God's Grace is Amazing

Dear Friends in Christ,

Sunday was awesome! Thank you for your warm and gracious welcome you shared with Amy and me. The day exceeded all our expectations. I was especially impressed with the hospitality of Stonebridge UMC. I was struck by the way every person who walked through the doors of this church was greeted and welcomed. And… the music in the worship services… it was amazing. As you sang the songs of faith, I could feel the Spirit moving. God is so good! 

This Sunday, we continue the series on the “Starting Place”. There is no better place to start than with the gift of Jesus Christ. In Romans 5:6-8, Paul shares with us one of the foundational passages of the New Testament. Paul reminds us that God loves us no matter what. Despite our brokenness and mistakes, the love of God is given to us through Jesus Christ. We are never alone in the struggles of this world. There is nothing beyond the reach of God through Jesus Christ. 

For me, the greatest example of what God can do is Peter. Peter denies Jesus three times on the night of Jesus arrest. Yet, it is Peter that Jesus approaches by the sea after the resurrection. It is Peter who experiences the forgiveness of Jesus. It is Peter who preaches the first sermon at Pentecost and becomes the first great leader of the Church of Jesus Christ. 

God’s grace is amazing. Just as God used Peter, so God can use anyone… even me. God uses us for his work not because of our abilities but because of our willingness to let God use us as God’s servants. It’s not about me, but rather what God can do through me. 

Praise God!

Pastor John Allen