SESSION 1: FREE!
Welcome
One definition of grace is “getting what you don’t deserve”. Tell about a time you got what you didn’t deserve. What did you deserve? What did you actually get?
Worship
You belong! 1 John 3:1 says See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Give thanks to the Lord in your prayer and Sing this Chinese song Marks of Grace or sing this English song Grace to grace.
Prayer & declaration
Collectively:
“Dear Father God, thank you for adopting us as Your children through Jesus Christ, and for giving us the privilege of calling You Abba Father! Please open the eyes of our hearts so that we may really understand what this means for us. Amen.”
and
Personally:
“I have been bought out of slavery by the blood of Jesus. I choose to submit myself to God and I resist anything that would drag me back into slavery.”
Word
Focus verse: 1 Samuel 16:7b The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the
Focus truth: In Christ we are perfectly loved and accepted for who we are, not what we do. From that position of security, we can make a free choice to serve God because we love Him, and get rid of any other false motivation.
Introduction
Amazing Grace by John Newton says:
Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come; ‘T is Grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home.’
This course is about helping us live in God’s grace every moment of every day for the rest of our lives, so that we can become everything God wants us to be and do everything that God has for us to do.
In Romans 5:1-2, Paul tells us: Therefore, since we have been
But God wants us to go beyond our introduction to grace. He wants us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
The objective of the course is to know what it means to experience God’s grace every day so that you can be fruitful to the fullest possible extent.
Understanding Grace
Jesus said (John 14:15) If you love me, keep my commands..
How do you hear Him saying it? What expression is on His face?
The story of the two brothers
Read Luke 15:11-32 NIV where Jesus tells this parable: There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
The younger brother
The younger brother has behaved so badly that he is expecting to be disowned or at best to be severely punished - and that would be what he deserved. Yet his father is looking out for him and runs to meet him, overjoyed to have him back.
The father immediately embraces this smelly, dirty, broken individual, put rich clothes on him and throws a magnificent party.
He also gives him three things that are laden with with symbolism:
1. The robe symbolizes that the son has once again been given the right to employ the place of “right standing” with the father, that he is completely restored.
2. The ring symbolizes power and authority to carry out the father’s business.
3. The sandals show that the boy, despite everything he has done, is still entitled to the rights of a son.
What is the worst thing you have ever done? If you went out of here and did it again or worse … and then sincerely came back to God, what reception would you get?
The context of the story
The religious people were complaining and saying “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1).
Jesus tells the story in response to the accusation that His behavior was wrong, that it was displeasing to God.
The point of the story is that it is not our behavior that puts us into a right relationship with God - it’s His grace.
But behavior does matter
Sin has consequences. But one of those consequesnces was not the ending of the son’s relationship with his father. God is rooting for you and has given you everything you need so that you do not have to fail. But if you do, His loving arms are there to welcome you back no matter how badly you have messed up.
Note: there is a old heresy called “antinomianism” which pushes Biblical truth too far and says that, since we are saved by God’s grace through faith, there is no need for a moral law so our behavior doesn’t matter. That is not what we are saying as will become clear.
Whatch now the 21:52 minute video.
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT 1
What means “grace” to you?
The father gives the younger son three gifts which symbolize things that God has given to you. Which gift is most meaningful to you and why?
If you knew for sure that God’s acceptance of you and love for you did not depend on how well you behaved, how might that change the way you live?
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