What Does Grace Really Mean?

Grace. It’s a word that often rolls off our tongues during worship or in conversation, but do we truly grasp its depth and power? At Preston Trail this week, we delved into the transformative message of Ephesians 2, uncovering the essence of God’s grace and its life-changing implications.

This message of grace is a call to understand who we are without God, to embrace the good news of his love, and step into a life of purpose, redeemed and empowered by his Spirit.

Like a jeweler showcasing diamonds against black velvet, the beauty of God’s grace is best understood against the dark backdrop of life without him. Ephesians 2:1-3 paints a stark picture:

• We Were Spiritually Dead: On the outside, life may appear vibrant, but internally, a life apart from God is lifeless. Created for a relationship with him, we are incomplete and estranged without his presence.
• We Followed the World and the Devil: We aligned ourselves with a world consumed by self-indulgence, pride, and sin, following values that lead to destruction. At the same time, Satan’s goal was simple: to draw us away from trust and obedience to God.
• We Followed Our Sinful Nature: Our natural inclination was to live without reference to God, leading to patterns of envy, fear, arrogance, and unbridled desires.

This dark state is what Scripture calls being “objects of God’s wrath.” However, as Paul so powerfully transitions, “But God…”

Ephesians 2:4-5 introduces the good news:
“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.”

Let’s unpack this pivotal truth.

Paul uses three key words to describe why God extends grace:

1. Mercy: God spares us from the judgment we deserve. Like a compassionate judge offering leniency, God’s mercy means he doesn’t give us the punishment our sins warrant.
2. Love: God’s sacrificial love is the foundation of his actions. Just as parents sacrifice for their children, or soldiers make the ultimate sacrifice for their country, God’s love led him to give everything for us.
3. Grace: Grace is God stooping down to lift us up when we couldn’t help ourselves. It’s his unearned, unmerited favor that saves and sustains us.

Through Christ’s resurrection, God sees us not as broken or lost, but as alive, raised, and seated with him in the heavenly realms. This isn’t just a future hope—it’s our reality now. God calls us his trophies of grace, pointing to us as examples of his kindness and power to redeem.

Ephesians 2:8-10 captures the heart of the gospel:
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Here’s the summary:

• We Are Saved by Grace: Our salvation is entirely God’s doing. It’s his gift, not a result of our effort or goodness.
• Through Faith: Like receiving a gift, our role is to open our arms and say “yes” to God’s grace. Faith is trust, a simple act of surrender.
• For Works: Grace isn’t the end of the story—it’s the beginning. As God’s masterpiece, we’re designed to reflect his goodness and do good works that glorify him.

Understanding grace doesn’t mean we abuse or distort it. Two common pitfalls were highlighted in the sermon:

1. Denying Grace: Some traditions overemphasize performance and shame, leading to anxiety about earning God’s love.
2. Taking Advantage of Grace: Others presume on God’s forgiveness, using it as a license to live without accountability.

True grace transforms us. It doesn’t leave us in sin; it empowers us to live in freedom and love.

As recipients of grace, we’re invited to live as God’s masterpiece—his work of art, created to reflect his character and bring his light to the world. This involves:

• Extending grace to others through acts of kindness and forgiveness.
• Embracing a life of purpose, serving God in our unique callings.
• Continually remembering the cost of grace and letting it inspire gratitude and humility.

Everywhere Jesus went, he embodied grace. From healing the sick to forgiving the adulterous woman, his actions reflected God’s heart of love and mercy. Today, he calls us to do the same—to be conduits of his grace in a world desperate for hope.

 As we reflect on grace, let’s remember this truth from author Philip Yancey:
“Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and nothing we can do to make God love us less.”

In the sermon, communion served as a tangible reminder of grace. The bread and cup symbolize Jesus’ body and blood, broken and poured out for us. Through this act, we’re reminded of the depth of God’s love and the lengths he went to save us.

Have you truly embraced God’s grace? If not, today is the perfect moment to open your heart to him. Whether you’re hearing this message for the first time or rediscovering its depth, let grace transform your life.

As you go about your week, consider this challenge:

1. Reflect on the areas where you need to surrender to grace.
2. Show grace to someone in your life who needs it.
3. Live as God’s masterpiece, doing good in his name.

Grace is the heartbeat of the gospel. Let it guide you, sustain you, and transform you into the person God created you to be.