Hour of Fecundity 1.0 Sermon
WORD FOR THE DAY
TOPIC: GRACE AND MERCY; UNDENIABLE TOOLS FOR FECUNDITY
What is the difference between mercy and GRACE?
Mercy and grace are two vital Christian terms whose meanings are often misunderstood.
ONE EXPLANATION SAYS GRACE IS UNMERITED FAVOUR AND MERCY IS COMPASSION/FORGIVENESS TOWARDS ONE WHO IS WITHIN ONES POWER TO PUNISH…
“These two words became alive for me one day when one of my sons directly disobeyed me. I had asked him to do something and he looked me in the eye and said, “I’m not going to do that.”
I didn’t often see this kind of defiance in him. I asked him again to obey me. He wouldn’t budge.
My heart was filled with a mixture of anger and confusion. I told him to go to his room and wait for me. After a few moments, I climbed the stairs as well and walked into his room. I knew what I needed to do. But I wasn’t ready for what happened next.
My son looked up to me with tears in his eyes and began begging me not to discipline him. He did not want me to give him what he knew he deserved. He knew he had disobeyed and dishonored me. He knew he deserved his punishment. But he asked me for…mercy.
My heart was deeply moved by his contrition. I did not give him what he deserved—the best definition of mercy I’ve ever heard. I took him into my arms and held his still-quivering body.
I then asked him if he knew what he had done wrong. With tears still filling his eyes, he nodded yes. He asked me to forgive him, and I gladly did.
I then carefully considered my next step. I knew I had a marvelous teaching opportunity staring me in the face. And an idea hit me.
I went into my bedroom and noticed a number of quarters on the top of my dresser. I quickly raked them into the palm of my hand and put them into the pocket of my pants.
My wife Marilynn was working in our bedroom. She casually asked me, “What are you doing?”
I told her what had just transpired. I then said to her, “I’m going to take him out for some ice cream.” She smiled and said, “That’s grace, David.”
It was grace. Not only did my son receive mercy (not receiving what he deserved), he also got grace, receiving what he didn’t deserve: ice cream.
In short,
MERCY is God not giving us what we do deserve;
GRACE is God giving us something we do not deserve.
In Habakkuk 3:2, the prophet asks the Lord to “in wrath remember mercy.” Despite God’s judgment, He asked for God to relent and not pour out the full wrath they deserved.
KING DAVID sought this mercy in Psalm 51:1-2 in confessing his sin: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” Despite his many failures, David asked God to relent and not bring upon him the full consequences of his sin.
Grace, on the other hand, is God extending favor toward us that we do not deserve. Both
Ephesians 2:5 and 2:8 state it is “by grace you have been saved.” God’s salvation comes from His grace. Some describe grace as unmerited or unearned favor.
TWO KINDS OF GRACE are often distinguished.
Common grace
is defined as God’s grace given to all humanity regardless of their response to Him. This can include the beauty of creation, the provision of food and other essentials, and every good thing that happens to a person regardless of whether the person is a believer or unbeliever.
Saving grace
is grace from God that provides salvation to a person. This is the grace described in Ephesians 2:8-9 that states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Both perfect mercy and perfect grace are found in Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice on the cross, He has provided a way of escape or mercy from the consequences of sin (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). God has extended grace by providing salvation and proclaiming salvation to us through the Son, His teaching in Scripture, and through the Spirit of God at work among us.
{Hebrews 4:16 blends these two ideas in one powerful statement, teaching, “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.”}
Our only rightful response is to accept both God’s mercy and His grace and accept the eternal life He offers through Jesus Christ. Through this salvation, we receive the mercy of forgiven sin and the grace of life in Christ, including eternity with Him. Jesus has come to give us life, and life abundantly (John 10:10).
__ALTAR CALL (TO GIVE LIVES TO CHRIST)
Pray….ISAIAH 31: 1_8
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord ! Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is helping shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.
__ ANOINTING SERVICE
DESTROY EVIL SICKNESS N GROWTH
FOR SIGNS AND WONDERS.
ROUND UP
ROMANS 16: 20
..AND THE LORD SHALL BRUISE SATAN UNDER YOUR FEET SHORTLY…
THE GRACE OF THE LORD BE WITH YOU ALL.
PICTURES
Wonderful Moments
