The Grace of God

Let's begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise.

We're going to sing in Psalm 84 in the Scottish Psalter at verse 6.

Psalm 84 at verse 6, page 338 of the psalm book.

The tomb is Tramps and Hawkers.

Who passing Thurabaker's vale, therein do dig up wells.

Also the rain that falleth down, the pools with water fills.

Though they from strength and weary go still forward unto strength.

Until in Zion they appear before the Lord at length.

We'll sing from verse 6a down to the end of the psalm to God's praise.

Who passing through Bacchus' vale, therein do dig up wells.

Also the rain that falleth down, the pools with water fills.

So they from strength and weary go still forward unto strength.

Until in Zion they appear before the Lord at length.

Lord, what a force my way are here, O Jacob's God give ear.

See God our shield look on the face of thy anointed ear.

All in thy course on the excess a thousand rather in.

My God's house will I keep adored and dwell in tents of sin.

What want the Lord's a sun and shield, ill grace and glory give.

And dwell with hope no good from them, that of our heed to live.

O Lord, that of our heed to the Lord of hosts, that man is truly blessed.

Through my assured confidence, on thee alone the rest.

Let's come to God in prayer.

Let us pray.

Lord God of hosts, as the psalmist says, we thank you to be able to come and worship you this evening together.

We thank you to be able to come into your place and with your people.

To be gathered around your word that speaks to us so powerfully.

And to sing your praises from these words that remind us of who you are and the wonder of your grace.

That you are the one who the psalmist says, he'll grace and glory give.

And will withhold no good from them that uprightly do live.

And we thank you that we can enter into the experience of these words.

Recognizing, Lord, that you have not withheld anything from us.

We so often ask for things that maybe we think we don't get.

But Lord, you and your wisdom may keep things from us that we do not require.

But we thank you that all that we need to live, move and have our being is supplied by you.

And supplied so abundantly.

We thank you, Lord, for every provision you make for us.

That you are a God of grace and glory.

That you are a God who has revealed your grace and glory to us through your Son, Jesus Christ.

We thank you that your glory is seen around us.

And your grace is experienced even within us.

We thank you, Lord, for so much that we have that we take for granted.

But help us, Lord, that day by day we will appreciate more.

Your wondrous works towards us and towards your kingdom.

For we belong to your people.

A people who belong to all nations and tribes of this world.

We may belong to a place and a town and a family.

We may belong to a nation and a country here.

But we thank you, Lord, that above all, our citizenship is in heaven.

That we are a people, Lord, who as we put our trust in you,

would find there that we belong to you as our Father in heaven.

That we belong to your people scattered far and wide.

And help us, Lord, to find our identity in you.

To seek you with all our heart.

And to look to you and to trust in you as the maker of heaven and earth.

And we do thank you, Lord, for your grace.

Your grace so abundant towards your people.

Your grace shown in how you gave your own Son.

How he came to redeem his people.

How he came to save his people from their sins.

And we thank you, Lord, that in all that we could not do for ourselves,

that you have accomplished it for us.

And help us to cry to you.

Help us to call upon your name.

Help us to know that you are with us.

Help us to know your presence day by day.

Help us to experience it, Lord, and to share it with others.

Help us to rejoice in it.

And to be glad for everything that you do for us.

So that even as we worship this evening, as we sing your praise,

we will do so with joy and delight in our hearts and on our lips.

And as we hear and receive your word,

that it will fill us up for the week that lies ahead.

As we begin this week on a day that reminds us that our Lord and Savior is risen.

And a reminder to us that we rest in him.

May he equip us and set us up, Lord, for going back into our workspaces and into our homes

and into our communities in the week ahead.

That we will be salt and light in all that we do.

We do pray for your ongoing work here in our midst and throughout your kingdom, Lord.

We thank you that you are building your church and that you are calling your people to yourself.

That there is that irresistible grace that you show towards your people.

We thank you for evidence of how you are working, how you are speaking, how you are ministering.

