IS ALREADY LOST!”
8.) Gospel IS NOT A WHIP it is a LIFE LINE!
2. GRACE AND ROMANS
A. Rom. 1 Gentiles=lost (morality IS NOT answer to sin/ GRACE=ANSWER)
B. Rom. 2 Jews=lost (had the law/promises/covenants)
C. Rom. 3:20 “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the
works of (the) law; rather, through (the) law we become conscious of our sin.”
1.) CAUTION: “CAN MAKE LAW OF CHRIST INTO A LAW OF MOSES WITH
ANOTHER NAME.”
2.) John 1:14,16-18 JC FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. God sent Him/ show us
GOD (hard to u/stand God). PUT ARMS AROUND THIS BLDG… CAN’T…
PUT YOUR HAND ON DOOR KNOB… OPEN DOOR AND COME IN… I can
do that….
D. Romans 3:9-12, 20 (Law shows us WE ARE SINFUL)(Couldn’t live up to it/under
it)
1.) ANY PERFECT DRIVER’S HERE? (Illustration of two pieces of 2 inch cash
register paper about six feet long. On one there is a list of various traffic
violations (law/works)/ on the other there is nothing (Grace/faith)).
E. Romans 3:21
1.) (Draw cross) Why Jesus Christ die? (save from sin?!) BEFORE THIS = MAKE
GOD (“G” above cross) RIGHTEOUS IN JUSTIFYING LOST MANKIND.
2.) JC = my Sin offering/ Atonement/ Propitiation/ Lamb/ TO MAKE GOD
JUST/RIGHTEOUS IN SAVING ‘JACK’ (Draw stick figure).
3.) “Jack! You a sinner?!” ABSOLUTELY! How save Jack? “It’s not over yet!”
4.) (Point to the cross) YES IT IS! He paid for it ALL.
5.) Isaiah 53:11 “SATISFIED” (Draw line from God to Jack) Now I can save Jack!
6.) (God’s grace = not direct. NEED THE MESSAGE OF JESUS (Cross)(Arrow
from God to cross). (Man has to come to the sacrifice.) (Christian has to
depend on sacrifice.)
7.) Question: IS THE SACRIFICE GOOD ENOUGH TO DO THE JOB?
BEFORE/AFTER? YES!
F. Romans 3:22 Disagree with translation in NKJV/ NIV… KJV = “through
faith(fullness) of Jesus Christ…”
1.) “Heaven bound?” “Yes!” “Because of the righteousness of God/faithfulness of
Jesus Christ”
a.) God/Jesus/HS DID NOT QUIT!
b.) 1 Corinthians 1:9 GOD IS FAITHFUL
c.) Don’t mean to disappoint you… I AM A SINNER/FAULTS/HUMAN.
d.) What are you Jack? I AM A LEARNER/FOLLOWER… (“L”)
e.) I can follow Jesus… but I’m ‘heaven bound’ BECAUSE HE IS FAITHFUL
TO HIS PROMISE! (Bec. Of what HE is not bec. Of what I am.)
f.) NEED TO GET THIS! Otherwise you’ll go to bed thinking… “I just can’t
make it!”
g.) Balance = BIG GRACE/NOT SMALL
(“Forgive me Lord”,”Forgive me Lord”,”Forgive me Lord”, “Forgive me
Lord”)
h.) “Bro. Jack… ARE YOU A CHANGE AGENT, LIBERAL, ANTI,
CONSERVATIVE, ULTRA CONSERV., MIDDLE OF THE ROADER?”
etc…
1.) I AM A DISCIPLE!!! – imperfect/growing/changing – disciple
2.) Hugo McCord “Here’s what I believe now… didn’t use to, but do now, and
may change later.” (Great to be free in Christ TO GROW w/o being labeled!)
3.) Word of God doesn’t change…. But IT IS MEAN TO CHANGE ME!
G. Romans 3:23-24
1.) “Bro. Jack, Do you believe in baptism?” NO- I BELIEVE IN JESUS… HE
COMMANDED IT..
2.) If Jesus said, “He that believes and claps his hands before a crowd will be
saved.” I would be preaching that. (BELIEVE IN THE MAN AND OBEY THE
COMMAND.)
H. Romans 3:25-26
I. Romans 4/ James 2 BIG WORD – “Merit”(Write Merit)
1.) No room for GRACE IN MERIT SYSTEM (Does not work together)
2.) Define Grace – UNMERITED FAVOR
3.) Want to GROW? Grow in grace! ‘BECOME’ IN GRACE WHAT GOD WANTS!
Cf. (I Cor. 15:10) GRACE/I AM WHAT I AM/WORKER HARDER
Cf. Phil. 2:12-13
J. Romans 4:1-5 CREDIT/MERIT
1.) God is the one who promised… NOT ABRAHAM, NOT ME…
2.) CREDITED TO ABRAHAM’S ACCOUNT… no merit at ALL.
K. Romans 4:14, 16
L. Romans 5:1-2
1.) HERE IT IS… YOU WANT TO COME TO GOD? YES. BUT I DON’T
UNDERSTAND GOD! OK, THEN COME TO JESUS. PUT YOUR ARMS
AROUND JESUS… (Door/Door knob- open the door/come into
Christ)… JESUS IS OUR GRACE/POWER TO BE AND BECOME. POWER
TO GROW AND CHANGE.
