Las Vegas Faith Center - Gods Word, Faith Messages, Spiritual Coaching and Religion Studies

God Grades on a Curve

The Las Vegas Faith Center
Message from Sunday, May 31, 1999

“God Grades on a Curve”
by Tiger Todd - Sr. Pastor
(Edited Church Sermon)

Today’s message is called, “God Grades on a Curve”. Some of this information might be something you’ve heard before, but I’m hoping you’ll see a little deeper into this as we talk.

Please turn to First Corinthians 10:11, Now all these things happened unto them for examples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Let me point out a couple of things. Number one: the word “common” here, in the Greek, means human. And that means there is no temptation that will come against you that is out of the realm of human, or natural, or to put it another way, flesh controllable. The word “temptation” in the Greek, is translated throughout the New Testament as “a temptation, a test, or a trial”. We know that God is the one, in this verse, that is making a way of escape. So the test, or temptation, or trial here did not come from God. See, I do easy math, and easy math works like this: if there is a scripture, in James, that says Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted, tested or tried with evil; neither tempts, tests or tries he any man, then I know that God would not give you an evil test. That would be impossible. He wouldn’t tempt you with something evil, because the Bible says, Let no may saith….

Number Two: Jesus went out of his way to tell the Pharisees, whom he really could care less about, that any kingdom divided against itself could not stand. So it follows that if the same God was sending you an evil test, plus being the one who was making the way of escape from his own test, He would be divided, and His kingdom would have an end. Just so you know how I think, I call that easy math.

The word “common” indicates that if there is a temptation, or an evil test, this is NOT something coming from God. This is something coming from His adversary. If you’re in the kingdom of God, this is now our adversary. Those temptations, tests or trials come to destroy you. God says that none of those have any more power than is available in the natural, in the flesh. It’s human. The test is “do-able” in the human realm, just like a job is. You might get a job where they say, “You’ve gotta do this, that, and this”. And you say, “That’s impossible”. Well, if other humans are doing it, it’s not impossible, OK? It’s humanly possible. So the word “common” simply means human: that which can be done by the species, man.

What do you call it when you are in a test or a trial, and you get saved from that trial? The Bible has a big word for it. The hint is “saved”. It’s called salvation. Salvation is not being born again, it’s being saved from the test, temptation, or trial. If it’s God’s will that all men be saved, that lines up with the other scriptures using the easy math. It’s God’s will that you make it successfully through every temptation, test or trial.

If you are in school, or whatever, and are taking a test; this scripture says that you will never be allowed, at your level, to take a test that you are not humanly capable of passing. Now, stop for a moment. We’re reading the Holy Bible. We are reading a book written, really, to spirits. But here, it’s saying that the kinds of tests we experience are really low level natural.

Now, a lot of people go through tests or trials because they are just plain stupid. There are a lot of things that involve no demonic activity whatsoever. Some people just make a bad choice. Some people think they can get away with something.

I want you to hold your place in First Corinthians, because we’ll need to refer back to this.

I was raised a football player, with the hopes of someday playing for the Dallas Cowboys, I was planning around everything concerning football. I was quarterback for the Teamster Tigers, and my name was Tiger. I mean, I had all kinds of advantages. Well, when I moved up to Washington where it rained every day, I didn’t have many people wanting to play football with me. The only thing going on was basketball, played inside the gym. I was a football player. I couldn’t play basketball. But I soon realized that if I ever wanted to play sports ever again, I needed to learn basketball. It took awhile for the football rules I knew to slowly disappear and be exchanged for basketball rules. And so many times we go to play the game of basketball with football rules, and wonder why it didn’t work out.

Pastors watch over your souls. Everyone else in the world is more concerned with your physical property or your flesh, which are two of the shortest term investments you’ll ever have. But your soul is forever; so I have the most important job on the planet. That’s why it’s important to me that you get the most out of your life while your flesh is still here; and that eternally, you’ll get the most out of whatever this stewardship places you in, in the future. If you are faithful over little now, later on you’ll be in charge of much. So a pastor watching over your soul is an important job, and we need to understand that soul development is also important.

