======================================================================== GREAT GRACE by Alan Martin ======================================================================== Summary: This sermon emphasizes the importance of living a life full of grace, not just for personal salvation but to be a blessing to others. It warns against self-indulgence and missing out on the true grace of God, which trains us to live righteously and be a blessing in this world. The message encourages a lifestyle of generosity, service, and seeking God's grace abundantly to pour out blessings on others. Topics: "Living a Life of Grace", "Generosity and Service" Scripture References: Acts 4:32, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Luke 6:37, Hebrews 12:14, Titus 2:11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon emphasizes the importance of living a life full of grace, not just for personal salvation but to be a blessing to others. It warns against self-indulgence and missing out on the true grace of God, which trains us to live righteously and be a blessing in this world. The message encourages a lifestyle of generosity, service, and seeking God's grace abundantly to pour out blessings on others. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you want to turn to the book of Acts, I'm going to mention something that's just beautiful in the early church. Acts chapter 4 is where you find this. It's something that I hope for my own life, and it's something I hope for our own church. In whatever measure the Lord allows us to be able to experience this. In Acts chapter 4, I'm going to start reading in verse 32. Acts 4, 32. And the congregation of those who believe were of one heart and soul, and not one was saying that any of his possessions was his own. But for them, they shared everything in common. And with great power, the apostles were bearing witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And then it makes this statement, and great grace was upon them all. That should get our attention. You know what that means? Great grace is not always upon us. There's a condition where you can be in grace but it not be great. But you know for the saving of people and making a big difference, we need great grace upon us. We need to be full of grace. Grace is not just something that means we're forgiven and now God receives us. No, no, it's much more than that. Paul told Timothy, his son in the faith, he said be empowered by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Grace should be something that is empowering us. In the same book of Acts here, if you're still, if you're in Acts chapter 4, flip over to Acts chapter 6. Where the early church had an issue, one of their first crisis where suddenly so many people stayed in the city of Jerusalem and in Judea. That they were having to care for a lot of widows. And there was a lot of widows from the Mediterranean area that were in the area that were somehow being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. And they brought it to the attention of the apostles. And the apostles said look, this is in Acts chapter 6 verse 1. Now in those days, while the disciples were multiplying in number, there was a grumbling in the Hellenists against the Hebrews. Because their widows were being overlooked in the daily service of food. So the 12 summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, it's not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom. And whom we may put in charge of this need. And in verse 5, it says, and so this pleased the whole congregation. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. Along with Philip and Prochorus and Acanter and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolaus across the line from Antioch. And then it says, it goes on to say in verse 8, and Stephen full of grace and power. That's what I want in my life. I want to be full of grace and power. You know why? People need God's grace. And there are a lot of people who I do not believe are going to experience God's grace unless I am full of grace. And it is flowing out of me. I'm not just looking for enough grace to get me to heaven. I want to be so full of grace. It oozes from my pores. So that everyone that I encounter encounters the grace of God at work in my life. And thinking about this led me to a scripture this week. If you want to turn in and look with me in 2nd Corinthians chapter 9. 2nd Corinthians chapter 9. I'm going to start in verse 8 and I'll back up a little bit later in today's message. But I'm going to start in verse 8 because it speaks about God's ability to make his sons and daughters full of his grace. 