Well, let's hear the word of God.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ,
in accordance with his pleasure and will, to the praise of his glorious grace,
which he has freely given us in the one he loves.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us.
With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment,
to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him
who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ,
might be for the praise of his glory.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth,
the gospel of your salvation.
When you believed, you are marked in him with a seal,
the promised Holy Spirit,
who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
until the redemption of those who are God's possession,
to the praise of his glory.
And then in chapter 2 at verse 1,
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
in which you used to live,
when you followed the ways of this world
and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,
the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time,
gratifying the cravings of our flesh
and following its desires and thoughts.
Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
But because of his great love for us,
God, who is rich in mercy,
made us alive with Christ
even when we were dead in transgressions.
It is by grace you have been saved.
And God raised us up with Christ
and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
in order that in the coming ages
he might show the incomparable riches of his grace
expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith.
And this is not from yourselves.
It is the gift of God,
not by works so that no one can boast.
For we are God's handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
So we can keep our Bibles there
as we think together about the saving grace of God.
What do we mean by grace?
When we think about saving grace,
it's important to have some clarity in that.
I was thinking about a bad reading habit of mine
that perhaps some of us can empathize with.
I'm trying to get a little bit better,
but I read a lot of older books
and some newer books as well.
But whenever I come across old words,
sometimes fancy words,
often, maybe you recognize this,
I try and have a stab at the meaning.
I kind of presume that I get the gist of it
so I can hopefully fill in the blank.
Sometimes that goes okay.
Sometimes it means my understanding of a sentence
or an idea is not very precise.
Sometimes it's just going to be flat out wrong.
And that can happen
when we think about Bible words.
Sometimes that can be the fancy Bible words,
the big long words, technical words,
but it can also be the case with a word like grace.
We can hear it perhaps a lot,
we can use it perhaps a lot,
and maybe we're not very precise about it.
Sometimes we can even get it just plain wrong.
So we're going to try and bring some clarity for ourselves
to recognize realities like God's grace is his love
that's freely shown towards sinners
who do not earn or deserve it.
We're going to see that very clearly.
We're going to see that grace is God showing his goodness
to people who deserve only judgment.
And Paul brings that to us very clearly.
And to recognize that the gospel tells us
that there is full and free grace
for all who come to Jesus.
In other words,
the message of the gospel stands as good news for all people,
and it doesn't insist on conditions before receiving it.
It doesn't say,
here's the list of criteria you need to pass,
here's the standard you need to reach.
So that,
as hopefully we have greater clarity on the gospel of grace,
as we think about God's grace,
it will cause us to love the God of grace
and the grace of God more.
To appreciate, in that sense,
the gift that we have been given.
Now, I think there are at least four basic truths
that stand behind saving grace.
for clear biblical truths
that are not necessarily popular truths
or truths that would be recognized and valued
in the times that we live in,
and perhaps never.
The first is that we, by nature,
are morally undeserving.
That's one of the premises of grace.
But we live in a culture
where we are encouraged from a very young age
to have a very high view of ourself,
to have a high view of our own goodness and ability.
And you couple that with
a loss of the sense of God,
a view of God's holiness,
a loss of the idea of sin.
And it's very easy then for people to imagine,
well, if there is a God,
then he must judge
what makes a good person
the same way that we would judge
what goodness looks like.
But the Bible is really clear, isn't it,
in the language that it uses.
So it will speak of people by nature
as being fallen
or being rebels against God,
of being guilty before God,
of being unclean
and therefore unworthy
of standing in God's presence.
So that's one basic truth.
Another one is,
and it's connected,
is that we are spiritually powerless.
And again,
this can be hard for us to hear,
especially if our understanding of religion
is about what we do.
And what Keith was talking about this morning,
religion without grace
will work on the assumption,
well, if there's a broken relationship with God,
well, I can fix it.
I can do something
to put God in my debt
to make God owe me
the way I live
by showing sacrifice
by my religion,
by my morality,
by my charity work.
