Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see!
This year we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the writing of the great hymn of faith “Amazing Grace”. There are so many great explorations of the gospel in this hymn: Lost to found, blind to sighted, in danger to safe and secure, or death to life. In honor of the 250th anniversary of the writing of this hymn, our worship theme throughout Lent and Holy week will explore how the words of this beloved song impact our lives as Christ disciples today. We will do this by examining how various characters throughout the Bible experienced the amazing grace of God each week.
Ash Wednesday – David (Psalm 51): We find comfort that King David confessed his sins to God and received amazing grace in God’s forgiveness and a connection to Jesus, the Savior.
Week 1 – Isaiah of Babylon (Isaiah 6:7): We see God’s amazing grace at work in the life of the prophet Isaiah, who proclaimed to God’s people the salvation that was to come through the Suffering Servant.
Week 2 – The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:32): We hear of the great love of a father who lavished amazing grace upon the Prodigal Son, a picture of our Heavenly Father’s lavish compassion toward us.
Week 3 – The Blind Man (John 9:24): We witness Jesus bringing sight to a man born blind, giving the man the added spiritual vision to see the amazing grace of God found in Jesus, who heals us all.
Week 4 – The Woman at the Well (John 4:13-14): We listen to Jesus teach a woman at the well of his amazing grace poured out for us abundantly, which satisfies our thirsting souls for all eternity.
Week 5 – Paul (1 Timothy 1:15): We marvel at the story of amazing grace in the life of Paul, who turned from persecutor of Christ to proclaimer of our Lord through the mighty power of the Holy Spirit.
Palm Sunday – Peter (Luke 22:33-34): We wave our palm branches to our coming King, and we ponder the amazing grace that came to Peter, who denied Jesus yet was fully forgiven by him, just as we are, and called into service for him.
Maundy Thursday – John (Mark 10:45)): We see that John experienced amazing grace in the Lord’s Supper, humbly receiving the body and blood of Jesus in the bread and wine.
Good Friday – The Penitent Thief (Luke 23:43): We recognize that the penitent thief crucified with Jesus received amazing grace when Jesus promised him that he would be with the Lord in paradise that very day.
Easter – Mary Magdalene (John 20:18): We come to understand that Mary Magdalene witnessed amazing grace outside the empty tomb when she encountered Jesus risen from the dead.
God’s Blessings, Pastor Nyck