Day 11
Jesus’
Method: showing grace
Read: Luke 7:36-50
How
do we explain the fact Jesus made religious people uncomfortable and
unreligious people comfortable? Simple.
It’s a one word answer; “grace.” Grace is the generous overflow of the love of
God, through which he responds to people where they are; giving new beginnings
through Jesus. In grace God encounters us as we are, with no intention of leaving us in
our starting-state. In today’s reading we can see grace is (1) offensive to the
proud, (2) lifts up the unworthy; and (3) is “natural with Jesus.” Grace is
outrageous.
It’s
easy to water down the outrageousness of grace.
Try to imagine a pop star like Madonna (without camera, lights, sound or
crowd) simply kneeling before Jesus, gently wiping perfume over him and kissing
his feet. How would we respond? The heart challenge of today’s passage is “do we see people for who they have been or
can we see them as what God seeks to make them?”
In
ministry Jesus could bring sin to the surface and freely forgive sin when it
was acknowledged. That’s grace at
work. This parable of Jesus illustrates
the power of such grace (7:41-42). As
people experience grace, their response is one of love. Jesus continually showed grace to people and
told stories of grace.
Hear
the parable at heart. Now that we’ve experienced grace, be aware in it. Respond
and grow in grace and the living evidence (knowledge) of Jesus Christ.
Ponder Point (reflect)
- Jesus
models the balance of grace and holiness – having a heart for the right
and a passion for people
Consider (respond)
- What’s
Jesus’ model saying to me?
Pondering:
ReplyDeleteIf I have a heart for people and a passion for the right, God’s character forming in my character directs me in the wisdom of his ways. I will know what to do; I then have to choose to “do that wisdom!”