Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:2
Today’s text should be very familiar. It is almost identical to the introduction to every other letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the various assemblies. As lovely as the words are, they were not just words, as far as Paul was concerned. He sincerely desired that the saints in those assemblies would appreciate the grace and peace they had received. Those are precious themes for us today, too.
Not one of the people you meet with today to remember the Lord will deserve to be there. Not even you. It is only the grace of God that that has brought us to repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God – Ephesians 2:8. It was grace our souls received at conversion’s day; it is grace our spirits receive in our daily walk; it will be grace that our bodies receive at the rapture of God’s saints. That amazing grace draws our souls to worship today.
Our gathering to remember our Lord today is in an atmosphere of peace. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ – Romans 5:1. Former aliens and strangers, enemies of God, we bask today in the glorious peace that fills our souls. That peace is all the more precious as we consider how it was obtained for us by the Prince of Peace as He endured the wrath of sinners at Gabbatha’s trials, and accepted the wrath of God in Golgotha’s darkness.
Both the Father and the Son grant to us today both grace and peace. May we appreciate them. -Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/xz2tos4jL4Y