Messages
from the Bible
A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick
Certainly one of the most important teachings of the New Testament is this simple exclamation by the Apostle Paul - Grace is Greater. One man's sin plunged all mankind under the rule of death. The law makes us painfully aware that there is an abundance of sin within all of us. However, it matters not how great the sin, or the number of sins, Grace is Greater.
A number of years ago I was sitting along side the large conference table at our denominational district headquarters in Massachusetts. The monthly two-day Presbytery meeting was just beginning as the Secretary/Treasurer shared the opening devotional. Referring to the familiar hymn, "Amazing Grace," Gerald Wilson, who is now with the Lord, noted that the verses of this hymn represent four major aspects of Grace. To be honest, I don't remember the specifics of what was shared, or how it was expressed. However, it's obvious that the popularity of this song is largely due to it's expression of this most central word of all Christian thought - "grace." It is grace that saves (v.1); grace that prevents and comforts (v.2); grace that sustains (v.3) and grace that will produce eternal praise to God (v.4).
By now, many have heard the story of this hymn's author.
John Newton was born in 1725. The only godly influence in his life was that of his mother who died when he was only seven years old. His father remarried, and sent John to a strict military school, which he left in rebellion at the age of ten. One year later, deciding that he would never reenter formal education, Newton became a seaman apprentice, hoping to step into his father's trade and learn to skillfully navigate a ship.
During those years, Newton slowly gave himself over to the devil, determining that because the righteous lamp of his life had gone out, he would "sin to the fill." Later, drafted into England's Royal Navy, he deserted, was captured, and like a common criminal was beaten publicly several times at the ship's mast, and dismissed from the service. Newton again fled, entertaining thoughts of suicide and made his way to Africa, where he could get farthest from anyone that knew him. Again he made a pact with the devil.
For a while, Newton lived in the home of a Portuguese slave trader who was married to a woman who took out her overflowing hostility on John. She beat him, and made him eat like a dog on the floor of the home - if he refused, he would be whipped with a lash.
From there, owning only the clothes on his back, Newton fled to the shoreline of Africa where he built a fire, hoping to attract a ship that was passing by. A skipper took him on thinking he had gold, ivory or slaves to sell, and was surprised to learn that the young man was a skilled navigator. It turned out to be a slave ship, transporting as many as six hundred blacks on each voyage to America.
During those years, Newton went through a number of narrow escapes from death. One time he opened some crates of rum and got all of the crew members drunk. The incensed skipper beat him, and threw him down below, where he existed on stale bread and sour vegetables. When the skipper brought him above for another beating, Newton fell overboard. Because he couldn't swim, the skipper harpooned him to get him back on the ship, scarring him for the rest of his life. On board, inflamed with fever, John was enraged with the humiliation. A storm broke out, and he wound up again in the hold of the ship, down among the pumps. To keep the ship afloat, he worked as a servant of the slaves. There, bruised and confused, bleeding and diseased, he became the epitome of a degenerate man. It was then that John Newton remembered the words of his mother, and cried out to God, calling upon His grace and His mercy to deliver him, and upon His Son to save him. The only glimmer of light he could find was in a crack in the ship's floor above him - he looked up to it and screamed for help.
Soon afterwards, while reading "The Imitation of Christ," Newton's heart was softened. At first he tried to justify his slave-trading work by improving conditions on his ship, and even holding worship services for his crew. However, later, while serving as a clerk at the Port of Liverpool, he became a strong crusader against slavery.
Newton married a childhood sweetheart, entered the ministry and was ordained in 1764. Everywhere he preached, rooms had to be added to the building to handle the crowds that came to hear the presentation of the Gospel and the story of God's grace. One of the "extremist" practices at his church in Olney was the singing of hymns which expressed simple heartfelt faith rather than the staid singing of Psalms. Not finding enough hymns of this nature, Newton began writing his own.
