Sermon monologue for Sunday, February 16, 2003

Grace and Reconciliation - Page 1 of 2

This morning I want to speak about two subjects and tie them together. The first is grace and the second is reconciliation. I want to begin by reading a definition of grace.

GRACE IS A GIFT AND NOT ACHIEVEMENT. IT COMES FREE OF CHARGE TO PEOPLE WHO DO NOT DESERVE IT. GRACE MEANS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE GOD LOVE US MORE. GRACE MEANS THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE GOD LOVE US LESS. GRACE IS UNFAIR, IT IS UNREASONABLE, GRACE IS NOT ABOUT FAIRNESS.

If we have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior then we understand grace. I want to look at three people found in the book of Acts that will deepen our understanding of grace and reconciliation. The first person is the apostle Paul also known as Saul who witnessed the stoning of Stephen.

Acts 7:58-8:1
58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
8:1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

Saul was there and approved of this death. Saul was a man on a mission; to destroy the new religion of the man known as Jesus. It was an offense to the Jewish religion. Then God reached down and touched the life of Paul.

Acts 9:1-6
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest
2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
6"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Saul's life was touched by grace, and was forgiven of all his sin. God begins to work in Saul's life. Saul was touched by the grace of God. He received it, while being unworthy of it. Saul's life was changed and he began to work for the Lord. He wanted to join the apostles in their work of spreading the news of God's grace that came through the blood of Christ. This was not an easy task for Saul.

Acts 9:26
26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

Paul had a past history that made him unwanted by the disciples. He had received grace from God, but not yet from man. It seems harder for us to show grace than for God to. At this point we are introduced to the second person in our story this morning. That is the man that we know best as Barnabas.

Acts 9:27-28
27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

Barnabas took on the ministry of reconciliation between Paul and the Disciples. He brought them together and allowed them to minister together. I have wondered what if Barnabas had not been willing to work with Paul, what would have happened? I know that God can get his work done, but someone has to be willing to be used. Paul still could be used by God. However, I believe that his ministry would have been less effective than it was.

Barnabas and Paul became great friends and began to minister together. They taught and together they made a mission trip. We call it Paul's first missionary trip. They did not journey alone. They had a young man named John Mark with them. You may remember it was at his house, that a prayer meeting was being held for Peter when the angel came and took him out of jail. Peter then went to the home of John Mark.

Let me share what I think about John Mark. He was a young man who had seen the work of the Lord. He got excited and wanted to join God and His work. He heard about the mission trip that was being planned and wanted to go. I think there probably was discussion about his age and commitment. And finally, he was allowed to go. We know he went because we are told so in the 13th chapter of Acts.