Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn. 00:00:01.40\00:00:03.13 How are we born again as children of God? 00:00:03.16\00:00:06.70 What was the cost of grace? 00:00:06.73\00:00:09.28 Please join us today as we see what the Bible 00:00:09.31\00:00:13.11 has to say in answer to these questions. 00:00:13.14\00:00:15.48 Hello. Welcome to "The Grace pipeline." 00:00:36.51\00:00:39.53 This is a series that follows a Bible study 00:00:39.56\00:00:42.42 that I was privileged to share 00:00:42.45\00:00:44.13 by writing a book also titled "The Grace pipeline." 00:00:44.16\00:00:47.89 Today we will look at what the Bible says 00:00:47.92\00:00:50.94 is the process of being born again as a child of God 00:00:50.97\00:00:55.13 and we'll also consider the extreme cost of grace. 00:00:55.16\00:00:59.88 If you were following in the series companion book 00:00:59.91\00:01:02.79 we are beginning on page 26 of chapter 2. 00:01:02.82\00:01:06.45 Now during our last program 00:01:06.48\00:01:08.66 we defined grace as the unearned, 00:01:08.69\00:01:12.11 undeserved gifts bestowed by a God of infinite love 00:01:12.14\00:01:16.88 which provide his divine assistance 00:01:16.91\00:01:19.59 and supernatural power unto salvation. 00:01:19.62\00:01:22.73 And do you remember 00:01:22.76\00:01:24.13 what we identified or who we identified 00:01:24.16\00:01:26.09 as the three most important gifts? 00:01:26.12\00:01:28.51 Jesus Christ is God's greatest gift of grace 00:01:28.54\00:01:32.77 and we considered also the Bible 00:01:32.80\00:01:35.16 and the Holy Spirit as gifts of grace. 00:01:35.19\00:01:38.22 We also talked about Paul and Silas as they ministered 00:01:38.25\00:01:40.92 to the Philippine jailers household, 00:01:40.95\00:01:43.02 and Peter to the household of Cornelius telling them 00:01:43.05\00:01:46.43 to believe in Christ and they would be saved. 00:01:46.46\00:01:50.10 How does believing bring salvation? 00:01:50.13\00:01:54.22 Christ said he came to earth to seek and to save the lost. 00:01:54.25\00:01:58.99 And according to 1 John 3:8, 00:01:59.02\00:02:01.50 His mission was to destroy the works of the Devil 00:02:01.53\00:02:05.54 by redeeming mankind and giving us 00:02:05.57\00:02:08.79 victory over Satan's influence. 00:02:08.82\00:02:11.51 He accomplishes this through His grace 00:02:11.54\00:02:14.74 which He tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, 00:02:14.77\00:02:17.81 He says, "My grace is sufficient for you," 00:02:17.84\00:02:21.12 sufficient for the task of transforming the human heart. 00:02:21.15\00:02:24.73 And in fact, Christ promises 00:02:24.76\00:02:27.35 to perfect His power in our weakness. 00:02:27.38\00:02:30.92 When Paul and Silas and Peter ministered 00:02:30.95\00:02:34.98 the message to believe they were essentially saying, 00:02:35.01\00:02:38.46 "Have faith and place your confidence 00:02:38.49\00:02:40.87 in Christ and His ability. 00:02:40.90\00:02:43.14 Commit your life to Him, trusting Him and relying on Him 00:02:43.17\00:02:47.47 for salvation and deliverance from sin." 00:02:47.50\00:02:51.56 Here is what Jesus said in John 5:24. 00:02:51.59\00:02:55.89 "Most assuredly, I say to you, 00:02:55.92\00:02:58.82 he who hears My word and believes in Him 00:02:58.85\00:03:02.43 who has sent Me has everlasting life, 00:03:02.46\00:03:05.58 and shall not come into judgment, 00:03:05.61\00:03:08.65 but has passed from death into life." 00:03:08.68\00:03:14.29 There you have it, on the authority 00:03:14.32\00:03:16.04 of the word of Christ Himself. 00:03:16.07\00:03:18.25 Believing brings salvation. 00:03:18.28\00:03:21.54 But believing in Jesus as Savior is to be living in Jesus 00:03:21.57\00:03:28.64 and the power of His grace. 00:03:28.67\00:03:30.91 The heavenly promise is that His presence in your life 00:03:30.94\00:03:35.11 will mold your character into conformity of His likeness. 