Go to Ephesians 2:6, regarding your soul, And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Here’s a very popular scripture. Today, we’re going to have to know the game of real life, not just about the short term flesh, or possessions. We’ll need to understand real life; meaning, just because my body leaves, that doesn’t mean I’m dead. I just happened to be in the body. There’s coming a day when I might be absent from the body, but I’m still going to live, and I’ll need to know the eternal stuff, not just the stuff of today. We’re going to replace some definitions that have been in our “football dictionary”. But the game is now basketball. And if we’re ever going to be really proficient in basketball, we’ll need to know these new definitions. As we do this, we’re going to define some terms, and then plug them back into our initial game equasion. This is our play book.

Verse 8 says, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. I believe that one of the biggest things that derail folks in the body of Christ has been in this verse, and just in this verse. I love the Amplified Bible, but in this verse, it translates, or expounds on the Greek word which we see as “grace”. It turns “grace” into “undeserved or unmerited favor”. The Amplified Bible says something like this: For we are saved by unmerited favor through faith. Unmerited favor basically means, I was nice to you for no good reason. But the word “grace” in the Greek or English dictionary isn’t the same thing. That is the word “mercy”. We’ve touched on this before, but we needed to change the dictionary in order to plug it in to our later equations. That’s why I want to go through this. For those of you who are already aware of this, just play along, and say, Wow Pastor. Thanks for sharing that with me!

For by grace are you saved through faith. If “grace” was unmerited favor, look at how we got derailed, because,... keep reading, And that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: We thought that it was unmerited favor; we thought that God just gave us a gift, and that’s how we got saved. Are you with me?

But in the Greek dictionary, the word where we get “grace” from, is the word “charis”. It has a twin sister, word 5485 in the Strong’s Concordance, in the Greek Dictionary: the word “Charis”. It’s twin sister is word 5486: the word “charisma”. We have an English word “charisma”, don’t we? Is charisma “unmerited favor”? When people say, “He’s got charisma”, do you think that God just gives stuff all the time to those who don’t ask? Maybe sometimes. But if it’s not all the time, it can’t be a truth.

Here, the definition of “charis” is, the divine influence upon the heart. And that’s what grace is, in this verse. It’s the divine influence upon the heart, and it’s reflection in the life. That sounds like God, doesn’t it? Unmerited favor from God is found in Psalm 118. It’s in there about six million times. It’s called “mercy”. His mercy endures forever. He just keeps saving you, regardless… But it’s not the word “grace”, it’s “mercy”. Most of the church world thinks the word “grace” is indeed, “mercy”, because they got it from the Amplified Bible, which defines it as “unmerited favor”. But, if they translated it from the actual Greek dictionary, it is “the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life”. So now, if someone has charisma, what are they saying? They are saying that there are some divine attributes in this person’s life, and it shows up in his lifestyle.

The Bantam-Scribner dictionary defines charisma as “a special gift or power conferred by God. and possessed by certain leaders, that inspires loyalty and devotion among their followers”. It’s a pretty good definition. How many of you guys would like to have some charisma? Most of the world would like some charisma. A lot of the world has charisma. But now, if you are saved by charisma, and that not of yourselves, but the divine influence upon your heart, not your influence on your heart, then the verse still stays true….its a gift from God. No kidding! It came from God. It didn’t come from you. It wasn’t obtained through your education or your upbringing, or your genealogy. It is a gift from God. All of a sudden, that verse is heavily weighted; it’s strong and powerful. It’s not just, “We’re saved by grace, and his mercy endures forever”.

The word “salvation”, is translated in either of two words: sozo, or soteria. It means, “temporal deliverance”. Ninety percent of the time, the word is, and should be, translated, as “healing”. Or saved. You are healed. It means: deliverance, saviour, Jesus (Ishua, in the Hebrew), salvation. So you are saved, physically. Joshua was a saviour, and the first one that led them into the promised land. “Joshua” means saviour. Ishua is how it’s written in Hebrew. Joshua saved them from the wilderness, right? That’s what salvation is. So, if your New Testament says, For you are saved….from what? What do people today need saving from? Debt, sickness, disease, lawsuits. Lots of things.

