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SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 16

TITLE: SAVED BY GRACE ALONE

TEXT: EPHESIANS 2:8-9

INTRODUCTION: (1) OVER A CENTURY AGO IN THE WORST SLUM DISTRICT OF LONDON, THERE WAS A SOCIAL WORKER WHOSE NAME WAS HENRY MOOREHOUSE.

* ONE EVENING AS HE WAS WALKING ALONG THE STREET HE SAW A LITTLE GIRL COME OUT OF A BASEMENT STORE CARRYING A PITCHER OF MILK.

** SHE WAS WALKING HOME, BUT WHEN SHE WAS A FEW YARDS FROM MOOREHOUSE SHE SUDDENLY SLIPPED AND FELL AND BROKE THE PITCHER OF MILK AND LOST ALL OF IT.

*** THE LITTLE GIRL BEGAN TO CRY AS IF HER LITTLE HEART WOULD BREAK. MOOREHOUSE QUICKLY STEPPED UP TO SEE IF SHE WAS HURT.

**** HE THEN HELPED HER TO HER FEET, SAYING, “DON’T CRY LITTLE GIRL.” BUT THERE WAS NO STOPPING HER TEARS.

(2) IN FACT SHE KEPT REPEATING, “MY MOMMY’LL WHIP ME; MY MOMMY’LL WHIP ME.”

* MOOREHOUSE SAID, “NO LITTLE GIRL, YOUR MOTHER WON’T WHIP YOU. I’LL SEE TO THAT. LOOK, THE PITCHER ISN’T BROKEN IN MANY PIECES.”

** AS HE STOOPED DOWN BESIDE HER, HE PICKED UP THE PIECES AND TRIED TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER AND THE LITTLE GIRL STOPPED CRYING.

*** SHE HAD HOPE FOR SHE CAME FROM A FAMILY IN WHICH PITCHERS HAD BEEN MENDED BEFORE, SO SHE WAS HOPEFUL THIS STRANGER COULD REPAIR THE DAMAGE.

**** BUT AS HE TRIED, IT FELL APART. ONCE MORE, THE LITTLE GIRL BEGAN TO CRY AND MOOREHOUSE HAD TO REPEAT, “DON’T CRY LITTLE GIRL. I PROMISE YOU THAT YOUR MOTHER WON’T WHIP YOU.”

(3) ONCE AGAIN HE TRIED TO REPAIR THE PITCHER AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER, BUT HE FAILED AGAIN. THIS TIME THERE WAS NO STOPPING HER TEARS. SHE WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE BROKEN PIECES ON THE SIDEWALK.

* FINALLY MOOREHOUSE PICKED THE LITTLE GIRL UP IN HIS ARMS, CARRIED HER DOWN THE STREET TO A SHOP THAT SOLD PITCHERS AND BOUGHT HER A NEW PITCHER.

** THEN, STILL CARRYING HER, HE WENT BACK TO WHERE THE LITTLE GIRL HAD BOUGHT THE MILK AND HAD THE NEW PITCHER FILLED.

*** HE ASKED HER WHERE SHE LIVED. WHEN HE WAS TOLD, HE CARRIED HER TO THE HOUSE, SAT HER DOWN ON THE STEP AND PLACED THE FULL PITCHER OF MILK IN HER HANDS.

**** THEN HE OPENED THE DOOR FOR HER. AS SHE STEPPED IN, HE ASKED ONE MORE QUESTION, “NOW DO YOU THINK YOUR MOTHER WILL WHIP YOU?”

(4) HE WAS REWARDED FOR HIS TROUBLE BY A BRIGHT SMILE AS SHE SAID TO HIM, “OH, NO SIR, BECAUSE IT’S A LOT BETTER PITCHER THAN WE HAD BEFORE.”

* NOW THIS STORY IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD IN SALVATION.

** LET ME EXPLAIN, THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT MEN AND WOMEN WERE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.

