Paul’s first missionary journey has nearly come to an end and through it, we cannot help but notice the presence of God’s grace. The theological definition of grace is “unmerited favor.” What this really means is that you are given something you don’t deserve or that something is done for you that you could not do on your own and have no right to demand.
But, as Derek Thomas says, “grace is not just a doctrine to be believed, it is a fact you can lean your weight on.” That is the whole point of this week’s passage and, I might argue, one of the main points of the entire book of Acts. We shouldn’t merely expect God to provide grace, we should live our own lives in such radical boldness and obedience as to depend on it. And if there was ever a passage to encourage us in doing so, this one is it.
