Grace Guy

A few years ago I started thinking about what I would want people to say about me when I pass away. Dark, I know. But I started thinking about what I wanted Cheryl to say about me. I thought about what I wanted Sam and Lila to say about me. I started thinking about what I wanted my sister and family to say about me. Then I started thinking about what I wanted my church family to say about me. What would I like my legacy to be? When I thought about my ministry, specifically what message I want people to receive from my preaching, one phrase came to me again and again….

Grace Guy

I want to be known as a preacher and pastor that extols the idea and virture of God’s grace. Why? Because I believe an understanding of grace changes everything:

Grace will change the way you respond to God. It will cause you to run to Him and not away from Him.

Grace will change the way you respond to others. Grace is designed and meant to be shared, so as you internalize God’s grace it will spill over into every relationship that you have.

Grace will give you a calm about your past. It reminds us that we are completely forgiven in Christ.

Grace will give you joy in your present. It reminds us that God is an ever present help in times of trouble.

Grace will give you hope about your future. It reminds us that we are in the hands of a graceful God.

I am reminded of the words of the ultimate grace guy, the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 1:

³ 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. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he^[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship^[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he^[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.