For by grace are you saved through faith. Think back to our first verse in First Corinthians. There is not a test, temptation or trial that you need saving from that you will not be able to bear. But with it, God will make a way of escape. What’s the way of escape? Grace! But it’s not just undeserved favor. Grace is actually a “something”. Right? Grace is His influence upon your heart, and how much of it you let out. Every born again believer is carrying around some charisma. Whether or not they walk in that charisma will determine how saved they are.

Flip back to First Corinthians There have no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it. This says to me that there is enough charis, or charisma in you to totally negate any traps set for you. There is enough to totally negate any sin you were in, and to totally wash you clean from any transgression. It says that you will be able to escape. Now, that’s not a highly successful word, escape. Christians usually live by two standards: escape and survive. But God tries to get you into a promised land that FLOWS with milk and honey. He tries to make you the head, and not the tail. But this says that this promise we have from God is that if you are in a test, you can get a “C”. You will graduate in the spring. Do you understand where we are now?

I want to look at a couple of “charismas”. Look in First Corinthians Chapter 12. I’m going to pick apart just a few verses. We’ll begin reading in verse 1. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, Guess what? The word “gift” is the word charisma. It’s the same word that was translated “grace” in the book of Ephesians. Some of the time, the translators said, Let’s put “grace” in our English bibles. The other times, they said, Let’s put “gifts” in there. But it’s the same word. Paul says there are many “charismas”. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, (or “charismas”, or graces) but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. Your charisma is there so you can profit. Profit! Your charisma is there so that you can make it through the tests and trials. It’s there so that you can succeed, finish the job, and get the paychecks. It’s there so that when you lay hands on the sick, they will recover.

Look at some of the graces here. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

Here’s what I want you to know. When I lay hands on the sick, knowing that there is a charisma of healing in me; I expect them to be healed. I expect that if there is a test, (if someone is not doing well), if I follow the instructions with the charis in me, and lay hands on the sick, this person is recovered. I firmly expect that to work. That’s a test. It’s a test for a pastor when someone says, “My cousin is dead. Come raise him.” That’s a test, OK? Now, It wasn’t God that killed him to teach pastor how to raise the dead! It was a test to see if I would use the gifts that are in me. The gifts that are in me must be based upon the things I. too, needed saving from. We are saved by those gifts, by the “charismas”.

Hang in there. This will all add up. You’ll find out that you have gifts, “charismas”, graces in you that you didn’t know you had. And you know that in order to get you to this place of “I am saved”, they have had to be already in there. God will not allow you to take a test that you cannot pass. If you are taking the test, it is proof that you can pass it. The very fact that you are taking the test means that you can pass it. if you are a believer, that’s what it means to take the test. And the way of escape are those graces, those charis’s.

Let’s read a little more, Verse 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. Now jump over to verse 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts; and yet show I unto you a more excellent way. There’s more yet!

Not everyone has the same gifts within them. Our job, as a body, is to know which member possesses which gifts to get whichever trial taken care of. Right? We’re a body! You might not have a gift of healing in you, but I know people that do. We all have different gifts. I know that one of the gifts Vicki has is her exhortation. She has the ability to bring someone to a new level of faith by rehearsing past moves of God. And people will receive that instantly. Her gift makes the gifts in me work so much faster! I should do a commercial. Fast fast fast.

The Greek word “charisma” is defined as, a special gift or power conferred by God, possessed by certain leaders that inspires loyalty and devotion among their followers. Is anyone saying, “Well, I’m not a leader”. No, if you diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God and keep his commandments, it says you will be the head. That’s a leader. You will be above only. That’s a leader. You’ll lend to many. That’s a leader. It’s in there! It’s gotta be in there, or you wouldn’t have been able to make it to this place. That’s good news.

