Are You Good Enough for Grace?

Thomas Watson - All Enameled and Interwoven with Free Grace

Thomas Watson - All Enameled and Interwoven with Free Grace

Thomas Watson playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9B58A93B5F60F495

http://www.gracegems.org/

Thomas Watson (1620-1686)

All of Thomas Watson's writings and sermons are replete with sound doctrine, practical wisdom, and heart-searching application. His profound spirituality, gripping remarks, practical illustrations, and beauty of expression make him one of the most irresistible of the Puritans.

He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was noted for remarkably hard study. In 1646 he was commenced a sixteen year pastorate at St. Stephen's Walbrook. In 1651 he was imprisoned briefly with some other ministers for his share in Christopher Love's plot to recall Charles II. He was released on 30th June,1652, and was formally reinstated vicar of St. Stephen's Walbrook. He obtained great fame and popularity as preacher until the Restoration, when he was ejected for nonconformity. Notwithstanding the rigor of the acts against dissenters, Watson continued to exercise his ministry privately as he found opportunity. Upon the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he obtained a license for the great hall in Crosby House. After preaching there for several years, his health gave way, and he retired to Barnston in Essex, where he died suddenly while praying in secret. He was buried on 28th July, 1686.

The Scandal of Grace, Part 2 (Mark 2:13-17) John MacArthur

When you survey the public ministry of Jesus Christ, its truly astounding how His teaching penetrated the hearts of so many different kinds of people. Rich, poor, young, old, powerful and influential, or outcasts and criminals--Christ's preaching transformed all sorts of lives from all sorts of social groups.

In fact, there was really only one group of people who almost completely rejected Jesus teaching. The Pharisees and the religious elite were filled with a violent hatred for Christ that left them spiritually blind to his miracles and deaf to the life-transforming truth He taught.

But why did they hate Christ so fiercely? In todays sermon, John MacArthur opens Gods Word and helps us understand why religious leaders rejected Christ, and why they were so antagonistic to the gospel He taught. Grab your Bible and prepare to be shocked by The Scandal of Grace.

And stick around after today's message for an exciting look at a powerful new video Bible study series from our pastor. Trust me--you dont want to miss it.

http://www.gty.org/Videos/T8241-9B ...

The Scandal of Grace, Part 1 (Mark 2:13-17) John MacArthur

When you survey the public ministry of Jesus Christ, its truly astounding how His teaching penetrated the hearts of so many different kinds of people. Rich, poor, young, old, powerful and influential, or outcasts and criminals--Christ's preaching transformed all sorts of lives from all sorts of social groups.

In fact, there was really only one group of people who almost completely rejected Jesus teaching. The Pharisees and the religious elite were filled with a violent hatred for Christ that left them spiritually blind to his miracles and deaf to the life-transforming truth He taught.

But why did they hate Christ so fiercely? In todays sermon, John MacArthur opens Gods Word and helps us understand why religious leaders rejected Christ, and why they were so antagonistic to the gospel He taught. Grab your Bible and prepare to be shocked by The Scandal of Grace.

And stick around after today's message for an exciting look at a powerful new video Bible study series from our pastor. Trust me--you dont want to miss it.

http://www.gty.org/Videos/T8241-9A ...

The Scandal of Grace, Part 1 (Mark 2:13-17)

When you survey the public ministry of Jesus Christ, it's truly astounding how His teaching penetrated the hearts of so many different kinds of people. Rich, poor, young, old, powerful, and influential, or outcasts and criminals--Christ's preaching transformed all sorts of lives from all sorts of social groups.
In fact, there was really only one group of people who almost completely rejected Jesus teaching. The Pharisees and the religious elite were filled with a violent hatred for Christ that left them spiritually blind to his miracles and deaf to the life-transforming truth He taught.

But why did they hate Christ so fiercely? In today's sermon, John MacArthur opens Gods Word and helps us understand why religious leaders rejected Christ, and why they were so antagonistic to the gospel He taught. Grab your Bible and prepare to be shocked by The Scandal of Grace.
And stick around after today's message for an exciting look at a powerful new video Bible study series from our pastor. Trust me--you don't want to miss it.

Watch the complete video here: http://www.gty.org/Videos/T8241-9A

By Grace Alone - by Sinclair Ferguson

Are you truly amazed by Gods grace? Or have you grown accustomed to it? Yes, we sing of Gods Amazing Grace, but do you truly understand what you as a Christian have experienced in receiving the grace of God? Or do you take divine grace for granted?

In By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me, Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson laments that we have lost the joy and energy that is experienced when grace seems truly amazing. In an effort to restore the wonder of divine grace, he reflects on it from seven angles, each built around a stanza from a rich but little-known hymn, O How the Grace of God Amazes Me, written by Emmanuel T. Sibomana, a pastor in the African nation of Burundi.

This book poses probing questions for todays believer: If I am not amazed by Gods grace, can I really be living in it? Can I really be tasting, and savoring, and delighting in it? But those willing to delve into Gods Word with Dr. Ferguson will come away with a deeper astonishment at the depths of Gods grace.

Look for Evidences of God's Grace

This clip was taken from the final sermon in the Trial series, Perseverance Until God is Finished With You.

Karma vs. Grace

By Timothy Merrill @ http://tmerril.blogs.com/

Britney Spears has just shed a life-style accessory--her husband--in a well-publicized split. She's also not been seen with her other accessories--her children. Right now, it's all about Britney Spears.

Well, I guess it's always been about Britney Spears.

I only bring this up because earlier this year, Spears had her baby boy blessed in a Malibu Hindu temple--a blessing that kid's going to need if he travels much with his mom in her SUV.

And then there's the hit TV show, "My Name is Earl" where "Earl" is a guy with a laundry list of wrongs that need to be made right in order to korrect his karma.

The eastern religions are getting so much space these days that USA Today devoted a lead article to the subject recently in which they cite critics who say that what we're seeing in the culture is Hindu Lite and diet dharma.

Now this isn't a rant against Hinduism, because in the Homiletics material coming up for this Sunday, the rant is against what some have called Christianity Lite, those who follow a diet Jesus.

The Hebrews text is about how we can have grace for the journey, grace in forgiveness, process and community. It's not easy to be a hard-core Christian, but it's not hard either. When we understand grace.

The Homiletics piece closes with a citation from Bono in the book Bono: In Conversation. Read this quotation slowly and carefully. It's intense. The lead singer for U2 notes the difference between karma and grace: "It's a mind blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between grace and karma ... What you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics, every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It's clear to me that karma is at the very heart of the universe. I'm absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called grace to upend all that 'as you sow, so shall you reap' stuff. Grace defies reason or logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff ... It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity."

"I'm holding out for grace..." I LOVE that line. There's more in Homiletics for the epistle text for this Sunday. Work with the material and make it your own. It will preach.