Blaine Bartel - January 29, 2023
How to Scandal Faithfully
SCANDALOUS GRACE HOW TO SCANDAL FAITHFULLY Ephesians 5:11-16 Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light! So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! WE ARE ALL SCANDALOUS Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” 6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” Genesis 16:1-8 “Where have you been? “ WE CANNOT SCANDAL OUR WAY OUT OF A SCANDAL Luke 4:16-21 7. 16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 8. 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed MeTo preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captivesAnd recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 9. 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” “Where are you going?” SCANDAL CAN BECOME STORY THROUGH A RADICAL PURSUIT OF JESUS
From Series: "Scandalous Grace"
Throughout scripture, we get numerous stories of God's extravagant grace poured out on the lost, the least, and the undeserving. This grace often illicit responses of awe, worship, and repentance from those receiving this undeserved grace. To those who have built their lives and understanding on morality, the law, or performance, these acts of grace can cause outrage and bitterness. In this series, we look deep into the heart of our Father who lavishly and extravagantly pours out his grace on us and our response to this amazing grace.