Live Out Grace
We have learned much about living in grace and living out grace. As we experience God’s unfailing love and amazing grace, we are changed, and we become grace-givers. We live out grace. We become a culture of grace, a safe place where people can come as they are to get to know Jesus, experience his grace, grow, discover their new self, their new identity in Christ, become like Him, love others, and live out grace like Him.
We have learned that God sees all and knows all. Hiding, ignoring, or justifying our sins does not lead to real freedom. It only enslaves us in the perpetual cycle of shame. Confession and repentance break us out of the shame cycle into the cycle of grace when we face the truth about our sin and lives. Then Jesus forgives us. He says, “I do not condemn you. I cover you. Go and sin no more. Go and live unashamed.” God gave us everything. Now He calls us to live out that grace. He calls us to become grace-givers, to be channels of his grace in this world. But, this is no easy task. It is a messy process as we learn and grow together. Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail to live the kingdom life. This last sermon focuses on how we live out grace, become a people of grace.
1. Repentance, Not Cheap Grace
In becoming a culture of grace, there is a real danger that we must be aware of and guard against, namely, the challenge and danger of cheap grace with no repentance.
In today’s society and culture, and sadly also in many churches, among many Christians, there is a serious misunderstanding of grace. Grace is seen as acceptance and permission. Instead of saying, “Go and sin no more,” this kind of grace says, “Go and continue doing what you have been doing.” Cheap grace will never lead to change. Instead, it gives permission for people to continue as they are, to continue with sin and wrongful living. This is not a culture of grace.
When we look at the stories of grace in the Bible we see that grace given always followed repentance in one form or the other. Look at Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, David and Bathsheba, Zacchaeus, the story of the lost son, the sinful woman who washed and anointed Jesus’ feet, the thief on the cross next to Jesus. In all these stories we see the following common elements.
First, someone sinned. They turned away from a relationship, from God, or someone else. Then something happened that caused the person to turn back, to return to the relationship they have broken. Repentance in the Bible means to turn away, to turn away from your sin, to turn back to God, it is a 180-degree turn. It involves a complete change of mind and heart that leads to change in our thoughts and actions. It involves regret and sorrow for what we did. In fear and humility we know we have sinned. We acknowledge, we confess our sins.
We that they also knew that they deserved judgment, punishment, or retribution for their actions. The person to whom they returned had the power, the right, to punish or condemn them. But, instead of the deserved punishment, the person offered forgiveness, gave grace, and the gift of a restored relationship. Grace is given to those who are poor in spirit, who mourn and are meek, humble.
Now let’s look at the stories in the Bible where people missed grace because they believed they had nothing to repent. Cain killed his brother, Abel, and tried to sidestep the issue, to excuse his sin, “Who am I? My brother’s keeper?” Grace was not given. Cain was sent away under a curse. When Israel remained unrepentant God gave them over to their enemies. When Israel continued blindly in her idolatry grace was absent. Only when they repented, turned back to God, did God give them grace. The Pharisees excused and hid their lack of love, compassion, and grace beneath a cloak of knowledge, religious passion, and piety. They missed Jesus. They missed grace. Ananias and Sapphire tried to cheat the church and God while pretending to be spiritual and generous. Peter gave them a chance to own their sin, to repent, but they persisted in their performance, appearance, charade. The Holy Spirit killed them. In these stories, we see people who thought they could abuse God and his covenant because of his love and grace. They missed out on both God and grace.
Cheap grace is grace without repentance. Cheap grace is when people believe they are entitled to grace. They believe that unmerited favor should be theirs. No need for humility. No need to acknowledge that any wrong has been done, that any action caused hurt or pain, or was sinful. Cheap grace is not grace, but merely permission, allowance, to continue as you are. It misses the whole point of true grace, that God wants to change you. He wants to give you a new life that is far better than the one you are living now.
Therefore, if we want to experience grace, and become a people of grace, we must repent. Daily, allow the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts and minds, and when there is sin, be poor in spirit, mourn, and be meek, humble — repent, turn back to God.
2. Speak The Truth in Love
As we try to live out grace and be a people of grace we need to speak the truth in love. People will sometimes come to us and ask for grace. They like the idea of Jesus. They love the idea of love and grace; but they don’t want to own their stuff, acknowledge their sin, practice humility. They are not poor in spirit. They do not mourn. They are not meek, humble. In short, they do not repent.