00:03:35.14\00:03:40.16 But it takes faith and confidence 00:03:40.19\00:03:43.15 that God is willing and able to perform this work in you. 00:03:43.18\00:03:47.41 Jesus asks a question 00:03:47.44\00:03:49.21 and made an incredible response in Mathew 9:28 and 29. 00:03:49.24\00:03:55.70 He said, "Do you believe that I am able to do this? 00:03:55.73\00:03:59.91 According to your faith let it be to you." 00:03:59.94\00:04:05.16 This was in response to the cries 00:04:05.19\00:04:07.65 of two believing blind men. 00:04:07.68\00:04:10.26 And these words spoken by Jesus restored their sight 00:04:10.29\00:04:13.96 by grace through the power of faith. 00:04:13.99\00:04:16.57 The Bible accounts that we previously reviewed 00:04:16.60\00:04:19.80 of the woman at the well and her fellow citizens, 00:04:19.83\00:04:22.85 the jailor and his family, and Cornelius household 00:04:22.88\00:04:26.84 proved the same faith principle applies to Spiritual blindness. 00:04:26.87\00:04:32.18 So how did all of those people 00:04:32.21\00:04:35.15 obtain faith to overcome Spiritual blindness? 00:04:35.18\00:04:38.89 Paul tells us in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing 00:04:38.92\00:04:43.82 and hearing by the word of God. 00:04:43.85\00:04:46.46 As the gift of his word was implanted in their hearts 00:04:46.49\00:04:51.01 it brought faith and power 00:04:51.04\00:04:53.10 which was able to save their souls. 00:04:53.13\00:04:55.66 The moment their conversion came 00:04:55.69\00:04:57.88 when they believed in and received Jesus as savior. 00:04:57.91\00:05:02.56 Through faith their hearts were changed and converted, 00:05:02.59\00:05:07.07 turned away from the power of sin to the power of God. 00:05:07.10\00:05:11.81 Listen to Christ's commission to Paul, 00:05:11.84\00:05:14.57 his messenger of grace, whom he sent out to lost 00:05:14.60\00:05:17.80 and suffering souls so that they might be converted. 00:05:17.83\00:05:20.98 This is one of my favorite scriptures 00:05:21.01\00:05:23.06 found in Acts 26:17 and 18. 00:05:23.09\00:05:26.86 And he says to Paul, "I now send you to open their eyes, 00:05:26.89\00:05:31.66 in order to turn them from darkness to light, 00:05:31.69\00:05:34.91 and from the power of Satan to God, 00:05:34.94\00:05:37.32 that they may receive forgiveness of sins 00:05:37.35\00:05:40.53 and an inheritance among those 00:05:40.56\00:05:43.94 who are sanctified by faith in Me." 00:05:43.97\00:05:50.16 The word "converted" triggers memories of the two weeks 00:05:50.19\00:05:54.30 my precious mother spent in the intensive care unit. 00:05:54.33\00:05:57.51 It was as the result of a complete cardiac 00:05:57.54\00:06:00.63 and respiratory arrest from which she was revived. 00:06:00.66\00:06:03.68 And the hospital staff allowed me to stay with her 00:06:03.71\00:06:06.49 around the clock except for the occasions 00:06:06.52\00:06:09.28 that her heart went dangerously out of rhythm. 00:06:09.31\00:06:12.40 And the code blue team would send me scurrying from her room. 00:06:12.43\00:06:17.07 After applying the cardiac paddles 00:06:17.10\00:06:19.55 in to deliver an electric shock to her heart, 00:06:19.58\00:06:22.51 the doctor would come to the waiting area and tell me, 00:06:22.54\00:06:25.71 "Well, we've successfully converted her." 00:06:25.74\00:06:28.58 In other words, they had restored 00:06:28.61\00:06:30.90 a normal heart rhythm and she should live. 00:06:30.93\00:06:34.38 With the entrance of sin in the Garden of Eden, 00:06:34.41\00:06:38.37 the heart of humanity got out of rhythm. 00:06:38.40\00:06:41.38 We were out of rhythm with heaven 00:06:41.41\00:06:43.28 and sin severed mans spiritual life from God 00:06:43.31\00:06:47.13 resulting in spiritual death. 00:06:47.16\00:06:50.50 The great physician of love 00:06:50.53\00:06:52.59 reaches down from heaven to restore life to us. 00:06:52.62\00:06:56.02 He places His loving hands, like spiritual cardiac paddles, 00:06:56.05\00:07:01.16 on our heart and delivers the power stream 00:07:01.19\00:07:04.26 that causes it to beat 00:07:04.29\00:07:06.36 in a recreated rhythm as one with His. 00:07:06.39\00:07:10.70 of the Old Testament, 00:07:10.73\00:07:15.88 pictures this more like a heart transplant. 