*** BUT WHEN OUR FIRST PARENTS, ADAM AND EVE SINNED BY DISOBEYING GOD’S COMMAND, THAT IMAGE WAS BROKEN BEYOND REPAIR.

**** AND WE, LIKE A BROKEN PITCHER, CANNOT FULFILL OUR PURPOSE, OUR PURPOSE OF PLEASING AND GLORIFYING GOD. WE ARE BROKEN VESSELS.

(5) SINFUL HUMAN NATURE IN ITS BROKEN STATE IS USELESS FOR PLEASING GOD OR EARNING HEAVEN, READ ECC. 7:20, ISAIAH 64:6 AND ROMANS 3:10.

* SO AGAIN WE ARE NOT RIGHTEOUS, WE ARE SINNERS, BROKEN VESSELS.

** YET PEOPLE KEEP TRYING TO PLEASE GOD BY THEIR CHARACTER AND WORKS, LIKE MOOREHOUSE IN HIS FIRST ATTEMPTS TO HELP THE LITTLE GIRL, THEY KEEP TRYING TO PUT THE PIECES OF THEIR BROKEN RIGHTEOUSNESS BACK TOGETHER.

*** THEY CANNOT ACHIEVE GOD’S PERFECT STANDARDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT THEY SEE PARTS OF THEIR CHARACTER THAT ARE GOOD FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND THEY TRY TO WORK WITH THOSE.

**** THE RESULT IS A PATCHWORK OF BROKEN, SMALL PIECES, WHICH GOD CONDEMNS.

(6) BUT HERE IS WHERE THE GRACE OF ALMIGHTY GOD COMES IN. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST CAME TO THIS WORLD, WHICH WAS WEEPING IN ITS FAILURE AND SIN, AND HE BECAME THE MEANS BY WHICH AN UTTERLY HOPELESS SITUATION WAS TRANSFORMED.

* AND THERE IS NOTHING IN THE BIBLE TO INDICATE THAT JESUS EVER ATTEMPTED TO PATCH UP FALLEN HUMAN NATURE.

** HE DID NOT COME TO ASSIST US OR REFORM US, HE CAME TO RECREATE US.

*** IN FACT, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER THE BROKEN PIECES OF OUR FALLEN NATURE, JESUS GIVES THOSE WHO COME TO HIM IN REPENTANCE AND FAITH, A NEW NATURE, READ I COR. 2:14, II COR. 5:17.

**** SO WE THAT ARE IN CHRIST HAVE BEEN GIVEN A NEW MIND AND A NEW NATURE.

(7) AND TO PARAPHRASE THE WORDS OF THE LITTLE GIRL, “IT’S A LOT BETTER NATURE THAN WE HAD BEFORE.”

* FOR IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN THE NATURE OF THE HOLY AND ETERNAL GOD WITHIN HIS PEOPLE.

** AND IT IS ALL OF GRACE. FOR IN THIS STORY THE LITTLE GIRL DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO DESERVE MOOREHOUSE’S FAVOR.

*** SHE DID NOT PAY FOR HER NEW PITCHER AND MILK.

**** SHE DID NOT HIRE MOOREHOUSE’S SERVICES, SHE HAD NOTHING TO HIRE HIM WITH.

(8) SHE DID NOT EVEN PREVAIL UPON HIS SYMPATHIES BECAUSE SHE WAS PRETTY OR MISERABLE OR HOMELY OR PATHETIC.

* MOOREHOUSE DID AS HE DID SOLELY BECAUSE IT PLEASED HIM TO DO IT. HE DID NOT EXPECT A REWARD FROM THE GIRL’S PARENTS.

** IT WAS AN ACT OF GRACE. AND LIKEWISE GOD IN SAVING PEOPLE BY HIS GRACE DOES IT BECAUSE HE IS PLEASED TO DO IT.

*** IT IS NOT ANYTHING IN US THAT ATTRACTS HIM, BUT AS EPH. 1:5B&6 SAYS: GOD DOES WHAT HE DOES IN SAVING SINNERS, “ACCORDING TO THE KIND INTENTION OF HIS WILL, TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE, WHICH HE FREELY BESTOWED ON US IN THE BELOVED.”

