Grace

There is a word that pops up all the time in the New Testament. We say it, we sing it, I preach about it. But I think we take for granted what it is and means. It has to do with sin, salvation, forgiveness. Anybody guess? I had you do a shout out last week. For us Christians grace relates to God’s activity in Jesus Christ.

Grace is all about the character of God.  God who could do anything, created our universe and put us humans in it, and to be close to them.  Whoops.  We messed this up.  Yet despite our fallen behavior, God keeps coming back to us, loving us, restoring us. This love which does not depend on merit or any redeeming qualities about us, finds its expression in grace.

Grace is the best term that reveals God’s` divine character in action.  It describes the relationship of God to us humans.   Jesus is the best example to see this grace in action.  His birth, life, death, and resurrections makes the real activity of grace, possible.  The Hebrew scriptures mention this term, but its scope expands, blossoming in the existence of our Messiah.

Paul uses the term grace 101 times in his explanations of God’s relationship to us fallen humans.  In non-Paul writings it is mentioned 51 times.  Paul often underscores the “free gift of grace.”  In medieval Catholic doctrine, humans were supposed to do something, such as pay indulgences, and other actions to earn and sustain this grace.

Today with Catholics and Protestants grace is recognized as a pure gift.  I think most of us would agree that we live in a graceless world.  Grace is a quality that is at odds with our consumer mentality.[1]

Have you ever had a debt paid by someone else or forgiven?

Many of us have experienced grace in terms of a grace period.  Your teacher might say you have an extra week to get that paper done.  You have a month more to pay that debt you owe me.  We experience a sense of relief, a reprieve.  We have time.

Isn’t that exactly what grace from Jesus is like.  We are filled with sin and guilty and he takes it away.  He gives us his grace and love instead.  We don’t deserve it but we get it.  Due to the love and sacrifice of Jesus.

Our Bible never speaks of an impersonal God.  From Genesis through Revelation, it is all about God’s relationship with us.  The cost of our sins was taken on by Jesus.  He redeemed us.

He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

In his body on the cross Jesus took the weight of sin upon himself.  Every human being is represented on Calvary, from then til Jesus returns. Unless it’s Good Friday, we often don’t dwell on the pain Jesus suffered and the blood drained from him to give us forgiveness.  Next time you want to do something wrong, think about that.   Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us:  GRACE IS EVERYTHING FOR NOTHING TO THOSE WHO DON'T DESERVE ANYTHING[2]

We put Jesus on the cross over and over with our transgressions.  Yet with his loving grace we are cleansed.  Open up your heart allow the power of God’s love to flood in and transform you by his eternal  grace.  Allow the Holy Spirit to fill you so that you will go out and live the life Christ calls you to do.  Follow Paul’s advice.

Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. (Co. 3:12)

God will give you courage to do so.  Thanks be to God. Amen

[1] Martin E. Mary Handbook of Christian Theology.

[2] in The Cost of Discipleship, Christianity Today, February 7, 1994, p. 39