00:07:15.91\00:07:19.31 God promise us to put a new heart 00:07:19.34\00:07:21.65 and a new spirit within His people 00:07:21.68\00:07:23.91 and 'cause His people to be what he calls them to be. 00:07:23.94\00:07:28.79 Now in the New Testament in Hebrews 8:8-13. 00:07:28.82\00:07:32.72 He proclaims the new covenant, 00:07:32.75\00:07:35.12 heart conversion process, happens as a result of Him 00:07:35.15\00:07:39.76 putting His laws in our minds and writing them on our hearts. 00:07:39.79\00:07:44.35 We must be regenerated, reborn spiritually 00:07:44.38\00:07:48.86 to restore our relationship with God as our father. 00:07:48.89\00:07:52.43 And the good news is this happens 00:07:52.46\00:07:55.36 as a function of His grace. 00:07:55.39\00:07:58.15 Now in the natural realm, let me ask, 00:07:58.18\00:08:01.03 what role does any child perform in his conception? None. 00:08:01.06\00:08:05.99 The donor, seed or sperm brings life 00:08:06.02\00:08:09.10 and the child is conceived receiving the gift of life. 00:08:09.13\00:08:13.62 The same principle applies in the spiritual realm. 00:08:13.65\00:08:16.96 Luke 8:11, portrays the written word 00:08:16.99\00:08:21.08 as the seed of God with a small lowercase 's'. 00:08:21.11\00:08:26.14 And in Galatians 3:16, Paul identifies Christ 00:08:26.17\00:08:30.14 as the living word of God, as the covenant seed of Abraham 00:08:30.17\00:08:34.50 and he uses an uppercase 'S' for seed. 00:08:34.53\00:08:38.32 You see, we are born again spiritually 00:08:38.35\00:08:41.15 as we receive the seed of His written word. 00:08:41.18\00:08:45.41 And Jesus, the covenant seed, 00:08:45.44\00:08:47.76 enters our hearts through faith 00:08:47.79\00:08:49.83 to infuse us with new spiritual DNA. 00:08:49.86\00:08:54.50 Now I use that as an acronym for Divine Nature Acquired. 00:08:54.53\00:08:59.82 And what happens is working in concert 00:08:59.85\00:09:03.51 the Holy Spirit indwells us 00:09:03.54\00:09:05.87 and we are born of the spirit and of God. 00:09:05.90\00:09:09.51 Like a child of natural birth our only part 00:09:09.54\00:09:12.97 in the spiritual birth is to receive the gift of life. 00:09:13.00\00:09:17.25 God communicates new life to us 00:09:17.28\00:09:20.48 through the agencies of His grace through His son, 00:09:20.51\00:09:24.56 the Holy Spirit, and the word 00:09:24.59\00:09:26.05 and we are born from above and given a new beginning. 00:09:26.08\00:09:30.25 You know, God believes and gives all who believe in Christ 00:09:30.28\00:09:34.52 and receive Him as Savior the right to become His children 00:09:34.55\00:09:39.24 and share communion with Him. 00:09:39.27\00:09:42.99 This rebirth or regeneration 00:09:43.02\00:09:45.66 causes us to have a family resemblance 00:09:45.69\00:09:48.74 to the father of our spirits, our father of grace. 00:09:48.77\00:09:52.57 Let's review the scriptural evidence 00:09:52.60\00:09:55.22 of our new birth process. 00:09:55.25\00:09:57.51 And we are going to began with James 1:18. 00:09:57.54\00:10:03.12 Let me find that right here. 00:10:03.15\00:10:04.98 And in James 1:18, the Bible says 00:10:05.01\00:10:07.10 we were born again by God's will and His word. 00:10:07.13\00:10:09.72 Listen, "And it was of His own free will 00:10:09.75\00:10:13.45 that He gave us birth as sons by His word of Truth." 00:10:13.48\00:10:18.19 And 1 Peter 1:23 says we were born at the word. 00:10:18.22\00:10:22.01 "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed 00:10:22.04\00:10:25.99 but incorruptible, through the word of God." 00:10:26.02\00:10:29.63 Ephesians 2:4-5 says, "God, who is rich in mercy, 00:10:29.66\00:10:35.03 because of His great love with which He loved us, 00:10:35.06\00:10:38.17 even when we were dead in trespasses, 00:10:38.20\00:10:40.57 made us alive together with Christ 00:10:40.60\00:10:43.67 by grace you have been saved. 