That's a common misunderstanding
of how we are to be before God.
Because the Bible, again,
is clear that
by the law,
by law-keeping,
by our own goodness,
no one will be declared righteous.
So we're morally undeserving
and we're spiritually powerless.
And that's part of the backdrop to grace.
But then we also need to understand
realities about God as well.
Again, centrally,
the justice of God
needs to be held in view
if we're to understand God's grace
and appreciate it.
Again, think about the cultural air
that we breathe.
The essential virtue of our time
is tolerant.
Punishment is out.
We are often hearing,
you know,
a person has no right
to impose right and wrong
on another.
Each one is free
to decide right and wrong
for him or herself.
And that is to exclude
the ultimate standard of justice
that is God.
But, of course,
the Bible declares to us
that God is just,
that God will judge,
that God's character is holy,
therefore he must deal with sin.
And we need that.
And the last basic truth
behind saving grace
that we're going to think about
just now
is the idea of God's freedom.
The freedom of God
in extending grace.
There is,
I guess,
again,
a popular view.
It would say,
well,
God will forgive me.
God will forgive people.
That's his job.
If there is a God
and if he does anything,
then surely he's there
to forgive and to accept
and it's tolerance,
sort of,
bread large.
Is God obliged
to save everyone?
And maybe when pushed,
some people might say,
well,
maybe not the mass murders
and the tyrants
and the dictators.
But we are at risk
if we lose sight
of the reality
that mercy
is optional with God.
What we deserve
is justice.
If God shows mercy
and grace,
that's his right,
that's his freedom.
Exodus 33 and Romans 9
both say the same thing.
I will have mercy
on whom I will have mercy.
And so,
essential to understanding
the doctrine of the grace of God
is that God is free
in extending grace.
So,
when you put these four truths together,
we need to conclude
that our destiny,
then,
as people,
lies in God's determination
salvation
to save his people
from sins
by his free grace.
Now,
we could think about,
I was thinking,
I was finishing off
Knowing God again
by J.I. Packer.
He makes the excellent point
that from a psychological
point of view,
when a person comes to faith,
we make a real decision.
But theologically,
we understand that
that faith, too,
is a gift.
That from beginning to end,
salvation is a gift
of God's grace.
That we need God's grace,
I think,
would have become apparent
to us,
having read Ephesians 2,
reading those first three verses.
But doesn't it become
apparent to us as well
when we switch on the news
or switch on our computers
and see what happens
in the world?
When we were listening to,
some of us were listening
to a chap from OMF,
Rico Villanueva,
talking about lament.
And somebody asked
a really helpful question.
You know,
how do we deal
with the reality
that we could constantly,
24 hours a day,
be confronted
with the sadness
and the horror
that's happening
all around the globe?
We recognize that,
don't we?
Global news coverage
means we can constantly
feel overwhelmed
by the distress
and the sadness.
But you know,
one thing that that
also presents to us
is the overwhelming case
for human wickedness
and brokenness.
That 24-hour news cycle
challenges a naive optimism
that perhaps leads many
towards despair.
One of the things
that can happen
is we watch news coverage,
we think we can divide
into them and us.
We recognize true evil
and folks like Putin
and dictators
and those kind of things
and we can divide
and say,
well,
yeah,
of course they're evil,
but, you know.
Solzhenitsyn,
who was himself Russian,
when he was writing
his book,
The Gulag Archipelago,
he was forced
to make an honest assessment.
He went to prison
for criticizing Stalin
and he made the assessment
that the line
between good and evil
doesn't cut between states,
but it runs through
every human heart.
And Ephesians 2,
as we come to Ephesians 2,
it's going to do two things
for us as we spend
a little bit of time here.
It's going to, again,
reveal to us
a dark portrait
of humanity
without Christ.
And it's going to give us
a dazzling picture
of the beauty
of God's grace.
So we'll see
what it teaches
and we'll think about
what difference
it can make
for our everyday lives.
