Title: Grace to Serve/Romans 15:14-19
Contents
Tom Brandon divided the grace of God into three categories. The first is the grace to gain salvation, the second is the grace to gain a victorious life, and the third is the grace to serve. Of these, it is the most basic and essential grace that enables us to receive salvation. And the grace for a victorious life is the helping grace we need every moment of every day. However, the grace of serving is said to be the highest grace that makes the Christian life the most precious and glorious. When we receive this grace of service, we have a good desire to serve others. Something? You cannot endure without doing good. Not only do you serve others with joy, but you also serve others with all your strength and power. You will receive abundant blessings and rewards by doing good and beautiful works, but always doing them in an orderly and beautiful manner according to the will of God. What are the characteristics of this grace of service?
1. It is the grace of offering the most precious life as a sacrifice to God.
(2) The characteristics of "Gentiles" recorded in Romans refer to all unbelievers who do not believe in God. They are not only possessed by all kinds of religious superstitions and evil spirits, but are also condemned by God for all ethical sins and are subject to eternal wrath under judgment. However, it is said that they are changed and offered up as holy sacrifices that are acceptable to God. Therefore, this is the most difficult and arduous task. But it is so beautiful, glorious and worthy of great work.
2. Only those who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit can bear this grace.
(2) The motive, purpose, and process of good works as a sacrifice acceptable to God are important. A life of true good deeds is not a kind of merit, but a response to grace. It is a life of recompense for those who receive the greatest love. Therefore, even if you give your body for fire for others, there is no human calculation in it. No pride, no pride. He doesn't even look at his eyes or face. Only as good stewards who have been gifted are to serve others and please God in return for their boundless grace. Therefore, even after all good works, the glory goes to only God (1 Corinthians 15:9-10). Only the Lord exalts you.
(3) This kind of life is possible only when we are captivated by the grace, gifts, and work of the Holy Spirit. Deaconess Jin-seong Ko of Hyesung Church is the president of an auto parts company with about 200 weavers. However, in the summertime, the couple dedicates all their vacations to the Lord for the youth retreat. When we got married, we started with a rent of 30,000 won, but became the most successful businessman in the church. Not only was he a success in business, but he became a success in life of faith. This is because they have used this grace of service to the best of their own accord.
3. It is a grace that cannot be felt alone.
(2) He was not always a solo worker. He was a co-worker of God working together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9). He was not only a co-worker with God, but a co-worker who cooperated and cooperated with all Christians who received grace. The Apostle Paul had many collaborators who could even lay down their heads for the work of Christ. It was with the help of these collaborators that he achieved remarkable achievements in spreading the gospel from Jerusalem, the southernmost tip of the Roman Empire, to Illygon, the northernmost tip of the Roman Empire.
(3) Therefore, we must cooperate with each other. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray that you will become people of true grace who throw away popular tactics, envy and vanity, put away all pride and pride, and help each other with humility and cooperate to accomplish great works.