Grace

Grace Have you experienced evidence of God’s grace in dark days? - Relate Experiences Dean:The Softball Injury/St.Francis Response Light in Darkness = the Glory of God Gen. 1:3 (God said let there be light and there was) Ex. 13:21 (Pillar of fire to give them light) Ps. 18:28 (God will light my candle and make my darkness shine) Ps. 27:1 (The Lord is my light and my salvation) 2 Cor. 4:6 (Light in our heart of knowledge of glory of God in face of Christ), p.76 The ability to (recognize) understand and accept God is itself a work of God’s grace. p.76 What is the treasure Paul speaks off? The inner revelation of God, p.77. 2 Cor. 4:8, p.77 hard pressed - not crushed (What presses us? Daily needs? Bills?) perplexed (confused, uncertain) - not in despair (Have you ever felt this? Need to wait/trust) persecuted - not abandoned (Never really alone) struck down - not destroyed Paul’s (Our) endurance is a witness to the grace of God and of Paul’s (our) faith in the resurrection. God’s power is greater than human weakness, p.77. 2 Cor. 4:14 & 18, p.79 Key to endurance of present trial - Recognition of its temporal nature and focus on God’s sure and eternal promise of salvation. (Eph. 6:16, Shield of faith) God’s grace enables us to survive in times of trial, p.80. Grace = favor = mercy = undeserved kindness Gen. 6:8 (Noah) Gen. 19:19 (Lot) Gen. 33:10 (Jacob) Gen. 39:4 (Joseph) Ex. 33:17 (Moses) Prov. 3:34, Jas 4:6, 1 Pet 5:5 (The meek find grace) Luke 2:40 (Young Jesus found grace) John 1:16 (We all received grace through Jesus) Acts 4:33 (Witnessing Apostles) Rom. 3:24 (We are declared righteous by grace) 2 Cor. 12:9 (His grace is sufficient) Eph. 4:7 (To each of us) What the grace of God is not? Jude 4 (An excuse for loose conduct)

How should we respond to the gift of God’s grace? 2 Cor. 4:15 (With Gratitude) Gratitude is the feeling of happiness you feel toward somebody who has shown you some undeserved kindness, that is, who has been gracious to you. This gratitude to Christ marks all true believers. The lack of it marks them otherwise. (Rom. 1:21) He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors God (Ps. 50:23).