Grace

Ephesians 2:1-10

Grace is the heart of Christianity.  It is humbling to omit the need for grace.  To be you need to earn God's favor is just the opposite of grace.  The drift away from grace veers one into the lane of religion.  God is not a God of anger, but is a God love, just as Jesus represents love.  God loves people and Jesus is God with skin.

We learn of four young Hebrew men who were taken captive and taken to Babylon.

Grace stories in the Scriptures:

• Luke 23:32-43 - The thief on the cross.  The thief on the cross believed Jesus was Messiah.  Received a solid guarantee of heaven.  The only ones to receive grace are those who realize they don't deserve it.

• Matthew 20:1-16 - The parable of the vineyard.  God's grace is extended to the poor, the outcast, the undeserving, etc.

• Luke 15:11-32 - The parable of the prodigal son.  This is a story about restoration not rehabilitation.  In legalism and works there is no celebration.  In restoration there is celebration.

• Matthew 1:1-24 - The genealogy of Jesus.  In the genealogy of Jesus Matthew includes in the record Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Solomon, which is a reminder of the story of King David and Bathsheba. Flawed people were part of the grace even in the lineage of Jesus.  Grace is inviting to the unrighteous and repelling to the self righteous.

• Matthew 18:21-35 - The unforgiving debtor.  The first man, who was forgiven much, may have acted the way he did in an attempt to pay back some of what he was forgiven.  However, he clearly did not accept grace nor understand grace.

Ephesians 2:8-10 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith. ............