God’s Grace Is Beyond Fair
Is God fair? Is God just? Do we want him to be?
If God gave us what we deserve, we wouldn’t survive it. We know that. The law is painfully clear about what we’ve done. Our conscience is unnervingly persistent in reminding us that we deserve his wrath and punishment. The last thing I want from God is what I deserve!
Amazingly, instead of what I deserve, he gives me grace! We might be tempted to say that it’s not fair. It would seem that, to be fair, people should get what they deserve, whether it’s good or bad. That sounds fair. But God does even better than that–his plan is both fair and gracious! He didn’t ignore what I deserve—he paid for it! And he paid for it with his life. That is inconceivably gracious! And he made that payment available to everybody, everywhere!
The apostle Paul wrote about God’s plan of salvation—about the tragedy of his own’s people rejecting God. It’s not that God’s word had failed. It didn’t. God’s word works powerfully wherever it goes. But its success doesn’t depend on human effort or delivery. It depends entirely on God’s mercy.
Our salvation doesn’t depend on what we do or who we are. Our salvation depends only on God. In the Old Testament, God’s chosen people weren’t created by Abraham’s plans or desires, they were created by God’s promise. Now, in the New Testament, we don’t make ourselves God’s people, God does—through his Word and Sacraments. God choose us; we don’t choose him. And God’s election has nothing to do with merit or worth or works, but only his inconceivable grace and mercy.
God is God. His judgment is the only one that matters. We praise him that he chose to show us mercy and compassion!
God bless,
Here’s Sunday’s service: https://youtu.be/yVF6jlHi3Mg
Or you can watch it from our website: https://trinitymarinette.com/sermon-archive/the-church-forgives/
Or you can watch is on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TrinityEvLutheranChurchWisSynod/
Come to worship! You can sign up here: https://trinitymarinette.com/events/communion-worship-services/ or call Pastor or call the church office to let us know which service you prefer.
Here is this week’s bulletin:
2020-09-27 The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
2020-09-27 Announcements The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
We Need Your Input!
With everything up in the air due to COVID, our evangelism plans are uncertain. Your feedback will help us decide if this is a way we want to reach out to our community.
Please take these 3 short surveys:
We’re Starting Bible Classes! The first Sunday in October (the 4th), we will hold a half hour Bible class downstairs in church after each of our services. You are welcome and encouraged to attend. We will observe whatever the current mandates are and we are going to ask you to clean surfaces at the end of class.
Politics is driving me crazy! This election season is as chaotic as any that we can remember. Talk and drama about the upcoming presidential election are hot. Social media tensions are rising, loved ones are dividing along party lines, and candidates are slinging mud at their opponents. In response, frustrated Christians often wonder what’s happening to America and where God is in the confusion. We’re going to find a calm, biblical approach to politics. Starting Sunday, October 4, we’ll look at how God has set up the government as his instrument of order and how we’re supposed to relate to it. We’ll look at the two kingdoms, the separation between church and state, and our messy political world. It’s going to be great! We’ll meet in the church basement after both Sunday morning services.
We depend on your support to do the Lord’s work. If you would like to support the Lord’s work at Trinity, you may contribute at trinitymarinette.com/giving/ or you can mail it to
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
1501 Thomas St.
Marinette, WI 54143