"God's Heart is Gracious" - Sermon

Read Hebrews 4: 14-16.

1. What does the word “grace” mean to you?

2. How is grace different than “mercy” that we discussed last week?

How are they similar?

3. Pastor Mick said one of his seminary leaders used to say, “The

answer is always grace.” What do you think of that sentiment? Do

you agree? Why/why not?

4. What do you think about the Wesleyan understanding of grace as

Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, and Sanctifying Grace? What do

each of these forms of grace represent? How have you experienced

each form of grace in your own life?

5. What does it mean to “approach the throne of grace with

confidence”? Are you able to do that? Why/why not?

6. Read Ephesians 2: 8-9. What does this passage mean to you?

7. Read 2 Corinthians 12: 9. Have you ever felt like God has said the

same thing to you that God said to Paul? How does that make you

feel?

8. Read 2 Corinthians 5: 17. How is God’s grace “sufficient” to make

you a new creation? What does life as a “new creation” look like?

9. How might the Communion Table represent God’s Throne of Grace?

How should we come to this Table?

10. Who is invited to the Table? Who made up the guest list?

Prayer for the Week:

Almighty God, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for the gifts

of forgiveness and salvation that we could never earn, but freely receive

through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. We were once dead in

our sins, but you have made us alive in Christ. Indeed, we are new

creations in Christ because of your grace. Remind us that you invite us

to approach your throne of grace with confidence. You are the solution

to that God-shaped hole in our hearts. Give us ears to hear your still

small voice calling us to you. Give us wisdom and courage to respond to

you by surrendering our lives to you. And when we are afraid to really

do this in earnest, remind us that your grace is sufficient and we need

not be afraid. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your amazing grace. We

pray all of this in the name of the One who makes it possible, Jesus the

Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now

and forever. Amen.