Sunday, December 2, 2018

A Continuance Of Grace

Temple Baptist Church - 12-2-2018
Romans 11:1-6


Introduction: 

A.  Verse 1-2 - Paul now asked the obvious question: “Hath God cast away his people.”  Immediately, we find Paul’s answer to the question: “God forbid!”  How could God cast away the Nation of Israel despite the prayers of God’s people. 

Romans 10:1  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

B.  Going back to Jeremiah, Chapter 18, we find God’s answer to the question:

Jeremiah 18:4-6  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.  (5)  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,  (6)  O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

C.  Though set aside for a while, God will never cast away His peculiar people, Israel.

Jeremiah 31:1-3  At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.  (2)  Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.  (3)  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

D.  Verses 2-3 - Elijah prayed against Israel in what we call in imprecatory prayer.  “Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.”

E.  Verse 4-5 – God answered Elijah.  “I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.”  

F.  Though the Nation rejected the prophets in both Old and New Testaments, there has continued to be a remnant of believers in every dispensation.

1.  The Old Testament Saints – Acts 15: 7-11  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

a)  Grace Was Before The Law - Genesis 6:8  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

b)  Grace Was During The Law - Jeremiah 31:2  Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

Psalms 78:37-39, 72  For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.  But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.  For he remembered that they [were but] flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again . . . (72)  So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

2.  The New Testament Saints - Romans 3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

a)  Saving Grace - Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed
in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

b)  Securing Grace - 2 Thessalonians 2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

2 Timothy 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

c) Sanctifying Grace – Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

            3.  The Tribulation Saints

a)  Evident Grace - Revelation 7:13-14  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation,and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

b)  Enduring Grace - Revelation 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

            4.  The Millennial Saints

Isaiah 11:10-11  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (11) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people …

5.  The Eternal Saints (It started in grace and it will always be grace through out all eternity.  Halleluiah!)

Ephesians 2:5-7  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

G.  The Character of God’s Grace.

1.  God’s Grace Is Amazing - Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Corinthians 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
2.  God’s Grace Is Admonishing - Titus 2:11-12  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

3.  God’s Grace Is Available - Titus 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

4.  God’s Grace Is Attacked - Galatians 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Jude 4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

H.  The Consistency Of Grace.  Grace has never changed.

a.  Grace Offered In The Past - Romans 10:21  But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

b.  Grace Offered In The Present - John 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Revelation 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

I.  The Continuing of Grace.  Salvation will always be grace and grace alone and I thank God for it.

1.  Grace Frees Us From Works - Romans 11:6  And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

2.  Grace Frees Us From Boasting - Romans 3:27-28  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

3.  Grace Frees Us From Worry - Romans 4:4-5  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

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