About eight years ago I was perusing a book at a book store entitled, “The 100 Most Influential Men in History”. Now, eight years ago I was a Jesus freak. I thought it was all about Jesus. I didn’t know what it meant, and I didn’t know anything about it, I was just a Jesus freak.

Now you know where I was at when I went into that book store. I opened that book, and looked at the index, because the names were ranked as to the 100 most influential people in history. Number one wasn’t Jesus, and I was mad!!! Number one was the apostle Paul. And I wondered how the Apostle Paul could possibly be ranked ahead of Jesus? Now, with all that I’ve learned, I know. Without preaching 15 other messages, I want to show you some things about the apostle Paul.

How many of you know that there is not a Book of Jesus in the Bible? Jesus is the author of our faith, but he is not the author of the Bible, OK? There were other authors: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. There was Paul, the apostle, Timothy, we’ve got a number of different authors. But not Jesus. Paul, the apostle, outdid everybody by penning nearly two thirds of our New Testament about Jesus and his saints. So, I could kind of appreciate why he might be more influential…

Scanning the “most influential” rankings by the author, I was shocked to see that Jesus was not number one. It was only recently that I began to agree with the author that the apostle Paul, who penned nearly two thirds of the New Testament, literally changed history. Jesus didn’t change anything. Jesus said, Not my will but thine be done. He came at the appointed time, at the due season, and fulfilled the prophecy. Jesus worked within history. Paul changed history. Now, Paul was able to do what he did because of Jesus’ obedience to the plan of God, but, Paul was called to actually break the mold of history. We’re trying not to allow the same thing that Grandpa had when he died at such-and-such an age, and how his son got it, too, and then you, from falling into the trap of history. We’re trying to break those historical documents. We’re trying to uproot them, and let everyone be free. So like Paul, we, too, are called to change history. That’s our job. Our job is to be such loose cannons that the devil doesn’t even want to come near our houses because he has no clue what we’ll do. It’s only when you are predictable can his trap confine you to the law of sin and death.
Paul became the example to the Gentile Christian church. Jesus, on the other hand…write down these two scripture references: Matthew 15:24 and Matthew 10:6. I’ll explain what they say. We won’t turn there. Jesus, by his own confession in Chapter 15 said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus was only sent to a certain group of Jews. If you were a Greek or Italian, it didn’t matter. He wasn’t sent to you.

Matthew chapter 10 says that Jesus was only sent to them. Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It’s amazing, isn’t it? Only after he was resurrected did he say, Now, you guys go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The disciples didn’t do it like they were told. They still only went to the Jews, so God had to resurrect a guy named Saul of Tarsus. Now remember, there is not a test you are not able to pass. The way of escape is actually the grace of God. Can you see “grace” now, without thinking that it is unmerited favor? “Mercy, He just grabbed me by my bootstraps and saved me”. No, it’s something in you that you walk in.

This is a great example. Paul says in First Corinthians, I thank God I pray in tongues more than you all. Someone pointed that out to me one day, saying that’s probably how he wrote more of the Book than anyone else, because he prayed in tongues more than the rest of us! It adds up. It’s so straightforward. We are going to foreshadow this a little first: are you beginning to see exactly how Paul turned out to be so great in Christianity?

Turn to Acts 11:22. Jesus was the key to Christianity, but when we use the word “Christianity”, let me show you where it began. Then tidings of these came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Do you remember that John the Baptist had disciples? Everyone had disciples…they even had squabbles over who was baptizing more all through the Bible. When Paul and Barnabas were preaching in Antioch, that was the first time people said, These people are like Christ. In fact, they are calling them Christ-ians, or little Christs. It’s easy to see when you hear anyone else that’s been around me for awhile. They sound a lot like me. Here are the two people on the planet, at the time, that were the most like Christ. People said, We’re gonna call these people Christ-ians, for lack of a better word. Those Christ-ians were Paul, the apostle, and Barnabas. It wasn’t Peter, John, James, Nathaniel, Judas, Judah. It was this guy Paul.

