Grace: simply defined and yet sometimes hard to grasp and accept

What is grace? Simply put, it is unmerited favor or getting what you don’t deserve. Grace is central to the Christian faith. It is the basis for our standing before God, our salvation, and forgiveness. It is something that many people have a hard time grasping. As our sense of justice cannot fathom someone not getting what they deserve. How can I be forgiven for a horrible act? Why should I show grace to someone else? The word grace is used roughly 131 times in the Bible with 124 in the New Testament. Paul, being called the apostle of grace, used the term 86 times. How can we define grace? What example do we have of grace? What is grace so hard to accept? 

First, grace is unconditional. Just as God’s love for us is unconditional, He extends grace and forgiveness freely to those who seek it. While in our sinful nature, we deserve judgment, God’s grace gives us salvation  and transforms our desires, motivations and behavior (Titus 2:11). There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve God’s love and forgiveness. It is not a one-time gift either. It is a continuous flow as we are imperfect and prone to marketing mistakes. It is “not a reward for good behavior, but a gift for repentant sinners,” (In The Grip of Grace). Second, grace is power for living. Paul was a powerful and influential apostle. However, he did not take credit but saw the power of God’s grace in his life (1 Corinthians 15:10). Grace is the power in our lives to help through difficult and challenging times. God tells us that his grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9) and through our weakness, He makes us strong. Third, grace transforms lives and allows us to extend grace to others. 

It is an influence of God on our lives that works in us to change (2 Corinthians 9:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus is the embodiment of grace itself. First, in his incarnation. John 1:17 says “ For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Law and grace are important parts of God’s nature. Moses gave the people God’s law and justice while Jesus would display God’s mercy, love and forgiveness. Second, in his actions. Jesus’s interactions with others gives us examples of graciousness. From his miraculous healings to the parables, Jesus taught grace, His forgiveness of the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11), forgiving Peter after his betrayal (John 21:15-17) and the conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-19) are examples of grace’s unmerited favor, redemptive power and transformative influence. Third, with his sacrifice on the cross. Lastly, in his teachings. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a prime example of Jesus teaching grace. In John 15:11-32, the story of the son who turned his back on his father to live a life that squandered his wealth. The son would return, expecting to beg for scraps, and found himself being welcomed with open arms. It is a beautiful image of what happens when a sinner turns to God and asks for forgiveness. 

We can receive free gifts all time in other forms; but accepting free grace from God is hard. Why? The world fears grace. Grace threatens those with possessions, privilege and power. Grace offers a different value system for assessing our worth than the world does. Our sinful nature fears grace and whispers to us on a daily basis that grace simply cannot be free. Because “nothing is free,” right? Through God’s grace, we are not valued based on what we have, what we do or don’t do. It is a gift. A free and clear gift. It is a generosity that the world cannot comprehend. God knows us for who we truly are, past, present and future. And yet He continuously invites us into His unending grace for healing to every hurt, empowering for daily living and transforming into who we were meant to be. All we need to do is trust and receive it. And accepting grace is a daily enterprise. It is a gift every single day. Like manna, it has to be collected fresh each day.

In conclusion, grace is so simple and yet so complex. As I began this study, I thought I knew grace. I thought I would be able to effectively convey the message of grace. And yet, with numerous Scriptures at my fingertips, I struggled with the words. I struggled with doubt that I was explaining grace adequately and accurately. And I hope my words are a beginning to understanding grace and accepting it in your lives. It is with grace that we are saved through faith as a gift that we cannot achieve through works (Ephesians 2:8-9).  In the words of Brennan Manning, “He comes to where I live and loves me as I am,” And yet, God will not leave you there. We are transformed by His grace and love.  

Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe: what if you could ask God anything? What would you ask?

Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café by Max Lucado asks the question: what if you could ask God anything? What would you ask and how would He answer? Chelsea Chambers is on her own. After a very public split from her NFL superstar husband, Sawyer Chambers, she takes a step out of the spotlight and reopens her late mother’s coffee shop. The Higher Grounds Café is an old-fashioned shop in a world of high tech, impersonal coffee shops. But it is in dire need of reinvention. When her courage, expert planning and determination fails to bring in the money she needs, she finds herself in desperate need of help, a miracle. One day, a strange man named Manny lands on her doorsteps and with him a string of curious and unexplainable events occur. Soon, customers are lining up at the café for cupcakes, coffee and a divine connection. The Higher Ground Café has become a place for people in search of answers for their life’s biggest problems. Chelsea resists the belief that God cares and is watching over her. When she makes a shocking discovery, it opens her eyes to the possibility that heaven will answer her own question. 