So let's begin
with this dark portrait
in the first three verses
of people
by nature.
Now I imagine
we are familiar
with
amnesia
and what happens
when a person
has amnesia.
It means that
for some reason
or other,
perhaps a trauma
or some kind of injury,
a person forgets
their past.
They forget
their story.
They can even forget
their identity,
who they are.
And one of the things
that's certainly true
for us as Christians
is that we can easily
have spiritual amnesia.
And perhaps
that can be a danger
the longer we go
in the Christian life.
We can forget
the amazing miracle
of being saved
by grace
when we spend
a prolonged period
of time
in the family of God.
And so here
in Ephesians 2
we have this reminder
of living death
without Jesus.
That we wouldn't have
that spiritual amnesia
that would lead us
to take grace
for granted.
So we can see
three different things
happening in each
of these verses.
So chapter 2
verse 1
begins,
As for you,
you were dead
in your transgressions
and sins.
So this was a reality
for Christians
in their past
before knowing
salvation through Jesus.
Dead.
Dead in transgressions.
That idea of trespassing
into forbidden territory.
Guilty of sins.
Missing the mark.
Like aiming
in archery
and falling short
of the target.
Missing God's
perfect standard.
Spiritually dead.
Walking corpses.
Spiritually dead
and also
verse 2
and into verse 3
slaves.
Dead in your transgressions
and sins
in which you used to live
when you followed
the ways of this world
and the ruler
of the kingdom
of the air.
And then verse 3
all of us who lived
among them
at one time
gratifying the cravings
of our flesh
and following
its desires
and thoughts.
Following
the ways
of the world
which here means
that world system
those values
that stand
opposed to God.
Following
the devil
the ruler
of the kingdom
of the air
believing his lies
living in disobedience
and following
the desires
of the flesh
those sinful desires
of the body
and of the mind
and with the reality
that there was no
escape from
that condition
slavery.
And because of that
end of verse 3
like the rest
we were by nature
deserving
of wrath.
Natural condition
standing under
the condemnation
of God
deserving
his wrath.
God's
righteous
personal
hostility
to evil.
His refusal
to compromise
with it
or to sweep it
under the carpet.
God's
necessarily
acting
in line
with his
perfectly
holy
character.
And so
Paul brings us
a reality check
brought it to
those first century
Christians.
Here is God's
view on humanity
without Jesus.
This was our
story
without
Jesus.
Spiritually
powerless
dead people
have no power
morally
undeserving
choosing
the path
of disobedience
in the way
of darkness.
As John
said
in chapter 3
of his
gospel
Jesus came
as light
and the people
chose darkness
instead
and actually
hate
the light.
And outside
of God's
grace
Paul is saying
this is
everyone's
story.
We think
about some
of the famous
stories that
Jesus taught
the parable
of the lost
sheep.
By nature
we are
hungry
and helpless
and at the
risk of the
elements and
of enemy
forces and
what we need
is a good
shepherd.
Think of the
good Samaritan
story.
By nature
we are the
guy who's
lying on the
roadside
powerless
and dying
and what we
need is a
good Samaritan
to rescue
us.
By nature
think about
the parable
of the
prodigal
son.
We are
either far
from home
and destroying
our lives
walking away
from our
father or
we misunderstand
his character
and we're
slaving away
trying to earn
something he
would freely
give and what
we need is
the welcome
of the
good father.
And so
Paul reminds
us that to
love the
grace of
God and
the God
of grace
we first
need to see
and appreciate
and constantly
remind ourselves
I think
of our need
and of our
spiritual
state
without
Jesus.
So that
when we get
to verse 4
to 10
we see
this dazzling
wonderful
picture of
God's
grace.
