Grace Qualifies

One of the marks of God’s grace working in our lives is that God’s grace qualifies us. I have been serving churches for a long time and I have not been qualified to serve Jesus through any of them. It is His grace that qualified me then and qualifies me now to teach, counsel, and guide His church.



The first church I served was First Baptist Church in Archer City, Texas. I had no formal theological training and no experience. When I asked why they were willing to take a chance on me, the answer was that I was young and ignorant, but they saw a desire in me to serve God and they wanted to be a part of enabling me to do that. That was God’s grace at work in His church to qualify me to serve Jesus through His church.



In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul shares about who God chooses and uses and what qualifies those He chooses.



1 Corinthians 1:22-25

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.



The world wants proof of a person being qualified to do something. That proof usually comes in forms of education (degrees), training (certificates), and experience. Paul says that even if you have those things the main thing is that you have the power of God. Jesus, who is the power of God and through His crucifixion and resurrection shows that power.



The first reason that having Jesus and His grace as what qualifies you is that the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom. The second reason that having Jesus and His grace as what qualifies you is that the weakness of God is stronger that man’s power.



Human resources cannot qualify us for serving God, but God’s grace gives us wisdom wiser than human wisdom and power stronger than human power.



Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is depending on God’s grace to gives us God’s wisdom and God’s power.



1 Corinthians 1:26-29

For consider your calling, brothers; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human might boast in the presence of God.



We need God’s grace to qualify us because God does not always choose the wise or the powerful or those of noble birth. God usually chooses the weak, the low, and the despised. God does that so that He will receive the honor and glory for what those He has chosen accomplish.



Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being chosen by God and used to confound the power of the world.



1 Corinthians 1: 30-31

And because of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boasts in the Lord.”



God’s grace enables us to serve by giving us God’s wisdom.

God’s grace enables us to serve by making us the righteousness of God.

God’s grace enables us to serve by setting us apart for God’s exclusive use.

God’s grace enables us to serve by redeeming us from sin, both the penalty and power of sin.



Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being in Christ Jesus.



God’s grace enables us to be qualified to serve Jesus through His church.



By God’s Grace Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                         Joe