Amazing Grace – Week 1 (9-10-23)

Amazing Grace
September 10, 2023
The Gospel – It’s Who I Am

In this letter I hope you will find…

1. You are more flawed and sinful than you ever dared to believe
2. You are more loved and accepted in Christ than you ever thought possible
3. The grace of God is bigger and more radiant than anything you could imagine

Paul’s conversion – Life transformed by Jesus!

Acts 9:3-6
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” ⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

apostolos —> sent one

Paul 1st travels to Galatia & Preaches
Inviting Jews & Gentiles alike to believe in Jesus…

The Messiah, was crucified, buried & is now ALIVE & has inaugurated God’s New Age & the INVITATION to be part of the family of God.

1970’s Apartheid (apartness/ separateness)
Jerusalem Council —> Acts 15

Were the Jews great at strict observance of Torah?

Acts 15:10-11
Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Galatians 1:1-5
Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— ² and all the brothers and sisters with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Salvation:
Present Evil Age <—> Age to Come

Galatians 1:6-9
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! ⁹ As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

Gospel —> euangelion —> Good News

Gospel not part of his identity… The gospel is his IDENTITY!

If you lose sight of the identity you have been given vertically, you will search for it everywhere horizontally.