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Amazing Grace (Lesson I) Grace That Leaves You Speechless (Part I)

Sharpening Your Ax Allowing a Message to Grip You
Im in the first stages of my study of grace as I write this introduction. I began by plunging into the Bible dictionaries and lexicons to understand the crucial grace words. Then I began to read the wealth of bible passages that expound the multifaceted themes of grace. And as I read passage after passage after passage, the wonder of it all began to slowly build until today it simply overwhelmed me. This morning, alone before God in my home, listening over and over to teven !urtis !hapman singing Speechless, I "ust lost it. #ith tears streaming down my face $I dont often cry%, sometimes dancing $I never dance%, sometimes falling on my face in awe of &is ma"esty, sometimes "oyously singing along with teven, I was overwhelmed by the grace of God lavished on such an unworthy worm as myself. Im left speechless, ama'ed, astonished, before my gracious, (ind, loving )ather, who has allowed me to catch a glimpse of &is incredible grace. In that light, the following messages are not * aturday +ight pecials, that you throw together at the last minute in order to have something to say to the (ids tomorrow morning. -lease dont present the grace of God casually, without being gripped by it your self. .isten to grace songs $such as Speechless% that move you. /ead a boo( li(e -hilip 0anceys Whats So Amazing About Grace? Begin meditating on the passages early each wee(. !onfront in all its horror the "udgment that your sinful, depraved, status deserved before a "ust and righteous God. /emember the anguish of being without hope, without God in the world. 1nly against that blac( bac(drop will the brilliance of Gods grace truly astonish you. Then allow the compassionate, longing expression of the prodigal sons father become your picture of how God loo(s down upon you. 1nly then will your heart be bro(en enough to teach this lofty theme. P !P"S#$ %Y T&# #'( ") T&IS M#SSAG#* I +A'T MY ST (#'TS T" +AL, " T ") T&# !""M AST"'IS&#( A'( SP##-&L#SS AT T&# I'-!#(I%L# SA.I'G G!A-# ") G"( A'( T" APP!"P!IAT# &IS SA.I'G G!A-# I) T&#Y &A.# '"T/

Intro0uction
Im introducing this new series with a 2uestion3 How would most students picture a person whose li e is totall! devoted to God? $0ou may want to have students actually answer this 2uestion out loud.%

!opyright 4ay, 5666, by teve 4iller. This series may be copied freely only within your local church or ministry. #e also want to encourage translations, but as( you to contact us first at smillero7toast.net.

&ow you would personally answer that 2uestion says a lot about how you view God and the !hristian life. 0ou see, I believe that most students thin( of a committed !hristian as one who doesnt do certain things. .i(e, */eal !hristians dont smo(e, drin(, or have premarital sex., And if they were to draw a picture of such a person, she would probably not have a stern, "oyless expression, because basically shes missing out on all thats fun of life in order to live a disciplined, sacrificial life for God. But the Bible paints a radically different picture of the committed believer. I need some volunteers to read verses for me. $-ut them on an overhead or -ower -oint after they have been read.% For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete ! $9eut. 8:38;% Deli"ht yourself in the LORD and he will "ive you the desires of your heart ! $-s. <=3>% #no "ood thin" does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless ! $-s. ?>388% $ rejoice in followin" your statutes as one rejoices in "reat riches ! $-s. 88@38>% #$ have come that they may have life, and have it to the full ! $Aesus, in Aohn 86386% %ut the fruit of the &pirit is love, joy, peace# ! $Gal. ;355% )rom these verses, what picture do you get of a devoted believerB $)ull of "oy, contentment, and peace.% Then where have most people gone wrongB I thin( that most nonC!hristians, and many !hristians, have never grasped one of the central messages of the Bible3 G/A!D. .ets pray that God will open our eyes. $&ave -rayer.%

