Are you following along in our 2020 Southwest Bible Project Bible-reading and video-watching plan?
Please. If you do nothing else. Read last week's assignments.
This last week took us through the books of Galatians and Ephesians. They are special books.
Why? Because they each present, in their own unique ways, the most powerful of powers that our all-powerful God uses on our behalf.
What is that power?
Grace.
Grace is so powerful that no one who is legitimately touched by it is ever the same. Part of the power of grace is explained by how good grace is.
In fact, grace is so good - so unbelievably good - that most people do not believe it. Even many of those who say they believe in it, do not believe in it. Have you heard of the phrase, "that's just too good to be true", or the other one that says, "if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is"?
Yeah, well, I'm thinking that phrase originated with the idea of grace.
Go read Ephesians carefully, as we will do just little together today, and be astonished at how unbelievable it is. And see if you can believe it. It is worth the work.
Then go read Galatians, and you will understand why Paul begins by saying, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel."
What is he talking about?
What is he talking about in Ephesians when he presents grace?
And what is he talking about in Galatians when he says that a bunch of people who say they are Christians have deserted grace?
Let's find out.