Acts 2: 43-47 “Means of Grace” 6/23/2019 Rev. Jerry W. Krueger Boardman United Methodist Church
Discipline. When you hear that word, what do you imagine? Discipline in the military service? A disciplined athlete like Tom Brady. Love him or hate him, Brady leads a disciplined life of workouts, avoiding empty calorie foods, no chips, no alcohol, and avoids certain breads. He eats fresh fruits and vegetables, gets to bed early, rises early, and is focused on season end results.
Being disciplined in our finances, saving and giving is about consistency and seeing the future. Saving for a purchase requires discipline as well. It’s not easy losing weight. A disciplined approach to exercise, food intake, strength training, giving up alcohol or sugary soda water drinks, which lead to a future end result.
In today’s scripture from the Book of Acts, disciple Peter addresses a large contingent of mostly devout Jews in Jerusalem. 3,000 who’ve accepted Christ, repented, and were baptized.
“And You will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you.” The word “Disciple” is a derivative of discipline. The disciples in scripture have been uncomprehending, confused, or even obstructionist, and their reliability as teachers of Jesus’ way was questionable. But the Holy Spirit descends upon them, and Peter instructs those around him how to live. And the people lived disciplined lives.
As a Wesleyan United Methodist, John Wesley was a disciplined person who revealed to his followers the Means of Grace. As I do some teaching today about United Methodist beliefs, remember that Methodists are Grace-based in our approach to living.
We understand God’s grace is available to all who would invite Christ into their lives. Prevenient Grace precedes us, and Prevenient Grace reveals itself to us from the past when we look back and see where God’s grace has intersected our lives. An example of Prevenient Grace is the friend who prays for the non-Believing friend, or the grandmother who prays for her kids or grandkids. Prevenient grace goes before us.
Justifying grace is the “A-HA!” moment when Christ becomes real in our lives. It can be a burning bush moment, when Christ is so real to us, or it can be a gradual realization that Christ is with us, and we believe Christ is our Lord and savior.
After justification is Sanctifying Grace, that is grace we abide with the rest of our lives. Sanctifying grace puts feet on the Means of Grace where we don’t just talk about a Christian walk, we strive to live it out.
So, I need you to pay attention. The Means of Grace are ways in which God works invisibly in disciples, hastening, strengthening, and confirming faith so that God’s grace lives complete in and through disciples.
The Means of Grace can be divided into two areas: Works of Piety and Works of Mercy. All of you here, knowingly or not, have engaged in the Means of Grace, and we will clarify that.
In Works of Piety, there are Individual practices like reading, meditating on, and studying scripture. Prayer, fasting, regularly attending worship, healthy living, and sharing our faith with others.
And there are Communal practices to Works of Piety. Regular participation in the sacraments, Christian Conferencing (meaning holding each other accountable) and Bible study.
Works of Piety are typically more inward focused, participating in disciplined scripture reading, prayer, study, fasting, healthy life choices, and our sharing our faith with others.
Works of Mercy are also individual and communal. Examples of Individual Works of Mercy are doing good work, visiting the sick, visiting the prisoner, feeding the hungry, and giving generously to the needs of others.
Communal Practices of Works of Mercy are seeking justice, ending oppression and discrimination in all forms, and addressing the needs of the poor.
Works of Mercy, both individual and communal, as well as Works of Piety, communal and individual, fall under the mantle of Means of Grace. Again, the Means of Grace are the ways in which God’s grace is extended, offered to, and received by humanity. The Word of God, the Scriptures, and sacraments are the primary way God conveys this grace to his children as a way that leads to justification, that “A-Ha” moment, and sanctification. The continuing transformation of our entire selves to be more Christ like.
Peter, through the power of the Holy Spirit, has set this Means of Grace in motion among the Believers. The scripture tells us there was sharing, non-possessiveness of items, caring for the one with little, being thankful with glad and generous hearts, spending much time in worship, and praising God.
So today I ask you, is there evidence of the Means of Grace in your life? Individual and communal?
Think about it. I will scroll through this list briefly, and perhaps you can jot down a place where God is calling you to grow in your faith.
- Reading, meditations, and studying the Scriptures
- Daily prayer, regular fasting, regular worship attendance
- Healthy living choices, sharing your faith
- Sharing in the sacraments when offered
- Holding each other accountable as to our faith life
- Bible study in a group setting
- Are you doing good works for others?
- Visiting the sick, visiting the prisoner
- Feeding the hungry
- Giving generously to the needs of others in some fashion
- Are you seeking justice and working to end oppression and discrimination in all forms wherever found?
- Are you addressing the needs of the poor?
We are called as faithful disciples to live for Christ. My life scripture is the impetus for my life as a Christian.
2 Timothy 4: 7 “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”
For me, that is a constant reminder that My Works of Mercy and My Works of Piety are an essential part of my faith life, living out The Means of Grace.
My prayer for each of you today, is that you take this list, and pick an area from each (Works of Piety and Works of Mercy) that you believe God is calling you in which to grow, engage, and to serve the Kingdom of God with your daily best.
You as an individual, and all of us as a church can be transformed as part of living out our Spiritual Disciplines, the Means of Grace that are guided by the loving, guiding, empowering Holy Spirit.
Let the Spirit have free rein and free will in your life.
And the Spirit filled, grace filled people of God proclaimed, Amen!
