Kevin Galloway::thoughts on becoming…

This coming Sunday marks the start of a new teaching series at Countryside entitled Grace and Peace.  This well-known phrase is often said as a greeting or farewell. but in all reality means much more than words to be only shared in passing.

It’s so easy to think of the words grace and peace and think of pink skies, rainbows, still waters, sleeping children, laughing babies…. you get it.  And I believe with all my heart that grace and peace bring those exact things.  The Bible uses language like lions laying down with lambs and babies playing near snake dens in complete safety when ultimate grace and peace (shalom) are realized.

While grace and peace can paint such artful pictures–grace and peace also come in incredible power.  Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1 to be strengthened by the grace found in Jesus.  Grace and peace culminate and flow from the cross as the earth shakes, graves open, the temple curtain torn, and as darkness covers the earth.  The loud cry of “It is finished” shakes the very foundation of Hell as well as the foundation of history forever.

Wow….so it’s easy to see that I am pretty fired up about the upcoming weeks’ studies and conversations.  I so want you to join us in this time of study and discovery as we explore Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. Paul begins and ends his letter with the blessing of grace and peace to the community of believers. We will study this blessing along with the entire context of instruction to the church over the next few weeks.  Invite a friend to join you as we make much of the grace and peace that has been extended and offered to us–as we make much of Jesus.

Grace and Peace……

kevin