A/ Grace$ +hat it means

$LL'&(R)($O*+ ,(his could be a skit- "his stor! never happened, but i !ou can place !oursel in the stor! and e#perience the eelings o Sean, !oull begin to grasp toda!s topic$ Sean is a %th grader whos secretl! craz! about &name the latest dream girl that gu!s generall! concur is a babe' (rittan!$ He )eeps trac) o her concert schedule so that he can snatch up the best seats whenever her band pla!s in a nearb! town$ He )nows he has no chance to go out with her$ Hes a nobod! *a lowl! reshman in a nowhere town with no connections$ He might as well be invisible at school$ + he were to trans er out tomorrow, no one would care or even notice$ Hes not athletic, academicall! inclined or ph!sicall! attractive$ Sean cant even get the attention o the middle school girls in his neighborhood, much less a star$ He )nows hes a loser$ (ut he!, when it comes to (rittan!, it never hurts to dream$
Lea0er$ Its usually best not to read a story li(e this to your students. Instead, in your preparation, read over and over the story, sometimes out loud, until you (now the details of the story. $0ou dont have to memori'e it word for word. 0ou might highlight a few places if it helps.% Then tell it to your students as you would tell any interesting event that you have experienced. This will ma(e the story come alive.

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So one evening a ter supper hes listening to a ,- on his bed when he gets this phone call rom a girl who claims shes (rittan!$ .ow Sean ma! not be that bright, but hes no idiot$ He )nows that the reshman cheerleaders are probabl! having a sleepover and ma)ing pran) calls$ His little sister must have ratted on him about the (rittan! posters in his room$ So he /ust pla!s along with the gag$

(e1ining Grace 2) "l0 Testament sage$ The two primary &ebrew words are .esed3 mercy, (indness, loving(indness, goodness .en3 undeserved favor, used of the action of the superior or stronger coming to help the inferior or wea(er.

Gods grace was often seen in the 1ld Testament, but more prominent in the +ew. $+B9, T9+TT% 3) 'ew Testament sage$ The main Gree( words are /haris3 a noun that appears 8;;x in the +T, meaning either a) graciousness, attractiveness $as in *gracious words,% 4) favor, grace, gracious care or help, goodwill c) the practical application of goodwill, a $sign of% favor, gracious deed or gift, benefaction 0) exceptional effects produced by divine grace, sometimes almost identical to the power o God $or )nowledge or glor!% e) Than(s, gratitude. /harisma4 a noun meaning *a freely and graciously given gift, or *a favor bestowed, /hari0omai3 a verb meaning to *show favor or (indness,, *give freely or as a favor,, *to be gracious to someone,, *to remit, forgive, pardon, /haritoo3 a verb meaning *endue with grace,, *bestow favor upon,, *favor highly,, *bless., $T9+TT, BAG%

5emember4 "he conte#t determines which meaning the biblical writer intended in an! given passage$

"he girl sa!s, He! Sean, +ve seen !ou at several o m! concerts and or some reason + couldnt get !ou o m! mind$ So + had one o m! bod!guards trace !ou down and get the scoop on !ou$ He tells me !oure a prett! nice gu!$ + )now this must seem weird with me calling !ou and stu $ (ut this Holl!wood crowd is so arti icial, so plastic$ 0or /ust once +d li)e to go out with a decent gu!, tal) about normal stu and not have to worr! about someone /ust using me to brea) into a music career$ So a ter about 12 minutes o small3tal), she ma)es her move$ So Sean, would !ou li)e to get together sometime?

