The Scandal of Grace, John McArthur

Link to entire sermon:
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/41-9

     So it is today, this church, the church of Jesus Christ is not made up of good people, it’s made up of bad people. It’s not made up of people who think they’re righteous, it’s made up of people who know they’re not. It’s not made up of the people who have attained to a certain acceptable degree with God, it’s made up of people who know they could never attain to an acceptable place before God.

     It’s not made up of people who think they’re good, it’s made up of people who know they’re wicked. It’s not made up of people who have achieved righteousness on their own, it’s made up of people who have received righteousness from God as a gift. This is the gospel.
     Yes, He has the authority to forgive sin, but the only sin He can forgive is the sin of those who know their wretchedness, acknowledge it, put their trust in Him.
     Father, we are so blessed, this morning, to hear this glorious message of the gospel again. At the heart of all that we do is this wondrous scandal of grace that where sin abounds, grace does much abound. We thank You that however sinful sin is, grace triumphs. As James 4:6 says, “He gives a greater grace.” God is opposed to the proud, His grace to the humble. O Lord, we thank You that You have brought us to the place of being convicted about our sin and our inability to save ourselves and You’ve revealed Your glorious gospel of grace to us. I pray for sinners here today who are willing to recognize their sinfulness. May they be like Matthew, just sitting, waiting for the offer, waiting for the call. May that call come to their heart today. May You call them away from sin to the glory of salvation, call them away from guilt to the fullness of forgiveness, not because they earned it but because they asked. Lord, we thank You for this gift, we thank You for our salvation in Christ’s name. Amen.