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 verse 8. And God is able to make every grace abound to you. Isn't that interesting? Every grace. I need grace to be patient. I need grace to get answers. I need grace to know what to do. I need grace to know what to say. I need grace to know what tone to say it in. Every grace. Grace for my wife. Grace for my daughter Anna. Grace for each one of you. Grace to do my job well. Grace to relate to my neighbors. Every grace. God is able to make every grace abound. It says. Every grace to abound to you. So that in everything at every time. That's pretty extensive. In everything. At every time. Having every sufficiency. You may have an abundance for every good work. I take that to mean for me. That every day of every week. All during the day. My father wants to empower me. With a sufficient grace. So that at that particular moment. Whatever it is I am doing. Whether I'm cleaning the toilets. In the annex. Or whether I'm giving out food. Or whether I'm preaching. Or whether I'm walking in the door at home. Whatever I'm doing. I am full. Of his grace. At all times. Then it goes on to say verse 9. As it is written. He scattered abroad. He gave gifts. He gave to the needy. His righteousness stands forever. Verse 10. And now he who supplies seed to the sower. And bread for food. Will supply and multiply your seed. And increase the harvest of your righteousness. Or the fruit of your righteousness. I desire the heavenly father to increase the fruit. Of the righteousness in our lives. So that we will share with those in our life. The fruit of the righteousness of Christ. Then he goes on to say in verse 11. And you will be enriched in everything. Unto. There's a Greek preposition. I said to. To be enriched in everything. But unto this purpose. I want to be enriched. I want to be full of grace. I want to be full of the Holy Spirit. I want to be enriched in every way. And I want you to be enriched in every way. Unto all generosity. So that I can be generous. I'm not even seeking it for myself. I'm not seeking to be enriched. So that I can be happier. Or I can have more money. Or I can have more things. I want to be filled with grace. So that I can be gracious. I want to be enriched. So that the more I have. The more I have to share. And that's what he says. You will be enriched in everything. For all generosity. Which through us brings about. Thanksgiving to God. I want to be so full of his grace. And I desire us to be so full of his grace. And so enriched in everything. That everything that's flowing from us. Our constant generosity in everything. Causes people to continually give God thanks. For the grace that's flowing in us. And from us to them. But there's a key to this. That's what I desire. And it says clearly. God is able to make all grace to abound to us. So that in everything. And all times. We may have sufficiency to abound unto every good work. He's able. But there's a key. That he states earlier to this. So if you're there in 2nd Corinthians chapter 9. Back up with me to verse 6. 2nd Corinthians 9. Verse 6. Now I say. He who sows sparingly. Will also reap sparingly. And he who sows. What does your version say there? He who sows generously. Some say liberally. Huh? Bountifully. He who sows bountifully, generously, liberally. Will also reap either bountifully or generously. You know what the word really is in the Greek? They had a difficult time translating it. I don't know why they didn't translate it just literal. It's so that he that sows upon a blessing. And this is something I've seen. Every time. I intend. To bless someone. God blesses me. You see. I don't want to just give out food. I want it to be a blessing. I'm not satisfied to give them a little bit. I want to pile it on. I want them leaving there saying thank God. For what he's given us here. And you know what some people don't see grace that way. They're not seeking grace that way. They're not seeking God's grace in them. So they can be a blessing. They just want just enough to get their selves out of hell and into heaven. That's all they want. That's all they really care about. It is a perversion of God's grace. And they're never going to experience this being filled with grace. Because they're not even seeking it. Oh they'd like their own life to be happier. They'd go ah yeah sure they don't want to be bored. That's fine if they don't get God's grace they'll just turn on the TV. Or the radio. Or they'll find a hobby. I want the kind of grace that is so dynamic. That it drives me to seek to be a blessing to others. Jesus talked about this. If you want to look with me in Luke chapter 6. Turn with me to Luke chapter 6. That's where I think it is. You know I try not to write these messages out so I can be directed. So sometimes you have to forgive me. I may remember the reference wrong. But I think this is right Luke chapter 6. Yeah it is. I'll start there in verse 37. And actually verse 36 ends with that beautiful. You be merciful as your heavenly father is merciful. And remember who is God merciful to? Let's get that clear. Who is God merciful to? All the righteous people right? Everyone else gets left out. Is that right? No. He is merciful to the wicked and the ungrateful. So I want to abound in grace. Whether the person is a believer or an unbeliever. Whether they are a pro-lifer or a pro-choicer. I want to abound in grace towards them. That's what I want. Verse 37. Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. And then he says this. Listen very carefully. Give and it will be given to you. You want joy? You want God to give you joy? Why don't you give joy to someone else? And he'll give you joy. So that you can be a source of joy to someone else. Give and it will be given to you. And look what he says. They will pour into your lap a good measure. Pressed down. Shaken together. And what? Over. You won't be able to contain it all. Why? Because God knows the only reason you're seeking him. Is you want to be a blessing to others. And you know what he does to that person? He pours it on them. He pours it out to them. Why should he give to those who are only seeking it for their own self-enrichment? Why should he? You try to find it on your own. You try to find it from some guy. You try to find it from some program. You try to find it from some hobby. God, the eyes of the Lord roam to and fro throughout the earth. And he can pick out of a billion people. Someone who wants to be a blessing to others. And he'll pour out grace and power and mercy to that person. Give and it shall be given to you. Isn't that something? A lot of people don't even know that life. They're so trying to live for themselves and get. They are in a trap. They don't realize it's just a big prison. There's no freedom there. You're not going to find it. It's just. He goes on to say, give and it will be given to you. And they will pour into your lap a good measure. Press down and shake it together running over. For by your standard of measure. It will be measured to you. Your standard of measure. The way you use it. In other words, the way you want to use it. That's how it's going to be measured to you. Now let's go back to that word grace. And see how we measure. What's our standard measure of grace? How do we measure grace? Is the grace we want the grace that gets us to heaven? Is the grace we want the grace that gets us forgiven for our sins? And cares very little about the honor and glory of God. And how much of a blessing we are to other people. That's a very poor and little measure of grace. As a matter of fact. That kind of grace is being taught in the churches. It was already being taught in the churches back then. In Jude. If you know this. Jude is that little teeny one chapter book right before Revelation. Listen to what Jude said about this grace. Jude is just one chapter. So Jude 1 verse 3. Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation. I felt the necessity to write to you exhorting that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed. Those who were long ago beforehand marked out for this condemnation. So evidently there's something that God has decided to condemn a long time ago. He decided way back to condemn something. And God is good. So if he decides to condemn something. It's because of how bad it is. And look at how bad it is that these men. What are they doing that brought them into that thing that is so bad. That God condemned it years ago. Here's what they did. These are ungodly persons who changed the grace of our God into self-indulgence. You know what that is? That is those like myself. Those teaching or preaching or speaking. Who primarily make the grace of God. That which is all about you. God just forgives you. He wants everybody to go to heaven. He accepts everybody the way he is. It separates grace from holiness. It separates grace from righteousness. It separates grace from actually serving God and being filled with the spirit. And living a godly life and being fruitful. And it just makes it that you get to go to heaven. And you get to live however you want. When you change grace into all about what you get out of it and God gets nothing. That's demeaning to the cross of Christ. He laid down his life for others. And that's the example of how we're to live. And to turn his death on the cross into it's all about me being forgiveness. And all about me going to heaven. Is a measure of grace that God has condemned long ago. Because it's completely opposite of him. The Lord lives to give. And to turn his grace into nothing but our own self benefit. Is to enter into a condemnation that's been written about long ago. And you know why? What this condemnation? The reason this condemnation has been written about long ago. And Jesus even knew it. I'll show you how Jesus knew it. Because this basically involves. If you have your Bible and you want to see it. Turn to Luke 17. I believe it's Luke chapter 17. The very first of the chapter. Luke 17. Verse 1. This is part of that same thing that God hates. Because it's so damaging. It's something he condemned long ago. Luke 17. Now he said to his disciples. It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come. But woe to him through whom they