Ephesians 1:1-3 - "Grace to You"

Paul writes, "Grace to you and peace from God ourFather and the Lord Jesus Christ." We could spend several weeks juston this one small verse, that starts with the word grace. The word graceis used 12 times in the book of Ephesians. It refers to the kindness of Godtoward undeserving people. Some people abbreviate that by saying that grace is God'sunmerited favor. That's what grace is.  Overthe years I have also expanded the description of Biblical grace to say thatgrace is God giving us everything we need to be able to fulfill and do the willof God and to find fulfillment in Christ Jesus. Peter said it this way: “Graceand peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, asHis 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 havebeen given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through theseyou may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption thatis in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4). Whenyou read through Paul’s epistles you will notice that he begins every letterwith the greeting, “grace to you and peace from God our Father and the LordJesus Christ”. Paul is really big on God's grace. Paul finishes everyletter speaking of God’s grace; “Grace be unto you from our Lord JesusChrist”. 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.  TheBible tells us in John chapter 1 that the law was given by Moses, but grace andtruth came by Jesus Christ. You want to know what God's grace is? Look full inthe face of Jesus Christ and there you'll see God's grace because what you needis 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. Buttoday we are looking at God’s grace. As I said, we desperately need God’s graceto be all that we should be for the glory of God.  Graceis God giving us the desire to be saved. One of the most famous verses in theNew Testament is Ephesians 2:8- 9. “For by grace are you saved through faithand that not of yourselves. It's the gift of God, not of works, lest any manshould boast.” A person does not get saved without God giving you thegrace, giving you the desire to be saved. And when does God give you the desireto be saved? We find the answer to that in James 4:6, and also 1 Peter 5:5-6. Andthey both quote the same thing out of the Old Testament book of Proverbs 3:34. Thisis where Solomon wrote that God gives grace to the humble.  Jamesand Peter in their verses make it clear that “God resists the proud, but Hegives grace to the humble”. When we humble ourselves, when we have contritehearts. When we are broken. When we become desperate for God and the peace ofGod recognizing our great need of God’s forgiveness for our sin, it is thenthat God looks down upon our humble heart and He gives us grace. First, Hegives us the desire to get saved and then He gives us the willingness to getsaved and then He actually saves us by His grace.  Oneof my favorite verses about grace is found in 1 Corinthians 15:10, where theApostle Paul proclaims, "But by the grace of God, I am what I am. AndHis grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than theyall. Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."  Paul acknowledges that, "EverythingI am and everything I hope to be and everything I have accomplished for thepurposes of God is only by His grace”. Yes,my friend it is God’s grace that gives us the desire, the power, the ability todo 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 JesusChrist." Everything we really need today comes from Him.