The Heart of God

Grace

(Note: some Bible versions use the word "mercy" instead of "grace.")

Here are a few ways we use the word grace today.

  • We say grace for a meal — meaning to pray before eating.
  • We say someone has grace — meaning they are elegant and refined.
  • We say "give so-and-so some grace" or "give yourself some grace" — meaning don't have such high expectations, make allowances for someone not being perfect or measuring up.

Grace isn't a common word in day-to-day conversations. Maybe it feels a bit formal, fancy, or old-fashioned.

But the Bible uses this word often when describing God. He is gracious. He extends grace to anyone who asks for it, meaning he gives delightful gifts that are undeserved, most especially the gift of new life through Jesus' death and resurrection.

Just imagine if God gave us what we really deserve (think about all​ your thoughts, all​ your attitudes, and all​ your actions — all of them). Can you imagine the outcome? There'd be no hope for anyone.

Instead, God gives us what we don't deserve: his love and forgiveness — in other words, his grace.

Talk about the questions below, watch the video, and read the Bible passages to learn more about God’s graciousness.

Warm-Up

  • How have you heard or used the word grace being used? How would you describe it?
  • Have you ever given someone grace? Why?
  • Has someone ever given you grace (or "extended grace to you")? What was that like?

Watch

"God's Consistent Posture Toward All Humanity"​ [4:38] *This video mentions Psalms, Esther, Jacob, Esau, Moses, the golden idol at Mt. Sinai, Isaiah,

Read

Ephesians 2:8–9

Respond

  • Why do you think God shows grace to undeserving humans?
  • How might someone misinterpret or take advantage of God's grace?
  • These verses say salvation is gift from God — something that he gives out of delight for us, not something we earn or deserve. What do you think that means? What does that mean to you personally?

Engage

Read Luke 15:11-32

  • Talk about how the father's compassion and grace worked together in this story. Do you think compassion and grace naturally go hand-in-hand? Why or why not?
  • In Jesus' day, a person who disrespected their parent like the younger son did could have been disinherited and cut off from his family. Same thing with the older son. If the father in the parable had responded fairly to each of his sons (rather than compassionately and graciously), what do you think they actually deserved?
  • Talk about all the ways the father showed grace in this story (which started even before the younger son left home).

End

God’s grace leads him to pay the sin penalty that we deserve and to offer forgiveness that we don't deserve. Like the father in this parable, God welcomes us home when we repent (turn away from sin) and believe the Good News (return to him). He offers this gift of favor because he delights in loving us. God is gracious, and because of that, we can have new life through his son, Jesus.

P.S.

Here are just a few of the many verses that mention God's grace: Psalm 86:15, Psalm 103:8, Psalm 111:4, Psalm 116:5, Psalm 145:8, Isaiah 30:18, ​