Dear Christian friends:

Often we see the name grace for a church. Some of you remember that was the name for our church for the deaf in Minneapolis. That is a very wonderful name for a church, because GRACE is a very important word for us Christians. Without grace we are lost and have no hope or life with God. What does GRACE mean? Sign it.

In our text today St. Paul tells about grace. He shows:

First, Paul tells about the wonderful things grace has already done for us. He says it has given us the Gospel. God because of His grace has sent His Son to live and die for our sins. Not only did God by grace give us His Son, but He gave us the Bible to tell us about that.

We were not alive when Jesus lived and died and rose again. We did not, like the first disciples, see Jesus with our own eyes. But God in His grace gave us the Good News of Jesus in the Holy Bible. And by this Holy Bible we have been called and led to faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Remember grace means kindness we have not earned. God did not owe Jesus or the Bible to us. He could have left us in our sin and troubles, and ignorance.

St. Paul in our text shows us this very clearly. (verses 8-10) Read verses and explain how Paul was an enemy of God when his name was Saul. But God showed wonderful kindness to him on the road to Damascus. In a way all of us were like Paul, and often still are.

We kick against God. We don't want to give honor and glory to Him with our lives, but always think of ourself first: me me me. His grace did wonderful things for Saul. Changed His name to Paul. Not anymore Saul, the proud, selfish hater and fighter against Jesus and His Church, but Paul the humble, eager, cheerful servant of Jesus Christ. (Read verse 9)

We know how wonderfully and humbly Paul served Jesus after that. Three long missionary journeys. He suffered much hardship and persecution. But He was not afraid anymore. He did not worry about what others said or thought of his preaching. He preached the truth; if they threw rocks at him He didn't give up.

Finally he was put in prison in Rome and was killed for Jesus' sake. While in prison he wrote many of the thirteen epistles of Paul that we have today in our Bible. God's grace made a new man of Saul, now Paul. His grace can also make us more like Paul. Like Paul say to Jesus, "Lord, what do you want me to do? I will do anything you ask. I am not afraid. No more I but Jesus who lives in me."

I am what I am by the grace of God.

Amen.