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Sean, deciding to pla! along with the gag, repliesWell, let me loo) over m! -a!"imer$ &He lips some pages o a phone boo) to ma)e some noise$' +ve got 0rida! night ree the wee) a ter ne#t$ "heres a pause and she sa!s, 6oo)s good on m! schedule too$ + suppose !oure too !oung to drive$ 7ind i + pic) !ou up at !our place? Sounds great8 sa!s Sean$ A ter the! hang up he starts getting depressed$ What )ind o a uture could a gu! have who is alwa!s the end o someones /o)e? A ter a couple o wee)s he sort o gets over it, although ever! time he hears some girls laughing in the lunchroom, he assumes the!re laughing at him$ So come 0rida! night hes at home tr!ing to ind a 9uiet room awa! rom his :;3!ear3old sisters riends, who are having a sleepover$ "hen the doorbell rings$ His sister answers and all the sudden the giggl! girls go silent$ +ts one o those silences thats so silent that its loud$ <ou )now what + mean? Sean wal)s into the living room to ind (rittan! standing there, surrounded b! a bunch o speechless :;3!ear3old girls$ She loo)s over to see Sean and as)s, Well, are !ou read!? A million thoughts race through his mind$ =ust a moment, he sa!s$ 7m>mmm>ma)e !oursel at home$ And Sis, could !ou and the girls )eep (rittan! compan! while + inish getting read!? He wal)s casuall! to his room, which becomes a tornado o activit! to prepare or a date his wildest imaginations could have never dreamed possible$ -o !ou )now what Sean /ust e#perienced? "he $dea+ If you (now a good real life story biblical word is grace$ "here are several wa!s the similar to eans you may want to use word grace is used in the (ible, but one wa! is when a it. I remember a teenage girl named great, important person is willing to step down and 4elany from our community who was help a lesser person who is in need$ diagnosed with cancer. Through an
organi'ation li(e the 7a)e a Wish 0oundation, she re2uested the opportunity to meet the thenCcurrent teen heartthrob, actor Eir( !ameron. +ot only did Eir( $a professing !hristian% invite her to his !alifornia home, but he introduced her to other movie stars, flew to Georgia to go to a local * ix )lags, amusement par( with her and some friends, and (ept in touch with her up until the time she died.

And what do !ou thin) is Seans emotional response when the girl o his dreams, a girl whos totall! out o his league, actuall! accompanies him on what turns out to be the irst o man! dates? &Hes totall! blown awa!$ Hes astonished$ Hes amazed$ Hes speechless$' And !ou )now what? ?ne o the oundational )e!s to living the ,hristian li e is to understand /ust how much lower, how much less deserving we are than Sean, how much greater God is than (rittan!, and how much more God went through to ind us and have a relationship with us$ + we trul! grasp that, well understand wh! =ohn .ewton wrote a song and named it )ma0in" Grace$ <oull be so astounded, dumb ounded, and speechless that !our li e will never again be the same$ o, what is graceB Grace is when someone does you a favor by helpin" you or "ivin" you somethin", even thou"h you did nothin" to deserve it and nothin" to earn it

And get this. The word grace is used over :@@ times in the +ew Testament and over :%2 times in the 1ld Testament. 9o you thin( God might be trying to get our attentionB 4ost of the boo(s of the +ew Testament $8? of 5=% either begin with grace $e.g., * Grace to you and peace#,% or end with grace $e.g., *Grace be with you.,%. 9o you get the impression that Gods saying, + !ou miss ever!thing else, dont miss the grace thing8? o with the story of ean and our definition of grace in mind lets chec( out the most incredible demonstration of grace that the world has ever (nown.

%/ The ltimate (emonstration o1 Grace

The grace that ean received from Brittany was pretty ama'ing. o what is it that ma(es Gods grace even more ama'ingB

The &ighest -ame (own to &elp the Lowest (Phil/ 3$5*6)

1ho ,2esus-, bein" in very nature God, did not consider e3uality with God somethin" to be "rasped, but made himself nothin", takin" the very nature of a servant, bein" made in human likeness !

&I'TS3 2) If your students arent into guitar heroes, illustrate this with whatever interests 7our stu0ents have (soccer heroes* etc). 3) !onsider using a clip 1rom the movie* :+a7nes; +orl0*< $or "ust describing the scene% where #ayne and Garth $starting at c. <?56 through <??:% saw roc( legend Alice !ooper in concert. Being roc( fanatics, they get incredibly pumped at the concert and then head bac(stage, waving their bac( stage passes around. Incredibly, they happen upon !ooper in a room where hes hanging out with his crew. Garth cant say a word. &es speechless before this legendary roc( star. Then !ooper casually as(s if they want to hang out with him. #ayne and Garth simultaneously loo( at each other, fall on their (nees and begin crying *#ere not worthyH #ere not worthyH #ere not worthyH #ere scumH, I thin( a lot of people feel that way when they meet a personal hero. All the sudden they forget everything they had prepared so long that they would say. Their mind goes blan( and they find themselves speechless in the persons presence. &ow much more should we stand speechless when we come before the throne of the awesome !reator of the universe, as we reali'e how small and unworthy we are, and are awed by &is invitation to come hang out with &im.

