Becoming a Grace-Filled Christian

Well, good afternoon, brethren. It’s wonderful to see everybody, their smiling faces, on this wonderful Sabbath afternoon. I hope everybody’s well rested and excited.

So, let’s jump right into the message here, brethren. What does Christianity mean to you? What does Christianity mean to you? The term Christianity is used and applied throughout the world in a variety of ways and contexts. Some are correct. Some are not. But again, I ask, “What does Christianity mean to you?” Make this personal, and always should be. Would it surprise you to know that the word Christianity is found nowhere in the Bible? It’s all through the Bible, but the word is not found in the Bible.

Now the word Christian is, but it’s twice. Again, it’s all through the Bible, but the word itself is only found twice. Once in the book of Acts and once in First Peter. So let’s begin with a scripture. Let’s go to the first time the word Christian is used in the Bible. Let’s go to Acts chapter twenty-six, and verse twenty-eight. Acts twenty-six, and verse twenty-eight. It reads, “Then Agrippa,” this is King Agrippa, “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, almost you persuade me to be a Christian.” Paul almost persuaded a king to be a Christian. Now the word Christian means follower of Christ. So, how powerful, how much of an influence were those words of Paul? And maybe even more so was how Paul was living.

What he was doing that almost persuaded this king to start following Jesus Christ. The account Paul gave was his inspired conversion on the road to Damascus, which is what inspired Paul to become a Christian himself. Brethren Christianity begins with an influence. Something influences us to begin to start following Jesus Christ, to be a Christian. So let me change my question up a little bit that I posed. What influences you to be a Christian, to follow Jesus Christ? Brethren, today we will learn how to become a grace-filled Christian. We will learn how to become, and I’m putting an emphasis on become, we’ll touch on that shortly, become a grace-filled Christian.

Wait a minute; we were just talking about influence a little bit ago. Where’s the word influence? Let’s look at the word grace and see what the word grace means. The New Testament word for grace, there are two main words, maybe three, but one is the predominant use. Virtually every time this word grace is used in the New Testament, this is the definition. Starts off, grace meaning, it means graciousness or gratifying of manner or act, abstract or concrete, literal, figuratively, or spiritual. Oh, wait a minute, there’s a little bit more. It goes on and says, especially a divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in your life. There’s the influence, and it’s a divine influence.

There are two divine beings right now, brethren, the Father and the Son. That’s where our influence comes from. That’s what influenced, persuaded Paul on the road to Damascus, and that’s what led and helped Paul to almost persuade King Agrippa, was that divine influence, that grace. Is there somewhere in the Bible that actually commands us to use this influence, to use it to maybe grow? Let’s go to Second Peter, Second Peter, chapter three, and verse eighteen. Second Peter, chapter three, and verse eighteen. It reads, “But grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” This closes out Second Peter.

Grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, his divine influence. So, brethren, to be, emphasis again on be, a Christian, we must act on Christ’s divine influence and follow his example, reflecting it in our lives. That’s our part of grace. It’s two-part. First, we’re influenced, then we reflect. Oh, but are we supposed to... how much of it are we to reflect, brethren? Is it ten percent, a tithe? Well, go to Luke six, Luke six, verse forty-six; six, forty-six in the book of Luke. Christ is clear on this. Luke six, forty-six says, “And why call you Me, `Lord, Lord,’ and do not the things which I say?”

You might say, “Follow my example, words and deeds; reflect them in your life. Use that influence, that divine influence, and be an example.” Here’s a question: whose example, whose divine influence is Jesus Christ reflecting? It’s the Father. So if we are reflecting Jesus Christ, brethren, we’re also a reflection of the Father, the divine beings, that divine influence. So now, let’s get into the meat of the message. It is time now to learn how to become a grace-filled Christian.

Turn to Matthew five. I kept emphasizing be, well, we’re going to go to the Sermon on the Mount, the beatitudes. Because they are an incredible source of guidance, of influence for everybody, young, old, new in the church, years’ experience in the church. The beatitudes are a great tool to reflect back upon or to learn for the first time. So, Matthew five, we’ll begin in verse one. “And seeing the multitudes, he, Christ, went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples came unto him.

And he opened his mouth and taught them,” You might say, began influencing them, saying, verse three: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Rather, the context here is poor. It’s destitute. It’s not rich people. It’s not those overflowing with things like the world seeks, but the poor. But also, context is humbled and trusting in God. Stay in Matthew and go to chapter six, please. Chapter six. And we’ll begin in verse twenty-five.

