Outpouring of Grace
by Bobby Sullivan
CORE VERSE: 1 Peter 5:12, NIV: “With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. … My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you.
Almost 150 years ago, pastor and preacher Dwight L. Moody said this, “Of one hundred men, one will read the Bible; the ninety-nine will read the Christian.”
The Bible is the book on God’s grace—how God made us and loved us and sent his son to redeem us and make us his very dearest treasure. But to Moody’s point, few people actually read it. What many people do read is the life of a believer.
8 You love him passionately although you have not seen him, but through believing in him you are saturated with an ecstatic joy, indescribably sublime and immersed in glory.
9 For you are reaping the harvest of your faith—the full salvation promised you—your souls’ victory! 10 This salvation was the focus of the prophets who prophesied of this outpouring of grace that was destined for you. They made a careful search and investigation of the meaning of their God-given prophecies11 as they probed into the mysteries of who would fulfill them and the time period when it would all take place. The Spirit of the Anointed One was in them and was pointing prophetically to the sufferings that Christ was destined to suffer and the glories that would be released afterward.
12 God revealed to the prophets that their ministry was not for their own benefit but for yours. And now, you have heard these things from the evangelists ( evangelist in Aramaic means extenders of hope) who preached the gospel to you through the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—the gospel containing wonderful mysteries that even the angels long to get a glimpse .
(angels are fascinated with Gods mercy towards us. They are mystified with the concept of grace. If they are, then we should be as well.)
Let’s examine how this joy is characterized by Peter.
“Inexpressible” (NIV), “unspeakable” (KJV), or “indescribable” (NRSV) is the Greek adjective aneklalētos, a word which occurs only here in the New Testament, and “describes a joy so profound as to be beyond the power of words to express.”
Peter also refers to this joy as “full of glory” (KJV) or “glorious” (NIV, NRSV). This Greek word is doxazō, the verbal form of the noun doxa, used throughout the Bible to describe the weightiness of God, the bright shining radiance of God’s very presence.
The joy we Christians have can reflect that Shekinah glory of God.
We should never take our salvation for granted by assuming church attendance is good enough or because you have an understanding of the word. Just because you have an understanding doesn’t mean you have a revelation of it.
The Old Testament prophets found themselves speaking about this salvation by the Spirit. The kind of salvation you and I experience is much more complete, much greater than that experienced by even the greatest of the Old Testament prophets — John the Baptist (Luke 7:28). The prophets tried to search out what this salvation was all about.
Peter was saying even the prophets of the past could not experience this outpouring to come. Even the angels could not fathom what was forecasted for the believers.
NOTES VS 11 Brian Simmons said, “The Spirit of Christ was in the old testament prophets. This means that Enoch, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and all the prophets who prophesied did so by the Holy Spirit coming on them. Today every believer has the Holy Spirit within him or her and everyone may prophesy.”
How about you? Will you search out its meaning as diligently as the prophets who foretold it? Our salvation is great! It is glorious! It is even the subject of angelic speculation! And it is ours! Study, Dive, plunge into the Word.
The outpouring of grace could easily be interpreted or understood as the gospel of grace. The good news of grace.
VS 12: The prophets understood that their prophesies were not for their generation but for generations to come.
Titus 2: 11 God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone. 12 This same grace teaches us how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles, and it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age. 13 For we continue to wait for the fulfillment of our hope in the dawning splendor of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus, the Anointed One.
What is grace? At its core, the idea of grace is “delight.” In ancient times it was used to describe a ruler’s favor; the word carries the idea of a ruler who stoops down to be kind to a subject. A gracious king was a king who had an inner kindness that led to thoughtful compassionate action.
So when we think of the “grace of God” (vs.11), what we are speaking of is the inner kindness of the Father that led him to the thoughtful compassionate action of sending his son Jesus Christ to humble himself, become man, walk among us and then die on the cross.
Paul is trying to teach Titus: every single person in the church is an extension of God’s grace to transform others’ lives by demonstrating this gift of grace. There is a saying that is very helpful when counseling people struggling with addiction. It goes like this: “We sin in isolation, we heal in community.”
The enemy’s game plan has always been the same: isolate us so we have to fight temptation on our own; keep us apart; keep us separated, because the enemy knows by God’s grace we are much stronger together. You and I were never meant to fight our battles alone.
God’s game plan is simple: Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
Grace is the power of hope
Verse 11 (Titus 2) began this way: God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone. … and now verse 13 …waiting for the fulfillment hope, in the dawning splendor of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus, the Anointed One.”
The grace of God gives us that eager expectation that we will one day see Jesus. This hope is God’s grace for us to endure hardship. It is God’s grace to help us stand when the world mocks us, persecutes us, or rejects us.
