Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Gospel of God's Grace

Paul talks about it in Acts 20:24. Paul was driven by the passion to preach the gospel of God's grace! Is it worth noticing and mentioning that we never read about "the gospel of God's law"? It's just not in there. There is no good news or joy related to law. I'm not talking about THE law.........I'm talking about a law mindset.

Because of a hurting family, I have GRACE on my heart today.


Many of you know Dirk Smith. Dirk works here in the Advancement Office with me at Harding. Dirk's brother Chuck is in prison in Pennsylvania. Dirk was there visiting Chuck last week for a couple of days. Dirk related a powerful insight Chuck gave him while he was visiting. Chuck said he had come to the realization that in the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, these words spoken by Jesus are NOT the highlight point of that wonderful story: "Lazarus, come out".
No, the pinnacle of the story is the next admonition Jesus gives: "Take off the grave clothes and let him go". LET HIM GO! Most of time when we encounter dead people who are trying to live again, we lack the faith to BELIEVE that God can actually raise someone from the dead, therefore we don't help them shed their grave clothes. Why would we? In our eyes they are still dead! And LOTS of times even if we do believe they have come back from the dead, we FOR SURE don't want to let them go. For some, there is a lot more gratification in keeping someone under the bondage of guilt than there is in witnessing the freedom that comes with grace.....the grace that comes with letting go of our past by the power of the Gospel of God's grace.

We have a dead family walking in our midst in the Harding community. Do we have the faith to believe God can take this family from the grave and make them live again? Are we going to help them take off the grave clothes by loving them in a lot of different ways so that they will feel "let go" into His grace........or are we going to be judgemental and legalistic with them? The choice is ours.

I love the gospel of God's grace, because I need it daily. I know Chuck feels like Lazarus. I do also. I pray this family does too!

9 Comments:

At 4:49 PM, Blogger Keith said...

Amazing Grace, how sweet it is. Yes we are all wretches at times, lost at times, blind at times. We are all the walking wounded, some suffering with slightly more serious ailments than others;but we're all sick. I'm indeed thankful for God's gift of healing and grace. Good post brother.

 
At 5:51 PM, Blogger mmlace said...

What an interesting metaphor, David! Thanks for sharing this with us!

 
At 6:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If his grace will cover me, it'll cover anybody and I hope that family can heal and walk with their heads held high.

Please let them know they are loved.

 
At 7:30 PM, Blogger annie said...

Amen! Thanks for the wonderful "take" on that Scripture.

 
At 8:43 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reminds me of the admonition to take someone who has been overtaken by sin and "restore them to their position." We aren't just to forgive someone -- we are to restore them.

 
At 8:55 PM, Blogger Mark said...

I think we don't want to trust people that much. Isn't it amazing that Jesus can trust us so much when he knows us so well. He above all people knows how likely I am to continue to mess up, yet he still will give me an honest shot at doing better. Thanks for sharing that great insight, Dave.

Mark <><

 
At 12:44 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

For some of us, it takes having a child of our own whom Satan overtakes in ways that are very costly, before we understand the need for, and the sweetness of His Grace. My own personal need for His mercy is overwhelming at times, but having a precious child whom I love unconditionally and "trust" with so many things and in so many ways, but who struggles daily with one of Satan's most cruel and powerful deceptions, I am grateful for the reassurance of His grace, mercy and forgiveness. Knowing that He knows each of us at our core and looks at the heart within, understanding us better than we understand ourselves, strengthens my resolve to keep trying. He takes us each by the hand and lifts us from our personal pit if we will just keep on keeping on. This dear family, is like many of us who struggle and sometimes wither and even "die" inside... if not noticably. May we as a community and "family" surround them with compassion, forgiveness and encourage them by our love and understanding of the reality of failure within each and every one of us. What a beautiful point Chuck makes.....one I've always missed from that story. Thank you David for sharing and challenging us to be careful how we think and what we believe... and think we "know".... and ultimately how we respond to God's children who need to be brought "back to life" and loved back to "living" again. "Love lifted me, Love lifted me, when nothing else could help, Love lifted me".....I can relate to that !!

 
At 7:23 AM, Blogger Donna G said...

Thank you David. Grace is the component of love that hinders us most when we lack it. It gives us the most energy to truly grow in Him when we embrace it.

 
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