Author: Paul Nordman

Categories
Uncategorized

The Door to Grace

It was his turning point. Presented with the gospel one day, Ray responded to his friend that he had led a good life and that was good enough. So, when his friend dared him to go one day without sinning, Ray eagerly accepted the challenge. “I didn’t even last one hour,” he recalled years later, “That’s when I realized I needed a savior.” It is the most blessed grace to come to the empty end of ourselves and to entrust our all to the atoning work of Christ on the cross. For as Paul wrote, it is through our Lord Jesus Christ that “we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”1 Such comfort! We need grace! But what is it about faith that God establishes it as sole access into His grace?

Coming to faith in Christ Jesus aligns us with two eternal and inescapable truths: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”2 Further, our humble submission to Jesus trumpets to all creation—seen and unseen—just who He is: “The Son is the image of the invisible God . . . All things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”3 Life itself is found in Him. And perhaps above all is this: “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.”4 We have nothing to add, no compensation to offer Him, just ourselves in need of grace.

Then grace is not a matter of our goodness, but Christ’s fullness, for “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”5 For “righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”6 And “through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”7 By grace we have been saved through faith”8 (and faith itself a gift from God). “Through faith in [Christ] we may approach God with freedom and confidence.9 “By faith we . . . receive the promise of the Spirit. 10 And having “gained access by faith into this grace . . . we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”11 This is grace upon grace—grace in its various forms. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”12 For we need grace; we need the Savior.

We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. —John 1:14

Father, we turn to You for grace. Strengthen us in faith that we would always flourish in Your favor generously poured out on us and through us in its various forms. Be glorified in us. In Christ we pray. Amen.

1 Romans 5:1-2
2 Romans 3:23-24
3 Colossians 1:15-17
4 John 3:35
5 John 1:16 ESV
6 Romans 3:23
7 Romans 5:1
8 Ephesians 2:8
9 Ephesians 3:12
10 Galatians 3:14
11 Romans 5:2
12 Hebrews 14:6 ESV

Categories
Uncategorized

The Great Cost of Free Grace

Author Dan Kennedy tells the story about Fred Herman, broadly known in his day for his unmatched sales skills. Catching the attention of “The Tonight Show,” Fred was invited to appear as Johnny Carson’s guest. Johnny welcomed the renowned salesman to the show, and soon thereafter challenged Fred to sell him something on the spot. Kennedy’s account: “Carson said ‘OK, since you’re the greatest salesman, sell me this ashtray.’ Fred picked it up, examined it, and asked, ‘If you were going to buy this ashtray, what would you expect to pay for it?’ Carson named a price. Fred said, ‘Sold!’”1

Over the past four weeks, we have been talking about God’s grace, both His nature of grace and His outpouring of “grace in its various forms”2 to us through acts of love. From His own lovingkindness, God lavishes the riches of His favor upon us,3 not as our due, but as His gift. But while grace is free to us, God has extended it at great cost to Himself. Paul explains, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”4 Moreover, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”5 And Jesus “suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”6 Again, grace is free to us, yet quite costly to God. Paul reminds us, “You were bought at a price,”7 indeed it is the price of justice, for we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”8

Then what does this tell us about our worth to God? What must we conclude about His regard for us—both as individuals and collectively as the people of His redemption? John tells us plainly, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”9 Our life, to Him, is worth His life for us. Then let no one, especially you, convince you otherwise. And in this glorious truth may we give ourselves entirely to Him who gave Himself entirely for us, for “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness”10 —the great cost of free grace.

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. —Revelation 5:9

1 Dan Kennedy, No B.S. Sales Success: The Ultimate No Holds Barred, Kick Butt, Take No Prisoners & Make Tons of Money Guide, (Entrepreneur Press), 63.
2 1 Peter 4:10
3 Ephesians 1:7-8
4 Romans 3:25
5 Galatians 3:13
6 Hebrews 2:9
7 1 Corinthians 6:20
8 Romans 3:24
9 1 John 4:10
10 1 Peter 2:24

Categories
Uncategorized

I’d Be Happy To Help

Volunteering as the adult education administrator at our church years ago, one of my tasks was to schedule teachers to lead the class each week. It wasn’t always easy—people are busy and preparation takes time—so to my invitations, understandably, came some “no” responses and some reluctant “yeses.” But whenever I asked Joe to teach, his answer was almost always the same, “I’d be happy to help.” Not only did he eagerly embrace the opportunity to teach from God’s Word, he graciously relieved me of my burden du jour. Over time, Joe’s enthusiasm influenced me, as twenty-some years later I often find myself responding to the entreaties of others, “I’d be happy to help.” Grace is contagious, isn’t it?

We often think of God’s grace as a needed, yet undeserved gift showered upon us in deluge proportions. Over the past two weeks, for instance, we have marveled at our right standing before God (righteousness) and our rescue from eternal separation from Him (salvation), both loving gifts of God through His servant-Son, Jesus Christ, who lives in us through faith. Yet receiving God’s grace is just the beginning for us, the starting point of a lifetime adventure, for just as God pours out His favor on us, so also He flows His favor through us as conduits to others. Saved by His grace through faith,1 we are now “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”2 Not only may we participate in meaningful acts of eternal consequence, God has had them prepared for us for a very long time. And He equips us for that to which He calls us: “God is able to bless you abundantly,” taught Paul, “so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”3

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms,”4 wrote Peter. Some teach, some encourage, some help, some exhort, some intercede—maybe you major in some of these and minor in others, or perhaps your gifts are entirely different. Regardless of our individual callings, though, I think readiness looks the same: remain near to God through the Word and prayer; expect His call to action; resolve to do what He directs you to do; and trust Him for the result. For extending God’s grace to others is part of the gift of grace we receive from Him. It’s something we get to do.

Of course! “I’d be happy to help.”

Father, “may [Your favor] rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands,”5 so that the world would know and receive Your love and grace. In Christ we pray. Amen.

1 Ephesians 2:8-9
2 Ephesians 2:10
3 2 Corinthians 9:8
4 1 Peter 4:10
5 Psalm 90:17