00:10:43.70\00:10:46.90 Ephesians 2:10 says, we are recreated in Christ. 00:10:46.93\00:10:50.73 I am reading this from the amplified and it says, 00:10:50.76\00:10:53.06 "For we are God's (own) handiwork (His workmanship), 00:10:53.09\00:10:57.60 recreated in Christ Jesus, (born anew) 00:10:57.63\00:11:01.94 that we may do those good works 00:11:01.97\00:11:03.84 which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us." 00:11:03.87\00:11:08.08 And then we must consider John 3:6, 00:11:08.11\00:11:11.22 where Jesus says we were born of the Spirit. 00:11:11.25\00:11:13.73 He says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, 00:11:13.76\00:11:17.03 and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." 00:11:17.06\00:11:20.54 And finally Titus 3:4-6 says we were regenerated 00:11:20.57\00:11:25.05 and renewed by the Holy Spirit. 00:11:25.08\00:11:27.72 And he writes, "When the kindness 00:11:27.75\00:11:30.43 and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 00:11:30.46\00:11:33.80 not by works of righteousness which we have done, 00:11:33.83\00:11:37.07 but according to His mercy He saved us, 00:11:37.10\00:11:40.74 through the washing of regeneration 00:11:40.77\00:11:43.43 and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 00:11:43.46\00:11:46.32 whom He poured out on us abundantly 00:11:46.35\00:11:49.26 through Jesus Christ our Savior." 00:11:49.29\00:11:52.95 What great promises. 00:11:52.98\00:11:54.80 That's why Paul could say in 2 Corinthians 5:17, 00:11:54.83\00:11:57.92 "Therefore if any one is in Christ, 00:11:57.95\00:12:00.75 he is a new creation. 00:12:00.78\00:12:02.36 Old things have passed away 00:12:02.39\00:12:04.07 and behold all things have become new." 00:12:04.10\00:12:07.95 Through the gift of Christ's overflowing life 00:12:07.98\00:12:11.61 and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and the word, 00:12:11.64\00:12:15.46 God recreates us in His image. 00:12:15.49\00:12:19.44 And now we have the hope 00:12:19.47\00:12:21.68 of attaining the character of Christ 00:12:21.71\00:12:24.42 as we grow in grace and mature in our Christian experience. 00:12:24.45\00:12:29.80 Paul pointed out in Colossians 1:27, 00:12:29.83\00:12:33.50 he said that it is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 00:12:33.53\00:12:38.64 Our personal experience of allowing Christ to dwell 00:12:38.67\00:12:42.12 within our hearts by faith is our only hope of salvation. 00:12:42.15\00:12:45.95 And as born again children of God, 00:12:45.98\00:12:48.20 we have a vital spiritual connection with our Lord. 00:12:48.23\00:12:51.92 Through faith we abide in Him 00:12:51.95\00:12:54.91 and He abides or continually dwells in us. 00:12:54.94\00:12:58.94 The promise to all who will believe in Him 00:12:58.97\00:13:01.95 is that the power of His Holy Spirit 00:13:01.98\00:13:03.72 will be poured out from on high. 00:13:03.75\00:13:06.04 And our frail human understanding 00:13:06.07\00:13:08.40 will be strengthened to know the love of God 00:13:08.43\00:13:12.01 that we may be filled with all of His fullness. 00:13:12.04\00:13:16.00 Let me read to you from Ephesians 3:14-19. 00:13:16.03\00:13:21.70 Paul writes to the Ephesians and he says, 00:13:21.73\00:13:24.40 "For this reason I bow my knees 00:13:24.43\00:13:27.11 to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." 00:13:27.14\00:13:30.12 Why? "That He would grant you, 00:13:30.15\00:13:32.23 according to the riches of His glory, 00:13:32.26\00:13:34.78 to be strengthened with might 00:13:34.81\00:13:37.58 through His Spirit in the inner man, 00:13:37.61\00:13:40.70 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" 00:13:40.73\00:13:43.98 So we see there, 00:13:44.01\00:13:45.38 it's through the Holy Spirit living in us 00:13:45.41\00:13:47.49 that Christ dwells in us by faith. 