Read: Ephesians 2 (focusing on 8-10)
Watch:https://bibleproject.com/videos/generosity/
Made to Be
You were created to exist in holy union with God.
But you were born into a realm where that union was broken. The rebellion of our first parents created a rift.
And at some point, you willingly joined that rebellion, stepping out of union.
But God…
Sent the first gift of Christmas. A baby, His Son—born in a stable, born to bridge the divide.
The gift of God was grace. Grace by which you are restored to union with God through Christ. By grace you have been saved. Grace, the free gift of God.
It is a gift of relationship, intimacy, union, adoption, and love!
You are God’s masterpiece of grace, created to be His poem. A poem announcing to all: You were made to be the proclamation, the display of His glorious grace and love.
Pray: Father, we give thanks for your gift of Jesus, for our grace, and for our family the Church! Help us to proclaim your grace and glory as we are on display for your kingdom!
Discussion Questions:
- The Tension: Do you feel the tension between what you were “made to be” (holy union) and the “broken realm” we live in? In what areas of life is that brokenness most visible to you right now?
- Inherited vs. Chosen: We were born into a broken world, but also “at some point, you willingly joined that rebellion.” Why is it important to acknowledge both the broken world we inherited and the personal choices we have made?
- The Pivot Point: “But God…” is one of the most powerful transitions in Scripture. Can you share a specific time in your life when things were heading in a dark direction, “But God” intervened?
- Defining Grace: We often define grace theologically, but the text calls it “relationship, intimacy, union, adoption, love.” Which of those five words resonates most with you today, and why?
- Masterpiece vs. Mess: Most of us see our flaws first. What makes it difficult for you to look in the mirror and believe you are “God’s masterpiece”? How does the concept of grace change what you see?
- The Proclamation: You are a poem “announcing to all.” If your life is a poem that people are reading, what message is it currently telling them about God?
- Living on Display: What is one practical way this week you can be a “display of His glorious grace” to someone who is currently living in the “broken realm”?