Inspired P.S. #2: The True Grace of God

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains Peter's statement 'I have written unto you briefly,' arguing that its brevity is relative to the vastness of the subject matter—the grand and glorious treatment of…

Peter's letter, though five chapters, is 'brief' in relation to the 'tremendous subject matter' it covers, like striking a rich vein of biblical truth that could be endlessly expounded.

our faithful brother as I reckon him I have written unto you briefly you say it didn't seem like too brief a letter to me if I wrote a letter that long I'd lose my friends well not necessarily but in Peter's judgment it was a brief letter a literal rendering would be I wrote unto you through few and we must supply the word words a letter a literal rendering of the Greek is I wrote to you through few through few what through few words you have a similar though not identical statement in Hebrews thirteen and verse twenty-two and here the writer to the Hebrews is written more than twice the amoun...

9:45 - 11:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Peter's letter is summarized as a combination of 'exhorting' (earnest, persuasive address to encourage readers in trials) and 'testifying' (confirming objective doctrinal truth…

The image of someone in Middle Eastern garb gathering loose folds for an arduous task illustrates the vigor and earnestness required for Christian living and Peter's exhortations.

address aimed at encouraging and bracing the readers to face their trials. That's Hebert's very helpful summation of Peter's exhorting. It is earnest and persuasive. This tone of pressing urgency is heard again and again throughout the letter. From the first imperative found in chapter 1 and verse 13, notice the vigor of it. Wherefore, girding up the loins of your mind, the picture of someone in Middle Eastern garb about to give himself to an arduous physical task. Or to run at a quick pace, and he gathers up all the loose folds of his garment. Be sober. Set your hope perfectly on the grace th...

13:51 - 14:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Ensure that all true preaching is a combination of exhorting and testifying, setting forth responsibilities rooted in God's grace.

Attempting to exhort people to please Christ without first declaring what is theirs in Christ is like building a house without a foundation, crossing a lake without wind, or a car without gas, highlighting the futility of practice without doctrine.

Amen. Peter does not use the language, indicatives, imperatives, that's the structure of his own summary of his letter. By Silvanus, our faithful brother, I've written unto you briefly, exhorting and testifying, setting before you the imperatives based upon the indicatives, telling you what you should do and be in the light of what you are and you have, and Peter is conscious that his letter can be summarized under those two headings, and let me say by way of application that that should be the characteristic of all true preaching, that it is a combination of exhorting and of testifying, setti...

20:03 - 21:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Apply the law to the consciences of men so they feel their need of grace.

An extended quotation from Scottish commentator John Brown summarizes how apostolic letters, and by extension all Christian ministry, should balance clear testimony of grace with powerful enforcement of duties, with grace as the foundation.

Listen to John Brown, the Scottish commentator of another generation. He beautifully summarizes this. I quote him. What the apostle represents as the characteristics of his letter are equally those of the apostolic letters generally.

33:20 - 33:35 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Sin is moral madness. It's not supposed to make sense. There is nothing more antithetical to the natural state of the human heart than grace.

The Pharisee in the temple, who believed his standing with God was deserved based on his works, illustrates the human heart's antipathy to grace, thinking it doesn't need it.

of the problem with sin. Sin is moral madness. It's not supposed to make sense. There is nothing more antithetical to the natural state of the human heart than grace. Nothing more antithetical to the natural state of the human heart than grace. Nothing more antithetical to the natural state of the human heart than grace. Nothing more antithetical to the natural state of the human heart than grace. Sinners in their sin hate grace because they hate God. And God's the God of all grace. And they will either try to calm themselves into thinking they don't need grace. Wasn't that the Pharisee? He co...

42:05 - 43:10 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Sin is moral madness. It's not supposed to make sense. There is nothing more antithetical to the natural state of the human heart than grace.

The opposite extreme, where people believe their sins are so great that even God's grace cannot forgive them, illustrates another form of moral madness that limits God's grace.

for grace in his scheme of things. And there's a whole segment of humanity just like him today. They don't need grace. Undeserved favor from God. Why? I'm not so bad in terms of what I am, what I do, what I don't do. I think I'll make it. Or, or, it's amazing how moral madness sin brings to the human heart. They say, no, I'm too far gone. My sins are such that even God can't forgive me. So what you're saying is God's grace has limits to it. It's not God's grace. I know long ago I'd have kicked me out of any consideration of favor and forgiveness and acceptance. And so they make a God in their ...

43:10 - 43:55 Read in full sermon

The point: When you fall, come to God again and again in the same posture as in the beginning: 'Nothing in my hands I bring. Simply to thy cross I come.'

When believers sin, they often become reluctant to approach God, forgetting that they must come in the same posture as at first ('nothing in my hands I bring'), highlighting the ongoing need for grace.

You miserably fall. You let the sun go down on your wrath. You went to bed with a grudge toward your husband, to your wife, to your mom, to your dad. You deliberately twisted the facts to make yourself look better than you know you were. You did not speak truth to your brother. Some of these things read from Ephesians 4, you violated them. Then what happens? Instead of coming and saying, oh God, I came at the first, saying with the hymn writer, nothing in my hands I bring. Simply to thy cross I come. Lord, your grace is my only plea. What happens now? You're reluctant to go to him. Why? Becaus...

45:10 - 46:08 Read in full sermon

The point: When you fall, come to God again and again in the same posture as in the beginning: 'Nothing in my hands I bring. Simply to thy cross I come.'

Martin asks if God requires us to be more gracious than He is, by commanding us to forgive without counting, implying that God's grace is even more expansive and does not keep a scorecard.

In other words, the disposition of forgiveness in the heart of a saved Christian, a saved person, is not to be one that keeps count of how many times they forgive. If your brother comes to you seven times in the day saying, I sinned, you shall forgive him. Now, here's my question. Listen, is God requiring me to be more gracious than he is?

47:24 - 47:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Stand fast in the grace of God, daring to believe in its sufficiency to keep you in bold confession and strengthen you amidst pressures.

Peter's denial of Christ and subsequent bitter weeping, followed by his restoration by the Sea of Galilee, illustrates how understanding grace deepens love and motivates obedience, rather than leading to carelessness.

When you face your fearfulness in front of your enemies and those who oppose you, and you think you're going to do as I, I did there in the courtyard of the high priest, when I swore and took oaths upon myself that I didn't even know him. That's what you will be and do if you move outside the orbit of grace.

50:16 - 50:39 Read in full sermon