In 1780 he began a long pastoral ministry in London. When advised to retire, Newton replied, "What, shall the old African blasphemer stop while he can still speak?" He died in 1807 and his epitaph, which he wrote himself, reads:
Once an infidel and libertine,
Normally we take a Bible text to be the basis for the Sunday sermon. For a change, today we'll use the lyrics of this favored hymn ,"Amazing Grace".
1. First, and most important, there is Saving Grace.
Only because of God's love and mercy, we have been transformed:
from sinner to saint;
from lost to found;
from failure to fulfillment;
from trash to treasure;
from wicked wretch to beloved son.
By His Grace.
The word "wretched" means "vile person, " such as the condition pictured in the story of John Newton.
2. Then there is Keeping Grace.
This is a grace which takes us from fear to fear. In theological language, it is called "prevenient grace", or more simply put, preventive grace. By grace, God grants us the kind of fear which in turn causes us to put our complete trust in Him.
There he was - he had managed to get up on the maintruck, but could not get down. When his father learned of his son's plight, he looked up in horror; what was he to do? In a few moments his son would fall down, and be dashed to pieces! He was clinging to the maintruck with all his might, but in a little time he would fall down on the deck, and there he would be a mangled corpse.
The captain called for a speaking trumpet, and shouted, "Boy, the next time the ship lurches, throw yourself into the sea."
It was his only way of escape; he might be picked up out of the sea, but he could not be rescued if he fell on the deck. The poor boy looked down on the sea; it was a long way down; he could not bear the idea of throwing himself into the roaring current beneath him; he thought it looked angry and dangerous. How could he cast himself down into it? So he clung to the maintruck with all his might, though there was no doubt that he must soon let go and perish.
The father then called for a gun, and pointing it up at him, said, "Boy, the next time the ship lurches, throw yourself into the sea, or I'll shoot you!" The son knew his father would keep his word, so when the ship lurched on one side, the boy plunged himself into the sea; the sailors rescued him, and brought him on deck.
After telling the story, Spurgeon went on to give this application:
"Now, we, like the boy, are in a position of extra-ordinary danger, by nature, which neither you nor I can possibly escape of ourselves.
"Unfortunately, we have got some good works of our own, like that maintruck, and we cling to them so fondly, that we never will give them up. Christ knows that unless we do give them up, we shall be dashed to pieces at the last, for that rotten trust must ruin us.
"He, therefore, says, 'Sinner, let go thine own trust, and drop into the sea of my love.' We look down, and say, 'Can I be saved by trusting in God? He looks as if he were angry with me, and I could not trust him.' Ah, will not mercy's tender cry persuade you? Must the weapon of destruction be pointed directly at you? Must you hear the dreadful threat - 'He that believeth not shall be damned?' It is with you now as with that boy - your position is one of imminent peril in itself, and your slighting the Father's counsel is a matter of more terrible alarm, it makes peril more perilous. You must do it, or else you perish! Let go your hold! That is faith when the poor sinner lets go his hold, drops down, and so is saved; and the very thing which looks as if it would destroy him, is the means of his being saved. Oh! believe on Christ, poor sinners; believe on Christ.
"Ye who know your guilt and misery come, cast yourselves upon him; come, and trust my Master, and as he lives, before whom I stand, you shall never trust him in vain; but you shall find yourselves forgiven, and go your way rejoicing in Christ Jesus."
We may also want to call this "Sufficient Grace," being reminded of the account given by Paul in II Corinthians 12, where Paul tells us of a stubborn affliction he called his "thorn in the flesh."
Commentators for centuries have speculated what this "thorn" might have been. For me, the plain reading is always the safest interpretation. When Paul said "flesh" he must have been referring to a physical problem. When placed along side of other statements of Paul, it seems that the best explanation is that Paul suffered from a disease in the eyes, perhaps the result of a malaria type fever he acquired in the southern part of Galatia.