I have been a fan of Max Lucado’s work for many years. His non-fiction books have been inspirational and brought God and His Word a more relatable and tangible meaning in my life. I haven’t read any of his fiction works. When I came across Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café, I was curious. The story is a sweet story of faith, forgiveness and finding that God is never too far away. Just like in his non-fiction works, Mr. Lucado is a master at portraying deep messages in a simple story. Chelsea is a woman who carries many wounds from her past including her parents’ divorce and her own marriage. Her happiest memories are at the café. I related her to her pain and her reluctance to forgive those who have wounded her. A few of my favorite characters were Manny and Bo, the elderly neighbor who helps Chelsea see the healing power of God. I loved that throughout the story, the message of second chances and that through the power of God and his healing love anyone can change is present. If you love Max Lucado’s work, you will enjoy Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café. 

Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Leah: unloved by man, loved by God

As we learned in last month’s study on Rachel, Rachel wanted a child as Leah had and she did all she could to achieve it. We see in Leah’s story, Leah wanted Jacob’s love as Rachel had and she did everything she could receive it. Through her story, we see the marriage customs of the time as well as lessons about love, beauty and seeing what God sees. Even though she was insignificant in Jacob’s eyes, she was particularly important to the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel and to us. With her story, we learn that no one is insignificant in God’s eyes.

Capable of both strong and enduring love, Leah was a faithful wife and mother. She was manipulated by her father; she became jealous of her sister. With each child, the unhappy Leah hoped to gain her husband’s affection and each time her disappointed grew. Maybe Jacob resented Leah for her part in Laban’s deception, although she hardly had the power to refuse. She had known heartache. Her only daughter, Dinah, was raped by a local prince when they returned to their homeland (Genesis 34:2) and her sons, Levi and Simeon, avenged their sister by murdering the men in an entire village (Genesis 34:25). Her son, Reuben would disgrace himself by sleeping with his father’s concubine, Bilhah (Genesis 35:22). It wasn’t all bad for Leah. The promise of a Savior was carried, not through one of Rachel’s sons, but through Leah’s son, Judah, whose descendants were including David, Israel’s great king and Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. With her son, Levi, the priestly line would be established. The story of these two sisters remind us that life is fraught with sorrow and peril, much of it caused by sin and selfishness.

Marriage customs in ancient biblical times are quite different than our current customs. Marrying for love is a modern requirement, tracing back to the Romantic Era (approximately 1800-1890). Most marriages occurred for money or politics and alliances. It was also frowned upon that a younger sister marry before an older sister. A bride and groom are usually young, about 12 and 13, and the union is arranged by their parents with the couples’ consent is rarely requested or required. The ceremony itself is usually short but the festivities would go on for days. The groom would dress in colorful clothing and sets our for the bride’s parents’ home, accompanied by his friends, attendants, and musicians. The bride awaits, having been washed, perfumed, and dressed in an elaborate dress and jewels. The bride and groom then would lead a procession through the village with music and torchbearers to the groom’s parents’ home. Once there, the feasting and celebration would begin and last for several days.

There are a few lessons we can learned from Leah’s story. First, what God considers beauty is far different than what we would call beauty. Leah She is described to have “weak eyes” (Genesis 29:17), obviously wasn’t very pretty as Rachel. People will often judge others by outward appearances, but God always sees and judges ones’ heart. In Max Lucado’s book, In the Eye of the Storm (1991) in which he talks about holiness in a bathrobe. We are at our holiness with that first look in the mirror in the morning and what makes it holy is its honesty. We see what God sees and loves. No makeup, no jewelry, no fancy clothes, just us. Second, jealousy often blinds us to God’s blessings. While Leah was focused on her jealousy of Jacob’s love for Rachel, she ignored the blessings that God had given her, that he didn’t give to Rachel: six sons. Third, the same God who saw Leah’s misery and sorrow, sees ours. No mater how small or large, God knows our circumstances, our feelings, and hurts. He is moved by our sorrow and he is willing and able to step in and create something in and through us.

In conclusion, Leah was a woman who longed for the love of a man who probably couldn’t or wouldn’t give it. She wanted the devotion her younger sister got and when she didn’t, she turned to jealousy. But through Leah’s sons, two powerful tribes of Israel would be created. While we view marriage today as an act of love, marriage in the ancient world had strategic planning. Even if we don’t know it, think it or possibly believe it, God sees us. He sees our tears. He is moved by our sorrows and he will work in our lives in ways we couldn’t possibly fathom.

