Tag: Grace
-
Grace and Confession
For many of us, the prospect of admitting our misdeeds stirs feelings of fear and shame. In this world we expect punishment and rejection for wrongs committed. We do not anticipate forgiveness and reconciliation if we confess sins, but instead retribution and being declared worthless. We are accustomed to conditional love. Our good standing, or…
-
Ever-Present Grace
We should talk incessantly about grace, and attribute everything good, helpful, restorative, and loving to God’s grace. But what exactly do we mean by grace? For many, it is synonymous with forgiveness, as if speaking of grace is restricted to discussing God’s removal of our sin. We do need grace to be forgiven, but we…
-
Grace
The mercy and love of God for his whole creation is, when God acts, what we call grace. If we think of mercy, patience, and love as descriptive of God’s attitude toward us, then, as soon as God begins to express that in any manner, it is grace. Every impulse of God’s involvement…
-
Listening Toward Sunday
Though the lectionary text jumps over the section about Paul’s confrontation with Peter by choosing Galatians 2:15-21 for this Sunday, the “we are Jews by nature and not sinners . . .” of verse 15 seems to refer directly to Paul and Peter. Despite the situation involving Peter’s improper withdrawal from table fellowship with Gentile…
-
Listening Toward Sunday
I am assuming that if you’re someone who worships within our Sunday fellowship, these notes about the lectionary text we will consider won’t “ruin” any sort of surprise. Instead, perhaps they will actually increase the benefit as we gather and “listen together” to the Word. So, here are some initial thoughts that may or may…