**** AND AS CHARLES SPURGEON WROTE, “BECAUSE GOD IS GRACIOUS, THEREFORE SINFUL MEN ARE FORGIVEN, CONVERTED, PURIFIED AND SAVED.

(9) IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING IN THEM, OR THAT EVER CAN BE IN THEM, THAT THEY ARE SAVED; BUT BECAUSE OF THE BOUNDLESS LOVE, GOODNESS, PITY, COMPASSION, MERCY AND GRACE OF GOD.” (END QUOTE)

* AND BELOVED GRACE IS A PERSONAL ACT. NOT OF US, IT IS SOMETHING THAT GOD DOES. GRACE IS A DIVINE ACTIVITY, IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF GRACIOUSNESS.

** AND IT IS BY GRACE ALONE THAT WE ARE SAVED FROM GOD’S WRATH.

*** AND I TRUST, IN OUR STUDY OF EPHESIANS 2:8&9 TODAY THAT “AMAZING” WILL BE CONNECTED WITH THE WORD GRACE AS WE SEE GOD’S WORK IN SAVING US.

**** FOR GRACE GLORIFIES GOD, WHEREAS WORKS GLORIFY MAN.

(10) AND WE WILL SEE CLEARLY TODAY WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE ALONE.

* AND BECAUSE OF THAT I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY “SAVED BY GRACE ALONE.”

** AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT TWO THINGS: NO. 1 THE REASON FOR OUR SALVATION – GRACE ALONE, V. 8; AND NO. 2 THE RESULT OF GOD’S WORK OF GRACE, THERE’S NOTHING TO BOAST ABOUT, V. 9.

*** AND WITH THAT SHORT OUTLINE IN MIND, LET’S DIVE IN TO THIS GREAT TEXT WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE REASON. LOOK AT EPHESIAN 2:8 PLEASE.

I. THE REASON, (READ V. 8)

A. NOW FIRST OF ALL, THE WORD FOR TAKES US BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE WHICH COVERS VERSES 1-7 IN THE GREEK TEXT AND SPECIFICALLY TO V. 5 WHICH STATES THE ACTION OF GOD’S GRACE (BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED).

* BUT IT ALSO TAKES US BACK TO V. 7 WHICH COMMUNICATES THE REASON FOR THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE “RICHES OF HIS GRACE”.

** SO PAUL HAS BEEN FOCUSING ON THE AMAZINGLY RICH GRACE OF GOD WHICH MADE US ALIVE WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN OUR SINS AND LIVING A LIFE OF REBELLION WHICH WE FORMERLY WALKED IN, B.C., BEFORE CHRIST SAVED US.

*** SO IT WAS BY GRACE THAT WE HAVE BEEN SAVED, A POSITIVE STATEMENT.

**** AND GRACE IS A WONDERFUL WORD. IT IS THE GREEK WORD KHAR-ELE WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

1. AND IT BASICALLY MEANS UNMERITED, UNDESERVED FAVOR. IT IS AN ACTION WHICH ARISES ENTIRELY FROM THE GRACIOUS CHARACTER OF GOD.

* IT IS THE LOVE AND MERCY OF GOD GOING OUT TOWARD THE UTTERLY UNDESERVING. IT IS SOMETHING THAT GOD DOES, IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF GRACIOUSNESS, MERCIFUL KINDNESS.

** I MEAN SOME OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT ON THE HUMAN LEVEL WHEN WE WERE JERKS AND TREATED SOMEONE IMPROPERLY AND THEY RESPOND WITH KINDNESS, PATIENCE, FORGIVENESS IN THEIR GRACIOUSNESS. AND WE’RE LIKE BLOWN AWAY FOR THEY DON’T RETALIATE AND GIVE US WHAT WE DESERVE.

** AND THAT IS ONLY A SMALL IDEA, A SMALL COMPARISON, A FRACTION OF THE TRUTH OF GOD’S GRACE.

*** FOR HIS KINDNESS AND MERCY AND FAVOR AND GRACIOUSNESS TOWARD SINNERS IS HUGE, BIG, BEYOND UNDERSTANDING, INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO SOME DEGREE.

