Saturday, May 4, 2024

Speaker: Ben Snyder, Lead Pastor

Title: So, does it matter how we live?

Bottom Line: God’s grace is an invitation to do good with him, not for him.

Memory verse: Romans 6:14 (NLT) Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Religion: focusing on what we must do to earn God’s favor

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT) God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

You can’t behave your way into God’s family. Which means you can’t misbehave your way out of God’s family.

Relationship always comes before "rules".

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT) Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

"Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning." -Dallas Willard

Additional Resources/References:

Thanks to LCBC for permission to use their series Losing My Religion. 

Song Links:

I Thank God - YouTube // Spotify

Good Grace - YouTube // Spotify

O Praise the Name - YouTube // Spotify

I've Witnessed It - YouTube // Spotify

Discussion Questions:

Icebreaker: Share a time when someone showed you unexpected grace.

Why can the concept of grace be so challenging for people to accept?

Read Ephesians 2:8-10. What surprises you the most in this passage? How are you encouraged?

How does knowing God extended grace to you impact the way you treat others?

How can you live from a place of grace?