God’s Design and Image
Part 52: Fear and Grace

Scripture: Genesis 43.
Genesis 15:13-16 (ESV)
13 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and
will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.  14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that
they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.  15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in
peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.  16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity
of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
1. Sins Calls Us to Fear Grace
Exodus 20:18-21 (ESV)
18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain
smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we
will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to
test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew
near to the thick darkness where God was.
Luke 5:8(ESV)
8  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Luke 15:17-24 (ESV)
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I
perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven
and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in
time of need.
2. Jesus Calls Us to His Table
Isaiah 25:6-9 (ESV)
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich
food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. 7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast
over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will
wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has
spoken. 9 It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is
the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Matthew 8:11-13 (ESV)
10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel
have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you
have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
Luke 14:21-24 (ESV)
21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to
his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’
22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the
servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell
you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

Matthew 9:10-13 (ESV)
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with
Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with
tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but
those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners.”
1 Corinthians 11:20, 26 (ESV)
20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.
…
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Revelation 19:9a (ESV)
9a And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”