Text: 1 Chronicles 17:16-17

16 And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.

Introduction:

The New Testament contains 155 references to grace; 130 of them come from the pen of Paul. It defines his teachings.

NT:5485  ‎charis (khar'-ece); from NT:5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):

The grace that transformed Saul a persecutor of Christians into Paul a lover of Christians, the same grace transformed John Newton a ruthless slave trader into a devote child of God.

Newton wrote the song “Faith’s Review and Expection” (Amazing Grace) while working on a sermon from the text: 1 Chronicles 17:16-17.

1.                  Jesus is GRACE

John 1:1, 14, 17

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

a.       Paul explains Grace as a concrete expression of kindness, or GRACE HAPPENS!

Grace NT:5485 ‎ ‎charis (khar'-ece); from NT:5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):

Romans 5:15

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

b.      All grace comes from God. God pursues us with his grace.

1 Peter 5:10

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

2.                  Mercy and Grace Compared

a.       Mercy is not getting what we deserve (hell), Grace is getting what we don’t deserve (heaven).

Mercy withholds the knife from the heart of Isaac.

Grace provides a ram in the thicket.

Mercy runs to forgive the Prodigal Son.

Grace throws a party with every extravagance.

Marcy bandages the wounds of the man beaten by the robbers.

Grace covers the cost of his full recovery.

Mercy hears the cry of the thief on the cross.

Grace promises paradise that very day.

Mercy pays the penalty for our sin at the cross.

Grace substitutes the righteousness of Christ for our wickedness.

Mercy converts Paul on the road to Damascus.

Grace calls him to be an apostle.

Mercy saves John Newton form a life of rebellion and sin.

Grace makes him a pastor and author of a timeless hymn.

Mercy closes the door to hell.

Grace opens the door to heaven.

Mercy withholds what we have earned.

Grace provides blessings we have not earned.

3.                  Amazing Grace that saved a wretch like me

a.       Wretch noun

Etymology:

Middle English wrecche, from Old English wrecca outcast, exile; akin to Old High German hrechjo fugitive, Old English wrecan to drive, drive out.

Date: before 12th century

1: a miserable person :one who is profoundly unhappy or in great misfortune

2: a base, despicable, or vile person

b.      Paul saw himself as a wretch

1 Corinthians 15:9

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Ephesians 3:8

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

1 Timothy 1:15

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

c.       You are a wretch too

The truth is, Paul shows in Romans 3 that none of us have clean hands

Romans 3:10-18 (all quotes from the Old Testament)

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Ps 14:3b)

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: (Ps 5:9)

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: (Ps 10:7)

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: (Is 59:7)

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Ps 36:1)

Romans 3:9

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

4.                  Seven components of the grace of God

I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.

Romans 3:10-18 shows us what was lost by sin

Romans 3:21-25 shows us what is found by grace

a.       Grace: Apart from Works

Romans 3:21

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

b.      Grace: Accepted by Faith

Romans 3:22

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Look at the frequency with which Paul refers to “faith”

Romans 3:25-31

25 …God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith…

26 …Justifier of him which believeth (has faith) in Jesus…

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28 …A man is justified by faith…

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

            31 Do we then make void the law through faith?...

c.       Grace: Available to All Who Believe

Romans 3:22b-23

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

d.      Grace: Attained by Justification

Romans 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

e.       Grace: Awarded Freely

Romans 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

f.       Grace: Acquired Through Redemption

Romans 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

g.      Grace: Accomplished Through Propitiation

Romans 3:25

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

5.                  Closing

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:21

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.