$.eader3 4a(e sure that some youth read each of the criptures out loud.% #ho here is into roc( guitarB #ho are your guitar heroesB Imagine them calling you up and saying they want to hang out with you, give you personal tips, and help you brea( into the music business. 9o you thin( that would be unheard of, wild, cra'yB Then imagine the God of the Fniverse loving you, wanting to (now you intimately $every hair on head%, and becoming a man to die and pay your way to heaven. Thats not "ust grace. Thats A4AGI+G Grace.

&is Grace +as Incre0i4l7 #xpensive (Phil/ 3$8* -r/ II -or/ 8$9)
)nd bein" found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death 4 even death on a cross5! The only price Brittany paid was to ris( her pride among her &ollywood buddies. But the price Aesus paid was a lowly life and a tortured death. G!" P A-TI.ITY$ As I read to you 4atthews account of Aesus final hours, raise your hand and stop me when I come to a new type of suffering that Aesus endured. Then tell me what the

suffering was. And remember, this is the on of God who is going through all this or !ou personall!$ I need a volunteer to write each aspect of Aesus suffering on the overhead as we find it. I(#A$ Dither instead of, or
following the group activity, show a clip of the crucifixion in the *Aesus, film. $-urchase for N8=.@; through Gospel )ilms at www.8C ?66Gospel9irect.com)

(!ea0 Matthew 36$35=>?/) $Types of suffering include3 8% vs. 5: I flogged, 5% vs. 5? I stripped, <% vs. 5@ I crown of thorns, >% vs. <6 I spit on, ;% vs. <6 I struc( repeatedly on the head, :% v. <8 I moc(ed, =% vs. <; I crucified, ?% vs. <@ I insults hurled at him, @% vs. >8 I moc(ed, 86% vs. >> I insults heaped upon &im, Js. >: I forsa(en by &is )ather.%

4t. 5=35:C;63 v. 5: I * courged, K *LoftenLmeant being Mflayed to the boneL., *This verseL apparently covers a more complex $and brutal% se2uence than appears at first sight., $)rance% The whip consisted of *leather thongs with small pieces of metal or bone tied to them., $+B9% * o hideous was this punishment that the victim usually fainted and not rarely died under it., $I BD% v. <; C *The probability is that Aesus had been stripped absolutely na(ed., $DGT% *crucified him, K *The whole body was strained., ince hands and feet are *a mass of nerves and tendons,, the nails would lacerate them and cause excruciating agony. $+B9, I BD% Jictims experienced *insufferable thirst, and *literally died a thousand deaths., $I BD% *After awhile, the arteries of head and stomach would be surcharged with blood, causing a throbbing headache, and eventually traumatic fever and tetanus would set in., $+B9% <@ I The imperfect tense pictures *a continual defaming., *sha(ing their heads, K *a sign of scorn and derision, $BAG%. -robably li(e *flipping someone off, in American culture. >: I *forsa(en, K *to abandon, to leave in the lurch, $Eey% *!ried, K *a strong verb indicating powerful emotion or appeal to God. This is no dispassionate theological statement, but an agoni'ed expression of a real sense of alienation., $)rance%

$9escribe scourging and crucifixion using some of the insights from the text box.% +ow you can begin to see why the /oman historian !icero called crucifixion the most horrible torture ever devised by man ! And as we understand the extent of Aesus suffering on the cross, we reali'e "ust how awesome &is grace is toward us.

!espon0ing To Go0;s Incre0i4le Grace

But as we stand in awe of &is grace, our natural 2uestion is Wh!? Wh! did He have to go through all that or me? I need several volunteers to read some verses that will tell us why Aesus went through all this suffering. After each verse is read, someone put the verse in your own words. Romans 6+76 4 #for all have sinned and fall short of the "lory of God ! Romans 8+76 9 For the wa"es of sin is death#! Romans :+; 4 %ut God demonstrates .is own love toward us in this+ 1hile we were still sinners, /hrist died for us ! 2ohn 6+<8 4 For God so loved the world that he "ave his one and only &on, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life ! $#eve all sinned and dont meet up to Gods standard.% $ ince weve all sinned, weve got to pay the penalty of death.%

