Gift of Grace

Today's sermon was about grace. In order to study grace, we watched clips of Les Miserables, which means "The Miserable Ones." We watched the scene when the bishop invites Jean to stay overnight in the church and gives him a hot meal to eat (after Jean has been released from 19 years in prison). In the middle of the night, Jean takes all the silverware from the table in the dining room and flees the church, only to be caught by the guards who drag him back to the bishop. They say, "Sir, we caught this man and he said you gave him all this silverware!" They point to the filled filthy bag. At this point the bishop looks at the guard and says, "He is right. This man tells the truth. But you took only the silverware? Why did you not take the finest? The candlesticks are still here..." Jean is shocked as he goes to get the candlesticks and places them in Jean's hands, saying, "You are free, my boy, but remember this: Use this lesson to become an honest man." What we see here are acts of mercy and grace.

Mercy: Not getting what you deserve. In the film, the bishop believes Jean and says, "I believe this man." 

Grace: Getting what you don't deserve. The bishop hands the fine candlesticks over.

There are so many times when we are given grace and mercy. These aren't always heart-stopping, life-changing events, but we are to be thankful anyways. It could be as simple as having been caught speeding but only getting off with a warning; it could be something like performing poorly on an exam and being given a kinder grade. Each of us goes through the daily grind but receives bouts of grace here and there.

Ephesians 2:4-5 says, "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by GRACE you have been saved." It is by GRACE you have been saved. We are raised up by the power of the Holy Spirit. God will reign on Earth--here, with US--just as He does in Heaven.

There was a high cost to grace. It wasn't free, and it certainly goes BEYOND what is FAIR. It's almost irrational. The price has been paid IN FULL through the death of Jesus on the cross. And all we have to do is believe, accept the gift. It's right there. Verses 8-10 go on, "For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith--and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do."

We are God's precious jewels. He deserves more than our dabbling in the trivial world--Where should we go out to eat? Where should we shop? What new car should we buy? Which sports team is winning? This isn't a fairytale, this gift of redemptive love and grace. This is real life. We are justified! Our mission as people who have been raised up is to become more and more like Jesus. He wants us to have the very best. No matter how you see it, grace will make you better than you THINK you can be. It can change your life and you don't have to do anything but accept. You do not have to EARN GOD'S GRACE. Maybe you've received grace countless times and didn't realize it.

The verses below are lines that occur in the last scene of the film, when Fontine returns to a dying Jean. As he passes away, she sends him walking towards a thousand voices, where the whole cast--or humanity, if you think of it that way--is waiting to welcome him. Notice the biblical truths that lie at the heart of this film.

"Come with me, where chains will never bind you

All your grief at last, at last, behind you

Lord in heaven, look down on him in mercy."

 (Acts 12:7) 

"Forgive me my trespasses and take me to Your glory." 

(Luke 11:4) 

"Take my hand; I'll lead you to salvation. Take my love

For it is everlasting. And remember the truth that was once spoken

To love another person is to see the face of God." 

(Genesis 33:10) 

"Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong

and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade

is there a world you long to see?" 

(Revelation 21:1-5) 

The first thing I remember most about God’s redemptive grace is the baptism I partook in as a baby, which made me part of God’s family. It was the seed planted that started this “through grace by faith” notion. It wasn’t about my decision back THEN. It was about God’s decision. I was 9 years old then, when I became a Christian. Romans 6:4 says, "Buried by Him with baptism into death, so just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of God, so we too might walk in the newness of life." It's just amazing that God's teachings work their way into our everyday lives. And what's also great is that God's grace NEVER ends. It's not in short supply. It is new each morning. When I'm waking up every day, God's already been up and He is waiting for me. As I encounter things throughout that day, it's my responsibility to listen, look, discern, respond, and ask if I need help. His Word reminds me that I can't go through my life as a whole, much less without each day, searching and receiving His grace that He freely extends. I encourage you to do the same! 

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord... who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” -2 Timothy 1:9