Living in Grace - Grace Part 1 - Genesis 9.8-17

This week, we begin our Lenten series on grace, accompanied by John Ortberg's book Grace: An Invitation to a way of life.  This week we discuss Noah and "Living in Grace."

The grace of God dwells everywhere.  When God made the covenant with Noah, the proclamation declared that God would always be with us.  God made a covenant with all of creation, not just humanity, after the flood.

Do you sometimes feel like God has forgotten you?  Do you live in grace every day?  Come Sunday to find out how you can live in grace.

Acts 15 - Jerusalem Council

The early church had faced conflict from the outside. Those were the good old days.  Now that Gentile Christians were thrown into the mix, the leadership in Jerusalem had to face the consequences of this change. Last week and this week, we discuss the challenges that the council faced and how they dealt with them, as well as the impact this story could have on the church today.  The church faces similar divisions and questions, even today.  Previous questions involved race and gender.  Today's church faces questions about sexuality and politics, as well as the faster pace of technology.  How will we respond today?
We will also discuss the conflict between Barnabas and Paul. The greatest missionary pairing breaks up upon their return to Antioch.  God keeps teams together for a time, but then God moves on to other plans.  Paul and Barnabas split for the good of the church; creation is better because they parted ways.  Hard to see at the time, yet we must trust the Providence of God.