Grace Is Given

Rev. Avedis Boynerian graciously forwards me his Sunday service sermon ahead of time. Rev. Avedis Boynerian had titled this past Sunday’s, May 31, 2026, sermon was "Grace is Given." With his permission, I reproduced the sermon below. Vaհe H Apelian 

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Romans 12:6a).

When Billy Graham was driving through a small town, he was stopped by a policeman and charged with speeding. 

Graham admitted his guilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court. 

The judge asked, “Guilty, or not guilty?” 

When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, “That will be ten dollars -- a dollar for every mile you went over the limit.” 

Suddenly the judge recognized Billy Graham. 

“You have violated the law,” he said. 

“The fine must be paid, but I am going to pay it for you.” 

He took a ten dollar bill from his own wallet and attached it to the ticket. 

“That,” said Billy Graham, “is how God treats repentant sinners!” 

Now, that’s grace. 

Grace is God’s free and undeserved love toward sinners.

Our text (Romans 12:1-8) 

Tells us what God’s grace causes us to,

Tells us that God’s grace causes us to.

1st) humble ourselves

2nd) honor others and 

3rd) use our gifts.

1.- Humble ourselves. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (3). 

Meaning, do not have an exaggerated opinion of yourself or of your own importance! 

(Do not take yourself too seriously

We often think of ourselves better than we ought and have an exaggerated opinion of ourselves. 

Now, that’s pride! 

And pride is a big temptation. 

We better watch it! 

The Bible says “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). 

It also says, (“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2). 

It also says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).

(When God’s grace is at work in our lives, it will cause us to think less of ourselves and more of others.

Mother Teresa was gifted as a humble servant, caring for the sick, the diseased and the poor. 

She said,  “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” 

We need to discern who we are. We need to have a proper estimate of ourselves, because thinking more highly of ourselves, than we should, is one of the greatest problems in serving God. 

Have you ever been around an individual who always thinks they are right? 

How does it feel to be around someone who boasts and brags about his or her abilities? 

It’s not a good feeling, is it? 

We are to avoid thinking too highly of ourselves. 

The best way to do that is by focusing on God’s grace, which causes us to think less of ourselves causes us to think more of others.

2. Others. “As each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (4-5).

We all have different functions in church. 

You can do things that I cannot do. 

You have abilities that I do not have. 

Therefore, I need to recognize you and honor you for your gifts. 

That’s why God’s grace causes us to honor others, first.

We need to celebrate diversity. 

We must also remember that, just as the different parts of our bodies have different functions, so too, in the church, each of us is given different gifts. 

We cannot do it alone. 

If God’s purposes are to be accomplished and His church is to grow, every one of us has to use their gifts. While no one can do everything, everyone can do something.

God has designed and wired us differently. 

So, therefore, as followers of Christ, we need to celebrate this diversity in the church.    

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage” (Romans 12:6a).

Henry Ford once said that “the ability to encourage others is one of life’s finest assets.”

Ford, the auto inventor and manufacturer, knew the power of encouragement. 

He had learned it as a young man. 

Young Ford had endured criticism and ridicule. 

Attending a dinner one evening at which Thomas Edison was present. 

Ford began explaining his engine to men nearest him at the table. He noticed that Edison, seated several chairs away, was listening. 

Finally, Edison moved closer and asked young Ford to make a drawing. 

 

When the crude sketch was complete, Edison studied it intently, then suddenly hit his fist on the table. “Young man,” he said, “that’s the thing! You have it!” 

God had gifted both Edison and Ford differently and that was not a hindrance, but it was the use of their gifts. 

God’s grace gives us gifts and abilities, but they are not for self-use only. 

Grace is one of the most beautiful words in the Christian faith.

Grace means God gives what we could never earn.

 Forgiveness we did not deserve.

 Love we could not buy.

 Mercy we could not repay.

 

The world teaches us:

 “Work harder.”

 “Prove yourself.”

 “Earn your place.”

 

But the Gospel says something different:

It says, “It is given.”

 

God’s grace is not a reward for the worthy; it is a gift for the needy.

When the prodigal son returned home, he came with shame and failure. 

He expected punishment, but the father ran to embrace him. 

Now, that is grace given.

When Peter denied Christ three times,, Jesus did not abandon him. 

Instead, after the resurrection, Christ restored him and entrusted him again with ministry. 

That is grace given.

Our gifts are to be used to edify and be a blessing to others. 

The Bible says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace” (1 Peter 4:10). 

We need to recognize our dependency. While we are uniquely designed, we have been made to function in community with one another. 

Each of us belongs to one another. 

 

I might be strong in the area of my gift, but I am weak in the areas where others are gifted. 

Therefore, I must minister to others out of my strength and be dependent upon the ministry of others in my areas of weakness.

Did you know that you belong to the person sitting next to you? 

Did you know that we are on the same team with each of us playing different roles, different positions? 

So, please, 

Do not get puffed up by your own importance and 

Do not take yourself out of the game by thinking you do not matter. 

You are needed, as much as I am needed, because both you and I belong to each other.

To make this work, we must stop thinking individualistically and begin to think corporately, communally. 

We cannot look at ourselves as an island, independent of all others.

There is no room for individualism within the church of Christ, for we are inter-dependent. 

Remember: “There is no “I” in “TEAM.”

We must rely on others, just as they must rely on us. 

We must see ourselves as fully functioning church members, with certain gifts that are necessary to the equipping and ministry of the entire church. 

Therefore, let’s determine to follow the example of Christ, “who, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage … “he 

Humbled himself.     

Served people and 

Considered others better than Himself! (Philippians 2:6b, 8b).

A powerful illustration of Jesus’ humility is found in John 13, when He washed the disciples’ feet.

After World War II, a group of German students volunteered to help rebuild an English cathedral that had been severely damaged by German bombs. 

As work progressed, they became concerned about a large statue of Jesus, whose arms were outstretched and beneath which was the inscription: “Come unto Me.” 

They had particular difficulty trying to restore the hands, which had been completely destroyed. 

After much discussion, they decided to let the hands remain missing and changed the inscription to: “Christ has no hands, but our hands.” 

Nothing satisfies more than God calls and use us.

Jesus humbled himself, served people and considered others better than Himself! 

May we follow Jesus and His life example!