The book of Romans: the power of grace

Romans is an illustration of how people have turned from God and God’s response and his offer of salvation through faith and grace. Pastor and author Max Lucado has a great book on the book of Romans. In the Grip of Grace (1996) begins with the Parable of the River which helps describes how people have turned from God. Briefly, the parable is about five brothers who disobey their father by getting too close to a powerful river. They are caught in the currents and swept away, fair from home. They began their long journey home and one by one, a brother stops the journey and turning away from the hope of seeing their father and home again. Leaving two, the oldest and youngest brothers, to continue the journey. I will use this book and the parable as I discuss different aspects of Romans.

The first brother is an illustration of an individual who turns from God and seeks his own pleasure in life. Hedonists are people who believe that the most important thing in life is pleasure. Their goal is to satisfy themselves, their passions with a disregard to God. They believe that no one is guilty of sin and what each person does is their own business. Paul describes this person as having no excuse for the things he does. In Romans 1:20, Paul says that men have no excuse “since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what being made.” Therefore, nature itself is a testimony, evidence to the existence of God and his role as the Creator. But because they choose to ignore God and claim he doesn’t exist, Paul tells us that God gave them over to sinful desires (Romans 1:24). Hedonists believe that since they haven’t seen God, therefore there is no life beyond what we life, there’s no ultimate truth beyond this world and there’s no purpose in life beyond one’s own pleasure. He has no concern for the eternal and refuses to acknowledge a Creator (Lucado, 26). Hedonism has made its way into Christianity through the prosperity gospel. Prosperity Gospel is a belief among some Christians that financial blessings and physical well-being are always the will of God for them and that faith, positive speech and donations to religious causes will increase one’s material wealth. However, many Christians criticize this idea as contrary to Scripture as God never promised a wealthy life here on earth.

The second brother is an illustration of an individual who becomes the fault finding judgmentalist. This person compares himself to others as “Well, I’m not as bad as they are!” He is the finger pointer, the “record keeper” of others’ wrongs for God. This person is often bitter and proclaims himself the watchdog for God. Paul tells this “watchdog” that he has no authority to judge (Romans 2:1) and cannot escape God’s judgment based on others’ wrongdoings. Romans 2:3 says “So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?” The judgmentalist doesn’t realize that the wrath he is storing up against others will be used against himself at his own judgment (Romans 2:5). Paul tells us that God doesn’t show favoritism. Those who do evil will face trouble and distress and those who do good will receive glory, honor and peace (Romans 2:9-11). We do not need to keep tally of the wrongdoings of others, God already sees and already knows. Focus on your own wrongdoings as you alone will stand before God and your list of others’ transgressions will not help your defense. It is one thing to have an opinion about one’s actions but its entirely another thing to pass a verdict. Romans 2:1-2 is a prohibition of standing in judgement of other people and failing to condemn ourselves (Stott, 82). There are two reasons we are not in a position to judge: we aren’t good enough and we don’t know enough. 

Therefore, leave the judgment to God and focus on your own wrongdoings and rightness with God.

The third brother to leave the journey is an illustration of a legalist who believe that works will save him. This individual will write a list of accomplishments that he hopes will settle his debt with God. He acknowledges that he is bad, but he will make it up to God by doing `good works on earth. Paul tells us in Romans 4:5 that man doesn’t have to work to be saved, he only needs to trust in God who justifies him through his faith and credits him with righteousness. The legalists are the ones who usually become stuck up and think they are the only ones who will make it because he has done many works and looks down on others who haven’t. These people are the ones who criticizes other Christians who may not go to church every Sunday while they faithfully sit in the same pew every week. They go to every weekly Bible study and volunteer for every activity the church may organize. The problem is the motivation behind it. They are doing so in order to win brownie points with God rather than the heart behind the act to show God’s love to others. They may give their ten percent tithe every month and not feel the pinch and yet they will scuff at the individual who puts in a few dollars not realizing that it’s the last dollars that person has until payday. This reminds me of the story of the poor widow who gave all she had to the temple while others gave large amounts. Jesus proclaims that the woman had put in more than the wealthy did because she gave out of her poverty and others gave out of their wealth (Mark 12:41-44). The difference? The value of the gift isn’t in the amount but the spirit in which it was given. Therefore, when you give of your time or money, make sure you are doing so in the right spirit.