**** AND IF YOU ARE A TRUE BELIEVER IN CHRIST TODAY, A TRUE CHRISTIAN, A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST, IT IS SOLELY AND ENTIRELY AND ONLY BECAUSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD.

2. ROMANS 3:24 SAYS: (READ IT).

* II TIMOTHY 1:9 SAYS: “WHO HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US WITH A HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE WHICH WAS GRANTED US IN CHRIST JESUS FROM ALL ETERNITY.”

** AND BELOVED, GOD’S GRACE IS THE GROUND OF OUR SALVATION, IT IS THE BASIS OF OUR SALVATION, IT IS BY GRACE ALONE, PERIOD. EXCLAMATION POINT, THAT WE ARE SAVED, IF WE ARE SAVED TODAY.

*** AND THE WORD SAVED HERE HAS TO DO WITH BEING RESCUED FROM DANGER, DESTRUCTION, INJURY OR PERIL.

**** AND BY THE BASIS, THE GROUND OF GRACE, GOD RESCUED SINNERS FROM HIS WRATH, FROM HELL, FROM SIN AND FROM THEMSELVES.

3. WE WERE BORN SINNERS, WE LOVED OUR SIN, WE FREELY CHOSE OUR SIN AND WERE SLAVES OF SIN AND ON THE ROAD TO PERISHING, TO ETERNAL DESTRUCTION IN HELL.

* BUT GOD!

** EPHESIANS 2:4&5 – “BUT GOD, BEING RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US, EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED).

*** SO BY GOD’S GRACE WE HAVE BEEN RESCUED, SAVED, DELIVERED FROM HIS HOLY WRATH IN WHAT HE HATES AS HOLY PURE GOD, SIN.

**** SO SALVATION IS BY GRACE ALONE, BUT ALSO NOTICE AS WE MOVE ON, IT IS THROUGH FAITH ALONE.

4. AND THE WORD THROUGH IS A PRIMARY PREPOSITION DENOTING THE CHANNEL OF AN ACT.

* SO THE MEANS BY WHICH WE ARE BROUGHT INTO A SAVING RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS CHRIST IS FAITH, IT IS APPROPRIATED BY FAITH.

** FAITH IS THE INSTRUMENT, THE CHANNEL, THE MEANS THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE RECEIVE THE SALVATION GOD PROVIDES.

*** AND SIMPLY PUT FAITH IS TRUST, IT IS RELIANCE, IT IS A CONVICTION OF THE TRUTH, A BELIEF THAT JESUS IS WHO HE SAID HE WAS, THAT EXISTS, AND IS THE ONLY SAVIOR, GOD THE SON AND IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE US FROM OUR SINS.

**** THAT IS THE POSITIVE ELEMENT OF GENUINE SAVING FAITH, THE NEGATIVE ELEMENT IS REPENTANCE, READ ACTS 20:21, LUKE 24:47&48.

5. AND BELOVED IN GENUINE SAVING FAITH THERE IS A TURNING FROM SIN TO CHRIST.

* IT HAS OFTEN BEEN SAID THAT REPENTANCE AND FAITH ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN AND THAT COIN IS CALLED CONVERSION.

** REPENTANCE TURNS FROM SIN TO CHRIST AND FAITH EMBRACES CHRIST AS THE ONLY HOPE OF SALVATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. THAT IS WHAT CONVERSION MEANS IN SIMPLE TERMS.

**** FAITH AND REPENTANCE CANNOT OCCUR INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER, FOR GENUINE REPENTANCE IS ALWAYS THE FLIP SIDE OF FAITH; AND TRUE FAITH ACCOMPANIES REPENTANCE.

6. THE TWO CANNOT BE SEPARATED.

* AND GENUINE REPENTANCE AND FAITH IS A WORK OF GOD THAT INVOLVES THE ENTIRE PERSON, OUR MINDS – THE INTELLECT, OUR EMOTIONS – A HEART RESPONSE, AND OUR WILLS – COMMITMENT.