$Aesus paid the penalty of death that we deserved to pay.%

$#e must trust !hrist for our salvation.% According to these verses, Aesus didnt "ust come to earth to be "ust a good example. &e came to die on the cross for us, so that we could be put bac( into a right relationship with God and have eternal life. I heard it put something li(e this3 I1 our 4iggest pro4lem were a lac@ o1 1rien0s* Go0 woul0 have sent us a companion/ I1 our 4iggest pro4lem were a lac@ o1 e0ucation* Go0 woul0 have sent us a tutor/ %ut since our 4iggest pro4lem is that we are lost* Go0 sent us a Savior/

Action Points
There are two types of students here today3 8% Those who are not secure in their relationship with Go0/ 0ou either (now that you dont (now God, or youre not sure where you stand with &im. !ould you follow me in a prayer to receive that incredible gift of salvation that Aesus is offering youB 5% Those who @now Go0 an0 are secure in their 1aith/ 0our action point for today is to reflect on all Aesus has done for you and begin to get caught up in &is grace. pend some time praising &im this wee( in your times alone. The God of the Fniverse loves you and wants to spend personal time with youH If you will allow that truth to grip you, you will see what it means to be speechless before God.

Overhead

Amazing Grace (Lesson I) Grace That Leaves You Speechless (Part I)

How would most students picture a person whose life is totally devoted to God?

A. Grace !hat it means

Sean Experiences Grace Grace is when someone does you a favor by helping you or giving you something, even though you did nothing to deserve it and nothing to earn it.

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The word grace is used over 155 times in the New Testament and over 190 times in the Old Testament. Do you think God might be trying to get our attention? Most of the books of the New Testament (1 of !"# either begin with grace (e.g.$ %Grace to you and peace&# or end with grace (e.g.$ %Grace be with you.&#. Do you get the im'ression that God(s saying$ If you miss everything else don!t miss the grace thing"?

". The #ltimate $emonstration o% Grace

The &ighest 'ame $o(n to &elp the Lo(est (Phil. ) *+,) &is Grace !as Incredi-l. /0pensive (Phil. ) ,+1+ 'r. II 'or. 1 2) igging !n"atthew #$%#&'() #oman historian $icero called crucifi%ion 3the most horri-le torture ever devised -. man.4

*esponding +o God,s !ncredible Grace

*omans -%#- ' )e(*e all sinned and don(t meet u' to God(s standard. *omans &%#- ' +ince we(*e sinned$ we(*e got to 'ay the 'enalty of death. *omans (%. ' ,esus 'aid the 'enalty of death that we deser*ed to 'ay. /ohn -%0& ' )e must trust -hrist for our sal*ation.

Student &andout

Amazing Grace (Lesson I) Grace That Leaves You Speechless (Part I)

How would most students picture a person whose life is totally devoted to God?

A. Grace !hat it 55555

Sean Experiences Grace

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Grace is when someone does you a favor by helping you or giving you something, even though you did nothing to deserve it and nothing to earn it. The word grace is used over 155 times in the New Testament and over 190 times in the Old Testament. Do you think God might be trying to get our attention? Most of the books of the New Testament (1 of !"# either begin with grace (e.g.$ %Grace to you and peace&# or end with grace (e.g.$ %Grace be with you.&#. Do you get the im'ression that God(s saying$ If you miss everything else don!t miss the grace thing"?

". The #ltimate 5555555555 o% Grace

The 5555555 'ame $o(n to &elp the 555555 (Phil. ) *+,) &is Grace !as Incredi-l. /0pensive (Phil. ) ,+1+ 'r. II 'or. 1 2) igging !n"atthew #$%#&'() #oman historian $icero called crucifi%ion 3the most horri-le torture ever devised -. man.4

*esponding +o God,s !ncredible Grace

*omans -%#- ' )e(*e all ........ and don(t meet u' to God(s standard. *omans &%#- ' +ince we(*e sinned$ we(*e got to 'ay the ....... of death. *omans (%. ' 111111111 'aid the 'enalty of death that we deser*ed to 'ay. /ohn -%0& ' )e must ........ -hrist for our sal*ation.