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"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 1:3
This verse is a part of a greeting at the beginning of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, a greeting that he uses with some variation in his other letters. Paul’s use of the two words “grace” and “peace” isn’t random, they are intentional and serve an important purpose, they represent what Christianity is all about.
As Christians, we are “saved by grace”, meaning we don’t deserve it, nor can we earn our salvation. In fact, we deserve the opposite. Our sin separates us from God, but the Good News (Gospel) is that God sent his son Jesus to pay the price for our sin and restore our relationship with God. Instead of eternal punishment, we receive eternal life through our faith and trust in him. This is not because of anything we’ve done, but it is purely by God’s grace.
Here the word “peace” can mean much more than just not fighting against each another, it carries with it a deeper meaning from the Hebrew word “shalom”. It is a kind of peace that returns things to the way they were meant to be before the fall in Eden, before sin corrupted the world and our hearts. It is a peace that makes us well again, filling us with harmony with God and one another.
Finally, in order for us to get that kind of grace and peace, Paul tells us where we it comes from. Grace and peace come from “God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ”. It is not something we can make ourselves, earn, or buy; it is a free gift. And God wants to give it to us!
This powerful greeting helps remind us how rare true grace and peace are in this world, and how much we need it. We’ve seen a lot of violence recently in our society – a church school shooting, the stabbing of a young woman on a train, and the assassination of a political activist, to name a few.
These are reminders of how broken, how sin sick our world really is. A quick read of the news and you will see wars, oppression, starvation, and violence. We also see closer to home, in our family, friends, work, community, and yes, even in our churches. If it feels like the world is on fire, it is, but Paul wants us to know that we are not without hope!
Where will the peace we need come from? Where we will we find the grace that we need to move beyond this and other conflicts and violence? Not from a government, political party, or an ideology – though we can and should be involved in working towards peace in and through these methods, but with God’s grace at work in us first! Paul understood that, maybe that’s why he began his letters with these two powerful words – a reminder for us all today as we need them more than ever. Let’s turn to God for help, for the grace and peace He alone can give us.
In Christ;
Pastor Dan
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The altar flowers this Sunday were given by Andi Devine in memory of her late husband Leonard Devine.
- The Centennial Committee will meet on 28th after worship to continue planning for our 100th Anniversary! We are looking for more volunteers willing to help with the Anniversary Sunday, April 12,2026. Let us know!
- Join the Church Pop Up Choir as we rehearse after worship this Sunday and sing on September 28th during worship (rehearse prior to worship).
- First Evangelical Church Council meets after worship this Sunday.
- Are you interested in helping volunteer with ushering, greeting, or with the altar guild? Sign up at the back of the church or contact the office. We will be having brief training sessions after worship in October.
- Conniston Middle School is in need of the following items to be donated so they can hand them out to students in need.The need is ASAP but no exact deadline as they get dispersed throughout the school year.
Mesh Backpacks (clear or mesh fabric) - Glue Sticks
Notebooks with lined paper - Pencil Pouches
- Our Food Drive provided the Palm BeachCounty Food Bank with a FINAL TOTAL of 270 pounds of food providing over 240 nutritious meals for families, children, seniors and individuals in need throughout Palm Beach County. Thank you, Jada, for heading up this project and all who participated!
- Join us for a delicious lunch following worship this Sunday in the Fellowship Hall.