How we see a people coming from darkness to light.

How we see desires being changed from longing for the things of this world

to instead be longing for you and for your kingdom.

And so we pray that by your spirit you will work among us.

Among young and old alike.

That we will experience your precious grace and your steadfast love.

May you bless the youth fellowship as they meet this evening.

We thank you that as they resume after the holiday period that you will be with them in it.

Remember our young people just now as they sit exams.

As prelims go on, have gone on this past week and go on in the week ahead.

May you encourage and strengthen all our young people as they prepare for exams and as they sit them.

Be with them in it, Lord, and help them to be able to call upon you for help.

To be able to pray over these things, recognizing the help that you are able to give.

So help them to lean upon you and look to you.

Help us as a people, Lord, in all that we do to encourage and remember one another.

We thank you, Lord, that your grace is sufficient in all experience in life.

And we do pray your grace towards those who need it in special ways.

Those who grieve over the loss of loved ones as we continue to remember that in recent days and in days gone past, Lord.

That you will comfort, that you will uphold, that you will be a shield and a strength to those who need you in that particular way.

Remember those who are unwell, those who are in hospital, those who are confined to their homes.

We pray, Lord, that you will draw near to them where they are, that you will encourage and strengthen your people as they have need of you.

We know, Lord, that there are times when what is important is your will.

And we pray, Lord, that you must be heard in the morning service, that your will be what we pray for.

No matter what goes on in our experience, Lord, help us to be settled with it.

And to be settled, Lord, to say your will be done in all things.

We remember, Lord, our wider communities at this time as well.

And as we see an appeal for help to support Muriel Gillis in Lox at this time, we pray for that situation.

We thank you, Lord, for her safety above all that she was able to get out of her home before the fire took hold.

But when we see the devastation and the loss it has brought, Lord, we pray for her, for her family as well, and for the community there too.

We thank you, Lord, for those who have surrounded her with love and care and compassion.

And we pray, Lord, to remember her in every way we can, prayerfully and practically.

And we know others in need too as well, Lord.

And we pray for every ongoing effort of your gospel work in our midst to reach out to people in need, those who are lonely, those who are isolated in different ways, those who are struggling with many different issues.

We pray, Lord, that you will help us to be good neighbors to those around us, loving them, caring for them, having compassion upon them.

That as we love you with all our heart, we'll be enabled more and more to love our neighbor as ourselves.

We pray for your kingdom to come in power throughout our land, throughout all authorities over us, Lord.

We pray that you will minister to the rulers from on high, on kings and prime ministers and first ministers, presidents throughout our world,

and those in positions of authority and power.

Lord, give wisdom, Lord, give due diligence to them that they would seek you with all their heart, that they would rule us according to your truth.

Lord, we ask it, looking to you to intervene in these days, to come and guide our nations, to guide us to yourself,

to restore the lands of this world, to be a people who would honor you with praise on their lips.

Remember, you're persecuted people throughout the world.

We know there are many and in many places throughout the world.

And even in these last few weeks, the watch list has been produced by Open Doors, reminding us, Lord, of the persecution that goes on in so many dark places in the world.

But yet we thank you that you have your people there.

We thank you that there are those who are persecuted.

For it reminds us, Lord, that there are people who will stand up for you, who will honor your name, who will not be turned away.

And so we pray for them, Lord.

Stand with them.

Be near to them.

Build your church in these places that through their suffering, glory may come.

And that people would turn to the Lord Jesus Christ.

So continue with us.

We pray, hear us, and go before us in all that we do and all that we say.

As we ask all things for the forgiveness of our sins.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Let us again sing to God's praise this time in Psalm 36 in the Scottish Psalter, page 251.

Psalm 36 on page 251.

We're going to sing from verse 5 to verse 10.

The tune is London New.

Thy mercy, Lord, is in the heavens.

Thy truth does reach the clouds.

Thy justice is like mountains great.

