I will get one foot part way into the door with this one. But will leave the rest of the Promises of Christ for later discourse. From the pen of Pastor Hoekstra we have "the ability of GODS Grace," with some editing. And as has become my usual I will use the ESV translation for the study outline.
"The Ability of God's Grace"
"And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His Grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance." (Acts 20:32)
"GOD's Grace has such marvelous abilities. It is able to give the eternal inheritance of GOD to His children. It is also able to build up their lives here on earth for greater service and increased fruitfulness.
It is by the Grace of the LORD that we can anticipate being recipients of a heavenly inheritance. "The word of His Grace, which is able to . . . give you an inheritance." An inheritance is obtained by being born into a family. We have been born again into the family of GOD. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of GOD, even to those who believe in His name: who were born . . . of GOD" (John 1:12-13). We who believe Jesus are God's children, "and if children, then heirs — heirs of GOD and joint heirs with Christ" (Psalm 2:6-8, Romans 8:17). We are blessed beyond measure to know that heavenly treasures of fellowship, worship, and service await GOD's children in glory above. All of these eternal riches are ours by the Grace of GOD alone. But as we are find out in the Promises these same treasures are ours spiritual while here on earth as we grow in the knowledge of the LORD. (Matthew 11:29)
GOD's amazing Grace also has the ability to build us up as we await our inheritance here on earth below. "The word of His Grace, which is able to build you up." The LORD wants our spiritual roots of hunger and trust to be Growing deep into Himself. He wants our lives to be undergoing continual construction in Christ. He wants our character to become increasingly stabilized in the Faith, that is, in His word. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the LORD, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the (His) Faith" (Colossians 2:6-7).
It is the Will of GOD that we be edified. "Let all things be done for Edification" (1Corinthians 14:26). All along the way from New birth into His Family until our full heavenly inheritance as His Family, GOD desires that His children be spiritually strengthened and increasingly developed in Christian maturity. We are NOT to stay as mans religions recycle their teachings every 3 to 5 years over and over keeping us as children and babes. Being feed only watered down milk at best and we all know that no one can grow in the true Gospel knowledge of the LORD on watery milk.
Our ministry to one another can be an effective part of this edification process. "Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another . . . Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification" (Romans 14:19; 15:2).
It is essential to remember, however, that GOD's Grace is what accomplishes the building up process. "The word of His Grace, which is able to build you up."
Our requirement is Obedience to Christ:
Matthew 4:18-22 "While walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Without question immediately they left their nets and followed Him. And going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him."
Matthew 7:24-27, 28-29 (Jesus is speaking) "Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
When Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."
Matthew 9:9 "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed Him."
Matthew 21:6-11 "The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and He sat on them. (this took place exactly to the very that Daniel said it would in chapter 9:24-27, on the 24th day of April) Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before Him and that followed Him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!" And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee."
Matthew 26:17-19 "Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will You have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover."
Luke 5:3-11 "Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."
And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him."
Luke 6:46-49 "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
John 2:2-11 "Jesus also was invited to the wedding with His disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now." This, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory. And His disciples believed in Him."
John 11:27-29 "She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of GOD, Who is coming into the world." When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to Him."
John 14:18-21 (Jesus is speaking) "I Will Not leave you as orphans; I Will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also Will Live. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. Whoever has My Commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me Will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
John 21:4-6 "Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" They answered Him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish."
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