When we
think of
the hymn
that
probably
most
captures
for many
people
the idea
of God's
grace
we probably
think of
John Newton's
amazing grace
in that
first verse
he has
those lines
I once
was lost
but
now I'm
found
was blind
but now
I see
we find
that same
kind of
idea
here
in
Ephesians
2
verse 4
this is
what we
were
by
nature
this was
our
past
but
God
but
because
of his
great
love
for us
God
Ephesians
2
wants us
to sing
amazing
grace
as we
recognize
this was
us
by nature
but
God
transformation
comes
four
things
to
recognize
about
God's
grace
in
these
wonderful
verses
first of
all
God's
grace
is the
motive
for
salvation
look at
verse 4
and 5
but
because of
his great
love
for us
God
who is
rich
in
mercy
made
us
alive
with
Christ
even
when
we
were
dead
in
transgressions
it
is
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
how
are
spiritually
dead
people
made
alive
how
are
slaves
set
free
how
do
condemned
people
receive
honor
because
of
God's
desire
to
save
people
by
grace
God's
grace
demonstrates
God's
love
to us
God's
grace
is an
expression
of his
rich
mercy
towards
us
end
of
verse
7
God's
grace
is
expressed
in his
kindness
to us
in
Christ
Jesus
all
of
those
phrases
drawing
us
towards
the
same
part
that
salvation
flows
from
God's
own
heart
not
our
earning
it
not
our
deserving
it
not
our
working
our
way
up
to
it
the
love
mercy
kindness
grace
of
God
is
the
motive
for
salvation
in
a
sense
that's
where
that
wonderful
opening
section
chapter 1
verse 3
to 14
takes us
as well
you almost
have that
sense of
a snowball
effect
of
these
spiritual
blessings
in Christ
just
piling up
and growing
in momentum
and growing
in speed
and just
to get a
wee flavour
at the
beginning
of all
these
spiritual
blessings
that are
ours
by God's
free
grace
look at
chapter 1
verse 4
he chose
us in
him
before
the creation
of the world
to be holy
and blameless
in his sight
so chosen
before
creation
so there's
a great
demonstration
this is
God's
freedom
this isn't
down
to
us
and here's
the extent
of God's
grace
that he's
lavishing
his grace
on us
so that we
might be
holy
and blameless
it's grace
from beginning
to end
verse 5
continues
the same
idea
in love
he predestined
us
for adoption
to sonship
in accordance
with his
pleasure
and will
there's his
motive
God's
pleasure
God's
delight
in calling
saving
predestining
his people
to be adopted
into his
family
verse 7
in him
we have
redemption
through his
blood
the forgiveness
of sins
in accordance
with
the riches
of God's
grace
this gift
of grace
was decided
in eternity
past
but it
comes to
us in
the person
of Jesus
and his
sacrificial
death
on the
cross
so that
we might
be
redeemed
the point
of
Ephesians
1 and
2 is
that all
of salvation
is motivated
by God's
free grace
comes to
us in
the sending
of Jesus
and it's
a grace
that's costly
we are
saved by
the blood
of Jesus
his blood
atones
his blood
propitiates
it redirects
the wrath
that should
fall on us
instead
it falls
on God
the Son
it's through
that costly
grace
that the
dead are
made alive
that slaves
are turned
to sons
so God's
grace is the
motive for
salvation
we're told
in Ephesians
2
we can
push that
a little
further
and recognize
that God's
grace is
also the
goal
of salvation
verse 7
is a
wonderful
verse
it says
in order
that in
the coming
ages
he might
show the
incomparable
riches of
his grace
expressed in
his kindness
to us
in Christ
Jesus
so this
has got the
coming ages
in view
so if we
were to
ask ourselves
the question
what is
the point
of God
saving a
people for
himself
what is
