His Mission Is Grace... So Is Ours

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God…”
Ephesians 2:6-8

Jesus liked to hang out with ordinary people and people who were considered outcasts. Scripture shares more than once how he spent time with tax collectors and sinners. Zacchaeus and Matthew are just two examples. Recently, I was reading a blog by Pastor Austin Maxheimer about missional grace. The idea is that we who have been showered with Jesus’ gift of grace should be showering that grace on the people around us, especially the people who are different from us or who might be considered outcast by our communities. Three things Pastor Maxheimer said particularly captured my attention. First he said: “Grace cannot be understood through religion; it has to be understood through relationship.” The next thing in the blog that caught my attention was: “When grace is put to work, it multiplies. When God’s free (emphasis mine) gift is unleased in the life of someone who loves Jesus, it is unstoppable.” Finally, “Grace is a gift. Relationship is the reward.”   

In this week’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul is reminding the readers and hearers of the letter that it because of the incomparable riches of God’s grace poured out of Jesus over all of the people who experienced Him, that we are saved. Yes, Jesus’ grace for us meant he would pay a high personal price, but it was, just that a personal price – it had nothing to do with finances and everything to do with relationship. His was on a mission of grace, a mission to treat us in a way we did not deserved to be treated. His mission was to treat us with dignity, compassion, love and mercy. His mission was to build relationships, to restore the most important relationship between man and God.

Matthew was at work, collecting taxes and probably padding his own pockets when Jesus walked past, paused and said: “Follow me.” Incredibly Matthew left work and followed Jesus and the next thing we know they are at Matthew’s house having dinner (Matthew 9:9-12) and getting to know one another. It cost Jesus time and nothing more at that point to change Matthew’s life.

Jesus and those with him were passing through Jericho on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus’ superstar status was drawing crowds as usual. Zacchaeus a chief tax collector probably had been pushed to the back of the crowd and because he was short couldn’t see Jesus – so he climbed a tree. Interesting that when Jesus got to the tree, He looked look up, called Zacchaeus by name and essentially said to him “I’m going to hang out with you today” (Luke 19:1-10). It was Jesus’ treatment of the little tax man, His desire to spend some time with him, that changed Zacchaeus and then grace just started pouring out of Zacchaeus. 

Jesus the incarnation of the One True Living God came here on a mission of grace. A grace so powerful it changed lives, it was a grace built on relationship – Jesus’ relationship with the Father and the Father’s desire to restore the relationship between Himself and His creation. The gift of grace that was given to us so freely came at a high personal cost for Jesus – His life. No amount of money could have paid for such a gift.    

I want to encourage you to share the gift of grace you have received with those around you, especially those who are the tax collectors and sinners of today. Give it by spending time with them, listening to their story, sharing their life and treating them with the dignity, compassion, love and mercy that world is not able to give. Watch how grace will change them and you.    

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for Your extravagant gift of grace. Thank you for desiring to know us and to have a relationship with us, even though we are so undeserving. Open our eyes to the people around us who the world and even some who claim to follow you push to the back of the crowd, undeserving of our love and not really welcome in this life. Once we see them with Your eyes, may the abundance of grace that has been given us in Christ Jesus, flow straight from our hearts to those who need to experience Jesus and be made new, be welcomed into relationship with You. You sent Your Son on a mission of Grace and that is the mission he passed on to us – may our actions bring glory to You and You only. In the name of Jesus, missionary of grace – Amen.

It's More Than Money

“Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.”
Matthew 10:9-10

Have you ever noticed that as Jesus prepared those He had chosen to carry His message to the world, that he was constantly warning them of the high personal cost - not the dollars cost, necessarily, but the emotional and physical cost of following him? Jesus had a trade – he was trained as a carpenter and while the Scriptures don’t share, there must have been times when He plied the trade.  

In this week’s passage from Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is preparing to send out the twelve men He had handpicked to teach, on their first mission trip. A domestic trip was planned to let these twelve men practice what they had learned so far. Jesus had given them the spiritual power they would need to carry out the tasks they would encounter and then He began the rest of the trip instructions by telling them not to take anything with them. He tells them to forget stopping by the bank to pick up some cash, don’t pack a bag, don’t take anything extra with you. When you get to where you are going, find someone to stay with and make yourselves useful for your room and board. The Message puts this’s week’s passage like this: “Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.” A little further on in verses 17-19 He tells them to expect to be arrested and beaten, verse 22 that they will be hated and verse 23 that they will be persecuted. Of course Jesus encourages them to stand firm and rely fully on the power He has given them to complete the call He has placed on them.

Back in chapter eight Matthew talks of the cost of following Jesus. A teacher if the law comes and tells Jesus: “…I will follow you wherever you go” (Matt. 8:19). “Jesus replied,’ Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). Then of course there is the rich, young man of Matthew 19 who is unwilling to pay the cost when Jesus tells him that to “… be perfect he should go sell his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor, then come follow me” (Matt.19:21).