00:13:47.52\00:13:50.23 "That you, being rooted and grounded in love, 00:13:50.26\00:13:52.93 may be able to comprehend with all the saints 00:13:52.96\00:13:56.18 what is the width and length and depth and height, 00:13:56.21\00:13:59.56 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, 00:13:59.59\00:14:02.63 that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 00:14:02.66\00:14:07.46 You know, Paul exclaimed, it's the grace of God 00:14:07.49\00:14:12.12 that brings salvation has appeared to all men 00:14:12.15\00:14:16.15 when Jesus came. 00:14:16.18\00:14:17.55 Hallelujah. 00:14:17.58\00:14:18.95 God's grace pipeline is provided for every man, 00:14:18.98\00:14:22.16 woman, and child on earth. 00:14:22.19\00:14:23.90 It encompasses the world in an embraces of his love. 00:14:23.93\00:14:28.20 tells us that God desires 00:14:28.23\00:14:32.00 that all would repent and none would perish. 00:14:32.03\00:14:35.39 His grace is for all. 00:14:35.42\00:14:37.53 Scripture is clear and confronting, 00:14:37.56\00:14:39.80 salvation belongs to God. 00:14:39.83\00:14:42.70 Both the Old and New Testaments 00:14:42.73\00:14:44.41 actually use that exact wording. 00:14:44.44\00:14:47.15 Don't believe for one minute that you are too bad 00:14:47.18\00:14:49.80 to qualify for God's saving grace, 00:14:49.83\00:14:52.00 denying His ability to save and exalting your opinion 00:14:52.03\00:14:56.09 above His recorded truth. 00:14:56.12\00:14:58.51 In a supreme display of His love 00:14:58.54\00:15:00.84 God sent His Son to die 00:15:00.87\00:15:02.98 for ungodly sinners like you and like me. 00:15:03.01\00:15:06.54 And don't suffer the prideful notion 00:15:06.57\00:15:08.52 that you can do anything to save yourselves 00:15:08.55\00:15:11.12 because then you would unwittingly 00:15:11.15\00:15:12.85 be setting yourself up as your own deity 00:15:12.88\00:15:15.13 and thereby practicing a form of idolatry. 00:15:15.16\00:15:18.61 Don't reject the idea either of your great need 00:15:18.64\00:15:23.00 for the Savior by considering yourself as inherently good. 00:15:23.03\00:15:27.13 For the Bible says that all have sinned 00:15:27.16\00:15:29.19 and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:15:29.22\00:15:31.51 We are all candidates for God's grace. 00:15:31.54\00:15:35.96 James tells us in 4:6 that God resists the proud, 00:15:35.99\00:15:41.80 but he gives grace to the humble. 00:15:41.83\00:15:44.16 To receive grace requires an act of humility 00:15:44.19\00:15:48.38 which explains the human tendency 00:15:48.41\00:15:51.08 of our hearts to reject it. 00:15:51.11\00:15:53.48 We must humbly accept but for the grace of God 00:15:53.51\00:15:57.80 we would be doomed to destruction. 00:15:57.83\00:16:00.50 Further we must believe that He loves the undeserving 00:16:00.53\00:16:05.24 and He is able to save us. 00:16:05.27\00:16:08.44 Romans 6:23 speaks to God's grace saying, 00:16:08.47\00:16:12.89 "For the wages of sin is death, 00:16:12.92\00:16:15.69 but the gift of God is eternal life 00:16:15.72\00:16:21.22 in Christ Jesus our Lord." 00:16:21.25\00:16:23.85 The Bible paints a portrait of an all loving, 00:16:23.88\00:16:27.56 all powerful, all Holy God. 00:16:27.59\00:16:30.72 And the perfect moral purity of God separates Him 00:16:30.75\00:16:35.27 from any possibility of wrong doing or injustice. 00:16:35.30\00:16:39.84 Now in striking contrast the Scripture portraits 00:16:39.87\00:16:43.27 the picture of fallen humanity as selfish, weak, 00:16:43.30\00:16:47.54 morally corrupt and hopelessly lost 00:16:47.57\00:16:50.76 unless we repent of our rebellion against God. 00:16:50.79\00:16:54.85 Man was created to be the image bearer of a Holy God. 00:16:54.88\00:16:58.94 And our creator set forth His righteous criteria, 00:16:58.97\00:17:02.27 His laws of love by which He would govern the world 00:17:02.30\00:17:06.31 to provide a protective barrier against sin. 00:17:06.34\00:17:09.98 But through an act of rebellion and opposition to God's plan, 00:17:10.01\00:17:13.96 Adam and Eve introduced 00:17:13.99\00:17:15.36 the consequences of sin into this world. 