Thy judgments deep as floods.

We'll sing from verse 5 down to verse 10 to God's praise.

Thy mercy, Lord, is in the heavens.

Thy truth does reach the clouds.

Thy justice is like mountains great.

Thy judgments deep as floods.

Lord, the peace, heaven, and peace.

How precious is thy grace.

Therefore, in shadow of thy ways,

Your lips, my customers suffer from his heart.

� 텀头 znale to hear thy life.

Judahol, the Expert is a witness.

So you watch A witness to come from verse 10 to us.

� voted both sides of the language.

What the rest of my heart shall be.

Thy gifts, Oitas, the Schön CoronaQuéboy, O sex, 3 to the Pods,

the hatred...

Health, the Spirit, O thingsusta, farleb land for Juliet,

Or the patiently of peace.

His metalk dafür those fruit andua seed to go to come.

Will drink to them provide

Because of life the fountaine girl

Recapes alone within

And in the purest light of thine

We weary life shall see

Thy loving kindness up to them

Continue that we know

And still on earth now bright in light

Thy righteousness be so

We're going to read together in the letter of Paul to Titus.

Titus chapter 2.

Titus 2 · chapter mention

We can read the whole of this chapter together.

Titus chapter 2.

Titus 2 · chapter mention

Reading the whole of this chapter.

Titus chapter 2.

Titus 2 · chapter mention

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled,

sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior,

not slanderers or slaves to much wine.

They are to teach what is good and so train the young women

to love their husbands and children,

to be self-controlled, pure, working at home,

kind and submissive to their own husbands,

that the word of God may not be reviled.

Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works

and in your teachings show integrity, dignity,

and sound speech that cannot be condemned,

so that an opponent may be put to shame,

having nothing evil to say about us.

Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything.

They are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

not pilfering, but showing all good faith,

so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God,

our Saviour.

For the grace of God has appeared,

bringing salvation for all people,

training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions,

and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives

in the present age,

waiting for our blessed hope,

the appearing of the glory of our great God

and Saviour Jesus Christ,

who gave himself for us

to redeem us from all lawlessness

and to purify for himself

a people for his own possession

who are zealous for good works.

Declare these things,

exhort and rebuke with all authority.

Let no one disregard you.

Amen.

And may God bless that reading from his word.

We're going to sing again to God's praise,

this time in Psalm 145,

the first version of the Psalm in the Scottish Psalter,

singing at verse 15,

and the tune is Effingham,

verse 15 down to the end of the Psalm,

verse 21.

The eyes of all things wait on thee,

the giver of all good,

and thou in time convenient,

bestowst on them their food.

We'll sing from verse 15 to 21,

to God's praise.

The eyes of all things wait on thee,

the giver of all good,

and thou in time convenient,

and thou in time convenient,

his souls not end their food.