come. What is it that God has condemned long ago? Men who cause others to stumble. And when you change the grace of God. From it being about receiving grace to give grace. You turn the grace of God and it's all about you. You're going to cause others to stumble. It's inevitable. But woe to the man who causes others to stumble. It would be better for him. If a millstone were hung around his neck. And he'd be thrown into the sea. Than to cause even one of these little ones to stumble. Now how did Jesus know this? That causing a little one to stumble. Is actually worse. It'd be better off to just have a millstone hung around your neck. And thrown into the sea. Well Jesus knew the scriptures well. Listen I'm going to read you something from Proverbs chapter 1. And I'm going to translate it for you from the Septuagint. You don't necessarily get this from your English versions. I apologize for that. I can't help that. Some of our English versions are translated from the Hebrew scriptures. So I like to read the Greek translation. Because 300 years before Christ. Jewish men who knew the Hebrew. Translated into Greek which is a little bit more precise. And here's what they said. In Proverbs chapter 1. This I'm going to translate it from the Septuagint. Because they despised wisdom. And they did not choose the fear of the Lord. Because they were not willing to receive my counsel. And they stuck up their nose at my reproof. So shall they eat the fruit of their own way. Accordingly is actually what it says. Okay. You despise wisdom. You don't choose to fear the Lord. I don't want the God's counsel. I don't want God telling me how to live. You stick up your nose. When some teacher, some preacher tries to bring it to your attention. Make a correction. Okay. Then you're going to be filled with the fruit of your own ways. Have it your way. Think what you want to think. But it goes on in the Septuagint. This is what your version doesn't say. In some of the English versions it says this. For the turning of the way of the simple will kill them. That is not as clear as this. This is what it says in the Septuagint. For because they have wronged the simple ones. They will be slaughtered. Because they have wronged the simple ones. Because they have made others stumble. See the way they treat the scriptures. The way they ignore the Lord. The way they don't want to accept correction. And the influence that causes upon other little ones. That for that reason God is going to slaughter them. Because it's damaging other people in their life. That's what Peter was trying to say in 2 Peter. If you want to turn there. 2 Peter chapter 2. You don't have to turn there. I'll give you the reference so you know where it is. 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 1. There were false prophets among the people. Just as there will be false teachers among you. And what are they going to do? They are going to secretly introduce their destructive heresies. And you know what the destructive heresies all involve? It's all about you. It's all about you finding your happiest life. It's all about you. And you being forgiven. And you going to heaven. And nothing bad is going to happen to you. Because once you are a son you are always a son. And God doesn't see you. He just sees Jesus. So it doesn't matter. Yeah, destructive heresies. And they abound in our day. From false teachers. They even deny the master who bought them. And it says bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Now why does God destroy something He decided long ago He was going to condemn? It's people who wrongly influence the simple. When you cause others who don't know any better to stumble by what you are saying. And how you changing the grace of God into making it all about your selfish preservation of yourself. You are going to bring swift destruction upon yourself. And here is what it describes these false teachers. Listen to this. Verses in verse 18 of 2 Peter chapter 2. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity. They entice by sensual desires of the flesh. Those who have just barely escaped from the ones who conducted themselves in error. Now think about that. Who? What's another description of someone who has just barely escaped from living in the error of the world? You know what that would be? Very young in Christ. An infant. Someone very simple. Someone naive. And these teachers using enticing desires of the flesh. Or enticing those who are just barely escaping from how they were living before. Then it says promising them freedom. Why they themselves are slaves of corruption. For what a man is overcome by. This he is his slave. And by doing this. Causing others to stumble. By this false promise of freedom. Changing the grace of God from what it really intended to be. They are bringing swift destruction upon themselves. If you still have your Bible in your hand. Flip with me to John chapter 1. John chapter 1. And find with me. Verse 14. We'll just start there. I'm going to read 14 to 16. John 1, 14. