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Introduction
Romans 12:1-21
Previously we looked some of the prerequisites to where we are
- God’s plan is in place
- We are God’s workmanship
- We are created to do good
- We are God’s – Psalm 100
- We are eternally dead without Christ. However, through grace we can be saved, the gift of God, through Christ. Ephesians 2:8
The battle for the souls of men is raging. We and those around us are the “prize” in this battle. God wants us to turn to him and be victorious. Satan wants us to turn to him, he wants to bring us down with him.
Sometimes we tend to think of God as “the man in the sky with a big stick.” That is not who God is, although he can and does chasten us. All that he does is to help us see him and hopefully turn to him.
John 10:25-29
The Pharisees wondered by what means Jesus was making the claims that he was making and doing the things he was doing. Jesus tells them that they don’t understand because they are not his sheep.
Jesus sheep have the protection of Jesus. No man’s hand is large enough to come against the hand of Jesus.
1 Samuel 17:1-58
Think a bit about David and Saul. David didn’t come to Saul and say, “look how great I am… I can kill Goliath!” No, he came to him and said, “someone needs to take care of Goliath. When I was watching my sheep I killed a lion and a bear. With God’s strength I can do the same to Goliath.”
David’s point was that God had helped him with the lion and the bear, how much more would God come through for him in this move to protect God’s people.
This morning we can rejoice that we are one of Jesus sheep. No one can pluck us the hand of Jesus. It is the grace of Jesus that freely offers that to us.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
We do have a part to play in this. There is a giving and there is a receiving.
While there are rewards to be had for doing things on our own. There is eternal merit to be had when we step out in the protection and power of Christ.
When we take on the identity of Christ and “step into the sheepfold” the separation from the world is natural.
2 Peter 3:17, Luke 11:9-13, James 3:1-18
We can’t read these verses and decide that we will just “show these good works.” We can see folks demonstrate these attributes apart from a relationship, but as we get closer to the source that is Christ the more naturally these “attributes” will become for us. Sometimes it takes a lot of struggle.
Daily sanctification is important to our walk with Christ.
As we walk with Christ we also help each other become more like Christ. We all have different gifts and can minister according to those gifts.
Grace is given to us by Christ. We can bless our fellow-man.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Knowing that when this life’s work is done we can look forward to an eternal home with Christ.
Conclusion
- Grace given to mankind is unreasonable, at least from our point of view.
- Forgiveness – the thief on the cross found forgiveness at “the last minute.”
- We can live a useful and fulfilling life here on earth.
- There is a great gift of eternal life for those who walk with God.