It’s Not Too Late and You’re Never Too Far Series: The Way of Life
5 Approaches for Overcoming Grace
1. Father, I give you my . “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, [and] set off for a distant country...” Luke 15:11-13 (NIV)
2. is never going to work. “...[he] set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.” Luke 15:13-17 (NIV)
“When you were slaves of sin, you didn't have to please God.” Romans 6:20 (CEV)
“...God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 (BSB)
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked...” Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.” Luke 15:17-20 (NIV)
3. I was . is best. “...But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him, he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (NIV)
“But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (BSB)
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:21-24 (NIV)
4. Your and your . I praise you for that. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19 (NIV)
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:7-8 (BSB)
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1 (NIV)
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (BSB)
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! … God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 (BSB)
“...I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” John 10:10 (BSB)
5. Jesus, , remember me. And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43 (BSB)
“It is finished.” John 19:30 (BSB)
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)