THE JOY GIVING POWER OF GRACE

Grace often times in Christian circles is generally considered to be God's unmerited favor, leniency, forgiveness, pardon, mercy towards us in Christ. But grace is not only pardon, it is also power. Grace is the power of God moving into fallen lives and fixing them powerfully overcoming all their resistance and saving them and transforming them. God's grace is meant to have amazing effects in our lives.

One of the great passages that demonstrate the power of grace is 2 Corinthians 8.

"We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints- and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us." ( 2 Corinthians 8:1-5)


Paul writes to the Corinthian church about the grace of God revealed and the effect that grace had upon the churches of Macedonia. God's grace came down upon the Macedonians. "We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia..." (verse1). Notice that grace has been given and Paul says that there is something that grace has done and not done.

"For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints..." (verse 2-4).

What was the effect of God's sovereign grace upon the churches of Macedonia? Grace in the lives of the Macedonians (and in ours) resulted in abundant joy overflowing into willing generosity. Notice their joy was not in circumstances. It came first in "a severe test of affliction". Grace came to them and things got worse. Oh how often times things go worse for us when we are Christians, not better! Not only were they being afflicted, but they were suffering "extreme poverty'. God didn't pour down money. The economy didn't pick up. There was no rise in the stock market. They didn't win the lottery. In short, when they became Christians they were still struggling financially. So circumstances weren't the source of their joy.

They were very strange compared to most of us. And oh how I want to be like them! I guess because often times I am so unlike them. If my circumstances are difficult; if my finances are struggling; the word that would describe me is most certainly not abundantly joyful. But that was what these people experienced. So what is the difference between them and us? They knew God's grace and were experiencing the power and overflow of God's abundant grace lavished and being lavished upon them in Christ. Therefore their joy was not in life itself, money, people, ease, security, or prosperity; it was an overflowing joy in God. Whatever the circumstances were was not the source of their joy. The source of their joy was in God and from God.

What did that grace producing joy produce in their life?

"...have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints-and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us." (2 Corinthians 8:2-5)

Do you see what has happened? They "overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part". They had fallen in love in God and they had fallen out of love with money. They begged earnestly for an opportunity to contribute to the needs of poor saints. These people are so very different aren't they? They are asking Paul for a second offering to be taken. "Let us give even more to the poor!" Only grace can do that to a person.

John Piper says, "What makes Jesus look valuable is that you, in your love for Jesus, sacrifice yourself for the good of others so that it is unquestionably apparent that your treasure is not on this earth."

What is grace going to look like working in your life? How are you going to live a lifestyle that doesn't just look like a carbon copy of the world?

Jesus said, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Good deeds are a part of grace working in our lives and in helping others see the light. But not alone in themselves because lots of people who aren't Christians do good deeds. Note the context of this well known statement of Jesus.

Verses 10-15 show the context of our light.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house."

Our light is a rejoicing and a being glad in the day of persecution. What shines in the world is when you are being beat up by circumstances or other people and you don't murmur, grumble, or avenge yourself, but rejoice. That is the light and salt that people see. The world has never seen anything like this. It cannot do it. But if you do it, the world will awaken. “Where is that joy coming from? It’s not coming from their circumstances.” When good deeds are done at great cost to you and everyone expects self-pity but there’s only joy, you just might say it’s from God. We are to be sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Cor 6:10) and we do that in the power of amazing grace and the result of that grace is overflowing joy!

When God graces us in our affliction and poverty He is not calling us away from joy but into joy.
Jesus says in John 10:10, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." I have come here for your maximum, everlasting joy." Psalm 16:11: In his presence is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. John Piper says, "Joy in God overflows in sacrificial, self-denying acts of love."

Truly grace is amazing in not only its pardoning from sin but in its empowering to live joyfully and to sustain us in generously grace giving to others.

Pastor Bill