Showcase Of Grace

Colossians 3:2 “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”

Anytime we commit acts that do not glorify God, we hide the masterpiece of his grace. Anytime we entertain thoughts that are flesh by nature, we hide the masterpiece of his grace. Paul’s instruction to us is quite clear but hard to achieve.

The simplest of things, like eating and drinking, done to his glory. But we fail in so many actions that are far from his glory. As hard as we try our minds are prone to wander to thoughts far from his glory. So what can help us out of this mess? His grace.

We are given his grace so that when we fail more grace is given. It is a continuous circle of grace needed and grace given. It’s like the buckets at a water park. They dump water on you but as you stand there and get hot more water is dumped on you. It’s a never ending cycle.

In return we should desire to display his grace in every aspect of our lives. His masterpiece shown to his glory.

You remember Kurt Warner at the beginning of the lesson.

“I've got to say thanks to Jesus. And secondly, I've gotta say thanks to you guys (motioning to the Arizona fans); when nobody else believed in us, when nobody else believed in me, you guys did.”

Warner realized that it was the grace of God, the special favor, that allowed him to achieve his ultimate goal. He had also realized that he had to work harder than most to achieve it and thanked those who believed in him.

Paul echoed that same emotion in 1 Corinthians 15:10 “But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.”

Paul had to work harder than the rest because he wasn’t trusted. This was a man who spent a great portion of his life trying to destroy the church. He could only claim to have seen Jesus without any actual proof. Therefore, his ministry was under constant scrutiny. But through all he had been through he recognized that it was God’s grace that was a conduit for God to accomplish his will through Paul. And it got results.

When we allow ourselves to be conduits to carry the power of the Holy Spirit through God’s grace, we can accomplish mighty things. Like Kurt Warner, we can set new records. We can become winners in the midst of our struggles. We can be a blessing to others and ourselves.