Introduction:     This Epistle is so relevant today because it is written to suffering saints (expound). It is noteworthy that after warning us of the devil’s devises, Peter ends on the high note of God’s great grace. Grace is multifaceted. What does it mean that He is the God of all grace? Everything you need is found in the God of all grace. Don’t spend your time being a lion tamer. We are not to focus on Satan, but on the marvelous and matchless grace of God! What kind of grace do we see here?

I.          THERE IS SAVING GRACE (V.10)

You weren’t looking for God. You were not even looking for God until He began to call you.

            A.        God’s Initiative 

“Called us” = a divine summons; a royal decree. People aren’t saved by accident; they’re saved by divine appointment and if God didn’t take the initiative no one would get saved. Salvation is by grace. It rest solely on the finished work of Jesus Christ. If you go to heaven it will be because God called you by His grace. Grace is the only way to heaven and some of you are being called today.

            B.         God’s Intent

Did God save you by grace to keep you by works? Did God save you by grace so you could go a little while and then fail and be a looser? Did God call us unto defeat or misery? “His eternal glory” = God did not save you to fail! The God of all grace had glory in mind when He saved your soul from hell. This is the end result of that inward call that you responded to. (Illus: Children of Israel were saved out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.) He brought you out of sin that He might bring you into His eternal glory!

II.         THERE IS STRENGTHENING GRACE (V.10)

We need the favor and blessing of God for the journey. When we need His grace the most is when we’re going through a trial. There is a limitation to the sufferings of the child of God. There is a beginning and an end. Why does a Christian suffer? It is more important that you learn to trust God than to enjoy life! Trials are God’s way of teaching us to trust Him. God is building things into your life.

            A.        To Straighten You

“Perfect” = to realign; to fit back in place. (Illus: getting out of joint with God happens long before the trial…the trial comes to restore and realign us.)

            B.         To Stablish You

“Stablish” = to ground us as on a foundation; a root system. There is nothing that will give you deep root in the faith like a little disappointment, a little trouble or adversity. You stand more firmly on the foundation because you are forced to focus on God in prayer and not on the obstacles around you. (Illus: ultimately, when the devil persecutes us he drives us to the God of all grace). 

            C.        To Strengthen You

Strengthened in the inner man. We don’t have the strength to face the adversity of life. But, the God of all grace will give you His unmerited and undeserved power to strengthen you on the inside. You may bend and you may ache, there may be pain, but you’ll not break.

            D.        To Settle You

“Settle” = to rest on a firm foundation. Only grace can cause you to rest. The foundation we rest on is the God of all grace. We don’t have all the answers, but He does and that calms us down.

III.       THERE IS STAGGERING GRACE (V.11)

Grace is overwhelming when you begin to think about it. God’s great grace is a cause for worship. Worship doesn’t come out of experience. The experience of worship comes out of an encounter with a Holy God! Real worship should involve two things.

            A.        My Admiration Of God

            B.         My Adoration To God

VI.       THERE IS A SUPPORTING GRACE (V.12)

            A.        Grace Is The True Foundation

“The true grace” There is only one gospel; the gospel of grace.

            B.         Grace Is A Tuff Foundation

“Wherein ye stand” = stand fast in it. Don’t let anything move you from the grace of God.

V.        THERE IS A SERVING GRACE (VV.13-14)

You cannot serve God without grace and we need the share the grace of God. They need to know the unmerited favor of God.

            A.        To Minister To Difficult People

“ Babylon ” = the church at Rome . Christians referred to Rome as Babylon ; Why? Because Babylon hated and opposed the people of God; Because Babylon ruled the world at that time, and was given to obscene luxury and pleasure. This is where God place a church and it takes grace to deal with difficult people. (Illus: it doesn’t take any grace to tell somebody off; it just takes a lot of grace to say nothing. 

            B.         To Minister To Different People

Not everybody is like you. You better learn that friend. You’re going to spend your life sour and mad without the grace that equips us to minister to those who are different.

            C.        To Minister To Defeated People

Compassion and caring with the agape love of God. Only through serving grace can I love people.

Conclusion:       The only way to describe God’s great grace is found in one word, AMAZING!