Matthew six, and verse twenty-five says, “Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take you thought for raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to tomorrow was cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or, ‘What shall we drink?’ or, ‘Wherewithal shall we be clothed?’ For after all these things do the Gentiles, the unbelievers, for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.”

Brethren, the Father knows our needs. He’s not going to let us remain poor and destitute when we have a need. But we must do our part. We have work to do as well. God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Christians have a work to do. But does God promise us that he will not leave us lacking? Turn to Psalms, Psalms twenty-three. Psalms twenty-three, and verse one, twenty-three, and verse one states, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” That word want means lack. Brethren, we don’t lack for want. We lack for need. And it gives us an equation. If when we make the Lord our shepherd, our guide, our influence, he’ll, he’s promised that he will never let us lack for our needs.

Our part in that verse is making the Lord our shepherd. And we will always have our needs. Go to Proverbs chapter three, Proverbs chapter three, and verse five. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” To ensure that this promise, hearkening back to Psalms twenty-one, that we will never lack, brethren, we cannot lean on our understanding, let’s say, our possessions, our things. We must understand it is God that strengthens us. It is God that gets us through and over, and past trials. It’s nothing that we bring to the game, if you will, life that doesn’t come from the Father. We can’t lean on our understanding. We lean on the Father. We lean on our strength.

We lean on our influencer, both the Father and we lean on Jesus Christ, the influence of the two divine beings. Turn to John, John chapter fifteen, John fifteen, and verse five. John five, and verse nineteen states, “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, ‘Truly, truly I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do; for what things soever he does, these also do the Son likewise.’” If Jesus Christ needed the Father, how much more do we? Oh, and by the way, did you notice how once Jesus saw what the Father did, he reflected the Father? He followed the Father’s lead, took the Father’s influence. We must do the same. Back to Matthew, Matthew nineteen.

Might want to bookmark Matthew. I’d recommend chapter five because we will be back and forth in five. But right now we’re going to nineteen, nineteen, and we’ll begin in verse sixteen, verse nineteen, sixteen. Story of the rich man, a man leaning on his things, relying on his things. “And behold, one came and said unto him, unto Jesus, ‘Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?’” And he said unto him, “Why call you me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. But if you will enter into life, keep the commandments.”

He said unto him, “Which?” Jesus said, “You shall do no murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your Father and your mother; and, you shall love you neighbor as yourself.” The young man said unto him, “All these things have I kept from my youth up. What lack I?” He knew he still lacked something, didn’t know what it was, or at least questioned whether he did. Jesus said unto him, “If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.” “Come be a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ.”

“But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, “Truly I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” Because brethren, this world teaches we rely on our riches, on our things. That goes against what God says, goes against what Jesus taught. We lean on the Father. We rely on the Father. We take their influence and become Christian, become grace-filled Christians.

Go to Matthew five. The next beatitude, Matthew five, verse four, “Blessed are they that mourn or grieve, for they shall be comforted.” Proverbs twenty-nine. Proverbs twenty-nine, and verse two; twenty-nine, and verse two states, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.” Brethren, righteousness equates to joy. Unrighteousness causes grief, causes mourning. That ought to give us a clue to what we should seek, what we should to build, righteousness. Go to Psalms chapter thirty. Psalms chapter thirty, we’ll begin in verse five.

Psalms thirty, and verse five states, “Sing unto the Lord, O you saints of his. Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endures but for a moment. In his favor is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Brethren, sadness is a part of life. People finish their course and we miss them. And we mourn. There’s nothing wrong with grieving. There’s nothing wrong with mourning, but we must move on. God promises, he tells us, it’s going to happen. We’re going to have sad times in this world, but it will get better. Don’t let yourselves be weighted down with grief. Our Father is there to influence us. The words in the Bible are there to inspire and to help.

Go to Ecclesiastes. He said, “These things will happen. Sad times, sad events will happen.” Ecclesiastes three. Read verse one, then jump down a bit. Ecclesiastes three one. “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the sun.” Verse four. “A time to weep, then a time to laugh; a time to mourn, then a time to dance.” Comforting will follow sad times. Comforting will follow grief, will follow mourning if we let it. If we don’t hang on to that grief, hang on to our mourning, God will bring us up out of that. That’s who we lean on again. All these tie back together.

