This episode introduces us to Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan, who lived in fear and obscurity after King Saul’s death, believing David would destroy Saul’s remaining family. Instead, David sought him out to “show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake,” restoring Saul’s land to him and seating him permanently at the king’s table. Overwhelmed, Mephibosheth saw himself as a “dead dog,” yet David elevated him, protected him, and treated him as one of his own sons. His story is an obvious portrait of grace—showing how God lifts the undeserving into the joy and honor of His presence.

We learn in this message of a leper who boldly approached Jesus, pleading with Him to be made clean. Moved with deep compassion, Jesus did the unthinkable: He reached out, touched the untouchable man, and instantly cleansed him of every trace of the disease. Though Jesus instructed him to first show himself to the priest, as the law required, the man spread the news everywhere, drawing massive crowds to Christ. This healing becomes a portrait of grace—showing that just as Jesus cleansed the leper completely and immediately, He also cleanses sinners when they come to Him in humble faith.

In this lesson, we learn of a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, who was sitting outside Jericho when he learned that Jesus was passing by. Bartimaeus immediately cried out for mercy, boldly calling Him the Son of David, Israel’s promised Messiah. Though the crowd tried to silence Bartimaeus, Jesus stopped, called for him, and upon hearing Bartimaeus’ request to receive his sight, healed him instantly. His physical healing illustrates the spiritual sight Christ gives to all who cry out to Him, making Bartimaeus a portrait of grace for every spiritually blind sinner who receives mercy through faith.

This study focuses on Barabbas, who was a notorious criminal—yet at Passover the crowd chose to free him instead of Jesus. Despite Pilate’s attempts to avoid condemning Christ, the religious leaders stirred the crowd into demanding Jesus’ crucifixion. Barabbas walked out of prison a free man because the innocent Christ took his place on the cross that had been prepared for him. Barabbas’ story becomes a vivid portrait of grace, showing how Christ, the righteous Substitute, died so the guilty may live—just as He does for every sinner set free.

We learn in this episode about Cornelius, who was a devout, generous, God fearing Roman centurion, yet was still unsaved and needed to hear the message God sent the Apostle Peter to deliver. Cornelius’ life and eternity were changed by Peter coming and sharing the gospel of the kingdom with him and his family, and he was saved from his sins. Through this event, which astonished the Jewish believers present, we further discover God’s unfolding shift toward Gentile inclusion that would later be fully revealed through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, making Cornelius a portrait of grace.

In this teaching from Acts 16, the Apostle Paul and Silas cast a demon out of a slave girl in Philippi, enraging her masters when their profitable fortune telling business collapsed. The men dragged Paul and Silas before the authorities, who had them severely beaten and thrown into prison. Still, the two prayed and sang hymns, and God sent a targeted earthquake that opened every door and loosed every chain, yet none of the prisoners fled, prompting the shaken jailer to ask, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul told him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ—a message the jailer believed, becoming a portrait of grace.