the point
of unending
eternal life
in the new
heavens and
the new
earth
what's the
ultimate
reason for
salvation
if we were
to ask
that of
verse 7
so that
God would
eternally
overwhelm
us
with his
incompatible
grace and
kindness to
us in
Jesus
that we
are going
to live
in a
flood
an ocean
of God's
love and
grace
picture a
dam
holding
the water
back and
the water's
building and
rising and
it's full and
then the flood
gates open
and the
water gushes
out
that's going
to be the
Christian's
experience of
God's love
for all
eternity
Jesus our
Saviour is
longing to
pour love on
his bride in
the new
heavens and
the new
earth the
father is
longing to
give us his
incomparable
kindness to
us in
Jesus that
we'd be
overwhelmed by
his love
for all
eternity
we've been
chosen before
creation to
enjoy the
wonders of
his grace in
the new
creation to
experience that
perfect love and
mercy and
kindness and
goodness we
will never stop
singing of
amazing grace
another thing we
can say from
Ephesians 2 is
that God's
grace is the
source of
salvation
verse 8
and 9
for it is
by grace
you have
been saved
through faith
and this is
not from
yourselves it
is the gift
of God
not by
works so
that no
one can
boast
God's
Paul has
in his
mind two
alternative
views of
salvation and
of religion
there's the
religion of
works
that depend
on us
hitting a
certain
standard
us earning
God's
reward
us being
able then to
boast of our
salvation
yeah I did
it of course
God should
receive me into
his family
because I
was good
enough I
lived up to
his standards
so that's
that's the
religion based
on works
but then there's
religion based
on grace
which is
altogether
different
it says
Jesus
has met
God's
perfect
standard
God
in his
life and
his death
and his
resurrection
perfect
obedience
perfectly
glorifying
God
perfect
love for
God
and
for
others
Jesus
paid
for my
salvation
it comes
as a
gift
not as
a reward
therefore
rather than
boasting
it leads to
humble
dependence
recognising
Jesus
is the
saviour I
need
that I
don't deserve
God's
grace
rather
receive it
as a
gift
which is
it that
Ephesians 2
celebrates
which is
it that
the Bible
celebrates
of course
it's
God's
grace
isn't it
because
God
is a
God
of
grace
perhaps
it might
be helpful
for us
to think
of Jesus
words on
the cross
when he
said
it
is
finished
what did
he mean
there
here is
God's
eternal
plan of
salvation
being
accomplished
in his
sacrificial
day
here is
payment
for sin
being
completed
as he
takes
the justice
of God
that we
deserve
and what
does that
say to us
when we
hear Jesus
on the
cross
saying
it is
finished
it should
say to
us
that we
cannot
add
to the
work
of
Jesus
he
has
paid
for
my
salvation
so
there
is
nothing
for
me
to
pay
and
the
danger
of
presuming
that we
can
add
to
our
salvation
is
that
we
are
then
going
to
make
Jesus
a
liar
he
has
said
my
death
is
enough
but
if
we
think
we
are
going
to
add
to
that
we're
going
to
end
up
subtracting
we're
going
to
end
up
losing
the
gospel
of
grace
that
was
going
on
in
Galatia
that's
where
the
letter
of
Galatians
comes
in
verse
10
we're
reminded
we are
God's
handiwork
created
in
Christ
Jesus
to
do
good
works
which
God
prepared
in
advance
for
us
to
do
even
in
our
works
we've
been
reminded
that
we're
God's
masterpiece
we're
a
new
creation
and
God
works
in
us
and
through
us
for
God's
glory
even
that
faith
that
causes
us
to
respond
to
Jesus
to
welcome
him
into
our
hearts
and
that's
a
real
response
by
real
people
that
we're
invited
to
do
even
that
Paul
says
that
comes
as
a
gift
salvation
is
from
God
God's