Do you think Paul had some special dispensation from God that the others didn’t have available to them? We’ve got people today arguing that God called me as an apostle because I wasn’t one of the twelve. Why, then, would he make Paul an apostle, when he wasn’t one of the twelve? And why have him possess all the gifts, the “charismas”, that he did? Barnabas walked in all kinds of grace. So they must have had it, and then whoever they preached to became disciples; and were also called Christians. They didn’t call the first disciples Christians. They were preaching about Jesus. Paul and Barnabas were walking like Jesus. Why? Because they were walking in the grace of God.

I need to move on another step. I want you to look at this guy, Paul, that wrote so much of the Book. Let’s go to Acts 7:57. Stephen is a table waiter, and full of the Holy Ghost. The disciples talk him into going against the church of the Pharisees in Jerusalem. Stephen was obedient, and he delivers them a message. They didn’t want to hear what he had to say, so they stoned him right there in the streets. And we’ll pick it up here, Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. Saul of Tarsus was this guy who became the apostle Paul. God changed his name. He was the young man saying, I’ll hold this guy’s coat while you stone him. That’s what it said. Let’s keep reading… And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Saul would say Knock, Knock, Hi! God Bless You. Jesus is Lord, and when they said Yes, Praise the Lord! he’d grab them and haul them away to prison. He’d identify them as Christians! So they’d crucify them and stone them. This guy was as bad and as ruthless as they get.

Let’s go on to Chapter 9 verse 1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest. And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. He was going from country to country, going over to Syria to find Christians so he could haul them back to Jerusalem. He had a vendetta. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul had a speedy conversion!

Later on, Saul is told to go to the house of Ananias. “Go there, he’s a Christian”. God goes ahead of him and says, Ananias, there’s a guy named Saul I’m sending to you. Teach him some stuff. Ananias says, No, maybe you don’t understand. This guy, Saul is probably headed towards my house anyway, to haul me back to Jerusalem. But God finally talked him into it. He welcomed Saul in, but Saul was blind. I always wondered, Did God just strike him blind? It says that when he received his healing after coming into the house, and them praying, that scales fell off his eyes. I’ve wondered about that, because it says that the Holy Ghost was upon him. I wonder if the Holy Ghost was upon him saying, Can’t see! Can’t see! It’s scriptural speculation.

Verse 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told the what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. Verse 29 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Now, you’ve got to have a bunch of charisma to make it back into the synagogues to preach Christ after you’ve been this kind of ruthless guy! I mean, his picture was probably posted at every post office. This guy was the worst!

I want to take you to a scripture, and hopefully, you’ll be able to make this connection if you haven’t already. Before we go there, I want to read you one more scripture. You don’t have to turn there. Second Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 20 says, Now then we are ambassadors for Christ. Remember, this was penned by the apostle Paul who did just that: became an ambassador after a few days with the disciples. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him (this is your teaser) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Now, tuck that away.

Romans Chapter 5, verse 1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, Jump over to verse 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: We read in First Corinthians that there is not a test that there won’t be enough grace to pass, at least with a “C”. But a “C” does not sound to me like “much more abound”.

I want to present to you that the apostle Paul did all these amazing things, and had all this charisma. He made it into the house of kings, and had several hundred helpers from Caesar’s household. Everywhere he went, he had helpers. There are at least a hundred different credits that he lists in the book of Philippians of all the people that helped him. I mean, he had charisma. Why did he have so much charisma? Because he had so much sin! And where sin does abound, charisma, charis, can, does, and will, much more abound.

I venture to say that there is only one person who had even more charisma than Paul. And that was Jesus. Well, Jesus never sinned! Now wait for a second. That is totally true. Jesus was made into sin. He was not Jesus on the cross. He was sin. All of it. It wasn’t that he just had sin. He wasn’t like the other two guys on the crosses next to him. He became sin.

