University Church Of Eugene Sermons

What is the proper response to a gift we could never repay? In this episode, we explore the ancient context of charis (grace) and pistis (faithfulness) through the lens of Ephesians 2:8–9.In the Greco-Roman world, grace wasn’t just a random act of kindness—it was a generous gift from a wealthy patron to a client, who then owed them public allegiance, honor, and faithfulness (pistis). The early church understood Jesus as our ultimate Patron, giving grace beyond what we could ever repay—and calling us into a life of loyalty and good works as a response (Ephesians 2:4–10).We reflect on John’s Gospel, where Jesus challenges crowds who only want miracles but not His lordship (John 4:48; John 5:8–15), and how Paul rebukes cheap grace that doesn’t lead to transformed living (Romans 5:21–6:2). True faith isn’t transactional—it’s a response of trust and allegiance to the One who gave us everything.