This leads us to the Grace-driven Christian. The brother who stayed on the journey, leaning on the strength of the older brother. This person actively seeks God, who acknowledges that he is bad but knows he is forgiven though his faith in Jesus Christ. You may ask what is grace? Simply, grace is unearned and undeserved favor from God. We receive grace through our faith (complete trust) in Jesus Christ. Through grace and faith, we can stand before God as not guilty as Jesus took our guilt upon himself on the cross. Romans 10:10 says “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Faith comes from our hearts and we are saved through grace as we confess our sins. We are made right with God through faith alone, not through obeying the law (Romans 3:28), not by the works we do or passing judgment on others. Grace gives us peace with God (Romans 5:1). Grace gives us a place with God and a share in his glory (Romans 5:2). We are saved dispute our struggles. Even after becoming a Christian, an individual still struggles with sin. Sin just doesn’t disappear from our world and our lives. However, God still claims us as His child and he still guides us through his word. “The same One who saved us first is there to save us still’ (Lucado, 148). This statement reminds me of the Avalon song Always Have, Always Will. In the song, the narrator reflects on his sinful nature as he struggles to follow Christ and follow his own selfish desires. “I always have, I always will. You saved me once you save me still.” The fact is we do not need to be perfect for God, as long as we have faith in Jesus and look to his Word for guidance, his grace and forgiveness will always be given to us.

In conclusion, as we go through life, we can sometimes find ourselves acting like the three brothers who left the journey. We become the hedonist who focuses on our own desires. We become the judgmentalist who criticizes others and ignores our own wrongs. We become the legalist who looks at our list of accomplishments and forget the heart and spirit of the service we can called to do. But we refocus on God and the gift he has given us in his son, we realize that we all have fallen short. We are not called to be perfect. We are simply called to love him, to trust in him and he will help us with our human struggles. Every other approach to God is a bartering system: If I do this…(works). If I feel this...(emotions). If I know this…(knowledge). Christianity has no negotiation. Every person is made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22-24). That’s it.

References

Lucado, Max (1996): In the Grip of Grace. Dallas, TX: Word Publishing

Stott, John (1994): Romans: God’s Good News for the World. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press

Jesus has risen!!! Hallelujah! Now we have a choice

Easter Sunday! He has risen! The Tomb is empty!! Hallelujah! Now comes a choice. What you will do with this man, Jesus? As Pilate asked at his trial, it is a question we must all ask ourselves. Jesus offers the gift of salvation. Eternal life. I’m not here to split hairs over doctrine or technicality. I’m not going to make a list of rules you have follow. Man has muddled the message of Jesus for far too long. Pure simple. Jesus came. He died for our sins and rose on the third day. He conquered sin and death. And we have a choice.

The first choice: you reject him. You can chose to walk down the wide gate or the wide road. You can build the foundation for your salvation on sand. Only the wide gate, the wide road and building on sand can only lead to destruction (Matthew 7:13, Matthew 6:26). You may reject him out of fear. The world has been harsh to Jesus, his message and Christians especially in today’s world. Jesus says that in this world you will have trouble, pain, problems, some you didn’t even create and some that you did. But Jesus offers a solution. Jesus isn’t in some distant galaxy. He is right there with you, waiting. “He is the Son of Man who came to serve and to give his life as ransom for you” (Lucado, 1992). You may reject him out shame because the things you have done and the person you have become. If pride is what goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18), then shame is what keeps you down. Jesus can help you get back up again.

You may reject him because you think you are unworthy of Jesus’ gift. You are no one special to be called by God to follow Christ. I say that you are. God has not made you unworthy of His love or His offer of salvation. You have. Jesus gave up the crown of heaven for a crown of thorns for you. (Lucado, 2000). God has done everything to make himself known. It’s you who says “I’m not good enough” or “only if I do this or that, I’ll be ready.” God is one to take the common and make it spectacular. Think of David, a simple shepherd boy become one of the greatest kings of Israel. Think of Mary, a simple girl who was asked to do something extraordinary. While you may not be called to be as a great as David or be asked to do something as extraordinary as Mary but you are worthy of God’s call.

