To the church of God that is in Corinth,

to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, 

called to be saints together

with all those who

in every place

call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

both their Lord and ours: Grace to you

and peace

from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:2-3 ESV

This sets the background of Paul & Sosthenes letter. 

It's intended audience is the church at Corinth, but also to Christians everywhere, good things to bear in mind as we read any book.

And they start with a blessing:

Grace to you.

And peace.

But the source of that grace, the peace they want the readers or more likely hearers of this letter to get does not come from their status or power or influence but from God the Father and from Jesus.

I sometimes fall into the trap of seeing God the Father as the grumpy one, and Jesus being all grace and peace, but no, Paul says grace and peace emanate from, find their source in, both.

And this grace is evidenced in a small, subtle way. Paul was the senior guy, the apostle, but he gives co-author status of this letter to Sosthenes.

The big sweeping Grace of God is lived out in the small, the everyday, the ordinary moments of life.

#grace

#livedoutgrace

#lovepeople