Pastoral Letter 72

Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,

Grace and peace to you all.

Sadly, last Saturday the NSW Premier announced a lockdown for Greater Sydney, which meant once again we had to close our doors and suspend services for two weeks. We do hope and pray that this is only for two weeks and by God’s grace we will go back where we were a couple of weeks ago. It is important for us to be vigilant and follow the instructions our government gives us for our safety and wellbeing.

Please pray and join the rest of the members Sunday morning for worship from home following the Orders of Service, sing along the hymns chosen and read the Message. As he had done in the past, Mark has made suggestions for hymns, some of which I have included in the order. Also, being the first Sunday of the month, please have a piece or a small roll of bread, a small cup of wine/juice for communion and don’t forget to light a candle symbolising Christ.

In the meantime, please continue to pray, remembering those who need our care, support and love.

Here are some prayer points for this week:

1. Pray for our Service tomorrow and hope to return to our face-to-face services and weekly activities.

2. Pray for the local and federal governments, as they struggle with the vaccination rollout.

3. Pray for those who need care and support, especially at these difficult times.

4. Pray for world peace and ask for God’s blessings.

Remember, whatever challenge we face, God is with us to keep us safe. Thanks be to God.

Krikor

MESSAGE

His Grace is Enough!

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

What will you feel when you want to pay a bill or pay for a great lunch with friends and a message comes saying “Insufficient Funds” or “Your card is declined”?

I am sure that when you need to buy something you need, and you don’t have the funds, you will feel terrible.

Recently, many countries are facing financial crises and are looking to pay their debts. Lebanon is a good example. People don’t have what is needed to sustain life and live decently.

In our reading today we see a similar situation when Paul at a stage of his life where he feels the need for more strength to go forward. It is clear that he is weak, and this is the time when he is down. He is probably lacking the energy and the drive to go on in his ministry and move forward.

This brings us to the well-known short prayer which says:

“Give me the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change things we can and the wisdom to know the difference”.

We should ask ourselves how the Holy Spirit provides us with the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference.

Before ascending to heaven, Jesus promised His disciples and us to send the Holy Spirit, so He will always be with them until the end of times. He knew that they would feel weak and confused, as they will face many challenges. This was true in the case of the disciples, and it is true for us as well.

The Holy Spirit has an important role to play in our lives, as we struggle to keep the faith and faithfully serve the Lord.

What is the role of the Holy Spirit?

1. The Holy Spirit provides us everything we need to complete God’s will for our life through His all-sufficient grace. Paul wrote: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). The Spirit provides God’s gracious serenity, courage and wisdom just when we need them most. Ask the Lord to provide you with His peace, confidence and insight necessary to carry out all of God’s plans for you today.

2. The Holy Spirit gives us the peace that passes human understanding when we cast all of our cares upon the Lord. Paul wrote: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-8). The Spirit of God has a supernatural ability to provide us with the greatest kind of serenity, peacefulness and calm when we call to Him in Jesus name. Ask the Lord for peace of mind in all your relationships and challenges today. The people who are able to remain emotionally calm when others do not, are the ones God uses.

3. The Holy Spirit gives courage to those who are willing to meditate on His promises. God told Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Only after the Lord told Joshua to meditate on His word throughout the day was the man of God ready to be courageous in the Lords’ mighty power. Ask the Lord to help you be courageous with His mighty power enabling you to win spiritual battles that are worth fighting.

4. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom to make the most discerning decisions in every situation if we ask Him for help. James wrote: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). The Spirit promises that He is eager and able to provide us with the wisdom to make the wisest decisions in every circumstance. Be willing to do your part in acquiring all the wisdom that is available through obedience, research and being teachable in all your interactions. Ask the Lord to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that you can walk in a way that pleases Him in all respects.

5. The Holy Spirit gives us just the right balance of serenity, courage and wisdom in Christ Jesus. Paul wrote: “In Him (Christ) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). The Spirit has a miraculous way of harmoniously combining elements of peace, boldness and insights to help facilitate all that the Lord wants us to accomplish. Ask the Lord to balance your peace, courage and wisdom.

