Keystone PC
Sunday, June 14
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  • Gloria Patri
  • Doxology
  • [Begin slower, reflective tone]Have you ever had a moment when you desperately needed help, but you did not know where to turn? [Pause] A moment when the burden was too heavy, the failure was too fresh, the fear was too real, and you wondered whether anyone could meet you in that place?
    [Steady, pastoral cadence]Most of us know what it is to smile in public and struggle in private. [Brief pause] We know what it is to carry worries no one else can see. We know what it is to need mercy and strength at the same time.
    [Lift your voice slightly here]Because we have Jesus as our great High Priest, through God’s grace, we have both mercy and strength.
    Follow along as I read our starting passage today.
    Hebrews 4:14–16 CSB
    14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
    Hebrews 4:16is such a powerful invitation: [Pause] God does not tell us to hide our need, deny our weakness, or clean ourselves up before coming to Him. [Slow slightly] He tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace. [Pause]One of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture is the word grace. [Emphasize each contrast] Grace is God’s undeserved favor poured out on people who could never earn it, buy it, or repay it. It has been said that the courtroom gives us justice, but the family table gives us grace. [Brief pause] In a courtroom, you receive what the law requires. Around a family table, you are welcomed because you belong. [Warm tone] Through Jesus Christ, God does not merely summon us into a courtroom to hear our sentence; He invites us to a throne of grace where mercy is given and help is supplied. [Pause to let it land] So if you came in today weary, guilty, discouraged, or empty, this message is for you. [Build gently] Today I want us to look at God’s G-R-A-C-E and see just how wonderful His grace truly is.

    1. G-reat Grace

    [Clear transition]First, grace is great grace.
    Acts 4:33 says,
    Acts 4:33 CSB
    33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.
    [Measured, confident tone]Grace is not small, limited, or reluctant. [Pause] It is great because it reaches farther than our sin, deeper than our shame, and higher than our failures. [Emphasize the contrasts] Human beings often measure worth by performance, but God meets us on the basis of His mercy. The old definition says grace is the unmerited love and favor of God toward men, and that is still true. [Use a rhythmic cadence in the next lines] We did not deserve pardon, yet grace pardons. We did not deserve cleansing, yet grace purifies. We did not deserve peace, yet grace calms the troubled heart. We did not deserve purpose, yet grace gives meaning to life through Jesus Christ.
    Ephesians 2:8 says:
    Ephesians 2:8 CSB
    8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—
    [Slight rise in conviction]If salvation is a gift, then boasting is silenced and gratitude ought to rise in every redeemed heart. [Pause] Great grace means nobody is beyond the reach of God, and nobody is too far gone for Jesus to save.
    Imagine a child who has broken something precious in the house. The sound of shattered glass fills the room, and immediately fear fills that little heart. The child expects anger, punishment, and rejection. But instead, a loving father kneels down, lifts the child’s chin, and says, “Yes, what you did was wrong, but you are still mine, and we are going to make this right together.” That does not erase the seriousness of what happened, but it shows the heart of grace. Grace does not pretend sin is small; grace reveals that God’s love is greater.

    2. R-edeeming Grace

    [Clear transition]Second, grace is redeeming grace.
    Ephesians 2:5declares, “You are saved by grace.” That means our hope is not in our goodness but in God’s goodness. Sin had left humanity guilty, separated, and spiritually dead, but Jesus stepped into our condition and paid the full price for our redemption. At the cross, justice was satisfied and mercy was extended. Because of redeeming grace, we are called to repent, believe the gospel, and receive the salvation Christ purchased with His own blood.
    Titus 3:7 says:
    Titus 3:7 CSB
    7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.
    [Lean into the wonder here]Think of that: grace not only forgives the sinner, it gives the sinner a new standing before God and a new future with God. [Pause] Redeeming grace breaks chains, lifts condemnation, and opens the door to eternal life. [Stronger emphasis] No matter what your past has been, the blood of Jesus and the grace of God are sufficient to make you new. Picture a man standing at an auction with no resources to buy back what he has lost. His debts are too large, his strength is too small, and his opportunities are gone. [Brief pause] Then someone else steps forward, pays the full price, and restores what he could never recover on his own. That is a small picture of redemption. We were bankrupt in sin, unable to save ourselves, but Jesus stepped forward and paid a price we could never pay.
    Sometimes we present the cross as Jesus taking our place on the cross. The problem with that is even if we died on the cross, we could not get to God. Only Jesus on that cross allowed us to boldly approach the throne of grace because only a righteous, unblemished man could die for our forgiveness.
    [Slow down for emphasis]The cross is heaven’s declaration that our rescue did not come cheap, but it did come complete.

