Outstretched Arms of Grace -- Called by Grace

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Bethany Bible Church March 19, 2017 Dr. Ted Wueste

Outstretched Arms of Grace -- Called by Grace Luke 5:1-11 I. Jesus meets us in our _______________ , not in our _______________ . “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” (verse 5)

II. We are moved to _______________ as He graciously works in us. “... depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (verse 8)

III. Our calling in life is _______________ as we receive His grace. “do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” (verse 10)

IV. Our ultimate calling is to _______________ in the world. “... they left everything and followed him.” (verse 11)

The Grace of Relating to God in Our Weakness We are transformed not by our knowledge of God but by our relationship with God. And God prefers to relate to us through our vulnerability and weakness. Whenever we do not intentionally come to God in our limitations, we can fall prone to three wrong ways of thinking: 1) We feel like we have to “have it all together” before meeting God. 2) We feel that only our strengths make us valuable. 3) We misunderstand the nature by which we were created by God. When we refuse to meet God in our limitations, we often find

ourselves trying to use God to gain control of our limitations.

Questions for Discussion and Further Reflection 1. What personal weaknesses and limitations are you aware of? 2. In what ways might you meet Jesus in your weakness? 3. How is He calling you to “be” in the world? 4. How can you share with others how Christ has met you in your weakness?

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“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Jesus meets us in our limitations, not our strengths. verse 5

“This is the great irony of seeking to define personhood through power. In our pursuit to be more than, to transcend our weaknesses and frailty, we are reduced. When we seek to create a self through our professional abilities and success, we are dehumanized, becoming less than God has called us to be.” Kyle Strobel & Jamin Goggin The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Why don't we meet Him in our limitations?

2 Corinthians 12:9

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Why don't we meet Him in our limitations? We experience fear as we …

Why don't we meet Him in our limitations? We experience fear as we … 1. feel we need to have it together before meeting Him 2. believe only our strengths make us valuable 3. misunderstand the nature of how we were created

Why don't we meet Him in our limitations? We experience fear as we … 1. feel we need to have it together before meeting Him

“The very thing we are afraid of, our brokenness, is the door to our Father’s heart.” Paul Miller

Why don't we meet Him in our limitations? We experience fear as we … 1. feel we need to have it together before meeting Him 2. believe only our strengths make us valuable

We are moved to worship as He graciously works in us. verse 8

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“When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christlike, it resolves a great deal of anxiety.” A.W. Tozer

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Luke 4:18-19

Our calling in life is transformed as we receive His grace. verse 10

Our ultimate calling is to be with Jesus in the world. verse 11

“People in trauma need our presence and our prayer rather than our preaching. We will bear a much more comforting witness to someone facing deep loss by simply being with them, and in so doing, representing God Emmanuel – God with us – by our being with them. Not by our words, but by our presence.” Curtis Almquist

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

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Deny or resist our limitations

Deny or resist our limitations Use God to regain control

Prideful in our isolation Protect self from others

Deny or resist our limitations

Deny or resist our limitations Use God to regain control

Use God to regain control

Prideful in our isolation Protect self from others

Deny or resist our limitations

Meet Him in our limitations Use God to regain control

Protect self from others

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Meet Him in our limitations

Meet Him in our limitations Experience His love and strength

Experience His love and strength

Humble in our stance Go with Him into the world

Meet Him in our limitations Experience His love and strength Go with Him into the world

Meet Him in our limitations Experience His love and strength

Humble in our stance Go with Him into the world

"If we are not humble, we tend to demand that faith must also bring with it good health, peace of mind, good luck, success in business, popularity, world peace, and every other good thing we can imagine. And it is true that God can give us all these good things if [God] wants to.

But they are of no importance compared with faith, which is essential. If we insist on other things as the price of our believing, we tend by that very fact to undermine our own belief. I do not think it would be an act of mercy on God’s part simply to let us get away with this!" Thomas Merton

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In what ways might you meet Jesus in your weakness? How is He calling you to “be” in the world?

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