Than thou in timeuds on thee,

thy hand

And of thy body is

Enough to satisfy the need

Of everything that is

The Lord is just in all his ways

Only in his works all

Of spirit to all that call him

In truth that all him call

He will accomplish the design

Of those that do him fear

He also will deliver them

And he their pride will hear

The Lord presents all good in love

That not can them annoy

But he of those that may be there

Will after me destroy

By might the graces of the Lord

To publish sins shall never

Let all flesh bless his holy pain

Forever and forever

Now if we can turn back to our reading

In the letter of Paul to Titus chapter 2

Titus 2 · chapter mention

And we're going to look this evening

At the end of the chapter

Verse 11 to verse 15

Verse 11 says

For the grace of God has appeared

Bringing salvation for all people

And so it goes on

The grace of God has appeared

There are many big words

When we come to study the Bible

Or when we come to study theology

Theology is the study of God

And as you study

You find that people use

When you look at books of theology

They use quite big words

And sometimes it's hard

To get your tongue around them

Never mind get your mind

Around what some of these words

Actually mean

But it's important for us

To delve into these important words

But sometimes it's the little words

That are just as important

And sometimes it's the little words

That can have a very powerful impact on us

So as we hear the word of God being read

Or as we study God's word

There's little words that sometimes appear

And they appear very powerfully

Little words often speak to us

About a battle that is always ongoing

So when you look at the Bible

And you go maybe to the very beginning of the Bible

The opening words of the Bible say

In the beginning God

Now God isn't a big word in and of itself

But it's a huge word

In terms of our thinking

Of everything that we see around us

And as we look at ourselves

And as we look at theology as a whole

It is the study of God

Who he is

And what he's done

And when you read through the beginning of the Bible

And you see in the beginning God

You see that he made all things

But then it comes to the point where he says

And he created man

Male and female

He created them

So you go from one small word God

That has such a big emphasis

To then focus on the next thing

Which we could think of is me

Me

Where do I fit into all of this

Again it's just a small word me

Two letters

But again it's so important

Where do I fit into the scheme of things

With God

And as you go on in Genesis

You find something else happened

And another word comes in

Sin

Again

It's a very small word

But such an important word

To realize that sin

Came into the world

That this brought enmity

Between us and God

That there's this battle

Going on

So all of these small words

Remind us of

Our beginning

Who we are

And the problem

That exists in this world

Between us

And knowing God

As we should

But then God shows us

Another couple of words

That help us to understand

How we can come back to him

Two small words

We're going to focus on

One of them this evening

The first one

Is faith

God speaks of faith

It's not a big word again

But such an important word

To have faith

In God

But where does faith

Come from

Well it comes from the word

That we're going to study

This evening

Grace

The grace of God

That ministers to us

And the grace of God

Grace is again

It's a small word

But it's so important

And it's packed with so much

Grace of God

Is a subject

We could spend

Our whole lives

Studying

And still never get past

The wonder of this

That God showed grace

At all

We don't deserve it

But that is what grace is

It's a gift

A gift

Of God

We can never

Tire of hearing of it

That despite our sinful hearts

Despite what sin has done

To me

That God has shown grace

He's shown mercy

Towards us

So that God by his grace

Does not desire that

Any be lost

But instead that

All would come

And find salvation

All would know his grace

And come to faith

In the Lord Jesus Christ

Every sermon preached

From the gospel

Has the grace of God in it

Because that is what the gospel is

It is the good news

Of a gracious God

And so this grace

