August 16 2025

Saturday August 16

“Grace to You”

Ephesians 1:1-3

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Today we're continuing to look at Ephesians 1:1-3. Already we learn that Paul is the writer of this book. God of course is the author. Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus and addresses them “the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus”. The saints are those who have been born again into the family of God, set apart, made holy by His Holy Spirit for His glory. “The saints, and also the faithful”. The “faithful” are those who walk continuously, faithfully, steadfastly with God, with the Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit on a daily, regular basis, resisting the temptations of the evil one, faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. That's who Paul's writing to.

Now, in verse two, Paul writes, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." We could spend several weeks just on this one small verse, that starts with the word grace. The word grace is used 12 times in the book of Ephesians. It refers to the kindness of God toward undeserving people. Some people abbreviate that by saying that grace is God's unmerited favor. That's what grace is.

Over the years I have also expanded the description of Biblical grace to say that grace is God giving us everything we need to be able to fulfill and do the will of God and to find fulfillment in Christ Jesus. Peter said it this way: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4).

When you read through Paul’s epistles you will notice that he begins every letter with the greeting, “grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. Paul is really big on God's grace. Paul finishes every letter speaking of God’s grace; “Grace be unto you from our Lord Jesus Christ”. Next time you read through Paul’s epistles be sure to notice this. Grace is a big thing with the Apostle Paul because it's a big thing with God.

The Bible tells us in John chapter 1 that the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. You want to know what God's grace is? Look full in the face of Jesus Christ and there you'll see God's grace because what you need is found in Christ. That's why Paul mentions grace and peace together so often. Now tomorrow we're going to talk about peace with God and the peace of God. But today we are looking at God’s grace. As I said, we desperately need God’s grace to be all that we should be for the glory of God.

Grace is God giving us the desire to be saved. One of the most famous verses in the New Testament is Ephesians 2:8- 9. “For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It's the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” A person does not get saved without God giving you the grace, giving you the desire to be saved. And when does God give you the desire to be saved? We find the answer to that in James 4:6, and also 1 Peter 5:5-6. And they both quote the same thing out of the Old Testament book of Proverbs 3:34. This is where Solomon wrote that God gives grace to the humble.

James and Peter in their verses make it clear that “God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble”. When we humble ourselves, when we have contrite hearts. When we are broken. When we become desperate for God and the peace of God recognizing our great need of God’s forgiveness for our sin, it is then that God looks down upon our humble heart and He gives us grace. First, He gives us the desire to get saved and then He gives us the willingness to get saved and then He actually saves us by His grace.

One of my favorite verses about grace is found in 1 Corinthians 15:10, where the Apostle Paul proclaims, "But by the grace of God, I am what I am. And His grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all. Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."  Paul acknowledges that, "Everything I am and everything I hope to be and everything I have accomplished for the purposes of God is only by His grace”. 

Yes, my friend it is God’s grace that gives us the desire, the power, the ability to do what God wants us to do. That's why Paul would write in all his letters and say, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Everything we really need today comes from Him.

God bless you and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day as you enjoy and experience God's grace.