Gracious Definition: God’s Attribute
We experience God’s grace because God is gracious. In Exodus 34:6, when God is showing himself to Moses, we read “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Gracious is used here as an adjective describing God. It is one of his attributes.
Gracious, the Hebrew word channun, in its verb form, means to be considerate, to show favor. That God is gracious would mean that he is favorably inclined toward us. That he wants to show favor to us. To do what is best for us.
God is gracious. Graciousness is not something that he puts on and takes off depending on the situation. He is always gracious. He does not decide to show us grace. Rather it is just who he is. Because he is gracious, he demonstrates grace in everything he does.
Grace Definition: God’s Action
Grace is the Hebrew word chanan or the Greek word charis, meaning “the state of kindness and favor toward someone, often with a focus on a benefit given to the object.” (Strong’s Greek 5485).
Grace is what God does because he is gracious. Every action of God toward us involves his grace.
How Do Grace, Love, and Mercy Relate?
It is impossible to discuss adequately God’s grace without also mentioning love and mercy. These three attributes are closely related. And it is common to see them used together.
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5).
Because of his love, God, who is rich in mercy, saved us by his grace.
God’s Grace in Salvation
While God’s grace is about much more than our salvation, it is perhaps the most visible manifestation of his grace. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:5 and 8, it is by grace that we are saved. Our salvation is not because of anything we have done, or are even capable of doing. It is solely a matter of God’s grace. He offered his salvation to us simply as an act of his grace. Salvation is by grace. But God’s grace does not end there.
We are impacted by God’s grace in these four ways.
- Stand in Grace: In Romans 5:1-2 Paul tells us that we are justified through faith. And by that same faith, we have gained access into the “grace in which we now stand.” Our position before God is a matter of his grace.
We come into his presence because of his grace. And we continue to stand in his presence because of his grace. How amazing is it to be able to know and experience God’s favor toward us every day of our lives. And on into eternity.
- Equipped with Gifts: In 1 Peter 4:10, Peter says to be faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms, using our gifts to serve one another.
God’s grace is reflected in our lives through his equipping of believers to serve within the body of Christ; our spiritual gifts.
Our gifts vary from person to person and potentially over time. But as both Peter and Paul affirm, God equips us for the good of the body. Our spiritual gifts are a reflection of God’s grace to the overall body of Christ. God is working within us to grow the body and help it to function at its best.
- Grow Strong in the Grace of God. In 2 Timothy 2:1, Paul instructs Timothy to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” This reminds me somewhat of Star Wars where some are “strong in the force.” But grace is really unlike the force of Star Wars, which is a pervading universal power. In contrast, grace, for the believer, is in Christ.
Grace does not come just to a lucky few. But is available to all who are in Christ. When I am in Christ, God’s grace surrounds me. But just because it surrounds me does not mean that I either experience or enjoy it as much as I should.
Be strong in God’s grace. It requires exercise to be strong. By Recognizing that God is for you, that he wants what is best for you. Trust him. Believe that he has your long-term best interest in mind.
Let go of self, of doing things your way, and of depending on your own resources. As you do, depending on God instead, you will grow stronger in his grace.
Bible Verses about Grace
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. ~ Romans 6:14
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. ~ Romans 11:6
But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ~ James 4:6
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God ~ Ephesians 2:8
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. ~ Hebrews 4:16
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ~ Ephesians 2:8-9
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:10
And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ~ John 1:16
4.) The Harvest is grown through grace:
1 Peter 1:13 “Prepare your hearts and minds for action! Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvelous grace that is coming to you. For when Jesus Christ is unveiled, a greater measure of grace will be released to you.”
-unveiled is also-to come out of concealment, appear, to be made manifest, revealed.
DO YOU TRUST ME NOW?
Every time you go through something you see a different dimension of God’s grace
Peter uses the Greek word ‘apokalypsis’ The Aramaic would read, ‘stay alert and share the news about the joy that came to you with the revelation of Jesus the Messiah.
The greater the awareness the greater the anointing.
Plant with grace, harvest in love.
Hosea 10:12 If you plant goodness, you will harvest faithful love. Plow your ground and you will harvest with the Lord. He will make goodness fall on you like rain.
Paul said in Acts 20:24 “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
Testify-testimony-I am an eyewitness.
Paul dedicated his life to telling people what he experienced personally>Grace is simply-God with us.
There would soon be an outpouring of Jesus!
Growing in grace means learning to love and enjoy your transformation into Christ’s likeness, becoming more and more like Him, then reflecting His grace to those around you.
Read vs 20-25 in closing