M. Romans 6 (The problem) vs. 1-2 (Chapter 6 teaches…)
1.) God destroys the PRINCIPLE OF SIN (no more JOY IN SIN!) But I still sin! =
HUMANITY/ YOU ARE DEAD!
2.) God destroys in us the POWER OF SIN (Not one sin/ UNFORGIVABLE/
POWER TO WIN!)
3.) God destroys the PUNISHMENT OF SIN.
N. Notice Ephesians 2 (Card)
1.) Vss. 4-5 (Card)
2.) No mention ATTEND 3x/WK, KITCHENS/CUPPS/CARPETS/HATS/HAIR.. nor
all the other ‘laws’ we impose on ea other as ‘necessary’ or ‘not’. GREATER
PRINCIPLE WHICH GOVERNS OUR LIFE – GRACE!!!
3.) JC = LIVE IN THE CHRISTIAN/ HE IS OUR GRACE AND LAW. BEAR FRUIT
BEC. GOING TO HEAVEN NOT IN ORDER TO GO TO HEAVEN. NO MERIT
ON MY PART! GOD DOES THE WORK!
4.) Vss. 6-10 (Card)
a.) What we call s/one ATTENDS EV. SERVICE? (Faithful), ATTENDS
SOME? ATTENDS NONE? (UN-faithful)
b.) I used to preach (Ruler) 40% me and 60% God! NOW 100% GRACE.
c.) HOW MUCH HAVE TO PRAY/GIVE/SING/STUDY to be considered
GRACE
d.) WE HAVE TAUGHT / LET PEOPLE CONCLUDE…. NEVER ENOUGH
e.) EXAMINATION/ ANSWER OUT LOUD…
1.) Could you PRAY MORE? GIVE MORE? WIN SOULS MORE? SERVE
MORE? BE BETTER WIN MORE SOULS? (“Yes”) (Then you are bad
people) THIS IS LAW/WORKS IN ACTION!!!
2.) Repeat questions from #1… GRACE SAYS,,,, WONDERFUL, GROW…
LET ME HELP YOU UP…
3.) Both may get job done… DIFFERENCE = ONE HAS GUILT AND ONE
HAS JOY!
4.) ONE HAS ACCEPTANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT… THE OTHER…
if you do and give more… ACCEPTANCE DEPENDS ON
PERFORMANCE!
5.) THE LIST (A woman who was married to abusive husband who gave
her a daily work list. If not done he beat her. One day police come and
report that husband is killed in auto accident. Years pass, and she falls
in love with wonderful man. They live in her old house, she is cleaning
one day in attic and finds the list. She looks and see she is doing all
and more that is on list, but now she does it out of love… not fear!
f.) EXAMINATION #2.
1.) Do you attend, give, sing, pray, be faithful H/W… in order to go to
heaven or because you’re going to heaven?
2.) ORANGE TREE (Florida) Grove/ small tree/ “You’re an orange tree…
“Yeah” “You grow Oranges!” “That’s right- it’s my nature”. JESUS
BROKE SIN IN MY LIFE/ DON’T ENJOY SIN/ DON’T WANT SIN… I
PRAY/SING /GIVE… BECAUSE IT IS GOD’S NATURE IN ME.
ENCOURAGE UNITY/ FORGIVE OTHERS BECAUSE IT IS HIS
NATURE IN ME.
3.) Galatians 2:20 NO LONGER I THAT LIVE….
4.) I DON’T HAVE TO/ I WANT TO!!!
Conclussion:
* Lk. 15 Sheep/Coin/Son/ BUSINESS MAN’S GRACE = I’LL WORK! BREAK SELFISH PRIDE…. FATHER FORGAVE WHEN HE …….. LEFT HOME! Received it when came home! Ed said to dad “Law= you can give stocks and bonds = tax deductible.” Dad thought, “Ed, all that I have is yours.” Most amazing thing…. Heaven/ a part of it = mine.”
* Sharlene/ I want to come home…. Mom…. “One condition” – “No questions asked”
Salvation is offered to one and all…. No questions asked…. R/Be Baptized…. Saved or just COME HOME.
* “I LOVE YOU ANYWAY” (For this story, go to dad’s articles.)
(Note: Since this is an outline… I would encourage you to obtain the Video (coming soon I hope) or the audio version of the lesson to get more details on the illustrations as well as dad’s study on Ephesians 2:1-10, which is on the audio lesson. He always used a limited basic outline. “Most of this is in my head and my heart” he said…
This outline is taken from the DVD version of this lesson. This along with the VHS version will be coming as soon as I figure how to get it done. Keep in mind… one does not have to agree on everything dad says… He always had his class understand and repeat at the beginning of his class… the “I JUST DON’T AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.” principle. Reason? Because we don’t know how to disagree without getting mad, walking out, ‘black listing’ or putting someone on ‘trial’. Dad nor I believe in UNIFORMITY… This is not meant to be hurtful or offensive… but brethren just don’t have to agree on everything to go to heaven. I would be happy to answer your questions and clarify some things if you have questions. This outline is provided to help Christians grow in grace.)