6. The Holy Spirit grants the gifts of serenity, courage and wisdom as long as we are trusting and obeying the Lord in the essential commands of God. The Lord only provides His gracious enabling to those who are walking in a way that pleases the Lord by doing His will. Ask the Lord to help you concentrate on carrying out His priorities with perfect trust and obedience to His will.

7. The Holy Spirit helps us learn more about acquiring greater measures of serenity, courage and wisdom from Godly examples. The writer of Hebrews wrote: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Considering the outcome of their way of life, imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7). Ask the Lord to help you learn a great deal from Godly examples of men and women who consistently exhibit serenity under pressure, courage during intense opposition, and wisdom in times of great confusion.

In David’s case, the Word says that God was with him from the time he was chosen to be the king of Israel. He faced many challenges, but God was with him in every step and made him more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. In other words, God provided the grace David needed to go on and rule the nation of Israel. Surely, he had his weaknesses and faults and at certain times he sinned, but he realised that he has acted irresponsibly, did wrong and committed sins. With God’s grace he was able to overcome all his sins by confessing and receiving God’s mercy and love

What is this GRACE that Paul is talking about?

What does sufficient Grace give us?

The acronym G.R.A.C.E. can stand for:

1. Enough Grace is a Gift from God

God gives us the measure of grace we need to meet the demands of what is happening in our lives at the moment. He does not give us grace for what might happen tomorrow, that would be tomorrow’s grace. He gives us grace to meet the demands of our lives from moment to moment.

Notice what Apostle Paul is saying:

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ …… That is why, for Christ’s sake, I take delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

God’s grace is only experienced when we reach the end of our ability and move into total dependence upon Him.

2. Enough Grace is a product of God’s plan for our Redemption

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you ….”.

Apostle Paul was a saved man. He knew the joy of the forgiveness of sins. He knew what it was like to be used by God and to have his prayers answered by God. Yet, in this one prayer, God’s answer to Apostle Paul was in effect, Paul, you’re going to have to suffer and yet stay faithful to me. You’re going to have to persevere in the midst of everything that is wrong with your life. But, Paul, My grace is sufficient and I will see you through all of this.

Being a Christian will not always guarantee that our life will be forever wonderful and problem free. God’s promise, in the midst of everything that is going wrong in our life, is: My grace is sufficient.

3. Enough Grace is always Accessible

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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

God’s refusal to take away Paul’s trouble was the motivation for Paul to seek God more earnestly, to depend upon Him more fully, and to trust him more completely.

When events occur in your life, God’s motivation is just the same for you as it was for Apostle Paul. God wants to draw you nearer to Himself. He wants to make Himself more real to you and to anoint your life in a way that can happen only when you are completely dependent upon Him.

4. Enough Grace is completely Consistent

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I take delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Grace is an attribute of Go, it is part of who He is. Just as you are who you are, God is who He is. He always acts out of His character, and His character does not change:

Since God is consistent and constant, so also is His grace.

5. Enough Grace is Everlasting

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I take delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We hear the optimism in Apostle Paul’s words. He is proudly proclaiming his faith that God will always be there and that God will be all that he will ever need. Apostle Paul’s faith in God’s grace is echoed over and over again in his writings:

2 Timothy 1:11-12 – “And of this gospel I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that Day.”

As the hour of his death approached, Apostle Paul continued to affirm his faith in the Grace of God to see him through:

2 Timothy 4:5 – “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.

What kind of grace do we need in our lives right now?

– Do we need saving grace?  – God has that for us.

– Do we need persevering grace? – God never changes.

– Do we need strengthening grace? – God’s hand is outstretched to reach us.

– Do we need hopeful grace? – God will give us hope.

If we turn to God, we will have His grace bestowed upon us. A grace which is sufficient and enough. Not more, not less.

May we have this sufficient grace.

Amen!