That's So Cliche - What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
Jeff Wood
A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of walking through Ephesians 2 with my 8-year old son, Cooper in his Upstreet Kids Service (quick shoutout to B-Nell for an awesome job on the videos). This was right after hearing Pastor Matt’s message through the first half of Romans 5. As I was going back through these passages, the thing that kept resonating to me through both messages was God’s Grace and Peace through our faith in Christ.
Paul starts his Epistles proclaiming this message: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Although it is so easy to skim over these first few verses, it’s so much more than Paul’s greeting. It’s his stewardship (Eph 3:2), and it is how God is operating with us today. We are saved by His grace and we are at peace with God through our faith in Jesus Christ.
Before the revelation to Paul, what had been preached was the law and how God judged and dealt with those who sinned and broke the law. Conversely, Paul was given the ministry and message of reconciliation. (Romans 5: 9-10 and Eph 2:1 – 2 Cor 5:19). Reconciliation is to restore a relationship between two people who were at odds. But this reconciliation between us and God is not our doing. Sin put us at odds with God. And with sin was “death, judgment, wrath, enemies.” But through the completed work of Christ, God reconciled the world to Himself, and now “justified, alive, hope, richness”. All that we need to do is to REST in this truth. In these times of chaos and uncertainty, it is so reassuring and comforting to be able to take a minute and stop, trust, and rest in His Grace and to know that you have peace with God.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of walking through Ephesians 2 with my 8-year old son, Cooper in his Upstreet Kids Service (quick shoutout to B-Nell for an awesome job on the videos). This was right after hearing Pastor Matt’s message through the first half of Romans 5. As I was going back through these passages, the thing that kept resonating to me through both messages was God’s Grace and Peace through our faith in Christ.
Paul starts his Epistles proclaiming this message: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Although it is so easy to skim over these first few verses, it’s so much more than Paul’s greeting. It’s his stewardship (Eph 3:2), and it is how God is operating with us today. We are saved by His grace and we are at peace with God through our faith in Jesus Christ.
Before the revelation to Paul, what had been preached was the law and how God judged and dealt with those who sinned and broke the law. Conversely, Paul was given the ministry and message of reconciliation. (Romans 5: 9-10 and Eph 2:1 – 2 Cor 5:19). Reconciliation is to restore a relationship between two people who were at odds. But this reconciliation between us and God is not our doing. Sin put us at odds with God. And with sin was “death, judgment, wrath, enemies.” But through the completed work of Christ, God reconciled the world to Himself, and now “justified, alive, hope, richness”. All that we need to do is to REST in this truth. In these times of chaos and uncertainty, it is so reassuring and comforting to be able to take a minute and stop, trust, and rest in His Grace and to know that you have peace with God.
Recent
Archive
2022
February
March
April
May
2021
March
April
June
July
August
September
October
2020
July
September
October
No Comments