** LET ME ILLUSTRATE THIS THROUGH MARRIAGE. COURTSHIP MAY BE COMPARED TO FAITH’S FIRST ELEMENT: KNOWLEDGE.

*** IT IS A TIME FOR GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER, FOR SEEING WHETHER THE OTHER PERSON POSSESSES THOSE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WILL BE GOOD IN MARRIAGE.

**** AND KNOWLEDGE IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP, FOR IF THE OTHER PERSON IS NOT OF GOOD CHARACTER OR CANNOT BE TRUSTED, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF TROUBLE LATER ON.

7. NOW THE SECOND ELEMENT IS OUR EMOTION, A HEART RESPONSE. THIS CORRESPONDS TO FALLING IN LOVE, WHICH IS QUITE OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT STEP BEYOND MERE KNOWLEDGE.

* FINALLY THERE IS THE POINT OF COMMITMENT, A WILLINGNESS TO COMMIT YOURSELF TO THAT PERSON FOR THIS LIFE, AND IN THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY THAT IS VERBALIZED IN THE FORM OF A VOW.

** AND AT THAT POINT THE COUPLE PROMISES TO LIVE TOGETHER AND LOVE EACH OTHER REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT BE.

*** AND SO ALSO DO WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO CHRIST FOR THIS LIFE AND FOR ETERNITY.

**** AND REAL SAVING FAITH INVOLVES THE WHOLE PERSON, MIND, EMOTIONS AND WILL.

8. THE MIND EMBRACES KNOWLEDGE, THE TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL, A RECOGNITION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRUTHS OF CHRIST.

* THE HEART GIVES ASSENT OR THE SETTLED CONFIDENCE AND AFFIRMATION THAT CHRIST’S SALVATION IS APPLICABLE TO ONE’S OWN SOUL.

** WE FEEL THE SORROW FOR OUR SIN.

*** AND WITH OUR WILL WE RESPOND TURNING FROM SIN TO TRUST CHRIST, THE PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO AND APPROPRIATION OF CHRIST AS THE ONLY HOPE FOR ETERNAL SALVATION.

**** AND THAT’S WHAT GENUINE SAVING FAITH IS ALL ABOUT AND IS THE MEANS BY WHICH SALVATION IS APPROPRIATED, THE CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH IT IS RECEIVED.

9. SO SALVATION IS BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST.

* AND OUR RESPONSE IN SALVATION IS FAITH, BUT EVEN THAT FAITH IS “NOT OF OURSELVES” ACCORDING TO THE LAST PART OF V. 8, BUT “IS THE GIFT OF GOD”.

** AND YES WE MUST BELIEVE, FOR GOD DOES NOT BELIEVE FOR US.

*** NEVERTHELESS IN OUR PRESENT CONTEXT, THE EMPHASIS IS ON THE FACT THAT BOTH IN IT’S INITIATION AND IN IT’S CONTINUATION, FAITH IS ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON GOD, AND SO IS OUR COMPLETE SALVATION.

**** SALVATION IS NOT A COOPERATIVE VENTURE IN WHICH BOTH GOD AND MAN CONTRIBUTE THEIR PARTS, LIKE GRACE IS GOD’S PART AND FAITH IS OURS – NO!

10. IT IS ENTIRELY GOD’S WORK. PEOPLE EITHER RECEIVE IT OR REJECT IT. AND FAITH NAMES THE RESPONSE OF THOSE WHO RECEIVE IT.

* SALVATION IS THE GIFT OF GOD FROM BEGINNING TO END, FROM PLANNING TO ACCOMPLISHMENT, HE IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH!

** BROTHER AND SISTER, FAITH IS NOTHING WE DO IN OUR OWN POWER OR BY OUR OWN RESOURCES, “IT IS NOT OF YOURSELVES”.

*** AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE POWER OR RESOURCES, WE WERE DEAD IN OUR TRESPASSES AND SINS.

**** BUT MORE THAN THAT, GOD WOULD NOT WANT US TO RELY ON THEM EVEN IF WE HAD THEM.

11. FOR SALVATION WOULD BE IN PART BY OUR OWN WORKS AND WE WOULD HAVE SOME GROUND TO BOAST IN OURSELVES.

* AND BELOVED, PAUL INTENDS TO EMPHASIZE THAT EVEN FAITH IS NOT FROM US APART FROM GOD’S GIVEN IT.

