But not for me" - Accepting God's Grace

1. “… But not for me” How we miss out on grace Week 2 40 Days of Grace Mike TaylorForest Community ChurchSunday 23 September 2018

2. Reminder: what is grace? The goodness of God.

3. George and Ira Gershwin

4. God’s grace is for everyone … … So why do we find it hard to accept?

5. God’s grace is for everyone … • … So why do we find it hard to accept?Four reasons: • “I’m basically a good person.”

6. God’s grace is for everyone … • … So why do we find it hard to accept?Four reasons: • “I’m basically a good person.” • “I'm too bad to deserve grace.”

7. God’s grace is for everyone … • … So why do we find it hard to accept?Four reasons: • “I’m basically a good person.” • “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” • “I'm too good to need grace.”

8. God’s grace is for everyone … • … So why do we find it hard to accept?Four reasons: • “I’m basically a good person.” • “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” • “I'm too good to need grace.” • “I'm a special case: invisible.”

9. “I’m basically a good person”

10. “I’m basically a good person” Many non-Christians can't see a problem: why do they need grace?

11. “I’m basically a good person” Many non-Christians can't see a problem: why do they need grace? Two reasons. First: do you honestly live up even to your own standards of what you would like to be?

12. “I’m basically a good person” Many non-Christians can't see a problem: why do they need grace? Two reasons. First: do you honestly live up even to your own standards of what you would like to be? Second: God is good. He wants to give you so much more than just forgiveness.

13. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.”

14. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

15. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

16. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, “At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant’.”

18. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.”

19. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” But his father said to the servants, “Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening.

20. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.” So the party began. — Luke 15:11-24.

21. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” What about us?

22. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.”

23. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.”

24. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.”

25. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” You may think “I’m not worthy to receive grace!”

26. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” You may think “I’m not worthy to receive grace!” Of course you're not!What’s that got to do with anything?

27. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.” You may think “I’m not worthy to receive grace!” Of course you're not!What’s that got to do with anything? If you had to be worthy to receive it,it wouldn’t be grace.

28. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.”

29. “I'm too bad to deserve grace.”

31. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Hebrews 11:4-32. Begins with Abel and Enoch,who both seem to have been good.

32. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Hebrews 11:4-32. Ends with Samuel, who certainly was: “Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.”

33. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Hebrews 11:4-32. Ends with Samuel, who certainly was: “Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.” “No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.” — 1 Samuel 12:3-5.

34. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Noah: drunkard

35. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Noah: drunkard Abraham: passed his wife off as his sister — twice

36. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Noah: drunkard Abraham: passed his wife off as his sister — twice Isaac: favouritism towards one son (Esau) over another (Jacob)

37. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Noah: drunkard Abraham: passed his wife off as his sister — twice Isaac: favouritism towards one son (Esau) over another (Jacob) Jacob: serial deceiver

38. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Noah: drunkard Abraham: passed his wife off as his sister — twice Isaac: favouritism towards one son (Esau) over another (Jacob) Jacob: serial deceiver Sarah: laughed in disbelief that she would have a child

39. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Noah: drunkard Abraham: passed his wife off as his sister — twice Isaac: favouritism towards one son (Esau) over another (Jacob) Jacob: serial deceiver Sarah: laughed in disbelief that she would have a child Joseph: extorted the people of an entire nation

40. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Noah: drunkard Abraham: passed his wife off as his sister — twice Isaac: favouritism towards one son (Esau) over another (Jacob) Jacob: serial deceiver Sarah: laughed in disbelief that she would have a child Joseph: extorted the people of an entire nation Moses: murderer

41. Consider the “heroes of the faith” “The people of Israel”: did everything wrong

42. Consider the “heroes of the faith” “The people of Israel”: did everything wrong Rahab: prostitute

43. Consider the “heroes of the faith” “The people of Israel”: did everything wrong Rahab: prostitute Gideon: set up an idol

44. Consider the “heroes of the faith” “The people of Israel”: did everything wrong Rahab: prostitute Gideon: set up an idol Barak: coward (wouldn't fight unless Deborah went with him)

45. Consider the “heroes of the faith” “The people of Israel”: did everything wrong Rahab: prostitute Gideon: set up an idol Barak: coward (wouldn't fight unless Deborah went with him) Samson: forever being seduced by Philistine women

46. Consider the “heroes of the faith” “The people of Israel”: did everything wrong Rahab: prostitute Gideon: set up an idol Barak: coward (wouldn't fight unless Deborah went with him) Samson: forever being seduced by Philistine women Jephthah: killed his own daughter

47. Consider the “heroes of the faith” “The people of Israel”: did everything wrong Rahab: prostitute Gideon: set up an idol Barak: coward (wouldn't fight unless Deborah went with him) Samson: forever being seduced by Philistine women Jephthah: killed his own daughter David: adulterer and murderer

48. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Seventeen people or groups are listed.

49. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Seventeen people or groups are listed. Only three of them did not do something terrible.

50. Consider the “heroes of the faith” Seventeen people or groups are listed. Only three of them did not do something terrible. (And remember John Newton.)