50 Shades Of Grace
What is grace? Grace is defined as the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.
There are many facets or shades of God’s grace such as: healing, deliverance, protection, blessings, etc. No matter what your past, present or current situation may be; God’s grace is sufficient to cover it all. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says… My grace is enough; it’s all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power.
If you read the bible, especially the gospels, you will find that Jesus showed grace to everyone, no matter where they came from or what present state they were in. I guess you could say that Jesus extended grace in all the “wrong” places. John 3:16-17 says… For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
In John Chapter 8, the spiritual leaders brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus and questioned Him as to what should be done with the woman, knowing that according to the Law of Moses she should be stoned. Jesus drew a line in the sand and replied with words of grace towards the woman, “He who is without sin cast the first stone.” He reached down, lifted her up and told her to go and sin no more.
It’s time to draw a line in the sand… God’s grace cannot be confined to our views, beliefs or even a church building. It cannot be held by religion or religious people. His grace cannot be kept just for people of the highest moral standards. Yes, Jesus did extend grace in all the “wrong” places, and because of that He made a difference in the world.
We have to start building bridges… I believe that if you and I are going to make a difference in the world we need to start extending grace to everyone. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, not ours. Our job is to simply extend the same grace that Jesus extended to us. The best way we can do that is by allowing others to experience the grace in our own lives. The best way you can “witness” to anyone is through your lifestyle and your love.
Discussion Question:
Will you extend grace to others around you? Will you share the grace God extended to you or will you keep it for yourself? One thing we must always remember is that the only time Jesus ever looked down at anyone, it was to reach down and lift them up. Love God back by loving others around you.
The Challenge:
Share your grace story to at least 3 people this week. Think about it, if you could convince 3 people per week for one year that Jesus is the Savior of the world, then you alone will have lead 156 souls into the reality of God’s grace.