The second choice: you accept him. You can chose to follow Jesus. You can chose to walk down the narrow road, walk through the narrow gate. You can build the foundation of your salvation on solid rock. For the narrow gate, the narrow road and a foundation of rock will lead to eternal life (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 6:24). You recognize that you need Jesus and his gift of salvation. That you cannot receive eternal life in heaven without him. His perfect gift of salvation, of eternal life. As James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Life does not get any easier as a follower of Christ; however, we have someone who can help us through the hard life. When it seems that the world has turned against you, all of heaven turns towards you. When life gets too tough, think of heaven. Think of home. Think of Jesus.

When Jesus died on the cross, so did our sins. When he rose on the third day, so did our hope. The grave become temporary. For those who accept Jesus and his gift of salvation, death no longer has any power. God said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). There is no depths that Jesus can’t reach you. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He will never change His mind. Once you have accept His gift of salvation, your name will forever be written in the book of life (Luke 10:20, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:11-15). With Christ, we are never alone in our struggles.

The Sinner’s Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness.

I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead.

I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life.

I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name.

Amen.

And the Angels were Silent Max Lucado (1992)

He Chose the Nails Maz Lucado (2000)

Good Friday: the ultimate sacrifice for all of us

Today is Good Friday. The day that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Just five days before, Jesus entered Jerusalem with praise and fanfare. The crowds laid palm branches on the road in front of him as he rode into the city on a donkey. He would spend his last days teaching, giving his disciples last minute instructions and preparations for his coming death. He came to take the sins of the world. Many people Christ’s victory over sin and death came with his death and resurrection. I see that it happened before in a place called the Garden of Gethsemane.

Thursday night, midnight, Jesus knows the end is coming. He comes to the garden to pray as he struggles with the next hours will bring. He prays for deliverance. He begs his Father for a way out. He begs for another way to accomplish his mission. But he knew there wasn’t any way. He prayed, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their [the disciples] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20-21 NIV). You and I are a part of this prayer. His final prayer is for us. He saw us in a life that is not fair with pain and struggles that we did not ask for. He did not want to leave us. It was in the garden that the battle was won. It was once Jesus received the gentle but firm “No” from his Father. He decided to fight no more. “For it was in the garden that he made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you" (Lucado, 1992).

Once he left the garden, Jesus would be faced with the ultimate betrayal. A kiss from a friend. Betrayal. When your world turns against you. Jesus is led away and first given over to Caiaphas, a high priest, who accused Jesus of blasphemy (Matthew 26:57-67, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:54, 63-65, John 18:24). A crime punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16). Then he is brought before the Council of Religious Leaders who sentenced him to death (Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 15:1, Luke 22:66-71). Finally he appears before Pilate, the Roman governor, who can find no fault with Jesus (Matthew 27:11-26, Mark 15:1-5, Luke 23:1-6, and John 18:28-38) but turns him over to be crucified to appease the crowd. He would be flogged, mocked, given a scarlet robe and a crown of thorns as the Roman soldiers spit on him, struck him with a staff and made to carry the cross to Golgotha “The Place of the Skulls.” Once on the cross, insults would be hurled at Jesus. He hung there until he died with a final cry “It is finished (John 19:30). Jesus who understands betrayal from those who are supposed to be trusted. He understands shame and pain. He understand all the human emotions and situations that we face every day because he faced them too. He suffered at the hands of the Romans and died on the cross for us so that our sins could be wiped away. He is the ultimate sacrificial lamb, innocent and chosen to die for others.

You ask yourself why? Why would Christ do that? Why would he die if he were innocent? The answer: for us. As quoted from Max Lucado above. He’d rather go to hell for us than go to heaven without us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). He came to save us from our sins (John 3:17). The perfect song to illustrate this point is by the Christian group, Avalon. “We are the Reason” is usually played at Christmas but it speaks to the reason why Christ was born, lived and lived: for us. This song always brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. If I try to sing it, my tears choke me and I am overcome with the power of what Jesus has done for me, for all of us. The chorus says “We are the reason that he gave his life/We are the reason that he suffered and died/To a world that was lost/He gave all He could give/to show us the reason to live.”

As a Christian, I think of Jesus and what he has done for me often. And I am still amazed at the love that Christ has for me. This Friday, as we all prepare for Easter Sunday, gathering with family and friends, even some who are working, think of the importance of today. Think of one Friday, some 2,000 years ago as one man died on a cross. Think about one man agonizing in a garden and prayed for you. Think of the pain and humiliation that he suffered for you. Think of how a method of execution become a symbol of hope.

The last week of Jesus is told in

Matthew 21-27

Mark 11-15

Luke 19-23

John 12 -19

And the Angels were silent (1992) Max Lucado