This is the first installment of Portraits Of Grace. And a little ‘confession’ is good for the soul – as well as properly informing you! Why this series? What brought it about? And why is it so important?
Portraits Of Grace
The more I study Scripture the more amazing it becomes. Precepts are presented for our learning and obedience. But that is very often what I call academic learning. On the other hand is the object lesson – the picture I so desperately need to see.
One example is Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. The academic exercise is:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
That concept was given as early as the book of Leviticus. It’s concise and clear. Or is it? A religious leader in Jesus’ day had to ask, Who is my neighbor? And that is when Jesus gave us the picture we know as the Good Samaritan. And that’s how it is with this thing we call Grace.
Seeing Pictures
The pandemic has caused many people to do things differently. Many of us have been forced into online, video presentations for sermons, lessons, and teaching sessions. I am on that learning curve! And our teaching emphasis during this time has been God’s grace. Some of those videos have been posted on these pages – see Carried By Grace for one example.
The bigger story is the impact of the study. As we look at our Father’s multi-faceted grace, we realize how immense and awesome His grace really is. And like the second commandment and the example of the Good Samaritan, Scripture presents God’s grace in statements as well as beautiful object lessons – the portraits of grace! So could you guess the subject of the next new course for our pastor training school? That is going to be a far-reaching impact of the subject we were led to in dealing with the Covid-19 shutdown.
The video is coming right up. But first, EquipUs U is still open for enrollment. We are continuing to add new course materials. That will continue to happen, but the open enrollment will end after Mother’s Day! So don’t miss out on this opportunity.
And one more image for you. That Good Samaritan is alive and well. Really! His handiwork shows up here, on the mission field, and in things like our Giving Guide. It was part of Giving Tuesday but we are encouraging folks to get the Guide and use it through the month of May! Get the details HERE.
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