Sometimes in making this, it was a little difficult, all right, where do I put these verses because they apply in every one of these contexts virtually. But brethren, Christians have a promise that our mourning will be followed with comfort if we lean on the Father. Matthew five. Back again to Matthew. Matthew five, five. “Blessed are the meek, or the humble, for they shall inherit the earth.” Wow, what a promise? The meek will inherit the earth. Those who humble themselves will inherit the earth. Let’s look and see what a grander aspect of actually what meekness is. Let’s go to Galatians five, we begin in verse twenty-two. We all know these verses here. This is something it took me a while to almost say accept or grasp.

Verse twenty-two, it says, “But the fruit of the Spirit.” These are the characteristics of God. You can say, “God is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Have you ever thought that the God of the universe, the Almighty, is humble? To have the Almighty allow his creations to choose between him, let’s say life and death, that would be a hard choice for a Father that wants all to be saved. So, brethren, meekness or humility is a characteristic of God. It’s part of what God is. It’s another reason why those that have that will inherit the earth.

Go to Matthew six, Matthew six, and verse thirty-three; six, thirty-three, going back to the fruits of the Spirit. These are also the righteous characteristics of the Father. Matthew six, thirty-three says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” His fruit, one of those being meekness. It’s one of the first things we seek. No wonder it’s listed as a high qualification for an incredible inheritance. Stay in Matthew and go to chapter eighteen, chapter eighteen, and we will begin in verse two. No, let’s start in verse one. Matthew eighteen, verse one, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom?’”

This is Christ talking to his disciples. “And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them,” in the midst of these future apostles, future great influencers of Christianity. He set this young child in the midst of them and said, “Truly I say unto you, except you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Christ answered their question, “Who is the greatest?” The meek, the humble, will be counted the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Oh, and by the way, we’ll inherit the earth. A little side note.

Matthew twenty-three, Matthew twenty-three, verse twelve. Matthew twenty-three, and verse twelve says, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased.” Think of basement. You’re put pretty low. You’re down in the basement. “Shall be abased. And he that shall humble himself shall be exalted,” shall be lifted up. Maybe that’s the reason Christ said the meek or the humble will inherit, will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, because they lowered themselves. So God will raise them up.

Go back to Matthew five. The next beatitude, Matthew five, verse six. “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Think of grace-filled, divinely-influenced filled Christians. They shall be filled if and when they thirst and hunger after God’s character, after his righteousness. Go to First Kings. We’ve got a well-known account of this, of an example of this. First Kings chapter three. We’ll begin in verse nine.

First Kings chapter three, verse nine. “Give therefore your servant an understanding heart to judge your people,” says Solomon, “that I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this, thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discernment.” Let’s call it righteous understanding, righteous judgment. Another way to call it is the mind of God. That’s what Solomon asked for. That pleased God.

“Behold, I have done according to your words.” I’m going to give you this. I’ve done this. “Lo, I have given you a wise and understanding heart so that there was none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like unto you. And I have also,” oh, here’s that being filled aspect, “and I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches, honor. And so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto you all your days. And if you will walk in my ways,” here’s some conditions. “If you will walk in my way,” this is what Christians must do our part, “to keep my statutes and my commandments as your Father David did walk, then I will lengthen your days.”

He keeps filling Solomon up beyond what he asked for. He was overflowing because he thirsted and hungered after God’s righteousness. If Solomon, brethren, we can too. Not just can, but must. Don’t think you can’t. Don’t think you shouldn’t. But Solomon asked correctly according to the mind of God. And it pleased God. Go back to Matthew. Matthew five, and verse seven. Matthew five, and verse seven. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Do you want mercy? I do. Do you need mercy? I do. We all do. Well, here’s some guidelines. Here’s some of the part of the aspects that tie to this beatitude, something we should become, be doing, if you will. Turn over to maybe a page over Matthew six.

Again, verse fourteen. Matthew six, and verse fourteen. Coming off, “Blessed are the merciful.” Matthew six, fourteen reads, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” It doesn’t say, “Your Father will forgive you, then you go and forgive the others.” There’s a decent order in this. We forgive. The Father sees us living his righteous ways, seeking his mind, following his influence and influence of Jesus Christ, and being merciful, and he’ll be merciful to us, forgiving to us. Turn over another page. Matthew seven, and verse one. We’ll begin in verse one.

Matthew seven, we’ll begin in verse one. “Judge not that you be not judged, for with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged, and with what measure you meet, you give out, it shall be measured, given back to you again.” Again, do you want mercy? Be merciful. Do you want to be forgiven? Well, learn to forgive. Go to the Father about this. Ask him. Make it part of your daily prayers. We ask for forgiveness. Well, include, “All right, yes, by the way, Father, teach me to forgive, too, please.” Same thing about being merciful. It will please the Father. Look back at the account of Solomon. He wasn’t being greedy. He was, you know, being, he was humbling himself in that aspect.

