GOD IS: MERCY AND GRACE

GOD IS … MERCY AND GRACE
EPHESIANS 2:1-10

TENSION: MERCY AND GRACE MAKE AN ASSUMPTION … THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED MERCY AND GRACE!

THE SINFULNESS OF SIN, VS.1-4
   MAN MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IS OF GREAT VALUE,

   SOMETHING WENT HORRIBLY WRONG, “AND YOU WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS …”

      REBELLION - “TRESPASSES”
      MISSING THE MARK – “SINS”

THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF MERCY, VS.4
“THE MERCY OF GOD IS AN INFINITE ENERGY OF GOD WITHIN HIS DEVINE NATURE, WHICH POSITIONS GOD TO BE ACTIVELY COMPASSIONATE.”
AW TOZER

   JUDGEMENT IS GOD’S JUSTICE CONFRONTING MORAL INJUSTICE.

   MERCY IS THE GOODNESS OF GOD CONFRONTING HUMAN MISERY AND GUILT.

THE SCANDAL OF GRACE, VS.5-8
“IN GOD, MERCY AND GRACE ARE ONE, BUT AS THEY REACH US THEY ARE SEEN AS TWO, RELATED BUT NOT IDENTICAL.”
AW TOZER

   GRACE IS GOD’S GOODNESS DIRECTED TOWARD HUMAN DEBT AND FAILURE.
   MERCY IS YOU AND I, NOT GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE.
   GRACE IS YOU AND I, GETTING WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE.

“THE DRAMATIC TRANSITION FROM THE STATUS OF A CRIMINAL AWAITING A TERRIBLE SENTENCE TO THAT OF AN HEIR AWAITING A FABULOUS INHERITANCE.”
J.I. PAKER,

“ONE DAY I WAS PASSING INTO THE FIELD … THIS SENTENCE FELL UPON MY SOUL: ‘THY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IN HEAVEN.”
AND ME THOUGHT, WITHAL, I SAW WITH THE EYES OF MY SOUL JESUS CHRIST AT GOD’S RIGHT HAND; THERE, I SAY, WAS MY RIGHTEOUSNESS; SO THAT WHEREVER I WAS, OR WHATEVER I WAS DOING, GOD COULD NOT SAY OF ME, HE WANTS (LACKS) MY RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THAT WAS JUST BEFORE (IN FRONT OF) HIM. I ALSO SAW, MOREOVER, THAT IT WAS NOT MY GOOD FAME OF HEART THAT MADE MY RIGHTEOUSNESS BETTER, NOR YET MY BAD FRAME THAT MADE MY RIGHTEOUSNESS WORSE, FOR MY RIGHTEOUSNESS WAS JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF, “THE SAME YESTERDAY, AND TODAY, AND FOREVER.” NOW DID MY CHAIN FALL OF MY LEG INDEED, I WAS LOOSED FROM MY AFFLICTIONS AND IRONS; TEMPTATIONS ALSO FLED AWAY; SO THAT FROM THAT TIME THOSE DREADFUL SCRIPTURES OF GOD LEFT OFF TO TROUBLE ME; NOW WENT I ALSO HOME REJOICING FROM THE GRACE AND LOVE OF GOD.”
JOHN BUNYAN, GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS

THE REALITY OF GRACE, VS.1O
    “WORKMANSHIP”
      POEM – WORK OF ART – MASTERPIECE

“BUT THERE’S A VOICE OF PRINCELY GRACE
SOUNDS FROM GOD’S HOLY WORD;
HO! YE POOR CAPTIVE SINNERS, COME,
AND TRUST UPON THE LORD.
MY SOUL OBEYS THE SOVEREIGN CALL,
AND RUNS TO HIS RELIEF;
I WOULD BELIEVE THY PROMISE, LORD
OH, HELP MY UNBELIEF.
TO THE BLEST FOUNTAIN OF THY BLOOD
INCARNATE GOD, I FLY
TO WASH MY SOUL FROM SCARLET STAINS, AND SINS OF DEEPEST DYE.”
ISSAC WATTS