For reasons known only to God Himself, Paul's thrice prayed request to be healed was not granted, and the condition continued to plague and weaken him. However, in place of healing, Paul received Grace - Sufficient Grace - He received the necessary strength to go on. The Lord clearly conveyed this message to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." In return, the Apostle who provides an example for us all to follow, said, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (I Corinthians 12:9)
Perhaps James had the same idea in mind when he wrote to his churches, "He gives us more grace." (James 4:6)
Not all problems are magically removed by the Master, but the promise can be claimed by all, strength will be given 'til the journey's end.
The point of this verse seems to be that we will never tire of singing the praises of Him who provided for our salvation. Why? Because His "Amazing Grace" will never cease to amaze us.
We've come to use the word "grace" in a variety of ways: When someone is known to use kind and tactful words, we say they "speak with grace;" many of us say "grace" before we take up the fork to begin a meal; and not a few parents have given this name to their daughters.
But what is the most important meaning that should never be lost or diminished? It is this:
Knowing that no earning power is sufficient to provide what we need, God provides forgiveness as a free gift.
Instead of punishing us for our sins, He purchases our salvation with the shedding of His Own Beloved Son's blood.
Instead of taking our lives in just payment for our rebellion, He gives the life of His own Son as a substitute.
"Slaves, that have borne the heavy chain
"The rich inheritance of heaven,
"Her blest inhabitants no more
Greater Grace
Romans 5:17-21
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A servant of slavers in Africa,
Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
Preserved, restored, pardoned,
And appointed to preach the Faith
He had long laboured to destroy.
I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.
During our recent vacation, my daughters and I, along with my 7 month old grand daughter, whom I carried in a front pack, climbed a little mountain not far from our summer camp. Ironically, the mountain is called "Mount Grace," and on our way back down I reminisced with Christina a story about her childhood when, as a 5 year old, she sang the song "Amazing Grace" in church. It was touching, but not a little amusing to see a beautiful, innocent, blonde haired, blue eyed miniature angel sing about grace "that saved a wretch like me"! I thought, "What's wrong with this picture?" But then when you think about it, if all sin is detestable in God's sight, until Grace comes, we are all as a wretch. That's what makes the Grace all the more amazing.
Look at the young man we've named the "prodigal son," crawling among the unclean swine in the pen, competing with them for a morsel of food. Dirty, smelly, unkempt, alone and depressed - but when he reached father's home, he was forgiven with hugs and laughter.
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!
On April 5, 1857, the now famous Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon preached a sermon he called "Justification by Grace." In it he told the story of a captain of a man-of-war, whose son liked to climb up the rigging of the ship. One time, running after a monkey, he ran up the mast, till at last he got on to the maintruck, which is like a large round table near the top of the mast. When the boy was on the maintruck there was plenty of room for him. The difficulty was that he could not reach the mast that was under the table; he was not tall enough to get down from this maintruck, reach the mast, and so descend.
3. The third verse of the hymn points to Strengthening Grace.
'Tis grace hath bro’t me safe, thus far and grace will lead me home.
How well I remember the husband of the Physical Education teacher of my college days. He once had served as a Pastor, but now, due to a stroke suffered in the pulpit, only once a year, with his emaciated body slumping into a chair on wheels pushed by others, could he preach in feeble voice from the chapel platform. But though the man was weak, the message was strong. He had learned the lesson of Strengthening Grace.
4. Last but certainly not least, there is Eternal Grace.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’ve first begun.
Instead of giving us what we so clearly deserve, God freely offers what we could never merit.
Please allow me to conclude this sermon by reading a poem from another of Spurgeon's sermons, one preached in 1855 called "Law and Grace."
That you ten thousand talents owe,
When humble at his feet you fall,
Your gracious God forgives them all.
Of sin, and hell's tyrannic reign,
To liberty assert your claim,
And urge the great Redeemer's name.
Your joy, your boast, is freely giv'n;
Fair Salem your arrival waits,
With golden streets, and pearly gates.
Bondage and poverty implore!
No debt, but love immensely great;
Their joy still rises with the debt."
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