Grace and Peace

Philippians 1:1-2

1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote to the whole church, not just the leaders. All the other letters, he does not even mention leaders – breaks down wall between clergy and laity.

Servants: doulos
doulos (doo'-los); a slave (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency):
KJV - bond (-man), servant.

Saints: hagios
hagios (hag'-ee-os); from hagos (an awful thing); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):
KJV - (most) holy (one, thing), saint.

Basic Way that Paul starts many of his letters: Peter and John as well – 16 letters of the New Testament start this way.
· Romans 1:7
· 1 Cor. 1:3
· 2 Cor. 1:2
· Gal. 1:2
· Ephesians 1:2
· Col. 1:2
· 1 Thess. 1:1
· 2 Thess. 1:2
· 1 Tim. 1:2 (adds mercy)
· 2 Tim. 1:2 (adds mercy)
· Titus 1:4
· Philemon 3
· 1 Peter 1:2 – Peter had the same practice
· 2 Peter 1:2
· 2 John 3 – John as well – adds mercy
· Rev. 1:4 - John

Grace: charis
charis (khar'-ece); graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):
KJV - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
Receiving God’s favor that we do not deserve – it is a free gift

Peace: eirene
(i-ray'-nay); probably from a primary verb eiro (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication, prosperity:
KJV - one, peace, quietness, rest, set at one again.
Hebrew idea of Shalom: Prosperity and total life peace

What Does Grace Have to Do with Peace?

Rom 5:1-2
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Through Jesus, and by faith, we gain access to God’s Grace (His unmerited favor and Divine Influence upon our Heart). This brings justification before God and causes us to be at peace with God through the work of Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:1-4
8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

We are free from sin and we are completely forgiven. Jesus took all of God's wrath for sin upon Himself. We are established in the Lord through God's grace, His divine favor towards us because of Christ. Nothing can remove us from His hand. Nothing can take us from His family. We are His. We live the Christian life as a response to His divine initiative as an act of worship, praise, and adoration. Receive the grace of God and be free. To quote Charles Spurgeon, "Believe it and be happy!"

A Picture of Grace. How Does Jesus extend it to us?

John 8:1-12
8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

This is a picture of Grace – Receiving what we do not deserve. Do you think this woman lived in peace with God after this? How was her life changed? How did she see herself differently? Her relationships with others? Did she need to go from man to man anymore, or had Divine Love changed her? What did she do with this Grace?

Matt 18:21-35 – Comes right after Matt. 18:15-20, church discipline scriptures

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

But, how can we do this? Where is the judgment? How can we just let people sin against us? How can we allow this to go on? Even Jesus said that He did not come into the world to condemn it (John 3:17), but to save the world through Him. Leave judgment to the Father who knows our hearts. Forgive.

A way that this practically plays our in our lives and relationships: Colossians 3:12-25
· Clothe yourself with the character of Christ
· Forgive as you have been forgiven – totally
· Put on love
· Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts
· Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly
· Proclaim who God is
· Do everything as unto the Lord
· Wives, submit to your husbans
· Husbands, love your wives
· Children, obey your parents
· Fathers, do not embitter your children
· Slaves, obey your masters
· In everything, work for the Lord

Without Grace and Peace, we cannot be in relationship with God or Man. We must receive Grace and Peace from the Lord and extend it to others, unconditionally. Do you want your life to be full of Grace and Peace? Look to the Father who gives liberally through His Son, Jesus Christ. Then, extend what you have received from the Father to those around you, so that your life, home, workplace, relationships, and world will be full of the Grace and Peace that comes from above.

Freely you have received, freely give – Matt. 10:8