Is vital for us

God's grace is seen

Throughout the scriptures

And it's seen

In different ways

It's shown

In different ways

Example

In Exodus

When Moses

Is shown

The grace of God

In Exodus 34

Exodus 34:6

Verse 6

It says

The Lord passed

Before him

And proclaimed

The Lord

The Lord

A God

Merciful

And gracious

Slow to anger

And abounding

In steadfast love

And faithfulness

A description

Of who God is

This wonder of God

The Lord

The Lord

A God

Merciful

And gracious

Slow to anger

Moses was reminded of it

And reminds us of it

You see there

God's grace and favor

You see his grace

In more general ways

As well

Where he leaves

No one

Without

He leaves everyone

Without excuse

A grace called

Common grace

Grace shown

To everyone

For example

In Acts 14

Acts 14:17

Verse 17

It says

Yet he has not

Left himself

Without testimony

He has shown

Kindness

Or grace

By giving you

Rain from heaven

And crops

In their seasons

He provides you

With plenty of food

And fills your hearts

With joy

He shows this

Common grace

To all

But yet people

Don't see it

But I want us

This evening

To think of

The grace of God

That leads to

Salvation

His special

Grace

His grace

That he shows

Through giving

His son

The Lord

Jesus Christ

It's a grace

Not merited

By us

But a grace

That gives us

Salvation

Through faith

In the Lord

Jesus Christ

How would you

Describe

This grace

Have you

Experienced

This grace

Yourself

How would you

Explain

This grace

To others

So often

It's hard

For us

To put in words

But we can often

Come back

To the fact

That grace

Is something

We don't

Deserve

But it is

A gift

From God

And so I want us

To think of

This grace

As we see it

In these verses

Before us

This evening

Verse 11

Through to

Verse 15

And three things

That we see

Of this grace

Here

It's a grace

First of all

That has appeared

To all

It sees

It's a grace

That trains us

Or teaches us

And it's a grace

That gives us

Patience

To wait

Upon the Lord

So these three

Things we're going

To look at

This evening

First of all

The grace

It says

In verse 11

For the grace

Of God

Has appeared

Bringing salvation

For all people

God's grace

Fills so much

Of Paul's

Teaching

Through his letters

So as you read

Through the New Testament

You find again

And again

Paul speaking

Of the wonder

Of this grace

How special

This grace is

How we all need

To know

And experience

This grace

For ourselves

To know

This great gift

Of eternal life

Through God

Here in the letter

To Titus

As he's writing

To encourage Titus

In the midst

Of different trials

And tribulations

That he's facing

Up to himself

He gives this

Reminder to him

And to all

Who are with him

The grace

Of God

Has appeared

Bringing salvation

And the way

You find Paul

Dealing with grace

So often

In his letters

Is he teaches us

About it

What it means

The teaching

Behind it

The theology

If you like

Behind it

But he doesn't

Just leave it at that

He also

Often he puts it

Then

Into how we put it

Into practice

How we live it

Out in our lives

How we experience it

How we grow in it

How we go on

In it

He teaches the foundations

Of what's behind it

But then he says

You're to live

Through it

How to live

And how to know it

And so

The same is

Is true

For ourselves

Today as well

To know this

Grace of God

To delve into

God's word

And to seek

To understand

More of the

Wonder of this

Grace

And the more

We know it

The more we

Should seek

To live

It out

You see it

Even in these

Verses

Verse 11

Through to

Verse 14

He tells us

This grace of God

Has appeared

Bringing salvation

Well what does

That mean

Well as you go on

He shows us

That this grace

Trains us

To turn away

From ungodliness

And worldly passions

To live

Self-controlled

Waiting

For the blessed hope

The appearing

Of and glory

Of our great God

And Saviour

Jesus Christ

There's so much

Already in this

That the Lord

Has come as

A saving work

To be done

For us

That he is

One who takes

Control of our lives

That we await

His appearing

His return

The day of the

Resurrection

He gave himself

To redeem us

So there's so much

Here already

So there's

Teaching behind it all

