Thousands of Dutch residents spent time digging through their garbage after they learned that they might have thrown away a diamond. A local jeweler sent 4,000 clients a mailing marking the tenth anniversary of his store. Two hundred of the envelopes contained a small diamond, while the others contained cubic zirconium, a cheap substitute used in costume jewelry. Many people who received the letter ignored it, thinking it was junk mail and threw it away without looking inside.
When only a few people responded to the mailing the jeweler called several clients and learned most had discarded the mailing without looking at the contents. Though sending precious stones to clients is not unusual in the Netherlands, the jeweler told a local newspaper, “I was very naïve. People nowadays do not trust mailing like these anymore.”
So, perhaps the mailing seemed too good to be true to those who read the letter, so they threw the contents away after glancing at the letter. But others didn’t even bother to open the package. That’s a shame.
But a greater tragedy is the number of people who never bother to listen to God’s offer of grace—never open that package. And, folks, forgiveness for sins is at the top of the list; that’s one of God’s greatest resources. The only question remaining is what we’ve done with that package—that offer from God. Unlike the offer the jeweler made, God’s grace is real every time. He doesn’t offer cubic zirconium grace to anyone, yet everyday people turn down his offer and throw away their opportunity at the real thing—an offer of eternity. So, what will you do today?
Last week, we learned that People of Grace are those who know … there’s grace to be had! It’s real. It’s available. It’s sufficient, no matter what. Today, we’re going to move on to another characteristic of ‘People of Grace,’ but first let’s hear our scripture for today (Psalm 42:1-11, NLT)…
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? 3 Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” 4 My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! 5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and 6 my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. 7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. 8 But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. 9 “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” 10 Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?” 11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
So, we learned that the first characteristic of ‘People of Grace’ is that they know, without a doubt, that THERE IS GRACE TO BE HAD! And, not only are they aware of that, but they keep it constantly in their thoughts… A second characteristic, that I’d like to get into today, is this:
PEOPLE OF GRACE ARE THOSE WHO ARE … SEEKING GRACE ENTHUSIASTICALLY. They want it more than anything else in their lives! Is that you? Is that how you go after … God’s grace?
Folks, have you ever heard of the name … Fletcher of Madeley? He was a good friend of one John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. This might also interest you: He was the one whom John Wesley designated as his successor in the leadership of the Methodist people (though, as it turned out, he actually died before Wesley did). Fletcher once made an important public statement on an issue that was on the minds of many people of their time, and by so doing he did a great favor to the government of their day. Anyway, because of his leadership amongst the people, and persuading them on a topic that helped the government out, the Lord Chancellor dispatched an official to ask Fletcher if there was anything he wanted in return for the service he had done to his country. “How very kind,” said Fletcher to the official when he came to see him. “But,” he went on to say, “I want nothing except more grace.” Can you imagine the official returning to the Lord Chancellor and reporting: “He doesn’t want anything. There is nothing we have that appeals to him. He only wants more grace.”
This is always the characteristic of those whose walk is free and unhindered by life—those who we are calling ‘People of Grace’. They always look at the rewards of earth in light of heaven. They know that the most valuable thing one can possess on this earth is grace, and they look for it enthusiastically! “Let me have some of that,” they say, “and I can handle anything that comes my way!”
So, it is not enough to just know that grace is there … or to keep it constantly on the mind; we also need to want it more than anything else—to seek grace enthusiastically! Now, I stated last week that there are several truths we need to know if we are to grow in God’s grace (both our understanding of and the activity of). So, here’s what I need to remind you of…
PEOPLE OF GRACE ARE THOSE WHO KNOW MANY TRUTHS ABOUT GOD’S GRACE IN ORDER TO GROW… And the one truth that I want you to consider today, regarding grace and how it works in our lives, is this: You need to be willing to ASK… That’s what you need to do with your enthusiasm—a truth you cannot grow in grace without…
A fictional story is told about a man who died and went to heaven. While he was being given a tour he noticed an odd looking building with no windows that appeared to be some sort of warehouse. Having asked to see inside, he discovered that the whole building was filled from floor to ceiling with row after row of shelves. On them were thousands and thousands of boxes, each with a name written on it. After searching for the box bearing his own name, he opened it and found a list of all the things God wanted to give him while he was on earth—things he did not receive because … he never asked for them!
The Apostle James says in James 4:2c: “…you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.” When Jesus was here on earth, he said to his disciples (Matt. 7:7a): “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for….” But, why should God withhold things from us because we don’t ask? Good question. Now let me share with you some thoughts: Asking is important for this reason: As someone once put it, ‘it tilts our soul in the direction of receiving.’ The very action of asking implies humility and a recognition of dependence on God—the only One who can really supply all of our needs. So, when people ask me why God hasn’t given them this and/or that, my response is going to be: Have you asked? Now, let me follow up that truth about God’s grace with these instructions: Folks, always…
Ask enthusiastically … like you don’t want anything more than God’s grace in your life, knowing that’s really the most important thing you can ask for anyway…
Ask unselfishly … and when you think about your prayer life, ask yourself how often you’ve prayed selfishly … all about me?
I’ve always loved the story of the young unmarried woman who constantly prayed in her church prayer groups for a husband. “Lord, give me a husband,” she would say, and then sit down. Her pastor tried his best to help her grow toward spiritual maturity by telling her this: “It’s alright to pray for a husband, but you need to broaden your prayer life. Pray for other people as well as yourself.” So, in the next prayer meeting, this same unmarried woman got up and prayed: “Lord, please give my mother a son-in-law!”
Prayer that is always self-seeking, full of me, me and more me, lacks maturity. That being said, one prayer for self that is always welcome to God’s ears is when we ask for his grace in our lives. Don’t let anything deter you from that. Asking for God’s grace for your life usually involves the lives of others, so just make sure you ask unselfishly when you’re asking, but ask! And then…
Ask dependently… There is one thing that—truly—we cannot obtain for ourselves without asking … and that is grace. We have to ask dependently … with our faces always turned toward God!
Folks, God has made it clear (in his word & throughout history) that he’s willing to give; but asking makes it clear we are willing to receive… So remember:
People of Grace are those who SEEK GRACE ENTHUSIASTICALLY … wanting it more than anything else in our lives … and then…
People of Grace are those who use their enthusiasm to ASK…
Do you remember those shelves … in that warehouse … and the box with your name on it? That story may be fictional, but I believe one thing is not: God is waiting. God wants to offer us his abundant grace. But, God is waiting … for us to ASK. Won’t you join me in being a ‘People of Grace’ … enthusiastic and willing to ask God for what we need?
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