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.