Topic: Grace

It is human nature to think that our ways are God’s ways, and so to shun those whose ways seem alien or disgusting to us, but Jesus calls us to recognise God at work in others, however different.

In Christ we are one with all flesh and blood, and so our struggle is not against any other people, but against the spirits and powers and forces which would divide people and make them enemies.

God calls us to welcome and care for “the strangers” the refugees and asylum seekers in our midst.

God’s covenant of love and grace is made unconditionally, not depending even on our response, and so the promises are made to our children whether they respond or not.

We want to be rewarded as we think we deserve, but God wants to give us everything.

God gives extravagantly and abundantly, but in order to experience it, we need to begin sharing it.

The good news of the Kingdom always seems disreputable and dangerous and unwelcome, and it asks of us a whole new way of being God’s gracious people in a world of hatred and violence.

It often feels as though faithfulness is going to cost us everything, but God is a God of wonderful surprises.

The crucified and risen Jesus reveals the truth about the triune God’s grace, love and communion, and calls us to reflect those relationships in our communal life.

The gratuitous mercy made known in the resurrected Christ requires us to rethink the nature of God all the way back to creation.

We have a distinct and privileged identity as God’s chosen people, but it does not turn us away from other people, but leads us to offer ourselves to and for them that all may share in the grace that has made us who we are.

God’s promised protection can only be understood through the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.