Go to James chapter two. James two, and verse thirteen. It says, “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.” Brethren, when we show mercy, judgment against us just might lessen. This might decrease because we’ve shown mercy. Matthew five again. The next beatitude. Verse eight, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Psalm fifty-one, Psalm fifty-one, verse ten. Psalm fifty-one, and verse ten. This is David, “Create in me a clean heart,” call it a pure heart, “O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Brethren, we can do the same thing. Ask God to create a clean heart within us and renew a right spirit within us. One way we do that is ask for more of his Spirit. Let’s go to Acts. Acts thirteen. Started off with an account from David. Going to stick with David as part of the subject here. Was there a reason David was chosen? Acts thirteen, and verse twenty-one. Acts thirteen, and verse twenty-one states, “And afterward, they desired a king.” This is Israel, “Make us a king like the world.”

“And afterward they desired a king, and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king, to whom also he gave testimony and said, `I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who shall fulfill my will.’” That clean, that pure heart, brethren, that’s a heart like God. If we have a clean and pure heart, we will please God. We might be chosen for other responsibilities. Let’s start off within your congregation, growing as a local pillar. As I said right at the very beginning, “Make these personal to you. Apply them in your life. Ask God to clean your heart.” He will.

This will also renew that right spirit within us, and also asking for more of his Spirit. Psalm seventy-three, please. Time for this Psalm seventy-three, and verse one. Psalm seventy-three, and verse one. Seventy-three, one states, “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.” God knows our heart. Many times, it says throughout Scripture, “God knew their heart, knew what was in their heart.” A good heart, a clean heart, a pure heart, brethren, is pleasing to God, is pleasing to God. Let’s go to Matthew again. Matthew five and the next beatitude, five, nine; five, nine, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” The children of God, peacemakers.

Go to Romans chapter twelve. Romans chapter twelve, verse seventeen. Romans twelve, seventeen. “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.” Brethren, if we can’t find it within us, go to God. Ask him to bring peace to our hearts, to our minds, help us through a contentious situation, a troubling situation. He will. He will. Don’t think he won’t. One more in Romans chapter eight, verse nineteen. Chapter eight, verse nineteen, book of Romans. “For the earnest expectation of the creature, creation, waits for the manifestation of the sons of God,” these peacemakers.

Brethren, if God’s creation is waiting for the revealing of these sons of God, how much more is God waiting for these sons of God? How much more does it mean to him, the God of peace, to see children of his living peaceably, making peace? It’s important. It’s vital. It’s what a grace-filled Christian would do. Matthew five, verse ten. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” They’re persecuted for righteousness’ sake. First Peter. First Peter chapter two. First Peter chapter two, we’ll begin in verse nineteen.

First Peter two, verse nineteen. “For this is thankworthy: if a man for conscious toward God endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if when you do well and suffer for it, live righteously, and you take it patiently, this is acceptable to God. This is acceptable to God.” If you’re falsely accused, take it. Because you’re doing something correct, following God’s law, his influence, and you’re persecuted, take it. It pleases God. He’ll help you out of it. That might be your time to mourn, but he’ll comfort you soon thereafter.

Go to Matthew five again, and let’s go to the next beatitude. Chapter eleven, verse eleven. Chapter five, verse eleven. It seems to almost repeat, but there is a difference from verse ten. Verse eleven says, “Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.” That’s the difference in this one. The other one was living righteously. This is because we are proclaiming Jesus Christ. “Why are you doing that?” “I’m doing it because Jesus Christ told me to.” Well, they persecute you. Mark thirteen, thirteen. Mark thirteen, thirteen states, “And you shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.”

It’s a promise. “But he that shall endure until the end, the same shall be saved.” Trouble comes. Hard times come, brethren. Hang in there. Go to God. Lean on him. Not on ourselves, not on our things. They’ll do us no good, but God will. God will. So, after going through these beatitudes, verse twelve says in Matthew five, “Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

If we follow the beatitudes that we’ve walked through, brethren, living them in our lives, rejoice. Rejoice. I wrote in, why? Because you now know how to become a grace-filled Christian, a divinely influenced Christian. Brethren, recall, remember, grace is the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life, in your life, in my life, in the life of Christians. When we reflect the influence of the Father, when we reflect the influence of Jesus Christ in our lives, in our daily lives, brethren, it shows that we are truly being grace-filled Christians.