grace
is
the
source
of
salvation
and
the
last
of
the
things
to
notice
about
God's
grace
before
we
think
about
it
in
everyday
life
is
that
God's
grace
comes
to
us
in
Jesus
Paul
does
something
really
interesting
and lovely
in verses
5
and 6
so
in
Ephesians
1
and
verse
3
he
spells
out
that
we've
been
blessed
in the
heavenly
realms
with
every
spiritual
blessing
in
Christ
so
it's
as
we
are
united
to
Christ
it's
as
we
are
in
Christ
that
we
receive
all
these
spiritual
blessings
and
so
then
when
we
think
about
grace
we
don't
think
about
grace
in
the
abstract
we
recognize
that
grace
comes
to
us
in
the
personal
work
of
Jesus
and
look
at
how
in
verses
5
and
6
of
chapter
2
Paul
wants
to
show
us
that
by
connecting
the
pattern
of
Jesus
life
and
the
reality
of
saving
grace
so
in
verse
5
God
who
is
rich
in
mercy
made
us
alive
with
Christ
even
when
we
were
dead
in
transgression
so
there's
dead
and
alive
and
that
should
remind
us
of
the
work
of
Jesus
his
cross
and
his
resurrection
and
what's
the
impact
of
the
cross
and
the
resurrection
according
to
our
passage
according
to
Paul
here
is
that
now
by
faith
in
him
I
am
dead
to
sin
and
I
am
alive
in
Christ
so
the
personal
work
of
Jesus
is
connected
to
the
work
of
grace
and
then
we
see
that
continuing
in
verse
six
and
God
raised
us
up
with
Christ
when
was
Jesus
raised
up
on
the
third
day
but
he
was
also
raised
up
returned
to
glory
ascension
and
that's
our
true
home
as
well
that
by
God's
grace
that's
our
ultimate
destination
that
just
as
Jesus
was
raised
up
we
will
be
raised
up
continuing
verse
six
God
raised
us
up
with
Christ
and
seated
us
with
him
in
the
heavenly
realms
in
Christ
Jesus
so
when
Jesus
ascended
he
then
we're
told
returned
to
the
throne
of
heaven
so
Jesus
right
now
is
ruling
and
reigning
over
this
world
over
the
church
history
is
working
towards
his
purposes
and
what
Paul
is
saying
to
us
is
that
by
God's
grace
we
too
will
rule
and
reign
with
him
this
is
our
certain
future
because
of
God's
grace
that
unites
us
to
the
Lord
Jesus
so
we're
reminded
through
Ephesians
2
that
grace
comes
to
us
in
the
person
and
the
work
of
the
Lord
Jesus
and
so
the
key
thing
then
for
us
to
be
saved
for
us
to
appreciate
to
know
God's
grace
is
that
we
would
get
into
Jesus
Christ
and
him
crucified
our
faith
would
rest
in
him
now
to
think
briefly
about
how
God's
grace
transforms
everyday
life
we already
mentioned
John
Newton's
amazing
grace
I want
to
just
either
mention
or remind
us
of a
conversation
John
Newton
had
actually
the
day
before
he
died
where
he
said
to
a
friend
although
my
memory
is
fading
I
remember
two
things
I
am
a
great
sinner
and
God
is
a
great
saviour
isn't
that
the
message
of
Ephesians
2
John
Newton
was
someone
who
didn't
have
spiritual
amnesia
he
knew
and
celebrated
God's
transforming
grace
and
the
grace
of
God
saving
grace
isn't
supposed
to
be
a
doctrine
that
we
just
sort
of
consider
it's
supposed
to
have
a
transforming
impact
on
our
lives
in
many
ways
we're
just
going to
think
of
three
let's
think
about
our
preaching
or
to
broaden
that
out
our
proclaiming
of
the
good
news
of
the
Lord
Jesus
since
grace
is
full
and
free
Christ
can
be
is
to
be
freely
offered
to
all
people
remember
in
Matthew
11
Jesus
said
come
to
me
you
who
are
weary
and
burdened
I
will
give
you
rest
people
in
Jesus
day
the
people
in
our
day
us
today
were
invited
to
come
in
our
weakness
with
our
burdens
with
our
sense
of
unworthiness
with
the
reality
that
by
nature
we
are
disqualified
and
we
have
that
promise
of
rest
that
promise
of
salvation
of
knowing
peace