00:17:15.39\00:17:18.05 Sin ravaged the perfection of God's creation 00:17:18.08\00:17:21.45 and infected the entire human race 00:17:21.48\00:17:24.41 with through an inherited nature 00:17:24.44\00:17:26.95 that is inclined to surrender to sin's sway 00:17:26.98\00:17:31.42 rather than to the power of God. 00:17:31.45\00:17:33.71 Yeah, we are born with freewill, 00:17:33.74\00:17:35.68 the personal choice between right and wrong. 00:17:35.71\00:17:37.92 And scripture makes it very clear in Ezekiel 18:20. 00:17:37.95\00:17:44.41 It says we are individually responsible for own sins. 00:17:44.44\00:17:49.12 The sin experience of mankind is the disgrace of humanity. 00:17:49.15\00:17:54.15 That's what caused our decline 00:17:54.18\00:17:56.04 into a state of moral degradation 00:17:56.07\00:17:58.33 and separated us from our Holy God. 00:17:58.36\00:18:01.45 Suffering, torment, death 00:18:01.48\00:18:04.22 and these types of things are the toxic waste of sin. 00:18:04.25\00:18:08.86 As the consequence of His holiness 00:18:08.89\00:18:11.74 evil is an abomination to the Lord. 00:18:11.77\00:18:14.47 And His judgment is that those who practice sin deserve death. 00:18:14.50\00:18:19.61 The Bible describes- describes God's holy reaction 00:18:19.64\00:18:23.49 against the squalor of sin as His wrath. 00:18:23.52\00:18:27.32 Our God of love proclaims himself 00:18:27.35\00:18:30.51 to be merciful, gracious, slow to anger, 00:18:30.54\00:18:33.54 and abundant in loving kindness and truth. 00:18:33.57\00:18:36.30 Still we must understand that His love towards us 00:18:36.33\00:18:40.02 is not just a shower of sentimental feelings. 00:18:40.05\00:18:43.67 His love provides grace that is the offsetting power 00:18:43.70\00:18:47.87 to subdue the influence of the devil 00:18:47.90\00:18:50.81 and change our sin-sick state of mind. 00:18:50.84\00:18:55.33 Thank God for the assurance of Romans 5:20 which says, 00:18:55.36\00:19:01.58 "Where sin abounded grace abounded much more." 00:19:01.61\00:19:05.88 As we tap into God's grace pipeline by faith, 00:19:05.91\00:19:09.46 He will flood us with His grace 00:19:09.49\00:19:11.86 and wash away the Spiritual drought 00:19:11.89\00:19:14.43 that's caused by our sins. 00:19:14.46\00:19:16.54 His benevolent gifts are free to us, 00:19:16.57\00:19:19.01 but we must be careful not to propose 00:19:19.04\00:19:22.25 an idea of cheap grace 00:19:22.28\00:19:24.70 for the cost to God was incalculable. 00:19:24.73\00:19:28.44 If anyone appreciated the benefits of grace 00:19:28.47\00:19:30.85 it was the Apostle Paul, a Pharisee of Pharisees, 00:19:30.88\00:19:34.59 who at one time thought his pedigree 00:19:34.62\00:19:37.97 and his zealous religious practices 00:19:38.00\00:19:40.49 earned him favor with God. 00:19:40.52\00:19:42.51 But lacking the life and love of God within, 00:19:42.54\00:19:45.54 he failed to recognize that he was spiritually destitute 00:19:45.57\00:19:49.71 until the moment of his dramatic Damascus road conversion 00:19:49.74\00:19:54.24 when he encountered the master of grace. 00:19:54.27\00:19:58.21 Grace awakened in Paul, 00:19:58.24\00:20:00.70 an emotion that could not be expressed. 00:20:00.73\00:20:03.41 Nor could his gratitude for grace be suppressed. 00:20:03.44\00:20:07.53 He was writing a letter to the church at Corinth 00:20:07.56\00:20:10.15 offering instructions on sacrificial giving. 00:20:10.18\00:20:13.82 When suddenly in the midst 00:20:13.85\00:20:15.46 to providing the reasons for sacrificial giving 00:20:15.49\00:20:18.31 and the motives Paul's heart surged 00:20:18.34\00:20:21.30 with gratitude for God's grace. 00:20:21.33\00:20:23.53 And he penned the strong language 00:20:23.56\00:20:26.17 in Acts excuse me 2 Corinthians 9:15. 00:20:26.20\00:20:29.77 He said, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." 00:20:29.80\00:20:35.05 Paul knew the supreme demonstration 00:20:35.08\00:20:37.77 of God's saving love was the glorious gift 00:20:37.80\00:20:41.07 of His only begotten Son. 00:20:41.10\00:20:43.23 He could find no other words adequate to define such charity. 