Amazing Grace
We have just completed a seven and one half month series in the adult Sunday school class on the “Authoritative Commandments of Jesus Christ”, based on the commands given by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. We learned that there are three major reasons why we must be very familiar with Jesus’ commands:
1. We show that we love Jesus when we keep His commandments [John 14:15, 21].
2. We show that we abide in Christ when we keep His commandments [John 15:10].
3. Jesus’ final command as stated in the Great Commission requires us to be “teaching them [new disciples] to observe all things that I have commanded you” [Matt. 28:20a – NKJV].
However, we must be careful that we do not begin to think that everything is up to us and that our performance is all that matters. We must never get to the point where we think Christianity is all about working harder and making Jesus proud of our performance. We tend to think that although we are saved by grace, we earn or forfeit God’s blessings in our daily lives by our performance. When we focus on performance, we forget the meaning of grace: God’s unmerited favor to those who only deserve His wrath. For fourteen weeks, we focused on the grace of God, but not just in God’s grace at salvation. Grace is every bit as important for growing as a Christian as it is for becoming a Christian. We must always remember that the grace of God that brings salvation teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).
Week 1 – The Definition of Grace – 1 Cor. 15:10
Week 2 – The Need for Grace – Rom. 3:23-24
Week 3 – Love, the Response to Grace – 2 Cor. 5:14-15; 1 John 4:19
Week 4 – Obedience, the Evidence of Grace – Tit. 2:11-12; Phil. 2:13
Week 5 – Holiness, the Gift of Grace – Rom. 6:14
Week 6 – Liberty, the Call of Grace – Gal. 5:13a
Week 7 – Wisdom, a Benefit of Grace – 1 Cor. 2:16b
Week 8 – Fellowship, the Sharing of Grace – Phil. 1:7-8
Week 9 – Ministry, the Blessing of Grace – Rom. 12:6a; Eph. 3:7
Week 10 – Difficulties, the Tools of Grace – 1 Pet. 5:10; Phil. 1:7
Week 11 – Rescue, the Purpose of Grace – 1 Pet. 1:10
Week 12 – Reconciliation, the Object of Grace
Week 13 – The Appropriation of God’s Grace – 2 Tim. 2:1; Heb. 4:16
Week 14 – What are the Benefits of Knowing Him – 1 Pet. 3:18