BIG IDEA
Grace empowers effort.
MESSAGE NOTES:
WHAT:
"Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone." — Dallas Willard
Earning is the opposite of grace. We can’t earn salvation. We can’t be accepted by God by trying hard. The only way to be saved is by the grace of Jesus.
But effort is different than earning. Effort is the action of “God allows me in because of Jesus. So I’m going to back of my faith in Jesus with movement towards Jesus.”
Earning is the wrong attitude about grace. But effort is the right action towards grace forward.
SO WHAT:
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV
Grace is at work in me. So out of that grace, I’ll get to work too.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV
Grace.. empowers.. effort!
NOW WHAT:
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV
You are who you are and graced to be who God made you to be. His grace is not in vain: it is to move you forward into fruitfulness and productive living for him. So work your grace. Live to worship Jesus with your effort in pursuing him, in experiencing his grace, in being gracious towards others, in passion, in vision, in dreams, in service, in love. All the time knowing that God’s grace is what is actually at work in you.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Q1: Have you seen your life not be fruitful or productive?
Q2: Have you ever found yourself trying to perform?
Q3: What are the things God has graced you to do?
Q4: What are ways you can work your grace?