It all began as I sat on the floor of the YMCA on the campus of the University of Illinois on the evening of February 29, 1972...

It all began as I sat on the floor of the YMCA on the

campus of the University of Illinois on the evening of February 29, 1972 . . .

As the Andrae Crouch song the band sang that night

says:

As the Andrae Crouch song the band sang that night

says:

I didn't think it could beuntil it happened to me...

My name is David Kueker,

and the title of this talk is

Justifying Grace

The following slides are a smorgasbord of ideas about Justifying

Grace.

One of these ideas will speak to your heart, mind and soul.

Make a note of it.

God offers us agrowing

relationshipof unconditional love and grace.

As with all relationships that matter, it evolves and changes over time

(because we evolve & change over time).

Prevenient - - -

The Light Bulb

Grace is a process.

Justifying - - -

Sanctifying

Born (again)

■Pregnant Born Grow up!■Prevenient - - - ■ Justifying - - - ■

Sanctifying

Grace is a living process.

Most children do not remember their own birthday. It's only later that they realize that they are alive.

We are created by God to be in such a relationship. It's natural and normal.

It's normal to breathe.It's normal to be in a relationship with God.

Justifying grace is at work in the moment

we say “yes” to the relationship God

offers us in Christ.

We do not earn this grace.

The root meaning of the word grace is

“gift.” For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the

gift of God -- not because of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Because God created us and designed us

for a living relationship with God, nothing else can satisfy our soul.

The central theme of the bible is the story of

God calling us into the relationshipwith God for whichwe were created.

Because of sin God’s perfect

design is broken.

Sin brings separation.

The path toward God is

obscured by

what we have

done.

Sometimes it seems hard to find our way back.

We are always falling on our face in this relationship with God.

Rom 7:18-19 For I know that

nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I

cannot do it. For I do not do the good I

want, but the evil I do not want is what I

do.

But in a moment of Justifying grace, all

things are made new.

Our relationship with God is born anew.

Like falling in love,it happens all at once.

And then it happensover and over and over again

with that person.

In a moment of Justifying grace, all

things are made new.

Our relationship with God is born anew

over and over and over and over again...

Conversion continues as we

keep saying “yes” to Jesus Christ as our

Savior and Lord. We all learn

how to walk with the Lord.

We all begin at the

beginning, and grow up from there, always with God's help.

What is hardat first

Will somedaybecome natural.

(It may take a

few years.)

God's love is a commitment to a relationship with us.

Justifying grace is about lovein its highest form. Our love relationship with God fulfills our soul's deepest human needs, and frees us to love others in a healthy way.

Luke 22:19-20 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying,

"This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after

supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Jesus offers us a new covenant and a new relationship

with God, a spiritual

friendship.

We are surrounded

our entire life with the love

of God helping us

grow.(vertical)

1 John 4:10-11 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be

the expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

This new covenant also includes a new

relationship with God's people.

(horizontal)

A faith that fulfills our

deepest human needs requires both vertical and horizontal relationships

of love.

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us,

we also ought to love one another.

We are surrounded by the love

of other people

throughout our spiritual

lives.

We are surrounded by the love

of other people

throughout our spiritual

lives.

We are surrounded by the love

of other people

throughout our spiritual

lives.

We are surrounded by the love

of other people

throughout our spiritual

lives.

We are surrounded by the love

of other people

throughout our spiritual

lives.

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us,

we also ought to love one another.

In the Emmaus movement,

expressions of love toward us from others in the family of

God are called agape.

(ah-GAH-pay)

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us,

we also ought to love one another.

During this weekend, Christians will

express unconditional love to

you in sacrificial ways by praying,

serving, and performing other acts of agape – so that you will know more clearly how

much God loves you.

The freedom to express Christian

love to one another is one of the great joys of Emmaus.

It feels wonderful to meet someone's

needs in a perfect way.

Usually, agape is right on target,

but ...

Sometimes people do their best but don't understand what agape really

means. Please forgive them. Pray for them.

Emmaus communities

across the nation and

around the world have sent letters here to let you

know about this agape love they

have for you.