Grace given to an unrepentant heart will never be received as grace because they are not convinced that they need it. An unrepentant heart does not want grace, but license, permission. “Give me my freedom to live in the way I want.” Their self, their ego, the I, is at the center and lord of their lives. They are not willing to die to self and take up their crosses to follow Jesus. Therefore, there can be no change or transformation in their lives.
To be a culture of grace, a safe place for people to grow in Christ, we must sometimes stand against those who would abuse the culture of grace. We need to speak the truth in love. If someone is asking grace from us but there is no humility, no recognition of sin, no willingness to change, no repentance, we will love them, but grace will not help them. We will speak the truth in love. We may need to set some boundaries. All to help them to face the truth of their sin. Only when they embrace the pain of their sinfulness in confession and repentance can they discover and experience the wonder of true grace. Only then can the Holy Spirit begin the work of change in them.
They may walk away. And if they do walk away, we must be willing to wait like the father of the lost son, looking eagerly, praying fervently, for their return. We don’t write them off or turn off our hearts. We do not stop loving them. We hope and pray for the day of repentance, the turning of their hearts, the encounter with Jesus, and the experience of real grace.
3. Live Out Grace—Becoming a People of Grace
If we want to live in grace and live out grace, become a culture of grace, there are a few changes we may have to make in our lives and in our church life.
We will not react to sin and confession with shock, surprise, or an attitude of spiritual superiority and self-righteousness. Instead, we will celebrate openness, confession, and humility. We welcome people into a safe community of fellowship and relationship where they can meet Jesus if they don’t know him already, where they can change, grow, and be restored.
Change is not simple or easy. Change is painful and costly. Change is a long, slow, and messy process. Change takes time and intentionality. We should use our small groups as safe places where we can walk with people for the long-haul of the change process. Discipleship, living the kingdom life is a long obedience in the same direction. Are we making disciples? Are we helping each other in relationships and fellowship to learn how to live the kingdom life, how to follow Jesus?
When we need to implement church discipline it will be rooted in and guided by love. It will aim to bring the person to repentance and restore them back into the community. We will provide healthy mentorship, counseling, and discipling. Church discipline is not punishment. It is restoration.
In a culture of grace, we humbly and openly talk about everything in our preaching and teaching. Of course, we do so in culturally-appropriate and age-appropriate ways. No topic is off-limits or taboo. Grace focuses on the restoration of the heart, not righting every wrong. Grace focuses on changing hearts, and changed hearts lead to changed behaviors. Every sin, every behavior, every addiction, every issue becomes an opportunity to see God do his work in people’s hearts.
In sharing our stories, our testimonies, we will not only tell the happy stories, the stories of victory. We will also share our stories that are still in progress. We will share the trials, struggles, pain, even failures we are going through. We will be honest about our struggles and questions. And we will tell of how Jesus is meeting us in our pain, how he is with us along the way, how he is empowering us to persevere when the end is not yet in sight.
We will acknowledge and accept that we are all works in progress. Not one of us has arrived. Not one of us is perfect. Therefore, all of us we will model, be examples of vulnerability, humility, and growth.
As a people of grace, we will strive for loving relationships and fellowship. We need these to heal, change, and grow. When we love others as Christ loves us, we invite one another into real change. Because, love changes, love builds up. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hope, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Cor 13: 4-8)
And this is how we change the world, through love, grace, relationships, and fellowship. This is how we are the salt of the earth to fight against evil. This is how we are the light of the world. This is how we bring the light of Jesus Christ into the darkness of a lost world — His love, grace, and salvation. This is how we proclaim and show the world the new life in Jesus Christ and his kingdom.
Living out grace produces eternal fruits. We must trust that God is at work. Whatever small act of grace we live out toward others, whatever small grace we give to others, God uses that to bring people back to Him. He uses that to change them, and bring them to eternal life in Christ. You may not see it now, but one day in heaven you will.
So, we live in grace, and we live out grace. We invite everyone, “Come as you are.” But we will not stay where you are. Come as you are and encounter Jesus. Meet Him, get to know Him. Turn to Him. Repent. Accept Him as Lord and Savior. Allow Him to change you. And together we will learn how to change. Together we will move from where you are now to become the person God wants you to be. Jesus does not want you to stay where you are. He wants to give you the amazing grace of a new life; a new life that is so much more than where you are now; a new life that is so much more than the one you have now. Come as you are. Jesus will change you. Together we will walk on this new road, travel this journey together. Together we can live in grace, and together we can live out grace. Let us be a people of grace, God’s people, kingdom people. It is possible because Jesus empowers us to do what He calls and sends us to do.