Rev.Dr.Jeffry David Camm

GRACE

 

I imagine you have been repeatedly told over the years that “we are saved by Grace”, and we should all strive to become a “GRACE” church.

Well, today I want to challenge you to decide what type of “Grace Christian” you want to become.

You will notice up on the stage I have set out 5 chairs and the letters on each chair spell out G-R-A-C-E. Let us look at each of these chairs individually and see what the letter stands for.

 

1.             Let us first start with the letter “G”.

 

There are some Christians who quote the Scripture: “by “Grace” I am saved - through faith” - so that’s that. 

I don't have to do anymore - Jesus has done it all.

The victory is already won - Satan is defeated. HALLELUJAH!

I can just sit back and wait until Jesus comes again, and takes me home to be with Him.

I have a guaranteed place in Heaven - just waiting for me.

 

They also love to quote the Scripture where Paul is told that “My “Grace” is sufficient for thee”.

 

They say: “if it’s good enough for Paul, it’s good enough for me”!

So they become “Grace” Christians” - sitting in the “Grace” chair for the rest of their lives. 

They don’t do anything for Jesus Christ.

They don’t study His Word - they just take - take - take.

They forget the Scripture which says: “It is better to give than to receive.”

They have received Grace from Jesus Christ - but have given nothing in return.

You will notice that persons sitting in the “GRACE CHAIR”, wears a nappy - because these type of Christians are in fact still “spiritual babies in Christ” - they need to grow up!

 

2.             Next let us examine the “R” chair.

 

After a person accepts the “Grace” of Jesus Christ, there needs to be a physical and spiritual change in their lifestyles. The old self is to “pass away” a new life has begun. TRANSFORMATION!

 

The person is “Reborn” with Christ. The old self is “Replaced”. A new life is “Resurrected” with Christ.

The “R” chair person has a desire to become “Righteous & Holy”.

Because they “Read in the Scriptures” that we are commanded to be Holy, because the Lord is Holy. We are to be “Righteous” because the Lord is “Righteous”.

The “R” chair person has a desire to “Read the Scriptures” - to get a better understanding of who he is; what are his “Relationships to God” and his “Relationship to his fellow believers”.

The “R” chair person has a desire to “Reach out to others”, but as yet, does not really know how to do this. The “R” chair person is one who wants to put his limited knowledge into “Action” but as yet, does not know how to do so.

“Action without knowledge can be dangerous!

 

3.             Let us now look at the “A” chair

 

The “A” chair person has a desire to be a person of “Action!” 

They must go out and “do something” for Jesus.

They have some knowledge and they want to “act on it.”

Unfortunately, without correct direction, or guidance, this type of “action” can do more harm than good.

The “A” chair person has to learn under whose “Authority” they are to act. 

Their whole being - and all their actions, must be to glorify Jesus Christ and to do the things that He instructed us to do.

The “A” chair person must learn to “Activate the Authority of Jesus Christ into Action”.

 

 

4.             Now comes the “C” Chair.

 

If you have come this far, you will realize that for Jesus Christ to save us, there was a “COST”. 

That was the cost to God Almighty. He freely gave up His Son for mankind. Jesus Christ had to freely give up His life for us.  

Now it is our turn to count the cost of becoming a Christian!  

What amount of our time, our money, or of our energy, are we prepared to freely give up for our Lord, so that we can be made “Complete” in Him.”

If you are led by God Almighty to go to India, like Mother Teresa, and work among the dying and the destitute - are you prepared to drop everything and go?

Or if you are called - are you prepared to go to the Northern Territory and work among the Aboriginal people - to show them God cares for them - despite what the “white fella” has done to them during the last 200 years ?

What about going around this city every night in a “Paddy wagon”, picking up the drunks, the drug addicts, the homeless, giving them a place to sleep, food in the mornings, maybe a change of clothes, a place to have a wash, a shave, or a haircut?

Or, is it below your dignity, to have these dirty, smelly, people in your lovely clean houses?

We are now getting down to the “Nitty Gritty” of what it means to become a “Grace Church”.

This is what it means when Jesus says that we are to love each other - without discrimination - without prejudice, because we are all equal in His sight.

Jesus Christ loves every sinner. If He did not, then there was no chance that we would be able to come into His presence - we were just as bad “in His eyes” as these people are, who I have just described – if we do nothing!

If we believe that Jesus Christ has saved us - then we cannot turn our backs on any of God’s creation - irrespective of their background - their race - their color - their present religious beliefs - or their present circumstances.

“C” Chair people have to learn to “Count the Cost” and become “Caring People”, not “Covetous” people.

 

5.             Now finally, let us look at the “E” Chair people

 

If you have reached the stage of Christian “Evolution” you will have learnt that to be sitting in the “E” chair is not good enough!

 

Burning deep into your heart is the desire that “EVERYONE” should hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  You have reached a stage in your “Earthly walk with the Lord” where you have come to realize that nothing belongs to you anymore. You are just a custodian of the riches that Jesus Christ has bestowed upon you.

 

WITH God’s HELP, you now want to do “EVERYTHING IN YOU POWER” to spread His Word wherever and whenever the opportunity arises. Your motto has become “EVERYTHING FOR JESUS”. This also means not even everything for YOUR church, or yourself – but “everything for Jesus”.

 

Some of you may recall that before I last went overseas I shared that I thought the Lord was directing us to consider the following statement :-

 

“First be reconciled to God - then you can become reconciled to one another.”

 

Today, I lay out before you this same challenge. “First be reconciled to God - then you can become reconciled to one another.”

 

Once you have understood this statement fully, I then want to go on and further challenge you with the 5 chairs I have placed up on the stage before you.

 

Examine your hearts - examine your attitudes - examine your lifestyles.

 

 

Look at the 5 chairs, remember what I have said about each of them, and then decide which chair you are presently sitting in.

It is for you and you alone, to decide how much you care about your own salvation.

It is for you and you alone, to decide how much effort you want to make to spread God’s word throughout this nation.

The choice is yours - I challenge all of you to make a commitment to sit in the “E” chair Let me tell you there is plenty of room for all of us to sit on the “E” chair - if we really want to put God first in our lives, and into the lives of others around us.

 

Let us pray.