GRACE UNVEILED, #19, The Throne of Grace | Jim Hammond
Recap
Pastor Jim taught the 19th installment on his series on the book of Romans entitled, “Grace Unveiled.” Romans tells us we have the ability to go to God without a sense of guilt or inferiority. That’s the work of grace in our lives. We are able to go to the throne of grace with boldness! What is the throne of grace? It is the throne of God’s unmerited favor. Because of that, when we fail, we can approach His throne without fear, without guilt, and with great confidence in His grace!
Dive Deeper
Romans 5:21, “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
“That as sin hath reigned unto death even so grace reigns through righteousness.” The ability to go to Him without a sense of guilt or inferiority—that’s the gift! This says we get grace through that gift. This is talking about grace reigning in your life through the gift of righteousness, the ability to stand before God without inferiority and guilt.
You receive this on a daily basis. But it takes more than just knowing about it.
Acts 4:33, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”
Amplified version: “And with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving-kindness and favor and goodwill) rested richly upon them all.”
Great grace rested “richly” upon them all. Richly!
Note: This great grace that was resting upon the apostles didn’t happen before they prayed. It happened after they prayed.
We’re talking about receiving grace. We’re talking about asking for it. We’re talking about getting grace through prayer.
Some don’t do anything to obtain this grace saying, “Oh, I know about that already.” They just don’t get it. And they’re not going to get it. This is why people perish for a lack of knowledge.
How does sin increase when sin increases and abounds? I think it’s very clear. Grace increases the more and super abounds. How does this happen?
What does Hebrews 4:16 tell us to do? “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].” (Amp.)
In this verse, we see sin and grace together.
It says, “Let us fearlessly, confidently, and boldly…” With no guilt, no inferiority, we are being told to go boldly to the throne of grace. What is the throne of grace? It is the throne of God’s unmerited favor.
Paul wrote this to people who believed in Jesus. He says it’s the throne of unmerited favor to us sinners.
Why do we go to the throne of grace? We go there to receive mercy for our failures. Failures is another way of saying “your sins.”
When we “fail,” we are to go to God… and we are to go to Him confidently… fearlessly… boldly. We are to say, “I receive mercy for this. I know that it was wrong. I know I was out of line on this. And I receive grace.”
At the throne of grace, we receive mercy for our failures and find grace to help in time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
Pastor Jim said, “I just wish it wouldn’t be just when we need grace. I get tired of it being just when I need it. I’m going to ask God, ‘Why is it just when you need it? Why can’t it be early?’”
Because what happens is the next time, when that happens at the last moment, you know you can outlast or endure as you need to because you’ve experienced it coming at the very end. You know it’s coming. And because you know that, you last longer. It helps your endurance.
This verse is telling us how to get grace. We are told to go to the throne of grace fearlessly, confidently, boldly. You have the ability to go before God without a sense of guilt or inferiority. You don’t have to come before Him with feelings of guilt.
We are being told to draw near to the throne of Grace. It says we are to “get” mercy. That means we are to speak it. Speak it! Speak it! You got to say, “I come for that mercy, in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Does the cross do that much where you confess your sins and get blessed because you can get favor you don’t deserve by going to God and being humble enough to say, “I know I was wrong. I’m asking for mercy. I find grace at Your throne of grace.”
He’s telling us to go get it. To ask for it. GO GET THAT GRACE!
Go to Him. Draw from Him… but not out of guilt, because you are His sons and daughters.
God looks at your heart.
When God sent the prophet Samuel to look for the next king from among Jesse’s sons, God instructed him, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature… For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)
Also, consider the scripture in 2nd Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”
Pastor Jim said, “I believe God is looking at your heart in the context of who’s receiving an abundance of grace to grow in Him, to grow with Him, to get closer to Him.”
Read About It
Rom. 5:21, “So that, [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favor) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord.”
Hebrews 4:16 tell you to do? “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].” (Amp.)
1st Samuel 16:7, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature… For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
2nd Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”
Discussion Questions
When do we need grace?
When we need grace, where do we go to get it?
How do we get grace?