God's Grace: Transforming the Broken and Flawed

Ephesians 1 opens with a single, powerful word: Paul. That name alone is a reminder that God delights in using the most unlikely, broken, and imperfect people for His purposes. Paul, once a persecutor and murderer of Christians, became the greatest missionary and writer of the New Testament. This is not a story of a “good person” being used by God, but of a deeply flawed man transformed by grace. Many of us walk into church believing God only uses the “put-together,” the moral, the strong. But the truth is, God’s story is always about taking the weak, the outcast, the doubter, and the sinner, and doing something beautiful through them.

My own journey echoes this. Raised in a secular home, marked by trauma, Tourette’s, and loss, I was the last person you’d expect to become a pastor. Yet, God’s grace found me, not because I was ready or worthy, but because He delights in showing His power through weakness. The church is not a country club for the perfect, but a hospital for the broken. Every story in Scripture—Noah, Abraham, Rahab, David, Peter—reminds us that God’s grace is for the undeserving, and His power is made perfect in our weakness.

But the heart of the Christian life is not just about being used by God; it’s about who we serve. Paul says he is an apostle “of Christ Jesus.” The center is not religion, not moralism, not vague spirituality, but the person and work of Jesus. It is Jesus who slays the giants we cannot, who offers us grace when we fail, and who gives us a new identity. The Bible is not a book about how to be a better person; it is a book about Jesus, and how He rescues, redeems, and transforms.

Grace and peace are not just theological ideas—they are the lived experience of those who stop striving to earn God’s favor and instead receive it as a gift. Comparison, moralism, and self-effort will crush us. But when we see Jesus as beautiful, not just useful, and treasure Him as our good Father, we find the freedom and joy we were made for. Even when we run, the “Hound of Heaven” pursues us with relentless love, determined to bring us home.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Power Is Displayed in Weakness God consistently chooses the unlikely, the broken, and the flawed to accomplish His purposes. Our weaknesses, failures, and even our past traumas are not obstacles to God—they are the very places where His grace shines brightest. When we stop pretending to be strong and offer God our weakness, we discover the freedom and power of true dependence on Him. [33:14]
• 2. The Gospel Is Not About Moralism, but About Jesus Trying to be “good enough” or to earn God’s approval through religious effort will only lead to exhaustion and disappointment. The heart of Christianity is not self-improvement, but surrender to the finished work of Jesus—His life, death, and resurrection on our behalf. The Bible is not primarily about us; it is about Him, and our hope is found in what He has done, not what we do. [49:17]
• 3. Comparison Destroys Contentment and Calling We often rob ourselves of joy and purpose by comparing our lives, families, and ministries to others. God’s call is uniquely tailored to each of us, with all our quirks, histories, and imperfections. True contentment comes when we stop measuring ourselves against others and embrace the unique story God is writing through our lives. [69:26]
• 4. Grace Is Undeserved Favor—For You Grace is not just a theological concept; it is the lived reality that God loves and uses us not because of our performance, but because of His character. The gospel is deeply personal: “grace and peace to you.” We must stop judging others (and ourselves) by where they are, and instead see the miracle of where God is taking them by His grace. [68:10]
• 5. God Is a Relentless, Pursuing Father Even when we run, rebel, or try to escape, God pursues us with relentless love. He is not just a distant deity to be believed in, but a good Father to be treasured. The “Hound of Heaven” will chase us down, orchestrating circumstances and encounters to draw us back to Himself, because His love is that persistent and personal. [76:50]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Honoring Leaders and Introduction
• [02:30] - Ephesians 1: God Uses Imperfect People
• [07:10] - My Story: From Secular Home to Faith
• [13:00] - Trauma, Tourette’s, and God’s Calling
• [18:30] - Wrestling with Big Questions and Coming to Faith
• [23:00] - The Real Reason We Resist Jesus
• [27:00] - God Calls the Unready and Unqualified
• [32:00] - Planting a Church in a Secular City
• [36:00] - Paul’s Letter from Prison: God’s Surprising Choices
• [41:00] - The Centrality of Jesus, Not Religion
• [46:00] - How to Read the Bible: It’s About Him, Not Us
• [51:00] - The Power of Lifting Up Jesus
• [56:00] - Grace, Peace, and the Hospital for Sinners
• [64:00] - God Uses Flawed People in Scripture
• [69:00] - Comparison, Contentment, and Your Unique Story
• [73:00] - God the Pursuing Father: The Hound of Heaven
• [77:30] - Prayer and Closing

Bible Reading

Ephesians 1:1-2 — Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

- Luke 15:11-24 (The Parable of the Prodigal Son)
[Alluded to in the sermon as the story of the Father who runs to embrace the lost son.]

- 2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Observation Questions

1. In Ephesians 1:1, what is the significance of Paul introducing himself simply as “Paul”? What does this tell us about the kind of people God uses? ([33:14])
2. According to the sermon, what are some examples from the Bible of people God used despite their flaws? ([01:06:59])
3. In the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), what does the father do when the son returns? How does this connect to the way God pursues us? ([47:29])
4. What does Paul mean by “grace and peace to you” in Ephesians 1:2? How did the preacher explain the word “grace”? ([01:02:30])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does the preacher emphasize that God’s power is displayed in weakness, not strength? How does this challenge the way we usually think about being “used by God”? ([33:14])
2. The sermon says the Bible is not about us being good people, but about Jesus and what He has done. How does this change the way we read the Bible and see ourselves? ([51:42])
3. The preacher shared that comparison destroys contentment and calling. Why is comparison so dangerous for Christians, and how does it affect our sense of purpose? ([01:09:26])
4. What does it mean that God is a “relentless, pursuing Father”? How is this different from seeing God as just a distant or angry judge? ([01:16:50])

Application Questions

1. The preacher shared his own story of being unlikely and broken, yet used by God. Is there an area of your life where you feel too weak, flawed, or unqualified for God to use you? What would it look like to offer that weakness to God this week? ([33:14])
2. Are there ways you have tried to “earn” God’s approval through religious effort or being “good enough”? How has that affected your relationship with God? What would it look like to rest in Jesus’ finished work instead? ([49:17])
3. Think about a time when you compared your life, family, or faith to someone else’s. How did that comparison affect your joy or sense of calling? What is one practical step you can take to stop comparing and embrace your unique story? ([01:09:26])
4. The sermon said, “Grace and peace to you”—not just to your neighbor, but to you. Is there an area where you struggle to receive God’s grace personally? How can you remind yourself this week that God’s grace is for you, right where you are? ([01:08:10])
5. The preacher described God as the “Hound of Heaven” who pursues us even when we run. Have you ever tried to run from God, or felt like you were too far gone? What happened? How does knowing God pursues you change the way you see Him? ([01:16:50])
6. The church is described as a “hospital for the broken, not a country club for the perfect.” How can our small group or church better reflect this attitude? Is there someone you know who needs to experience this kind of grace? ([01:08:10])
7. The sermon challenged us to see Jesus as beautiful, not just useful. What is one way you can treasure Jesus more deeply this week—not just for what He gives, but for who He is? ([01:13:43])