Sunday 3rd Feb 2013 - The Grace of God - Martin Kedian

Grace Where you'll find grace 2 Samuel chapter 9 We're not home yet there may be Circumstances sickness hardships Trials temptations of every kind Oak trees and ditches lie in wait But if grace doesn't make you dance a Little on the way we must not have Heard the same gospel It is my joy and consolation to journey With such precious souls as you None of us got here by ourselves Ministers of the grace of god Messengers of mercy faithful loyal True Grace. More than we deserve. Greater Than we imagine Grace before Christ while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us Grace gifts people on the journey Grace that gets us home. Hands held high as we cross the finishing line Mephibosheth would never forget that Day word spread quickly King Saul and Prince Jonathan are dead And David is now king This news brought both grief and panic There was a custom in that day that if a King took the throne He would often eliminate the family of The king before him As Mephibosheth sat playing on the Floor in the rushes his nurse quickly Grabs him up and heads towards the Door to run for safety But she drops him crushing both of his Ankles crippling him for life 1/ he never saw a day like this coming his Way a day that would affect his life and Future A day that destined him for destitution To live as a pauper instead of a prince 2/ but Mephibosheth would discover that Soon would come a day that would make A far greater impact on his life and Future The day he found grace Grace is a dirty word for the devil He likes to see the saints sweat For it is by grace you have been saved Through faith. And this is not from Yourselves it is the gift of god. Not by Works so that no one can boast It's the power behind the gospel Not creed, religion, or philosophy Ours is a gospel of grace It’s the wonder of the gospel (that god Would reach somebody like me) It is the distinction of the gospel (No other religion is based on such a Concept) 3/. Grace. God’s favour that is unearned Undeserved and un repayable This concept is the key to the entirety Of the New Testament 4/ too often we limit it to the work of Salvation in our lives But grace is power for our lives 2 Timothy 2:1 be strong in the grace that Is in Christ Jesus 1 peter 4:10 as good stewards of the Manifold grace of god 2 peter 3:18 but grow in grace Revelation 22:21 the grace of our lord Jesus be with you all amen Satan would have you leave the grace of God at the altar of salvation But God’s grace only starts there Enriching and enabling our lives The devil will tell you that grace is just For salvation. After that it’s up to you That we must pull ourselves up Make ourselves holy work hard please God in our own strength But grace is Gods undeserved favour in Our lives David had just beaten his greatest Enemies the philistines, Moabites, and Syrians He sat in his palace looking back over his Past and how he had come from a Sheepfold to a throne room No doubt he was stunned by the wonder Of God’s grace in his life I believe he began to look for a way to Demonstrate the grace of god to Someone that was just as unworthy as He was Vs. 3 that I may show the kindness of god Unto him Mephibosheth would become the Recipient of David’s act of grace But there is a deeper story here The story of God’s grace towards us It reveals where we can find grace 1/ grace will find you first David asked. Is there not yet any of the House of Saul that I may show the Kindness of god unto him Grace begins in the throne room and Finds us Like Mephibosheth before we were ever Aware of grace it already began seeking Us out While we were yet in sin he loved us and Sought us out God’s grace remembers us Forgotten by his nation abandoned by his Family no reason to remember Mephibosheth But out of God's grace David Remembered this crippled man They were quick to remind David that Mephibosheth was crippled As if this would turn David’s heart He didn't remember him because of what He could get out of him he was of no use David was motivated by grace God’s grace carries us Mephibosheth could not help himself He couldn't reach David if he had to So David sent men to carry him God’s grace is dependent on his ability Not mine When you can't walk any further let his Grace carries you When you can't believe any more. Let his Grace carry you 2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you for my Strength is made perfect in weakness When you’re weak let his grace carry you God’s motivation to reach us is pure Grace God’s grace peruses us It will go where you are Ask the prodigal son it found him in a pig Pen and brought him home Ask joseph it found him in a pit dug by his Brothers and lifted him as high as second In command in Egypt Ask the Samaritan woman it found her at The well in the middle of the day Like David god sends out his messengers Of grace Brothers and sisters will we be Ministers of the grace of god No matter where you are today grace Can find you and change your life : grace is where you abandon your Crippled past David summoned Mephibosheth but him Needed to respond Although grace is offered it is up to us To embrace it But embracing it means we let go of our Crippled past : abandon a crippled life Not only Mephibosheth feet were Crippled his life was as well He could have let bitterness and fear Keep him in lo debar The name lo debar has this meaning No pasture barren desolate place Hiding place destitute place God desires to trade our past for his Presence Let go. And take hold of grace : abandon a crippled mentality His handicap left him feeling worthless He called himself a dead dog How transforming it must have been to Realise he had value in the eyes of the King He was restored to the palace We to we're made to be royalty in the Kingdom An intimate position Mephibosheth. Was part of the family As one of the kings sons God’s grace won't just make us servants Or just the royal priesthood sons and Daughters of god. Wow wow wow A position of fellowship There was a restoring of his Inheritance. Grace restores the land A work of grace is at work in this county As the gospel is preached. Restoration is At work in lives families businesses Culture society the land is being Restored renewed and revitalised He had the king’s ear so do I He ate what the king ate Come on. The table is set There is a place for you no one can take Your royal seat away Are you ready to feast? Grace prepares a table for me even in The presence of my enemies Perpetual provision As long as the king is on the throne Night and day this was not a passing Provision it was continuous eternal Grace is where you receive Gods favour At his sons expense Mephibosheth wasn't receiving grace on The basis of what he had done But on the basis of what his father Jonathan had done David blesses Mephibosheth because of his past Friendship with Jonathan Likewise we are not receiving grace Because of our own goodness or works But on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ We live in the achievement of another Mephibosheth lived in the grace his Father had paid the price for We live in the grace that Jesus paid the Price for In the abundance of his inheritance In the favour of the only begotten son Conclusion I do not understand the mystery of Grace. Only that it meets us where we Are but does not leave us where it Found us Are we today receiving embracing that? Grace of god offered to us right now It is a choice If you are a believer and find yourself in A place where you stand in need of his Grace His grace is available for you as we'll Come today this is his new day of grace. Amen