** AND THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING CONTROVERSY ON THE STRUCTURE OF THIS VERSE. THE QUESTION ARISES, WHAT IS THE ANTECEDENT OF THAT, “THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES”.

*** DOES THAT REFER TO SALVATION, OR DOES THAT REFER TO FAITH? AND FEMININE AND NEUTER GENDERS ARE BROUGHT UP AT THIS POINT, “FAITH” BEING IN THE FEMININE GENDER AND “THAT” IN THE NEUTER GENDER.

**** AND TO SAVE TIME AND NOT TRY TO BE TOO TECHNICAL, LET ME SAY ALTHOUGH GREEK SCHOLARS ABOUT WHICH OF THESE IS THE PREFERRED RENDITION, DOES “THAT” REFER TO SALVATION OR DOES “THAT” REFER TO FAITH, THEOLOGICALLY IT DOESN’T MATTER.

12. FOR IN BOTH WAYS OF READING THIS SENTENCE, WE HAVE TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT FAITH IS A GIFT OF GOD.

* IT IS NOT AN EXPRESSION OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT, OR OF HUMAN EFFORT OR OF HUMAN ABILITY.

** FOR WHEN WE RECEIVE THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST ON OUR BEHALF, WE ACT BY THE FAITH SUPPLIED BY GOD’S GRACE.

*** THE GIFT IS FREE, IT IS THAT WHICH WE CANNOT EARN OR CONJURE UP, SO THE GIFT IN ITSELF IS OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES AND IS TO BE RECEIVED.

**** THEREFORE, THE GIFT OF SALVATION HAS its ORIGIN IN GOD, its BASIS IS GRACE AND IT IS RECEIVED BY MEANS OF FAITH.

13. AND THAT IS WHY EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD BE PRAISING GOD DAILY FOR THE FACT THAT HE HAS RECEIVED AS A GIFT NOT ONLY THE SALVATION THAT COMES THROUGH FAITH, BUT THE GIFT OF FAITH ITSELF.

* AND VERSE 8 CLEARLY GIVES US THE REASON FOR OUR SALVATION, BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE, NOT OF OURSELVES, BUT IT IS GOD’S GIFT.

** WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D AND LAST POINT TODAY, THE RESULT OF THE REASON, NOT OF WORKS, LEST WE COULD BOAST. LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE WHICH WE’LL COVER QUICKLY.

II. THE RESULT, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW THE OBVIOUS RESULT IS THIS, SINCE IT IS TRUE THAT SALVATION IS ALL BY GOD’S GRACE, IT IS THEREFORE NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS.

* HUMAN EFFORT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT! ROMANS 4:5, ROMANS 5:1, TITUS 3:5 (READ THEM).

** AND FOLKS, THE ONLY MERIT THAT CAN GET ME INTO HEAVEN IS THE MERIT OF CHRIST, THE ONLY WORK THAT CAN GET ME INTO HEAVEN IS THE WORK OF CHRIST, JOHN 6:28&29 (READ THEM).

*** AND THIS IS A STUMBLING BLOCK FOR PEOPLE, FOR MANY ARE TRUSTING IN THEMSELVES AS A HUMANITARIAN, AS A RELIGIOUS PERSON, AS A QUOTE “GOOD PERSON” TO GET THEMSELVES INTO HEAVEN.

**** BUT THE BIBLE IS CLEAR, NONE OF US ARE GOOD ENOUGH, NONE OF US ARE WORTHY, READ ROMANS 3:23 AND ISAIAH 64:6.

1. NOW GET THIS, IF WE COULD JUSTIFY OURSELVES OR EARN OR CONJURE UP ENOUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS ON OUR OWN TO GET US INTO HEAVEN, IT WOULD BE BY OUR WORK, NOT GOD’S THAT WE ARE SAVED.

* AND THE PROBLEM IS WE WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO BOAST ABOUT. BUT IT IS CLEAR HERE, “NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, THAT NO ONE SHOULD BOAST.”

