September 14th, 2025
His Daily Sufficient Grace
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
September 14, 2025
Part 5: "Right or Left?" - Luke 23
Opening Verse:
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”
Ephesians 2:8 NLT
Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! We are in week five of our new series entitled "His Daily Sufficient Grace." In this series we learned about the true meaning of living by the grace of God. We saw how big and wide the mercies of God are and how much we don't deserve the love and forgiveness He gave us!
The word "grace"comes from the greek word "charis" which means "favor, blessing, or kindness." Have you ever driven to a street where it leads to a road that can only go left or right? If you know where you are going its pretty easy to make that decision. Often times in our lives we are confronted with the most simplest choices. Yes or No. left or right. Up or down. Our relationship with God is a simple choice of this. Yes to Jesus or no and staying in our sins.
Main Pointers:
“Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to
a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know
what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”
Luke 23:32-38 NLT
1. Both criminals faced the decision of their lifetime.
A. The cross was not made to punish but to humiliate and make the statement of who is in power. Criminals sometimes even hung on a cross for days for everyone to see.
B. “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
Galatians 3:13 NLT
2. Rejecting and accepting Jesus is a personal choice.
“One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself— and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
Luke 23:39-42 NLT
A. Remember that before this happened both criminals heard Jesus praying for the soldiers. They were both given a chance to respond to what they've seen and heard.
B. “And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him."
Hebrews 9:27-28 NLT
3. Grace is God choosing us no matter what. Faith is us receiving that gift.
“And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43 NLT
A. The words of Christ shows the full extent of God's love for us. We all deserved to die for our sins. Grace is allowed us to overcome the sting of sin and death.
B. “Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 NLT
Conclusion:
All of us will one day face the Lord. The most important decision that we make is whether or not we accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives. No excuses, no justifications. We deserve death but Jesus gave us life!!!
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
September 14, 2025
Part 5: "Right or Left?" - Luke 23
Opening Verse:
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”
Ephesians 2:8 NLT
Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! We are in week five of our new series entitled "His Daily Sufficient Grace." In this series we learned about the true meaning of living by the grace of God. We saw how big and wide the mercies of God are and how much we don't deserve the love and forgiveness He gave us!
The word "grace"comes from the greek word "charis" which means "favor, blessing, or kindness." Have you ever driven to a street where it leads to a road that can only go left or right? If you know where you are going its pretty easy to make that decision. Often times in our lives we are confronted with the most simplest choices. Yes or No. left or right. Up or down. Our relationship with God is a simple choice of this. Yes to Jesus or no and staying in our sins.
Main Pointers:
“Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to
a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know
what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”
Luke 23:32-38 NLT
1. Both criminals faced the decision of their lifetime.
A. The cross was not made to punish but to humiliate and make the statement of who is in power. Criminals sometimes even hung on a cross for days for everyone to see.
B. “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
Galatians 3:13 NLT
2. Rejecting and accepting Jesus is a personal choice.
“One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself— and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
Luke 23:39-42 NLT
A. Remember that before this happened both criminals heard Jesus praying for the soldiers. They were both given a chance to respond to what they've seen and heard.
B. “And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him."
Hebrews 9:27-28 NLT
3. Grace is God choosing us no matter what. Faith is us receiving that gift.
“And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43 NLT
A. The words of Christ shows the full extent of God's love for us. We all deserved to die for our sins. Grace is allowed us to overcome the sting of sin and death.
B. “Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 NLT
Conclusion:
All of us will one day face the Lord. The most important decision that we make is whether or not we accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives. No excuses, no justifications. We deserve death but Jesus gave us life!!!
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