This week at All Souls Church we are starting a new series on the The New Testament book of Ephesians called “The Power of Grace”

Ephesians is a book about Grace. 

• Grace is God’s undeserved loving power on you and your life. 
• Grace is one way love. 
• Grace is unmerited favor. 
• Grace is: God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. 
• Grace is free. 
• Grace is common to every human, but specific and special and saving for Christians. 

God’s grace on, in, and through the

Church (the worldwide body of Christ) is the message of Ephesians.

What is Grace? 

Who gets Grace? 

Who “gets” Grace? 

How do we practice Grace? 

How do we give Grace? 

How do prayer and God's grace work together?

My favorite definition of Grace comes from the Episcopal Theologian Paul Zahl: 

“What is grace? Grace is one way love…Grace is love that seeks you out when you have nothing to give in return.

Grace is love coming at you that has nothing to do with you. Grace is being loved when you are unlovable. It is being loved when you are the opposite of loveable….Grace is a love that has nothing to do with you, the beloved. It has everything and only to do with the lover.

Grace is irrational in the sense that it has nothing to do with weights and measures. It has nothing to do with my intrinsic qualities or so-called “gifts” (whatever they may be).

It reflects a decision on the part of the giver, the one who loves, in relation to the receiver, the one who is loved, that negates any qualifications the receiver may personally hold.”

In other words grace is free and unconstrained and offered without limit.

It is as Zahl says “One Way Love.” It is the greatest need in the world for humans.

The only way to hear grace and find it is when you are on your knees or at the bottom and wrestling with the broken parts of life.

What if our church was a place that people could come and be loved unconditionally?

What if we committed to love each other and our city not with earned love or pity, but unearned care and compassion.

Now imagine with me a church future where that kind of love was normal.   

See you Sunday!

Pastor Harvey

Below is the outline and topics for Ephesians

DateSeriesSermon TitleVerses4/12Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace and Peace1:1-24/19Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGlorious Grace1:3-64/26Ephesians:

The Power of GraceThe Riches of His Grace1:7-125/3Ephesians:

The Power of GraceThe Spirit of Grace1:13-145/10Ephesians:

The Power of GraceA Prayer for Grace1:15-235/17Ephesians:

The Power of GraceThe Need for Grace2:1-35/24Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGod's Grace2:4-75/31Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace Alone2:8-106/7Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace and Race2:11-186/14Ephesians:

The Power of GraceA Grace Community2:19-226/21Ephesians:

The Power of GraceThe Mystery of Grace3:1-136/28Ephesians:

The Power of GraceExperiencing Grace3:14-217/5Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace Unifies4:1-67/12Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGifts of Grace4:7-127/19Ephesians:

The Power of GraceA Grace Filled Church4:13-167/26Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace in Practice4:17-248/2Ephesians:

The Power of GracePracticing Grace4:25-328/9Ephesians:

The Power of GraceWalking in Grace5:1-148/16Ephesians:

The Power of GraceThe Widsom of Grace5:15-208/23Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace in Marriage 5:21-338/30Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace in the Home6:1-49/6Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace at Work6:5-99/13Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace Wins6:10-129/20Ephesians:

The Power of GraceCovered by Grace6:13-179/27Ephesians:

The Power of GracePraying for Grace6:18-1910/4Ephesians:

The Power of GraceGrace Be With You All6:20-24