Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

THE MARVELOUS GRACE

1. Our text shows that:
   1. True faith not only amends, but it also transforms.
2. Our views, dispositions, and actions are all transformed:
   1. It is this experience which brings great joy and is most convincing.
3. Our text is most illuminative on the effects of faith in Christ:

1. Darkness is our pristine natural condition:
   1. Sin is a work of darkness -
      1. It blinds its victims - 2 Cor. 3:14; 4:4
      2. That is the testimony of our Lord - John 12:40
   2. Sin makes captive and imprisons its victims - Rom. 6:16
   3. It places them in a state of wretchedness - Rom. 7:24
   4. By nature we are spiritually dead in trespass and sin - Eph. 2:1
   5. Jude speaks of the "blackness of darkness" - Jude 13
2. All this gives us a dark but true picture:
   1. This darkness was portrayed on Calvary when the Sinless was made sin.
   2. It is seen today when we see men and women slaves of evil habits seemingly beyond the bounds of redemption.
3. Redemption produces a change:
   1. We are called out of darkness into the marvelous light of truth.
   2. By the light of God's word - Ps. 119:105
   3. It is the light of God's grace - Eph. 2:7, 8
   4. The light of the blessed hope - Tit. 2:11-14
   5. The light of eternal redemption.
4. All these and other blessings are summed up in the gospel of Jesus Christ: 2 Cor. 4:4-6

1. Gospel blessings cannot be hoarded away by the believer:
   1. They are to be shared with others -
      1. The parable of the talents - Matt. 25:14
      2. The pounds give a similar message - Luke 19:13-25
   2. This shows that we all are, at best, God's stewards, entrusted with the blessings of the gospel of grace - 1 Pet. 4:10
2. Our mission in this world:
   1. To shew forth the praises of God.
   2. That means that we demonstrate with our transformed lives that God's word is indeed the power of God unto salvation.
   3. We are to be able to say with Peter and John, "Look at us" - Acts. 3:1-3
   4. Yes, we are to say with Paul, "it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal this son in me, that I might preach him unto the Gentiles." - Gal. 1:15, 16
   5. This is the most effective way of witnessing for Christ -
      1. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matt. 5:16
      2. By the fruit shall we know the tree - Matt. 7:16-20
      3. "While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear" - 1 Pet. 3:2
      4. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." - Rom. 2:13
3. Thus we see the work of God's marvelous grace: EXAMPLES -
   1. The lame man made whole - Acts 3:8, 9
   2. The impotent man made whole - Matt. 9:7, 8
   3. The work of the apostles - Acts 4:18-21 God grant that we, too, may manifest the marvelous grace of God to a dying world.