There was a time when, if Jesus, a homeless carpenter and my Savior demanded that of me I would have gone there. The willingness was rewarded with a small, simple home in a place where I can do what I was called to do. How many of us would leave the comfort of our homes and the car or cars we own - to go where Jesus tells us to go? How many of us would travel to the other side of the state or country or world taking nothing with us but the clothes we are wearing? How many of us are prepared to be arrested and beaten or worse? How many of us would chose to be hated by those around us?    

As we continue our journey to the cross of Good Friday and the empty tomb of Easter, let us consider the mission Christ has called us to – it’s about way more than money. It’s about picking up that heavy and painful cross, it’s about sacrificing our comfort to build a real relationship with someone, so that they can meet Jesus. It’s about the best relationships being built on love, trust and hard work.   

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the difficult lessons of life. Thank you for making it clear that following you and being obedient to Your call will not be easy, it will demand much of us – physically, emotionally, intellectually and yes even at times financially. You make it clear so we can choose if we are willing to go where you tell us to go and do what you ask us to do. I have no doubt Lord, that when the rich young man turned and walked away, that Your heart broke. He was told the cost and he wasn’t prepared to pay it. Grant us the strength, to go the distance with You. Help us daily to use our lives to reflect You to the world around us. In the name of Jesus, who makes it clear that it about more than money – Amen.

My Cross... Your Cross

“Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me. He must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.’”
Luke 9:23-24

Generations before Jesus walked on this planet, talking about the kingdom of heaven, a man called by God picked up a “cross” and carried it – he had no idea the example he was setting. We first meet this man in Genesis 12 when God call Abram to go to a place God would show him and he went. He left behind all that was known to him, what was comfortable, what felt safe and secure when responded to God by going. Sometime later, God would change his name to Abraham and promised a son to him in his old age. God was faithful to keep the promise a beloved son Isaac was born. Then another “cross” was presented for Abraham to carry. A more difficult one than the first. A call to take his promised and much loved son and make him a burnt offering to the very God who had given the son. Abraham willingness to carry out God’s instruction resulted not only in Isaac’s life being spared, but a blessing upon the descendants of Abraham that reaches into present day. 

This week’s passage from Luke’s Gospel comes as Jesus is trying to make it clear to his disciples what is coming, what He himself will face and what they too should expect. This particular narrative is also found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and share something Luke’s version doesn’t. Jesus is telling His disciples and those in ear shot what is going to happen to him in just a little while and before he can continue Peter who suffers from acute foot in mouth disease – tries to rebuke Jesus for saying such things. Jesus gives a harsh rebuke in return telling Peter to “Get behind me Satan… you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8:32-33). This rebuke of Peter by Jesus is important in understanding Jesus’ call for us to pick up our cross daily and follow after Him. You see Peter was being selfish in his rebuke of Jesus, he didn’t want to hear of suffering and death – he wanted his friend, his Christ to be with him.    

The Amplified Bible brings some additional clarity to this week’s passage about taking up the cross. Stating that in denying self, we are to set aside our selfish interests and that in taking up the cross we are expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come, so that by following Him we will make clear that we believe in Him, that we are ready to follow His example in living and if need be in His example of suffering and dying because of our faith in Him.   

A Roman cross was a brutal form of execution that no one would willingly take up, no one except Jesus that is. In the midst of the brutality of the cross of Christ, there are somethings that are not so brutal and yet in our world are likely perceived with almost equal fear because they are so against the current of how the world works. The cross of Christ, is a brutal instrument of suffering and death yes, but it is also a cross of grace, it is a cross of mercy, it is a cross of forgiveness, it is a cross of restoration, it is a cross of selfless love and powerful compassion, it is a cross that leads to life.

We are in the season of Lent, a time of looking deeply at our lives in light of Christ’s cross. What is keeping you from picking yours up and following after Him? It won’t be easy – He never said it would be. But what you will face as you carry it will seem like nothing in the light of eternity and the blessings He has in store for all who like Abraham will walk by faith.

A Prayer
Father – It seems so difficult to pick up the cross you have for each of us. We humans want life to be easy and safe and yet you call us into a place where we might suffer, where it is not safe, where we are meant to put You and others first. In our self-centered and selfish world that is hard and frightening sometimes. Yet Your Son willing laid down His life for us on a brutal Roman cross to show us that we too if our hearts are open to walk in faith with Him, can carry whatever cross you have for us. As we do Lord help us to show others the grace, mercy, forgiveness, restoration, selfless love, compassion and life that is present there also. In the name of Jesus, who teaches us how to take up our cross – Amen.