November 26, 2023 | by Pastor Peter

When we read our Bibles, we can make the mistake of seeing it more as a theology textbook, rather than as a love letter from God. Ideas that are meant to express God’s love can come across as dry and technical. A great example of this is our reading of Ephesians 2:4-10. “By grace you have been saved through faith,” can sound like a theological treatise, but Paul helping the church to understand that God has acted like the great patron (an idea familiar to his audience). The problem is it’s not familiar to us.

This week we look at the world of patron/client relationships and how understanding a little about how people sought help from those more powerful than themselves helps us understand God’s generosity towards us in Christ and also the obligations we have towards God and others.