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. Glory is of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. And John bore witness about Him, and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said. He comes before me, has been ahead of me, for He existed before me. And it's of His fullness. We have all received grace. For grace. It's an interesting translation. In the Greek. It's grace, anti, grace. Anti. Many, many scholars have wrestled with just what exactly does that mean? Grace. Anti can be translated instead of, against, because of. What's the spirit of it? Grace? For grace? Well, I'm doing some studying and praying and meditating. I found something that just resonated in my spirit. Spirit. From the old German theologian, Meier. Here's what he said. Grace for grace. Here's what he said. Forever and without end, fresh grace will be given to replace grace that is already being used. And that resonates with me. I am seeking grace to give to you. And I receive more grace. You see it? Grace for grace. Grace to be gracious. Isn't that what God told Abraham? I will bless you and you will be a blessing. That's Christianity. Well, we are like the man when the Lord's disciples ask him to teach us to pray. Not when he taught them what we call the Lord's Prayer. But when they ask him to teach us to pray. When he gave them the example about the man who had the unexpected company come in the middle of the night. And he didn't have anything. He wanted to be hospitable. He knew they were hungry. He wanted them to be able to eat something. And he didn't have anything. So he goes to his neighbor's house. And he bangs on the door. Even though it's the middle of the night. The neighbor yells at him from inside the bedroom. Leave me alone. I'm in bed already. My kids are with me. Come back in the morning. And the man would not take no for an answer. He wasn't seeking it for himself. He wasn't there because he was hungry. He was there because he wanted to feed those who came to his house. And he would not take no for an answer. And Jesus said, though the man will not give up because he's his friend. They were friendly. He says, he'll get up because the man's persistence. Actually, it's because of the man's immodesty. The man was so immodest. He says, I don't care what a fool I look like. I don't care what I'm doing to you. I care more about their needs than how I look right now. And when we come to God praying like that, we're not asking for ourselves. We're not saying, I feel bored, God. Give me joy. We're not saying, Lord, just make my life happier. I just want to be happier. It's Father, fill me so I have enough to share with those in my life. Strengthen me so I have enough to serve. Bless me so I can be a blessing. Cause your grace to abound in me. So that in every single thing. At every single moment. There will be a sufficiency to abound under every good work. So that instead of burning out. Which that's what people so afraid of. Be careful. You're going to burn out. You're going to burn out. Why not instead say, pray that God fulfill what he said he can do. To make all grace abound. So that always, every day, every time. There is grace to continue to pour out your life. And it never stops like that widow who's pouring out the oil. And it never ran out. That's it. Give me oil in my lap. Keep me yearning. I'm not saying give me oil in my lap so my life can be better. No, give me oil in my lap that I can be what you said. The light of the world. To help others see your goodness. To help others see your kindness. Because those people who only are seeking enough grace. For their own self. Are falling short of the grace of God. In a way that they're accountable that I don't even think they understand. Let me explain it to you. Pay very close attention to this. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 12. If you're not seeking grace. That you can give this grace to others. You're going to be missing the grace of God. Hebrews chapter 12. We'll start with verse 14. Hebrews 12, 14. Pursue peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. And then he says in verse 15. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God. The word fall short. It's not used often in the New Testament. But I've learned something. When the word's not used too often in the New Testament. Still the Holy Spirit inspired that writer to use a word for a reason. A specific word. And I wanted to find out why did he choose this word. To fall short of the grace of God. I knew there was something meaningful to it. And I found it. It's used in the Septuagint. In numbers 918. You don't need to turn there. Just stay there in Hebrews. But I'm going to turn. So you can see this. Where the same word is used in the Septuagint. In numbers chapter 9. Verse 13. There was a stipulation in the law of Moses. That every male in Israel. Had to go to Jerusalem three