00:20:43.26\00:20:49.23 The 85 Psalm says that "Mercy and Truth have met together, 00:20:49.26\00:20:54.19 righteousness and peace have kissed." 00:20:54.22\00:20:57.10 When is this talking about? 00:20:57.13\00:20:59.12 The gateway to salvation is the crucifixion of Christ. 00:20:59.15\00:21:03.02 Sinful men deserve destruction. 00:21:03.05\00:21:05.68 But in spite of our hostility and rebellion 00:21:05.71\00:21:08.77 God paid the unspeakable price to redeem us. 00:21:08.80\00:21:12.96 His holiness demanded justice but His love demanded grace. 00:21:12.99\00:21:18.80 Justice and Grace collided at Calvary's cross 00:21:18.83\00:21:23.58 evidencing both the holiness and the love of God. 00:21:23.61\00:21:27.71 The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, 00:21:27.74\00:21:29.91 and being Himself God possessed the very nature of the Father. 00:21:29.94\00:21:34.45 He was worshiped and adored by heavenly beings 00:21:34.48\00:21:38.12 but yet He choose to humble Himself 00:21:38.15\00:21:40.69 and leave that glory and majesty in heaven 00:21:40.72\00:21:43.47 to come to earth and rescue His created beings. 00:21:43.50\00:21:47.35 He condescended to acquire the nature of man 00:21:47.38\00:21:51.01 through His incardination. 00:21:51.04\00:21:52.95 God's beloved became humanity's rejected. 00:21:52.98\00:21:56.89 The perfect sinless one became the willing sacrifice for sin 00:21:56.92\00:22:02.32 bearing the penalty of our sins. 00:22:02.35\00:22:04.90 Heaven's innocent became the condemned 00:22:04.93\00:22:08.75 and the author of life served as our substitute for death. 00:22:08.78\00:22:13.32 It is written in 1 Peter 1:18-19. 00:22:13.35\00:22:17.96 "You were not redeemed with corruptible things, 00:22:17.99\00:22:20.82 like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct 00:22:20.85\00:22:23.98 received by tradition from your fathers, 00:22:24.01\00:22:26.83 but with the precious blood of Jesus, 00:22:26.86\00:22:30.03 as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 00:22:30.06\00:22:35.59 Stand at the foot of Calvary's cruel cross 00:22:35.62\00:22:38.91 and you will begin to comprehend the cost of God's grace. 00:22:38.94\00:22:42.58 See His Son hanging naked, lacerated by the whip, 00:22:42.61\00:22:46.91 pierced by the rough iron nails through his hands and feet, 00:22:46.94\00:22:50.34 and bruised by the fist of his tormentors 00:22:50.37\00:22:53.79 with men's spittle dried to his wounded and blooded head 00:22:53.82\00:22:57.40 that was topped then with a crown of thrones. 00:22:57.43\00:23:00.78 If we see the suffocating savior gasping for air 00:23:00.81\00:23:05.39 and grimacing in pain and witness the inward grief 00:23:05.42\00:23:09.05 that engulfed Him as God made Him 00:23:09.08\00:23:11.82 who knew no sin to be sin for us, 00:23:11.85\00:23:15.02 that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 00:23:15.05\00:23:18.70 Now in contrast to the mocking crowd, 00:23:18.73\00:23:22.40 hear the heart of mercy of Jesus crying out, 00:23:22.43\00:23:26.32 "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." 00:23:26.35\00:23:30.46 To contemplate the scene of our Savior's death is to understand 00:23:30.49\00:23:34.97 why Paul did not propagate a cheap grace. 00:23:35.00\00:23:38.95 He describes it in Galatians 5:11 00:23:38.98\00:23:42.16 as the offence of the cross Jesus gave Himself willingly. 00:23:42.19\00:23:47.49 In Hebrews 12:2 says, 00:23:47.52\00:23:49.74 "For the joy that was set before Him, 00:23:49.77\00:23:52.51 He endured the cross despising the shame." 