Worthy in Grace

Isaiah 1:10-18; Luke 19:1-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

Central Baptist Church—Lowesville, VA

04 November 2007

“Get tough on crime,” “Stricter sanctions,” “Hold ‘em accountable,” “Zero-tolerance policy.” We have all heard the slogans. They speak of force against those who do not measure up to established standards. The point behind them is to change the world. The means is force, coercion, power, and control. When Jesus talked about changing the world in conformity with God’s reign, he talked about grace, forgiveness, and love. What is the point of grace? What good does grace accomplish toward changing the world?

Isaiah wanted to see changed lives. He saw sacrifices, religious festivals, gatherings of song, praise, and a show of religious devotion. He saw superficial actions failing to address the underlying issues. It was all show. The people went through the motions, doing things to be on Yahweh’s good side, yet without actually pleasing God in obedient service. It was as though they believed that playing the religious game of checking in at the temple, offering the prescribed sacrifices, and placing funds in the treasury would keep Yahweh from bothering them with issues deeper demands. They could go on ignoring injustice, failing to do good, and not defending the unrepresented and disenfranchised.

Worship had become much like the campaign speeches of politicians in our own day. It was full of empty words misrepresenting one’s identity, purpose, and goals. For many, worship was saying the right things and looking good in the right places. There was too little connection between the prescribed religious patterns and matters of heart, righteousness, and Yahweh’s will. To God’s perspective, it was meaningless. Unrepentant sacrifice is no sacrifice at all. It is masquerading. It is an attempt to coerce God to ignore our real identity and enable our unrighteous habits. Meetings, assemblies, and services to honor God are dishonoring when we do not live the righteousness God desires.

As Isaiah proclaimed, Yahweh freely offers grace to enable us to live in God’s presence, extending the touch of God’s grace to others. It is not that we are good in ourselves or that we become good in ourselves. If we will place our lives into God’s service, however, God’s grace will transform our worthlessness into doing good, seeking justice, rescuing the oppressed, and defending the powerless. God’s grace overcomes our self-absorbed lack as we commit our lives toward righteousness. Will we allow God’s grace to fulfill its purpose in our lives?

Evan Baxter, congressman from New York in the film, Evan Almighty, campaigned to change the world. God stepped in to intervene. He gave Evan a task to accomplish—a task far beyond Evan’s capabilities. When questioned, he was reminded of that campaign promise and slogan of changing the world. God offers grace in the process, however. As Evan bows to set his life toward accomplishing God’s purposes, grace overcomes his inadequacies, enabling him to become the change agent he desired to be. Grace did not overlook his faults that he might remain faulty, but filled his life with purpose. Will we allow God to have his way in our dreams, actions, and goals?

Paul was pleased with the Thessalonian believers. They had arrived at an acceptable standard of faith. They had not achieved a sufficient level of maturity. He was pleased, rather, that they were growing in faith and mutual love. Progress was the theme of Paul being pleased with them. They were working toward the unattainable goal of becoming like Christ Jesus. He saw in the character of their steadfastness amid struggle and persecution a direction to their living in Christ Jesus. Their lives were making progress in Christian maturity. Their lives had a bearing. They were moving toward God’s will. Paul was assured that God would transform their lives in grace so as to make them worthy of the call of grace. As they continued answering God’s call to righteousness, God would enable them to become what they were not on their own.

Their lives had meaning, purpose, and direction. Their faith was growing. They were maturing and becoming like Christ Jesus. God would be all the more pleased to add grace to their faith efforts and resolve. Grace would extend righteousness beyond their achievements. The goal was ever before them and ever out of reach. God would make Christ known in their lives, revealing the glory of Jesus through abounding grace. Do I allow grace and faith to continue changing my life?

One of my “lesser” seminary students is one of the greater success stories of my ministry. He barely passed my theology classes, and did so due only grace. He was not very articulate, clever, or bright. He struggled with concepts we spoke of in class. He found the required reading laborious. What he did not lack, however, was a drive to minister for Christ. After graduation, he moved to an interior town and a church that had closed. There were a handful of women on the membership books. A couple of years later, we heard reports of a vital Baptist witness that had the ear of the mayor and the larger population. It was not because of my student’s capabilities, but because of his determination to allow God’s grace to make up for his limitations. Do we allow grace to equip us to fulfill God’s complete will?

Grace met Zacchaeus at his need and desire to know Jesus. Grace granted him audience, not for status and achievement, but desire. As grace met him, it also empowered him to act in grace. Salvation comes as the byproduct of accepting grace, allowing it to fill and overflow one’s life. Grace grants the strength to do what we cannot. It thus transforms our living as we allow God to have His way in our lives. This is salvation. It is grace applied to our lives in a way that transforms us into the people God has called us to be. Grace looks not at our abilities and resources, but at God’s transforming potential.

We don’t know much about Zacchaeus. We do find that he allowed grace to transform his life. This was what garnered Jesus’ attention. It is at the point of transformation that Jesus hails the arrival of salvation to Zacchaeus’ life. We understand that God accepts us under the banner of grace. We know we do not deserve God’s loving attention. What we often fail to grasp is that grace is not done when we are introduced to Christ. Grace is only making its appearance. Grace begins to work in our lives at that point to overcome our misdirected and misguided actions, transforming us into the people God designed us to become. This is the work of grace, if we will allow it to have its way.

What difference does God’s grace make in our daily living, declaring Christ Jesus? God is not through with us as we profess faith in Christ for salvation. That is only the beginning of the work of grace. We are called to become Christ Jesus to the world, allowing the presence and person of Christ to flow through us. It is not because of our capabilities, standing, or status. It is all the work of God’s grace so lavished upon us. Will we make room for grace to have its way in our lives? After all, if grace does not so transform our lives, what is the point of grace, anyway? Unless we are transformed by grace, we have just been cleaned up to go right back out to the muck of life’s barnyard.

—©2007 Christopher B. Harbin

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