Grace: The Sustaining and Transformative Power of God’s Grace
Published: Fri, 09/12/25
Updated: Fri, 09/12/25
Sessions Include:How People Change, Lesson #1 How People Change, Lesson #2 How People Change, Lesson #3 How People Change, Lesson #4 How People Change, Lesson #5 How People Change, Lesson #6 How People Change, Lesson #7 How People Change, Lesson #8 How People Change, Lesson #9 How People Change, Lesson #10 How People Change, Lesson #11 How People Change, Lesson #12 How People Change, Lesson #13 How People Change, Lesson #14 How People Change, Lesson #15 How People Change, Lesson #16 Why Study Books?My church recently transitioned to using books as curriculum in our Sunday School. The reason is simple. My life has been profoundly influenced by the reading of books. I don’t think my life has ever been changed by any curriculum piece I have ever read. Ever. I have actually surveyed a number of groups I have taught over the years, asking: Has your life ever been changed by any curriculum? The most common response is for people to laugh out loud. Our first study was the Bless book by Dave and Jon Ferguson. It is a great study on relational lifestyle evangelism. About half-way through the the study, we did a survey to help determine what we would study next. No one wanted to go back to the curriculum. Not. One. Person. The #1 choice for what to study next was a tie:
We will be studying these two books over the next year and a half or so. Here is what Amazon says about Ortberg’s book: The Me I Want to Be will help you discover spiritual vitality like never before as you learn to "live in the flow of the spirit." Why does spiritual growth seem so difficult? God's vision for your life is not just that you are saved by grace, but that you also learn to live by grace, flourishing with the Spirit flowing through you. And this book will show how God's perfect vision for you starts with a powerful promise: All those who trust in God "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8). Pastor and best-selling author John Ortberg first helps gauge your spiritual health and measure the gap between where you are now and where God intends you to be. Then he provides detailed tasks and exercises to help you live in the flow of the Spirit, circumventing real-world barriers - pain and sorrow, temptations, self-doubt, sin - to flourish even in a dark and broken world. As you start living in the flow, you will feel:
God invites you to join him in crafting an abundant and joy-filled life. The Me I Want to Be shows you how to graciously accept his invitation. I have just completed a new, 22-week study of John Ortberg’s book, The Me I Want to Be that we will be using in my church. (I had previously done a 7-week study.) I have always thought that using books as a curriculum would be a good idea, and I have written a lot of book studies over the years. One of the things that actually using books as curriculum caused me to realize has to do with cost. By writing a study on every chapter of this book, instead of my previous study that had a lesson for every section, the cost drops to below what we were paying for curriculum. Better curriculum. Cheaper cost. Win. Win.
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Grace: The Sustaining and Transformative Power of God’s Grace In How People Change, Paul David Tripp and Timothy S. Lane explore the profound reality of God’s grace and its central role in the Christian life. Grace is not only the foundation of our salvation—it is the sustaining and transformative power that enables us to grow, endure trials, and become more like Christ. Far from being a passive concept, grace is an active force that works within us, changing us from the inside out. Tripp begins by addressing a common misunderstanding: many Christians see grace as something that merely saves us from sin’s penalty but plays little role in our day-to-day struggles. This view limits grace to the past, failing to see its ongoing, dynamic influence. Tripp insists that grace is both the starting point of our faith and the power that sustains us every step of the way. Without grace, there can be no real change. The authors highlight that grace meets us in our weakness. Life is full of challenges that expose our limitations, whether it’s a persistent sin, a difficult relationship, or an unexpected trial. These moments reveal our inability to live up to God’s standards on our own. Instead of condemning us, grace empowers us. It reminds us that God is not asking us to muster up our own strength to grow. He has already provided the power we need through His Spirit. Grace also transforms our hearts, which is essential for real change. Many attempts at self-improvement fail because they focus only on behavior. Tripp emphasizes that God’s grace reaches deeper, addressing the desires and beliefs that drive our actions. For example, grace doesn’t just teach us to stop lying; it reshapes our hearts so that we value truth, trust God for security, and reject the idols that tempt us to deceive. Another aspect of grace’s transformative power is its ability to reorient our identity. The gospel tells us that we are no longer defined by our failures, successes, or circumstances. Instead, we are children of God, loved and accepted because of Christ. This identity frees us from striving for approval or worth in things that cannot satisfy. Grace assures us that we are already secure in God’s love, which empowers us to take risks, confess sin, and pursue holiness without fear of rejection. Tripp also explains that grace is not just for personal growth—it sustains us in the community of faith. Relationships are messy, and the church is full of imperfect people. Grace enables us to forgive, bear with one another, and extend the same compassion we have received from God. This creates a culture of mutual encouragement and accountability, where believers help one another grow in Christlikeness. Ultimately, Tripp reminds us that grace is not something we earn; it is a gift. God’s grace is abundant, inexhaustible, and available to us every day. It sustains us in our struggles and transforms us into the people God created us to be. Through His grace, we are empowered to endure, to grow, and to reflect His glory in a broken world. In How People Change, Tripp and Lane show that grace is not a static concept—it’s the active, powerful work of God in our lives. It sustains us when we’re weak, transforms us when we’re stubborn, and draws us ever closer to the heart of Christ. If you would like to explore this new study, it is available on Amazon, as well as part of Good Questions Have Groups Talking |
