A. Introduction

•God's love was present in Old Testament times, but it was clarified and completed through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. With the veil pulled back by Jesus' sacrifice, we can see God's great plan for the ages (Heb. 9:15; Rom. 3:25-36). John emphasized this truth when he said, “For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace” (Jn. 1:16).

B. The sufficiency of God's grace:

• A saving grace: His grace has redeemed us from our past sin (Rom. 3:24). As a saved people, we have been cleansed of our sins and put into a right relationship with the God who created us. We have been freely justified through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Not only are we saved, justified and redeemed when we enter into Christ through faith, repentance, confession of Jesus, and baptism for the forgiveness of sins; but we are kept by God's grace as we walk in the light (1 John. 1:7).

A sustaining grace:

He does not satisfy our greed, but He always meets our needs. As He rained manna down from heaven for the Israelites, He provides for us day by day.

A strengthening grace:

He gives us strengthening grace to see us through our trials. He empowers us to face difficulties and struggles that come to us. God did not remove Paul's thorn in the flesh, but he gave him the grace to bear it (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Paul faced every kind of trials and unimaginable situations, yet he said, “I have learnt to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Philippians 4:11). He was contented in spite of his circumstances. He gave a brief answer that many helps in our memory, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13; Eph. 6:10-11).

We see His sufficiency in the service we try to render to Him:

• • The ability to exercise a gift or ministry from God, comes from God. This can be seen in the following scriptures. “And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled” (Acts 14:26). “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to faith among all nations for His Name” (Romans 1:5).
• • It was by the grace of God that Paul was able to get so many gentiles in different lands to believe and obey the gospel of Christ.
• • “Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effective working of his power” (Eph. 3:7-8).

Grace makes us what we are in God, according to 1 Cor. 15:10: “But by the grace of God I am what I am”. Paul gives credit where credit is due by acknowledging that he was what he was by the grace of God.

The same statement might be truthfully said of us, we are what we are by the grace, and apart from the grace of God, we would all be miserable sinners headed for hell. All that we are, all that we hope to be; all that we have or ever hope to have, all that we accomplished or ever hope to accomplish is because of God's wonderful grace.

The grace of God is not received by works, but it produces works done through God.

Grace which is of God, comes into us and begins to live in us. And God is working even now (Jn. 5:17). In the same to way, His grace is to work in us and through us so that we can be all and do all that we want.

Conclusion:

• In conclusion, we see that God's grace empowers us for the service of God. By grace we have strength to stand against opposition (Eph. 6:10).

• Grace makes us what we are in God.

• Grace saves us.

• Grace justifies us (Titus 3:7).

• Grace sanctifies us (John 1:16).

• God would like us to be so full of His grace in our lives that we can say as Paul the apostle said, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).