Tag Archives: Grace and Truth

The law and Grace and Truth

Christmastide

January 3, 2021

Scripture Reading:
John 1:(1-9), 10-18

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.”‘) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. —John 1:10-18

The law is not to be disregarded with the coming of the Christ. Indeed, according to Jesus, we would be covering all the others if we always practice two of the Hebrew Bible laws. Those laws are loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Called the Great Commandment, it is recorded in Matthew 22:35-40. Jesus did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. (Matthew 5:17) I think the Ten Commandments help us know what is loving and what is not. Sister Joan Chittister’s, The Ten Commandments: Laws of the Heart does an excellent job of broadening one’s understanding of love from the Ten Commandments’ perspective. I see that Adam Hamilton has a new book related to the commandments, Word’s of Life, which I look forward to reading.

John is straightforward in recognizing that God gave the law through Moses. How we live the law through our love results from the grace and truth granted through Jesus Christ. I am a morning person and thus arrived at work usually before the required starting hour. At my first office job, a woman I worked with arrived early and took note of those who did not arrive on time. She was an older widow who lived alone, and I was a young recent single college graduate. Neither of us had any real challenges in getting to work on time. Several of our staff were young mothers with children who had to go to daycare or school. While my early-bird co-worked tsk-tsked about those arriving late, she spent much of the day moving from desk to desk, visiting with staff, interrupting their work, and not doing her own. In all honesty, her friendly visits were probably the result of her being lonely and needing love too.

Weaving love through all our relationships as we attempt to follow the guidance of rules and laws blends grace and truth throughout our way of being a part of the Body of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to love each other following guidance through your grace and truth. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Grace and Boldness

Living in the Spirit
October 12, 2018

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need –Hebrews 4:14-16

The proof is in the life lived; love is stronger than evil. Jesus became human and dwelt among us full of truth and grace*. Knowing what it is like being human gave Jesus special insight regarding how humans can grow in truth and grace. Perhaps God felt the need to intersect more closely with his human creations because of our long history of failures and successes in being the people God gave us the capacity to be but which we just could not consistently get right. Thus, God came to us in the person of Jesus who showed us the way, the truth, and the life and then went one step further offering grace when needed to fill the gaps as we strive toward perfection while occasionally missing the mark.

Paul used athletes as examples. Good athletes work hard every day to take care of their bodies honing them to maximize productivity.  They learn their plays and understand the importance of teamwork. Fans often forget the mental aspects of sports. Coaches do not forget. Often in after-game interviews, we hear a coach say, “She is smart in every play she makes.” All that is also a good formula for preparation in service to creating a kingdom ruled by love: commit to the cause, study to improve, practice, increase knowledge, and work well with others.

Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder does all those things. I watched him play in the first half of a preseason game recently. He missed the first four or five shots he took. He kept playing right, working well with his other teammates and made 26 points in that half. That is an example of what we are called to do in our service to God when Hebrews says we are to approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the fortitude to never give up as you guide us down right paths of service. Amen.

*See John 1:14 also Philippians 2:5–8

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.