with
God
and
that's
a
message
not
just
for
churchy
types
and
it's
certainly
not
a
message
that
says
clean
up
your
act
first
it's
a
message
of
God's
grace
and
kindness
for
all
people
something
I think
we can
be
praying
as we
meet
together
Sunday
by
Sunday
and
especially
as we
think
about
the
next
three
weeks
of
hope
explore
to
pray
that
people
would
hear
that
free
offer
of
God's
wonderful
amazing
grace
and we'd
respond
as God
would open
up
people's
hearts
but it's
not just
in our
message
that God's
grace
transforms
think about
perseverance
how God's
grace
then shapes
our
perseverance
on the
Christian
journey
since
God's
grace
is
incompatible
since
it's
beyond
measure
that
has
some
important
things
to say
to us
it says
to us
that
God's
children
will
never
exhaust
God's
love
the
grace
that
overcomes
our
sin
and
resistance
at the
point
of
salvation
is the
grace
that
continues
despite
our
unfaithfulness
despite
our
ingratitude
despite
our
spiritual
amnesia
despite
our
sin
back to
amazing
grace
to his
grace
that
brought
us
safe
thus far
and
grace
will
lead
us
home
our
hope
doesn't
rest
in
ourselves
we
don't
begin
with
grace
and then
switch
halfway
through
to
rely
on
our
own
works
no it's
grace
from
beginning
to
end
our
hope
in
salvation
is
our
hope
every
day
until
glory
that
the
God
of
grace
is
our
good
father
he
is
our
good
shepherd
he
is
our
good
Samaritan
so
the
doctrine
of
grace
should
help
us
to
remember
we
have
good
news
to
share
it
should
help
us
to
persevere
and
also
it
should
lead
us
personally
to
praise
so
I
was
browsing
this
week
on
the
international
justice
mission
website
so
they're
a
Christian
organization
looking
to
free
people
from
trafficking
and
modern
day
slavery
and
they
had
the
story
of
two
brothers
from
Myanmar
who
because
of
the
trouble
going
on
in
Myanmar
went
to
Thailand
to
look
for
work
and
they
eventually
were
forced
into
labor
in
Cambodia
and
their
passports
were
taken
and
their
wages
were
kept
back
IGM
heard
about
it
and
after
a
year
they
were
released
and
ready
to
go
home
and
can
you
imagine
how
thankful
you'd
home
of
course
you
would
be
from
slavery
to
freedom
what's
Ephesians
2
told us
it's
told us
that
spiritually
without
Christ
we were
held in
the chains
of sin
and
unbelief
we were
in the
grip
of the
enemy
the
devil
we are
without
hope
and
without
God
without
his
grace
but
God
in
grace
what did
we
discover
from
Ephesians
he planned
from
all
eternity
to
send
his
son
Jesus
planned
from
all
eternity
to
send
Jesus
to
be
that
ransom
price
to
bring
his
people
home
and
again
not
because
we
deserved
it
what we
deserve
is
judgment
but
because
of
his
free
grace
and
so
a
grace
filled
life
is
surely
a
praise
filled
life
as
we
learn
daily
to
count
all
of
those
spiritual
blessings
that
are
ours
in
Christ
let's
pray
briefly
before
we
sing
Lord
our
God
we
are
so
thankful
for
your
grace
we
recognize
that
this
is
from
you
this
is
not
something
that
any
person
would
ever
make
up
by
ourselves
we
are
always
inclined
to
try
and
prove
ourselves
and
earn
things
for
ourselves
and
so
we
thank
you
that
you
and
your
kindness
and
your
grace
have
revealed
this
truth
in
your
word
and
you
have
revealed
your
grace
to
us
love
and
your
grace
Lord
that
we
would
be
known
as
a
people
of
deep
and
abiding
joy
because
we
never
lose
sight
of
your
amazing
grace
towards
us
please
help
us
towards
that
end
we
pray
in
Jesus
name
Amen
now
let's
sing
together
before
we
close
this
part
of
our
evening
the
modern
rendering
of
amazing
grace
my
chains
are
gone
let's
stand
together
to
sing