times a year. The Feast of Passover. The Feast of Pentecost. And the Feast of Taboos. And if you were well. And you were able. And you were ceremonially clean. You had better be in Jerusalem. Because if you were not. And you were able to be there. It was a capital offense. And that's what this verse says. In Hebrews chapter. I mean numbers chapter 9. Verse 13. And it uses the same word. Here in Hebrews chapter 12. Verse 15. Here's what it reads in numbers. But the man who is clean. And who's not on a journey far away. And yet he neglects. To celebrate the Passover. Who stay wrong. He fails for lack of effort. Is how I see it. See to it. That no one fails for lack of effort. For the grace of God. You know how you can fail for lack of effort. Is you only want enough grace. To save your soul out of hell. And you don't seek it for anything else. You're going to miss the grace of God. Because that's not why he gives his grace. Why do you think the writer of Hebrews says. The rest of that verse in Hebrews 12. See to it. That no one fails for lack of effort. For the grace of God. And that no root of bitterness. Bringing up causes trouble. And by it many be defiled. So if someone fails. To really apprehend the grace of God. For lack of effort. It produces some kind of bitter root. Of poison. Yeah. I don't know if you're reading your Bible. Some Bibles let you know. That when an Old Testament passage is being quoted. And the bitter root in poison. Is a quotation from the Old Testament. It's not talking about unforgiveness here. A lot of time we think of bitterness. As well someone people get bitter when they're not forgiving. That's not what this one is. A root is something hidden. That spreads unseen. And the writer of Hebrews is warning. That those who for lack of effort. Really miss the grace of God. They spread like a poisonous root. Doing damage all around them. And it describes it. In Deuteronomy chapter 29. I'll read it for you. You can turn if you want to. But I'm going to read it for you. Where this root of bitterness is. Here's where it starts. He was speaking to the children of Israel. This is in Deuteronomy chapter 29. I'm going to start with verse 16. For you know how we lived in the land of Egypt. How we came through the midst of the nations. Through which you have passed. And moreover you had seen their detestable things. And their idols of wood and stone and silver and gold. Which they had with them. And remember what the people were told to do. When they entered into the land. And they found these idolatrous practices. They were to completely obliterate them. Because they were detestable to the Lord. He was reminding them of that. For you know how we lived in the land of Egypt. And how you came through the midst of those nations. Through which you passed. And then he says. In verse 17. Moreover you have seen their detestable things. And their idols of wood and stone. Verse 18. Lest there be among you a man, a woman, a family, or a tribe. Whose heart turns away today from Yahweh our God. To go and serve the gods of those nations. Okay. A man or a woman. That means. If I were to apply the same thing to you. I should be concerned here. That there's not a single person here. Not a man. Not a woman. Not a family. Not even a tribe. Not a clique that kind of hangs out together. Not anybody in our midst. Whose heart really turns away. From the living God. To serve other gods. Lest there be among you a root. Of bitterness. Spreading poison. That's what. That's what. That's what a root of bitterness is spreading poison is. It's a person. In the midst of God's people. Whose heart. Turns away. From serving the Lord. But here's your attitude. And when it will be. When this person hears the words of this curse. That he will bless himself. In his heart. Saying. I am safe. To do all these detestable things. You think you're safe. You think you're safe to commit sexual immorality. You think you're safe to commit adultery. You think you're safe to commit fornication. You think you're safe to watch pornography. You think you're safe to run at the mouth. To watch what you want. Do what you do. You're going to bless yourself in your heart. Because after all you have just enough grace. To get you to heaven. You want that attitude. Is a root. It produces bitter poison in the people of God. And here's. Yahweh through Moses goes on to say. This person blesses himself in his heart. Saying. I have peace. Though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart. And then it says. Yahweh will not be willing. To forgive him. But rather the anger of the Lord. Will burn against him. And he will bring. Every curse written in the book upon him. Why? Because that person. Whose heart turns away from serving the Lord. Who's claiming that he's safe. Because he has just enough grace. To get his get out of hell free card. That person. Is causing. Many people. To stumble. And that person. Even if they've been influenced by the