Grace is _____________.

Reflections of Christmas

We Wish You much Peace and Joy with the Grace of Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

When someone wishes you peace or joy do you think of it as, wishing you the feeling of Peace and for you the feeling of Joy?

I did. I think maybe a lot of us do.

But are these wishes for good feelings or for things? They are nouns…. So if they are things, how does someone get them? Peace and Joy.

There’s a clue in the rest of this message of wishes, with the Grace of Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

The word Grace, can you define it?

Without Google or a dictionary, just think for a moment.

Grace is _____________. Did you answer it? Do you know what the term means? What it means to you?

We may be able to define it in many ways and it may mean a few different things to each of us. But can we really truly understand what the Grace of Christmas is?

For it is 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. Ephesians 2: 8-9

…of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:7

The whole message of the Bible, as Martin Luther liked to say, is divided into two parts: law and grace- these two things. But most people have never gotten past the first half. The Old Testament, the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rules. Follow a set of rules and you’ll get into heaven, right?

I read recently, “if your basing your hope of entering the Promised Land on Moses and the law, reflect upon the fact that Moses himself never made it.” Can this be a fact? I don’t know but I do feel closer to understanding the Grace of Christmas.

GRACE= God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17

God loved the world so much that He gave his one and only Son… John 3:16

Could you or would you, give your life for another person? I’m betting that most of the parents will answer “yes”. Because of your love for them you’re willing to do anything for your children and if necessary even lay down your life for them. Now ask yourself could you or would you give your one and only son for another person’s life? This is what happened at Christmas. God’s grace, God’s love, He sent His Son to die for us.

God made it as simple as possible to come to know him. What does he ask of you? Simply believe in his Son. Believe that what God says is true. That’s it. Nothing more is needed. Accept his gift and gain all of God’s blessings. This includes everything else in life- love, peace, joy, a home in heaven. He has held nothing back.

Our prayer for this week is God, we stand in awe and amazed at your love. We confess that we, like sheep have gone our own way, but thank You that You didn’t leave us. Instead, You sent the Good Shepherd. Thank You, O God, for providing our sacrifice through Your Son. We pray this in Jesus’ name. ~Amen.

~♥~ Sara