Do You Believe In Grace?

In my senior exam (a time when several people, of theological status, question my ability and integrity for being ordained after graduation from seminary) one of the questions they asked was: “What is it about the Lutheran tradition that make you sure you want to preach The Word to others?”  “Grace” I responded. “Grace is a treasure that not many denominations are guided by.”

For those of you who do not know.  I was raised in a very ecumenical family.  We were allowed to visit many different religious gatherings in our childhood.  I did not hear too much, if at all, about God’s grace.  

What I did hear was that I had to be “very very good.”  Otherwise God would be displeased with me.  

That message was confusing for a child who loved Jesus’ tender and accepting ways.

The definition, of grace, that has made the most sense to me is: “God’s activity in our lives.”  God’s love, forgiveness and acceptance in our lives.  

It is kind of like : “God’s will be done.” 

You know, “Thy will not my will” prayer Jesus prayed the night before he was arrested.  

Or, “Forgive as I have forgiven you.” 

Or, “Pray for you enemies and love those who persecute you.”  

Or “When someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.”

Or, “Give to everyone who begs from and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.”

Or, The short little line that says so much “In my name.”  That is, do and be in God’s name — not yours name.

Not long ago I listened to a colleague of mine, in a sermon, ask:  “Do we agree with grace?”

An interesting question.

She was preaching on the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).  A story that offers grace to a son who, by all rights, did not deserve his fathers understanding nor unconditional love.  

She asked again: “Do we agree with the grace shown in this story?”

If the truth be known, we probably would have to say no.  No, because that is not the way our human mind seem to be programed.

We are more tempted to go along with the older son:

²⁸Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” 

Here is the truth as we are tempted to see it:  It is not fair!

                                                                                         Right?

Here is Jesus’ answer to our way of thinking:

³¹Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”(Luke 15)

Do we agree with such extravagant grace?

An interesting, most pointed, question for anyone who professes a faith in the God who created all that is.