"Living in Grace" | Head Elder Alex Clerk
Greetings Beloved Congregation and Friends of Palo Alto Adventist Church,
For this week the Apostle Paul encourages believers not to take the grace of God in vain but to live as faithful servants, enduring challenges for the sake of the gospel. Paul lists the hardships he faced—trials, imprisonments, beatings, and sleepless nights—yet he remained steadfast in purity, knowledge, patience, and love.
This passage emphasizes that Christians are called to endure suffering for Christ, but they do so with God’s strength and righteousness. Paul describes the paradox of the Christian life: though sorrowful, believers can always rejoice; though poor, they make many rich in faith; and though having nothing, they possess everything in Christ. The message is a call to faithfulness, reminding us that in every trial or challenge, God’s grace is sufficient to sustain us. Our lives should reflect the beauty of grace, perseverance, and unwavering trust in God’s power, regardless of the circumstances.