But then he says

At the end

Of verse 14

He gave himself

To redeem us

From all unlawless

To purify himself

A people

For his own possession

Who are

Sealous

For good works

So these are

Going to be

A people

Who know

And understand

All that the

Lord has done

In salvation

And redemption

In purchasing them

That they would be

Sealous

For good works

That they would

Serve the Lord

With all their heart

So God

Has appeared

To remind us

Of the salvation

For all people

Through Jesus Christ

Just like Paul

Teaches us

In Ephesians 2

That we were

Dead in our

Trespasses and sins

But by his grace

And mercy

Made alive

In Christ

And this is

By grace

Through faith

Not of works

Lest we boast

So again

We come back

It says here

Sell us for good works

Not to boast

In them

But to do them

Because of what

He has done

For us

Romans 5

Again

Such a wonderful book

So much teaching

There to us

Of who God is

And the riches

Of his grace

But turns again

To often

Practical things

As well

In chapter 5

Though it says

In verse 10

For if

When we were

God's enemies

We were reconciled

To him

Through the death

Of his son

How much more

Having been reconciled

Shall we be saved

Through his life

So we were enemies

But by his grace

We are saved

And so how much more

Shall we be saved

Through his life

So Paul is here

Writing to Titus

And to his people

There

To say

The grace of God

Has appeared

Bringing salvation

For all

The wonder

Of this grace

And what did it mean

For them

Well the people

He was writing to

They would have

Recognized the word

Grace

They would have

Been familiar

With it

Charis

In the Greek

They would have

Been hearing this word

And they would have

Recognized what it means

It means

Doing a favor

Doing good

For another person

But the crux of it was

You do good

For another person

Not expecting

Something in return

But for them

It was always done

To friends

To people

Who they didn't mind

Doing good for

They wouldn't expect

Anything back

They weren't looking

For anything back

They were doing

Them a good turn

Not expecting

Anything back

But they were people

They loved

And they cared for

Well Christ brings

A richer depth

To this grace

To this charis

He gives it a far

Richer meaning

Because what he did

At Calvary

As we were reminded

There in that reading

In Romans

Was for those

Who were enemies

Those who despised

Those who rejected

Him

He showed favor

He showed grace

Towards them

And this grace

That has been revealed

Is extraordinary

It goes beyond

Anything else

Anyone has seen

To this point

There's a fullness

There's a richness

To them

And they're thinking

To themselves

But how can this be

Well it's the wonder

Of the grace of God

Bringing salvation

For all people

For anyone

Who will come to him

Anyone who will bow

The knee

To the Lord

This grace is there

For them

And you noticed

In our reading

Of this chapter

Verse 1

Through to verse 10

It's speaking

To all the different

Kinds of people

In that day

To men

Young and old

To women

Young and old

To slaves

To everyone

This is speaking

To all groups

Of society

To all who will

Receive it

To all who will

Listen

This grace

Has been revealed

It's appeared

Bringing salvation

To all people

So this grace

Is for all

Who will listen

Grace does not

Class people

As worthy

And unworthy

Because of status

Or anything else

Grace has appeared

To all

And it is

A saving grace

There's nothing

We can add

To this grace

There's nothing

We can do

To earn this grace

We are to receive it

By faith

It is what has been

Done for us

At the cross

Bringing salvation

For all people

Because of the one

As it says

In verse 14

Who gave himself

For us

To redeem us

From all unlawlessness

It is grace

Through Christ's works

So how thankful

Are we

For this grace

Do you know

This grace

For yourself

Do you long

For this grace

Yourself

Well it's not

To earn it

Not to work

For it

But to come

And see it

In the person

Of Jesus Christ

And to put your

Trust

In him

And then as

We think of

Putting our

Trust in him

As we're called

To put our

Trust in the

Grace of God

This grace

Then teaches us

This grace

Teaches us

And keeps us

Going