    3. A-bundant Grace

    [Clear transition]Third, grace is abundant grace.
    2 Corinthians 9:8 says,
    2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB 2020
    8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
    [Broaden your pacing here—unhurried and reassuring] We live in a world of shortages. People speak of not having enough money, enough strength, enough time, enough stability, and sometimes even enough hope to make it through another day. [Pause]But there is one thing heaven never runs short on, and that is the grace of God. [Emphasize “abundant” ideas] His grace is abundant. It is not rationed out in fear that it might run dry. It flows from the heart of a loving Father who knows exactly what His children need. [Use a steady rhythmic build] When we are weary, grace sustains us. When we are discouraged, grace renews us. When we are called to serve, grace equips us. The same God who saves us by grace also strengthens us by grace for every good work He places before us. [Pause] There may be scarcity all around us, but there is no scarcity in God. His grace is enough for today, and it will still be enough tomorrow. It is like standing beside a spring that never stops flowing. You may bring a small cup or a large bucket, but the spring does not run dry because of your need. [Warmly] In the same way, our needs may be many, but God’s grace is always more. We often come to God apologizing for how much we need, yet the Lord never responds as though our dependence is an inconvenience to Him. [Pause to settle the thought] The abundance of grace means you never have to fear that the next trial will find heaven empty.

    4. C-omforting Grace

    [Clear transition]Fourth, grace is comforting grace.
    In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Lord said to Paul:
    2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB
    9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.
    Paul had prayed for his thorn in the flesh to be removed, but instead of [Gentler tone here]Paul had prayed for his thorn in the flesh to be removed, but instead of removing the burden, God provided sustaining grace. [Pause] That is an important lesson for us. Sometimes God changes our circumstances, and sometimes He changes us in the middle of our circumstances. [Use contrast clearly]Sometimes He calms the storm, and sometimes He gives strength to stand while the storm still rages. Comforting grace does not mean we never hurt; it means we are never abandoned in our hurt. It means the Lord comes near to the brokenhearted, strengthens the weary, and reminds the weak that His power is made perfect in weakness. [Slow slightly] The thing that should have crushed Paul instead became the place where God’s strength was displayed. And so it can be with us. When we have reached the end of ourselves, grace meets us there and whispers that Christ is enough.
    I remember a winter hunting trip with my dad when I was young. It was just the two of us and our Huskies, hiking into deep snow to make camp. I do not remember doing much, but I remember dad—setting up the tent, building the fire, making a place to endure the night.
    [Pause before this line]He did not stop the snow from falling, but he gave me shelter and warmth in the middle of it.
    [Apply the illustration tenderly]That is what God’s comforting grace is like. It does not always stop the storm, but it sustains us through it. It gives strength in weakness, warmth in the cold, and hope until morning comes.

    5. E-verlasting Grace

    [Clear transition]Finally, grace is everlasting grace.
    Ephesians 2:7 says:
    Ephesians 2:7 CSB
    7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
    [Hopeful, confident tone]So many things in this world fade. Strength fades. Wealth fades. Possessions wear out. Earthly glory passes away. [Pause] But the grace of God does not diminish with time. It is everlasting. The grace that saves us is the grace that keeps us, and the grace that keeps us is the grace that will bring us safely home. [Build with assurance] From the first cry for mercy to the final step into eternity, the believer is upheld by grace. That means our confidence is not in our ability to hold on to God, but in God’s faithfulness to hold on to us. His grace was great enough to reach us, redeeming enough to save us, abundant enough to supply us, comforting enough to sustain us, and everlasting enough to carry us all the way into His presence. [Pause] It is like a lighthouse standing through the years on a rocky shore. Storms beat against it, waves crash around it, seasons change, and generations come and go, yet the light keeps shining to guide weary sailors home. God’s grace is like that—steady, faithful, and unfailing. Long after human strength is gone and earthly supports have failed, the grace of God still shines, still holds, and still leads His children safely home.
    I once watched a young woman on a talent show sing an original song. Before she sang, she shared that her mother had battled cancer and passed away two years earlier. She sang beautifully and moved on in the competition. But as she walked off the stage, someone asked how she was doing. A part of her answer stayed with me. She said she just hoped her mother was happy—wherever she was.
    That is the uncertainty of a world without the gospel. But because of God’s grace in Jesus Christ, we do not have to live with that uncertainty. Grace gives more than comfort for today—it gives confidence for eternity. Because of Jesus, we do not have to wonder where we are going, and those who know Christ do not have to leave this world with a hopeless question hanging over their soul. Grace not only helps us in time of need—it carries us all the way home.
    [Use repetition with deliberate pacing]So today, what do you need from the Lord? [Pause] Do you need pardon? There is grace for that. [Pause] Do you need saving? There is grace for that. [Pause] Do you need strength to endure your present trial? There is grace for that. [Pause] Do you need hope for the future? There is grace for that too.
    [Invitation tone—warm and earnest]The invitation of Hebrews 4:16 still stands: come boldly to the throne of grace. [Pause] Not because you deserve it, but because Jesus made a way. Bring your sin, bring your sorrow, bring your weakness, and bring your need. [Slow down here] When you come to Christ, you will find mercy for your failures and grace to help in time of need.
    [Final emphasis]May we never lose our wonder at the greatness of God’s G-R-A-C-E.
    Let’s pray.

      • Hebrews 4:14–16CSB

      • Acts 4:33CSB

      • Ephesians 2:8CSB

      • Titus 3:7CSB

      • 2 Corinthians 9:8CSB

      • 2 Corinthians 12:9CSB

      • Ephesians 2:7CSB

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