Grace Church

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1389475/open_sms] TAKEAWAYS 1. Jesus is lord of space. Distance is no problem for Him. This nobleman was 20 miles from home and his dying son, but when Jesus spoke the word, immediately he was healed. Christ is in heaven, but He can hear and send the answer instantly when we pray. We can also pray for those who are nowhere near us as if we were laying hands on them. 2. Note the order: First the nobleman believed and then his son was healed. God does everything for us in answer to our faith. Eight times Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you.” And He said, “All things are possible for those who believe.” (Mk.9:23) Then we have “These signs will follow those who believe.” We should believe what Jesus said before we see the answer to our prayer. This son was healed when Jesus gave the word. I love this guy. Jesus said, “Go your way, your son lives,” and he immediately headed back home, considering it done. And it was done. His faith was followed by action. It always is.  Faith without works is dead. When you pray about a problem, live as though you believe Jesus will do what He said. During a drought the whole town gathered to pray for rain; but only one little girl brought an umbrella. 3. Note the progression of faith: First, he believed enough to travel all that way to ask. Secondly, he believed enough to actually ask Jesus to heal his son. Thirdly, when Jesus gave the word of healing, he acted on it. Fourthly, he and his whole family believed in Jesus. The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed; it may start out small, then grow. 4. Sometimes we may need to put a pull on Jesus. Even though Jesus may have chided him by saying, “You people won’t believe unless you see signs;” he simply replied, “Sir, come down before my son dies.” Jesus seems to have not wanted to show a sign, but that didn’t matter to this man. After all, his son was dying. Jesus hadn’t said no! Mary did this with the water being turned into wine (Jn.2:1-7). The Syrophoenician woman did it when Jesus was seemingly refusing her request (Mk.7:25-30). Putting a pull on Christ is not begging, it  is asking in faith.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1389475/open_sms] GOD GIVES HIMSELF THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCH He gives Himself by what is called in the Bible the “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 carefully and see that these supernatural enablings equip us to do the things that Jesus and the apostles did. God is the cure for what ails man and His hospital is the local church. This is what the Bible teaches; you’ll find no other answer in the word of God. The most difficult thing for a person to see in the greatest thing he needs to see – his need for the Savior. The SECOND most difficult thing for a person to see is the 2nd greatest thing he needs to see – his need for the church (1Corinthians 12:12-13,27): the “you” in this verse is plural, meaning the church). God lives and works in the local church, giving Himself through spiritual gifts. These Holy Spirit gifts are for the Body to make each of its members healthy and strong. Members of His body, receiving the ministry of the other parts of it, will be healed and edified by the Holy Spirit given through the various gifts. For example, to affect a cure and make a proper and accurate diagnosis, the physician must find out what is wrong with the patient. The word of knowledge through the same Spirit is in the church for just that purpose. Everything we get from God by grace is through faith. But a person’s faith may be weak and he needs help if he is to receive from God. Faith by the same Spirit is ministered through another member of Christ’s body to that person and he gets what he needs. There are many types of illnesses (spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical, etc.) and so the gifts of healings are in the plural. Gifts of healings by the same Spirit, functioning in the local church, minister the healing of God to those in need. Doctors can only do so much. They can’t cure terminal cases and many other diseases – for those it would take a miracle.  To another the working of miracles is given in the church for just such cases. God can do what doctors can’t do. He can work miracles, but he does them through gifts operating in the members of His body, the church.  Maybe a person has demonic or spiritual problems. “Discerning of spirits” is given to ascertain just what deliverance is needed and to affect that deliverance. The light drives out the darkness. How to apply the cures and how to keep from falling into the same problem is given through “the word of wisdom.”  Tongues and interpretation of tongues demonstrate the universality (and unity) of the cure and add to the mystery of God’s work. Through these gifts, different things may be given to us from God: messages, prophecies, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, works of power, etc.  These gifts are still in the church today. One seminary professor told his class, “I believe in healing but I don’t believe in healers.”  I raised my hand and said, “Isn’t that like saying I believe in preaching but I don’t believe in preachers.” Preaching is preached by preachers. Healings come though members of Christ’s body who are gifted to pray the prayer of faith and heal the sick (James 5:14-15). You may not have gifts of healings but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pray for sick people, lay hands on them and pray the prayer of faith. You may not have the gift of prophecy, but you can share a word of edification, exhortation and comfort (1Cor.14:3). You may not be an evangelist, but you can still witness.