And you see that

In verse 12

Training us

Teaching us

To renounce

Ungodliness

And worldly passions

And live

Self-controlled

Upright

And godly lives

In the present age

And again you link

That into the end

Of verse 14

A people

For his own

Possession

Sell us

For good works

So you turn

Away by grace

From ungodliness

Worldly passions

All of these things

And instead now

Sell us

For good works

Sell us to do

The things

Of God

Jesus saved us

Not only

That we would

Belong to him

But that we would

Live

Like we belong

To him

That's how

Somebody once

Put it

That we'd

Belonged

Not only

Just belong

To him

But also

We would

Live

Like we

Belong to him

And that

Convicts us

Every one of us

I'm sure

Who believe

In the Lord

Jesus Christ

Who belong

To him

Do we live

Like we belong

To him

Do we show

That in our lives

In how we speak

In how we conduct

Ourselves

In everything

That we do

Are we showing

Us

Not just

That we belong

To him

But that we

Live

Like we belong

To him

Are we growing

In grace

Is what is

Behind this

Because grace

Isn't just

Coming to that

Conversion point

Grace is going

On

In his strength

Grace is going

Forward

In his strength

Learning

Being trained

Being taught

To renounce

Ungodliness

To turn away

From it

And worldly

Passions

And to live

Self-controlled

Upright

And godly

Lives

For us to say

Hands up

Who lives

Like that

I doubt

If any

Hand

Would go

Up

Because we

Don't

By nature

We don't

We still

Feel

Like we're

Ungodly

And caught up

In worldly

Passions

So often

And this

Is the key

Where grace

Comes in

Because grace

Is what

Teaches us

And trains

Us

To renounce

These things

And to live

In that

Right way

And so

We should

Long

For this

To learn

To plead

With god

And to go

On in his

Strength

And perhaps

We remember

Just what it

Was like

To live

In sin

Maybe we're

Experiencing

These days

Just now

When we're

Struggling

In so many

Ways

The days

Like what

Paul speaks

To the

Ephesians

Of when you

Were dead

In your

Trespasses

And sins

And these

Things can

So easily

Seek to

Cling on

To us

Still

Days when

Sin

Was winning

The battle

Days when

God seemed

Just so

Far away

Sin had

No meaning

Because sin

Was normal

Sin was

Just the

Way we

Lived

But what

Changes

Grace

It is grace

That changes

Our attitudes

Grace that

Changes our

Sinful desires

So that no

Longer

Do we see

These things

As normal

And just what

We do by

Nature

But we

Recognize

This is not

Right

This is not

How I want

To live

My life

This is not

The way

I want

To be

It is grace

That opens

Our eyes

This irresistible

Grace

That we

Hear of

This grace

That comes

From God

That begins

To open

Our hearts

To his word

This grace

That opens

Our eyes

To see

All that is

Wrong

In our way

Of life

And begins

To show

Us

Our need

Of Christ

And begins

To open

Our hearts

To receive

By faith

His grace

It is grace

That teaches

Grace

That trains

But to have

That we have

To allow

This grace

Into our lives

To long

For it

To ask

The Lord

For it

There is a

Story told

Of a young

Girl who

Had come

To faith

She believed

With all her

Heart in the

Lord Jesus

Christ

And just like

We do

Ourselves

The time

Came when

She was

Going to

Come

For membership

In our church

And to do

So she was

Going to

Appear

Before the

Kirk session

And she

Came

To the

Kirk session

And as

Is her

Way as

Well some

Questions were

Asked of

Her

One of the

Questions

She was

Asked was

This

Were you

A sinner

Before you

Came to

Faith in

The Lord

Jesus

Christ

Yes sir

She replied

And then

The elder

Went on to

Ask her

Well are

You still

A sinner

To tell you

The truth

She said

I feel

I'm a

Greater

Sinner

Than ever

So the elder

Then asked

Another question

Then what

Real change

Have you

Experienced

And this

Is the way

She put it

I don't

Quite know

How to

Explain it

She said

Except

I used

To be

A sinner

Running

After sin

But now

That I'm

Saved

I'm a

Sinner

Running

Away

From sin

The change

Is there

Before us

She used

To be a

Sinner

Running

After sin

And how

Many of

Us

Were

Or even

Maybe are

In that

Situation