How many of you know that would be a test? How many of you know that you’d need a really good way of escape, depending on the severity of the test? Well, how much grace would you need to be this guy Jesus, to make an escape from his situation? See, our original definition of grace doesn’t say it all. The very Grace of God- His gifts- is what we’d need! Not just the divine influence on the heart. But divine influence, period. Him! That’s why he said, It’s the Father IN me. He doeth the works. We just never coupled the two because Jesus was sinless, but became sin.

Now we can read Romans Chapter 5 straight through. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace. Do you see the “much more” part? We only have enough to pass the test. But through our Lord Jesus Christ, we can get enough to supremely pass the test….. wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Christ in you, the hope of glory. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin in not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. It certainly abounded unto Paul. Remember, he said a messenger of satan had buffeted him? He said, I sought the Lord three times. And what did God say? My grace is sufficient. “You’ve already been given grace, Paul, based upon your ability to pass the test, and to the measure of what will overcome all of your prior sin. But my grace will put you over the top. Call on my grace. You’ll have access to it, but you’ve got to call upon it.” Hey, many people perish, the Bible says, because of a lack of knowledge. If you were just a chief of sinners, (that’s how Paul described himself), then bless God, you are just full of grace. Hey Sinner! You’ve got so many gifts in there, you should be up here standing where I am, delivering more people faster than I can! Just do something!

Verse 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Is that cool? We have access. It’s like taking a test in school, but having access to the guy’s notes who aced it last year. You can even find out what’s going to be on the test that you haven’t taken yet. Did you ever try to do that in college? I tried to find out from a Senior who’d already taken it? “Can I get a copy of your test? I’ll clean your dorm room!” What would you do for Jesus to get his notes? Every possible charisma to overcome every possible situation had to have been placed in this one named Jesus since he was made to be sin; and where sin does abound, grace, charisma, charis, does much more abound. Paul, Barnabas, and a bunch of today’s Christians had a lot of sin. Therefore, God had to give them at least as much grace to be able to get at least a “C” on every test in life. But if you were not a chief of sinners, like Saul, you don’t have to go commit sin so you can load up on grace. Please don’t think this is a license to sin. No, we have access to all grace, all charisma, through the one who became sin for us.

Turn to Romans 12:1. Remember, this was all one letter to the church at Rome. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Seeing to it you are now free from sin; you’ve got all this grace, and all these “charismas” that you’d better find out about. Begin your life now trying to find out what those things are in you. Begin exercising those things. The only way that you’re going to do it is if you make your body a living sacrifice. Stop thinking of yourself as the way you were, and try to erase your flesh’s memory. Present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts (grace and “charismas”) differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be with dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

I’ll give you one more scripture. Turn to Second Timothy 1:2. Timothy was having a little trouble. Paul probably gave him this message, and I’m not sure if it was before or after God gave him the message of Hey, my grace is sufficient for you, you whiner. Paul probably told that to Timothy, and Paul probably got it from God. To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Obviously, Timothy was on his mind. Timothy was doing a little moping. Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that stir up the gift of God (the grace, the charisma) which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

I implore you today to just stir it up. Stir up what you’ve got. Go get what Jesus got when you don’t have enough, when you don’t think you have enough. Stir it up. Be faithful over little. Without the extra grace, Paul penned nearly two thirds of the entire New Testament. That’s a lot of stuff I thank God for, because we found that the disciples preached different messages. They saw things differently because they were talking to Jews. I wasn’t born Jewish, so I needed someone like Paul to tell me something different, so I could understand.

Let’s close in prayer.

Heavenly Father, by the profession of my lips, I stir up the charisma of God in me. I stir myself up to access everything you put in me, and more so. I declare that I’m going to take advantage of all the things that were in Jesus. He was made sin that we might be made righteous. And we know there are a lot of gifts we could be using right now. So we’re going to use those things right now, in the name of Jesus. I speak also that every other member of the body of Christ would do their part. If my prayers will work for them right now, I say, Speak to them! I loose angels on their behalf, right now, to have them stir up their gifts; whereby we can all come together in the unity of faith in God. Help us build a mature church; a righteous body for the head to come back to. We thank you God for it, we expect it all done, and I thank you for these people. In Jesus’ name. Amen