false teachers. Who are changing the grace of God. Into self-indulgence. That person. Is going to experience. What God has decided to condemn. Long ago. And that's turning. His goodness. Into our own. Selfish. Self. Benefit. The reason. God. Sent. His son. Was to be a blessing to the world. Did God need us? Let me ask you. Did God need us? He's perfect. He's got angels already to serve him. He created the universe. He doesn't need us. Why would he do what he did? He did it. To be. A blessing. The reason he sent his son. And if you don't get that. The reason. We receive his grace. Is so that we. Can be. Gracious. To others. That's why. And I encourage you. Not to miss. Not to miss. For lack of effort. That that's the genuine reason. For grace. And let me give you this promise. And I'll end. Today's message. With this promise. Jesus said this. Whoever tries. To save his life. Will what? Lose it. What does he mean? Trying to save your life. Well your life means. It's all about. You. You get to do. What you want to do. You get to watch. What you want to watch. You get to go. Where you want to go. You get to. You get to be. What you want to be. And if. That's the way. You take the grace of God. You're just going to lose it. You're going to find out. That that is the way. Satan. Has deceived. The world. But he said. Whoever. Loses. His. Life. For. My. Sake. Shall find it. Wow. And I can tell you this. I may be busy. And I may be constantly on the. On the go. And I may show. I may show up at the house. Worn out. But I will put. My own measure of joy. Against any one of yours. Any day. All right. You play your games. Go ahead. Do your thing. Spend your time. The way you want. I have never. Found. A sweeter. Than pouring it out. Brothers. Never. Give. And it shall be. Given to you. I just. This is. The reason. Grace is. This is the grace of God. And you know. What the grace of God. The true grace of God. Is. You know. Paul. Had to explain it. Knowing. Already. Back then. Men slipped in. And no one even. Detected it. They changed. The grace of God. Into self-indulgence. Paul. Had to specify. What the true. Grace of God. Is. Remember. You can find it. In Titus. Chapter 2. Verse 11. For the grace of God. That brings salvation. Has appeared. Under all men. And what is. The grace of God. That appears. Under salvation. Do. It trains. Us. What is. The grace of God. Train us. To do. To deny. Ungodliness. And worldly lust. And to live. Soberly. Righteously. And godly. In this present age. The word. For training. There. Pidewo. The same word. Used in Hebrews. Chapter 12. My brothers. Do not. Grow weary. When God. Trains you. There is. Translated. Discipline. All of us. Have had. Well. It's so hard. To say that. Back then. You know. The writer said. All of us. Have had. Earthly fathers. I'm sorry. I. Some of you. I know. Didn't have. Earthly fathers. Yes. You never knew. Your father. But. Those of us. Who had. A father. to be empty. Because you know what? God is going to give it again. Yes. I want the person to be blessed. I'm not trying to get you to give so we can have money as a church. Don't turn that message into this. I am saying that unless you live to be a blessing to others, you're going to miss out on God blessing you. That's all I'm saying. At your work, in your home, in your marriage, with your neighbors, as parents, in everything. You can escape this self-indulgent snare of the world. And you can encounter this entirely new way of life called the grace of God. And I want to be full of grace. So I found myself, you know, it says this is what the scriptures say. When I read this and the Apostle Paul saying this, I go to the Father and I say, Lord, for your own namesake, let me be a living confirmation that this is true. That you are able to make all of your grace abound to me. Not that I just have enough. That I have more than enough. More than enough. In every situation, every time. That's a challenge. You know what that makes me dependent upon? That makes me dependent upon my Father being with me every single moment of the day. That's, isn't that Christianity? That's not, I'm not, I know heaven's not my question. I just want to, I want to be fruitful. This is my Father's will that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. And that's my desire for us. I would like us to be this place where great grace is upon us. Wouldn't that be awesome? People walk in the door and they just say, these people are great. They are so kind. They are so faithful. They're so good. They're so generous. That was a blessing to be there. That's what I want here. That's what I want here. That's what I want every one of us to do. Okay. That's my desire. All right. Thank you for praying with me, for being with me. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/x92UlGjp3T8.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/alan-martin/great-grace/ ========================================================================