Sinner

Just living

For sin

But now

When we

Come by

Grace to

Know salvation

In Christ

Jesus

We're a

Sinner

Running

From sin

Sin

Still

Cling

Sin

Sin

Stills

Battles

For us

But we

As it

Says here

Seek to

Renounce

Godliness

And worldly

Passions

Through this

Grace

Grace

Teaches

Us

That we

Should be

Eager

To do

Good

Eager

To live

For Christ

So this is

Grace

That we

Need

This grace

To teach

Us

In all

Of these

Things

The final

Thing that

We see

Here is

This grace

Gives us

Patience

To live

And to

Wait

For the

Lord

And you

See that

In verse

13

Waiting

For our

Blessed

Hope

The appearing

Of the

Glory

Of our

Great God

And Savior

Jesus

Christ

So

Verse 13

Reminds us

That in our

Grace as we

Live in this

World

Grace

Has so much

More to

Give us

Yet

That we

Await

The return

The appearing

Of the glory

Of our

Great God

And Savior

Jesus Christ

As James

Is studying

In the Sunday

Evenings

The resurrection

This ties

Into what

We've been

Hearing from

That study

How he

Is going

To come

How he

Is going

To reveal

Himself

To us

How we

Are going

To see

Grace

Fulfilled

And grace

Fulfilled

For ourselves

So

His

Glorious

Appearing

Has this

Sense

It could

Be

At

Any

Time

He could

Come

At

Any

Time

And again

That challenges

Us

Are we

Ready

Are we

Ready

For the

Glorious

Appearing

Of our

Lord and

Savior

Jesus

Christ

Are we

Living

Like we

Belong

To him

Are we

Living

For him

There was

Once a

Tourist

Who was

In Italy

And they

Went to

Visit

This

Large

Estate

That had

Beautiful

Gardens

And these

Gardens

Were well

Kept

By a

Gardener

One

Gardener

Looking after

It all

A

Caretaker

And the

Tourist

Came to

The

Caretaker

And asked

How long

Have you

Been working

Here

25 years

Said the

Caretaker

And they

Asked how

Often has

The owner

Been to the

Estate

And all

Your

Time

Here

Four

Times

The

Caretaker

Said

And when

Was the

Last time

That the

Owner

Came to

See his

Estate

Twelve

Years

Ago

The

Gardener

Replied

Who

Comes

Then

To

Look

After

These

Things

When

The

Owner

Is

Not

Here

He

Said

Well

I'm

Pretty

Left

Much

Left

To

Get

On

With

By

Myself

I

Said

Well

Yet

You

Keep

This

Garden

So

Spick

And

Span

That

You

May

Think

You're

Expecting

The

Owner

To

Come

Tomorrow

Today

Replied

The

Gardener

Today

Didn't

Matter

That the

Owner

Hadn't

Been

For

Twelve

Years

He

Knew

He

Could

Come

Anytime

And

So

He

Kept

The

Place

As

If

He

Would

Come

Today

Is

That

The

Way

We

Live

A

Life

Of

Grace

Are

We

Expecting

Anticipating

The

Lord's

Return

Anytime

Even

Today

Even

This

Evening

If

He

Were

To

Come

Today

If

This

Was

The

Great

And

Final

Day

Of

The

Resurrection

Where

Is

Your

Hope

Where

Is

Your

Confidence

Is

It

In

The

One

Who

Paul

Says

Here

In

Verse

Thirteen

The

One

Who

Gave

Himself

Our

Great

God

And

Saviour

Jesus

Christ

Who

Gave

Himself

For

For

Us

He

Showed

Us

This

Wonderful

Grace

Do

You

Know

This

Grace

Yourself

When we

Think

Back

To

What

We

Started

With

The

Small

Words

And

The

Battles

That

Go

On

How

God

Made

Us

How

We

See

Ourselves

In

This

World

And

How

Sin

Has

Come

In

And

Seeks

To

Devour

Us

On

A

Daily

Basis

But

In

The

Midst

Of

This

Battle

Is

Grace

It

Is

Grace

That

We

Need

It

Is

Grace

That

Gives

Us

Victory

Going

Back

To

Romans

Romans 5:20

5

Verse

20

It

Is

It

Says

But

Where

Sin

Abounded

Grace

Did

Much

More

Abound

In

The

Midst

Of

The

Battle

When

Sin

Is

Abounding

Grace

Did

Much

More

Abound

Do

You

Remember

Every

Time

God

Has

Given

You

His

Grace

You

May

Remember

Certain

Experiences

Of

His

Grace

Certain

Times

Where

You

Say

But

By

His

Grace

I

Wouldn't

Have

Gone

Through

That

But

Do

You

Remember

Every

Time

His

Grace

Has

Helped

You

It's

Probably

Impossible

Because

There's

There's

Probably

Even

Times

We

Didn't

Realize

It

Was

The

Grace

Of

God

The

Things

That

Were

Hidden

From

Us

The

Things

That

Were

Kept

From

Us

Apart

From

God's

Grace

Where

Would

We

Be

There

Is

A

Story

Told

Of