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1389475/open_sms] Wednesday, September 18, 2024. From the story of the Woman and the Well. Pastor Terry discusses the significance of the Samarian woman and the many people she brings to Jesus.  TAKEAWAYS: 1. Everyone needs to hear the good news about Jesus and who He is. Jesus did something very surprising, to the woman, the disciples, and to most people. He spoke first to a woman (a gender thing), a Samaritan woman (a racial and spiritual thing), and a sinful woman (a moral thing). Be not afraid to witness to someone you don’t know, even someone very different from you.  The results might surprise you. 2. Be the first to speak to someone. Most of the time a witness must initiate the conversation about Jesus. Notice, Jesus spoke to her first. He knew what He was going to do: change the subject from physical water to living water. Most people think, “I need to wait till someone asks me about Jesus before I start talking about Him.” That’s not necessarily true. If you do that you will probably never witness to anyone. 3. Lead from a discussion on natural things to spiritual things. Jesus led her from talking about drawing water from a well to drinking living water that would satisfy her thirst forever. Use the F.I.R.E acrostic. Take the conversation from Family, to Interest (Hobbies), to Religion (church history), to Evangelistic questions. 4. Keep the conversation about Jesus. After opening the conversation with natural things, make the transition to spiritual things, to things about the Messiah. Always bring the discussion to the gospel of Jesus. 5. It’s okay to talk about sin. Jesus brought up her marriage sins. Remember, Jesus is the Savior of sinners, and if they don’t know that He knows they are sinners, they will never see their need for Him. 6. Witnessing must become a consuming thing with you, the food you live by. Jesus told the disciples that He had food they knew nothing about, “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent Me, and from finishing His work.” (v.34). 7. Sooner or later, your witness will produce fruit, maybe even much fruit.  This lady brought the whole town out to meet Jesus. Pray that will happen with you in some measure as you begin to share your witness.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1389475/open_sms] 9/15/2024 Sunday Morning.  Gifts from the Father and the Son  Because we are under the New Covenant of grace and faith, we need to always be mindful of the fact that everything we get from God is a gift of grace. It is never earned. We are not under the law; we are under grace and all God’s blessings are received as gifts of grace. This is a necessary renewal of our minds because people always tend to gravitate toward the covenant of law and works. All God’s gifts are free, but they are not cheap. They were purchased for us by the precious blood of Christ as a part of God’s covenant of grace.  Who doesn’t like to get gifts? They’re unearned, unpaid for – they cost us nothing – they are free, just for being you? We love birthday gifts, the more the better. We love Christmas gifts, the more the better, and the bigger and more costly the better. Well, all God’s gifts are great. “Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father.” (Jas.1:17)   The richer and more generous the giver the better! Imagine getting a gift from Elon Musk, soon to be the first trillionaire ever. Or from Oprah Winfrey, who has over $3 billion dollars. She once gave each of her entire audience of 300 people a new car! Imagine what kind of Christmas gift you could get from her! When Linda and I were poor, I’m talking no food in the pantry or fridge poor, I occasionally would save up all year to buy her a great Christmas present. One year I gave her a $350 Michael Kors beautiful red purse. She took it back, got a refund, bought a cheaper purse and had lots of money to spend on what she wanted. She said, “I can’t carry that purse around. Someone will knock me in the head and steal that thing!” If you were poor, you would want me for a husband.   What kind of gifts do you suppose God gives? Good and perfect ones, that’s what kind.  I. Gifts from God the Father.    He gave us His only begotten Son to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Jn.3:16). How’s that for starters? And that’s only for starters. Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” And Jesus said in Matthew 7:11, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?”   The Father gives us eternal life. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son.” (Rm.6:23) He gives forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18). We owed a debt we couldn’t pay; He paid a debt He didn’t owe. That’s quite a gift. It was really the blood of His own Son that paid for this gift. He gives us an eternal glorious inheritance (Rm.8:17; Col.1:15). He gives us the gift of righteousness (Rm.5:11). Righteousness is not something we earn, it’s a gift. Like all gifts, it’s something we receive.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1389475/open_sms] Wednesday, September 11, 2024. Continuing the walk-through john chapter 4, focusing on the techniques Jesus uses to witness to the woman at the well.