00:23:52.54\00:23:55.82 Let me ask, what was his joy? 00:23:55.85\00:23:58.22 He knew that through His death 00:23:58.25\00:24:00.45 God was reconciling the world to Himself 00:24:00.48\00:24:04.27 and not counting our sins against us. 00:24:04.30\00:24:07.56 Through Christ's sacrifice He would destroy 00:24:07.59\00:24:10.76 the power of the Devil and deliver us 00:24:10.79\00:24:13.78 from this present evil age according to God's perfect will. 00:24:13.81\00:24:20.88 Titus 2:14 tells us that it was God's joy to redeem us 00:24:20.91\00:24:27.60 from every lawless deed and purify for Himself 00:24:27.63\00:24:31.93 His own spiritual people, 00:24:31.96\00:24:33.87 people that were zealous for good works 00:24:33.90\00:24:37.23 because of the effects of grace 00:24:37.26\00:24:40.01 and because of this His glorious grace will strengthen us 00:24:40.04\00:24:44.95 with the power to conduct ourselves 00:24:44.98\00:24:47.46 in a manner worthy of the Lord's great hearted gift of love. 00:24:47.49\00:24:52.92 God's indescribable gift Jesus Christ, 00:24:52.95\00:24:56.60 was a demonstration of His perfect love towards sinners, 00:24:56.63\00:25:00.07 a love that would drive the fear of His wrath from our hearts. 00:25:00.10\00:25:04.98 A true understanding of God's grace conquers our fears 00:25:05.01\00:25:09.32 and it stirs a longing within us to walk in His path 00:25:09.35\00:25:15.00 and holds our hope for our future. 00:25:15.03\00:25:19.79 Only by grace can our fallen human nature be subdued 00:25:19.82\00:25:25.04 and the unholy heart of humanity be restored 00:25:25.07\00:25:28.56 to the image of our creator. 00:25:28.59\00:25:30.77 The fullness of grace stored in our Lord Jesus 00:25:30.80\00:25:35.64 streams down from Him into us providing the divine assistance 00:25:35.67\00:25:40.27 and the supernatural salvation 00:25:40.30\00:25:43.67 as we walk in daily fellowship with Him. 00:25:43.70\00:25:47.24 It is written in 1 John 5:11-13, 00:25:47.27\00:25:53.82 "This is the testimony. 00:25:53.85\00:25:56.01 God given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 00:25:56.04\00:26:01.63 He who has the Son has life, 00:26:01.66\00:26:05.37 he who does not have the Son of God 00:26:05.40\00:26:10.56 does not have life. 00:26:10.59\00:26:12.30 These things I have written to you 00:26:12.33\00:26:13.93 who believe in the name of the Son of God, 00:26:13.96\00:26:16.67 that you may know that you have eternal life, 00:26:16.70\00:26:21.25 and that you may continue to believe 00:26:21.28\00:26:24.40 in the name of the Son of God." 00:26:24.43\00:26:27.65 Give thanks to God for His indescribable gift Jesus Christ, 00:26:27.68\00:26:32.77 the revelation of His great love for you. 00:26:32.80\00:26:35.94 Rejoice, you were worth nothing less than the price 00:26:35.97\00:26:39.96 He paid to redeem you with His own precious blood. 00:26:39.99\00:26:44.12 Christ paid ransom for your release from sins bondage 00:26:44.15\00:26:49.13 to set you free from its horrors. 00:26:49.16\00:26:52.66 My advice is- for you, for me 00:26:52.69\00:26:55.91 that we need to rivet our eyes on our redeemer 00:26:55.94\00:27:00.18 and if we are in Christ we can rest 00:27:00.21\00:27:03.53 in the assurance of salvation by grace. 00:27:03.56\00:27:06.44 That's what we just read in 1 John 5:11-13. 00:27:06.47\00:27:10.39 And I just want to read it one more time. 00:27:10.42\00:27:12.95 "This is the testimony. 00:27:12.98\00:27:14.56 That God given us eternal life and the life is in His Son. 00:27:14.59\00:27:19.31 He who has the Son-" Do you have the Son of God? 00:27:19.34\00:27:24.04 If you've accepted Christ as your Savior 00:27:24.07\00:27:27.20 and you are living in Him then it says, 00:27:27.23\00:27:31.55 that He has written these things 00:27:31.58\00:27:34.10 that you may know that you have eternal life. 00:27:34.13\00:27:39.04 I don't know what your circumstances are? 00:27:39.07\00:27:42.10 But there is someone in heaven who does. 00:27:42.13\00:27:44.64 And I know He loves you. 00:27:44.67\00:27:46.26 And if you will cry out to him He is eager 00:27:46.29\00:27:49.78 and ready to come to your rescue. 00:27:49.81\00:27:54.13 God loves you and He wants you 00:27:54.16\00:27:57.05 to be born again and saved by grace. 00:27:57.08\00:28:00.58