** AND THE WORD BOAST LIT. MEANS “TO GLORY”. TO GLORY ON ACCOUNT OF OR IN SOMETHING.

*** AND WE HAVE NOTHING TO GLORY IN WHEN IT COMES TO SALVATION, WE CAN ONLY GLORY IN THE CROSS, GALATIANS 6:14 AND ISAIAH 42:8 (READ THEM).

**** I CORINTHIANS 1:29-31 – “SO THAT NO MAN MAY BOAST BEFORE GOD.”

30 – “BUT BY HIS DOING YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO BECAME TO US WISDOM FROM GOD, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SANCTIFICATION, AND REDEMPTION”

V. 31 – “SO THAT, JUST AS IT IS WRITTEN, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

2. AND THEN ROMANS 11:6 SAYS – “BUT IF IT IS BY GRACE, IT IS NO LONGER ON THE BASIS OF WORKS, OTHERWISE GRACE IS NO LONGER GRACE.”

* AND FOLKS, SINCE WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE, THERE IS NOTHING TO BOAST IN, FOR IF BY WORKS, GRACE IS NO LONGER GRACE.

IN CONCLUSION: EPHESIANS 2:8&9 SPELL OUT SALVATION IN SUMMARY FORM. ITS SOURCE IS GOD, ITS BASIS IS BY GRACE AND IT IS OBTAINED AS A GIFT BY MEANS OF FAITH.

* THIS SALVATION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS INHERENT IN A PERSON NOR CAN IT BE GAINED BY HIS OR HER EFFORT.

** THEREFORE, A PERSON CANNOT BOAST OF ANY SELF-ACHIEVEMENT, BUT MUST BOAST IN THE GRACIOUS GIFT OF GOD.

*** AND CERTAINLY EPHESIANS 2:8&9 PUTS THE WORD AMAZING IN FRONT OF THE WORD GRACE.

**** AND THESE TWO VERSES BRING ALIVE TO ME THESE WORDS:

(2) AMAZING GRACE, HOW SWEET THE SOUND, THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME. I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND, WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE.

* AND HOW ABOUT THE HYMN, “GRACE GREATER THAN ALL OUR SIN”.

** MARVELOUS GRACE OF OUR LOVING LORD, GRACE THAT EXCEEDS OUR SIN AND OUR GUILT! YONDER ON CALVARY’S MOUNT OUTPOURED, THERE WHERE THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WAS SPILT.

*** GRACE, GRACE, GOD’S GRACE. GRACE THAT WILL PARDON AND CLEANSE WITHIN. GRACE, GRACE, GOD’S GRACE. GRACE THAT IS GREATER THAN ALL OUR SIN!

**** CHRISTIAN, MAY WE PRAISE, WORSHIP AND ADORE OUR GREAT GOD OF GRACE TODAY. MAY WE GIVE OUR ALL TO HIM.

***** AND IF YOU’RE HERE OR WATCHING THIS TODAY WITHOUT CHRIST,

(3) I REMIND YOU THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE ALONE. AND GOING BACK TO THE STORY I BEGAN THIS MESSAGE TODAY WITH, THE LITTLE GIRL IN LONDON, ALL WE CAN DO IS TAKE THE PITCHER GOD PUTS IN OUR HAND, AND THANK HIM, BECAUSE IT IS A LOT BETTER THAN ANYTHING WE EVER HAD BEFORE.

* WILL YOU DO THAT? IT IS THE WAY A PERSON BECOMES A CHRISTIAN AND THUS PASSES OUT OF DEATH INTO LIFE.

** COME THIS WAY TO CHRIST TODAY AS IN THIS HYMN:

*** NOTHING IN MY HANDS I BRING,

SIMPLY TO THE CROSS I CLING;

NAKED, COME TO THEE FOR DRESS,

HELPLESS, LOOK TO THEE FOR GRACE;

FOUL, I TO THE FOUNTAIN FLY;

WASH ME, SAVIOR, OR I DIE.

ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME,

LET ME HIDE MYSELF IN THEE.