Sermon presented 8/18/2013 at Palm Desert Church of Christ by Dale Wells

2. Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in
life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God
has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the
churches. Was a man already circumcised when he
was called? He should not become uncircumcised.
Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He
should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing
and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's
commands is what counts.

4. Ephesians 2:4-10
But because of his great love for us, God, who is
rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even
when we were dead in transgressions—it is by
grace you have been saved. And God raised us
up with Christ and seated us with him in the
heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in
the coming ages he might show the
incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in
his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

5. Ephesians 2:4-10
For it is by grace you have
been saved, through
faith—and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of
God—not by works, so
that no one can boast.
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us to do.

6. but the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death,

7. Circumcision is
nothing and
uncircumcision is
nothing. Keeping
God's commands is
what counts.

8. Mark 12:28
One of the teachers of
the law came and
heard them debating.
Noticing that Jesus had
given them a good
answer, he asked him,
"Of all the
commandments, which
is the most important?"

9. Mark 12:28
One of the teachers of
the law came and
heard them debating.
Noticing that Jesus had
given them a good
answer, he asked him,
"Of all the
commandments, which
is the most important?"

10. Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life
that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has
called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the
churches. Was a man already circumcised when he
was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was
a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should
not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and
uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is
what counts.

11. Each one should remain in the situation which he was
in when God called him. Were you a slave when you
were called? Don't let it trouble you—although if you
can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave
when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman;
similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is
Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not
become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as
responsible to God, should remain in the situation God
called him to.

13. This is how we know that we love
the children of God: by loving God
and carrying out His commands.
This is love for God: to obey His
commands. And His commands
are not burdensome.

14. "Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn from
me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For
my yoke is easy and my
burden is light."

16. But when the kindness and love of God our
Savior appeared, he saved us, not because
of righteous things we had done, but
because of his mercy. He saved us through
the washing of rebirth and renewal by the
Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us
generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
so that, having been justified by his grace,
we might become heirs having the hope of
eternal life.

17. For it is by grace you
have been saved,
through faith--and this
not from yourselves, it is
the gift of God--not by
works, so that no one
can boast.

18. Where, then, is
boasting? It is excluded.
On what principle? On
that of observing the
law? No, but on that of
faith. For we maintain
that a man is justified
by faith apart from
observing the law.

20. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision has any value. The only
thing that counts is faith expressing itself
through love.

21. What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have
faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose
a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If
one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm
and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs,
what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not
accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say,
"You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

23. One Man Chorus – The
Greatest Command
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
jSH4GRcO6ag