Jesus Models Grace
Grace. It's one of those church words we use a lot, throw around frequently, but may not fully understand. The Greek word is charis, meaning favor, kindness, or goodwill freely given. It's the unmerited love toward the undeserving.
That's how God dealt with us. He was moved by mercy, moved by compassion, and dealt with us by grace when Jesus died on the cross. We can have the free gift of eternal life by His grace, undeserved favor.
This theme runs throughout Scripture. There are 335 verses in the Old Testament dealing with God being gracious.
Psalm 86:15 captures it: "But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness and truth." That exact verse is quoted nine times in the New Testament. Why?
Because grace is God's character. It's the essence of who He is. God doesn't just do grace things. God is grace.
That's how God dealt with us. He was moved by mercy, moved by compassion, and dealt with us by grace when Jesus died on the cross. We can have the free gift of eternal life by His grace, undeserved favor.
This theme runs throughout Scripture. There are 335 verses in the Old Testament dealing with God being gracious.
Psalm 86:15 captures it: "But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness and truth." That exact verse is quoted nine times in the New Testament. Why?
Because grace is God's character. It's the essence of who He is. God doesn't just do grace things. God is grace.
Jesus: The Embodiment of Grace
When Jesus came on the scene, He took on the manifestation of God's very character. Jesus was fully man and fully God, the representative of God on the planet. Everything God is, Jesus is. So God being gracious, Jesus became gracious in the flesh.
John 1:14-17 says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...full of grace and truth...For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
Jesus is the physical representation of God's grace in tangible, visible form. He's not just an idea or attitude, grace is a person, and that person is Jesus.
John 1:14-17 says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...full of grace and truth...For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
Jesus is the physical representation of God's grace in tangible, visible form. He's not just an idea or attitude, grace is a person, and that person is Jesus.
The Law vs. Grace
This passage makes an important distinction between the law and Jesus. The law came through Moses to reveal sin but not to empower righteousness. The law reflected God's holy standard, but no one could maintain it. Romans 3:20 says the law makes us "conscious of our sin and the recognition of sin directs us toward repentance but provides no remedy for sin."
Jesus came to be the remedy. He fulfilled the law by dying on the cross to restore us to relationship with God. It goes beyond just forgiveness of sin. Yes, we'll go to heaven when we die, but God wants us to live in the power of His gracious relationship now until we get there.
Titus 2:11-12 says, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people." When did grace appear? At the birth of Jesus. Grace isn't a concept, it's a person who came and brought salvation.
Jesus came to be the remedy. He fulfilled the law by dying on the cross to restore us to relationship with God. It goes beyond just forgiveness of sin. Yes, we'll go to heaven when we die, but God wants us to live in the power of His gracious relationship now until we get there.
Titus 2:11-12 says, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people." When did grace appear? At the birth of Jesus. Grace isn't a concept, it's a person who came and brought salvation.
Grace Empowers Transformation
Here's where many people get confused. Some think, "Now that I'm under grace and not the law, I can do whatever I want with no restrictions." That's a distortion of grace.
Grace wasn't given so you could be free to do whatever you want. Grace was given so you'd be empowered to live a righteous life, transformed into the image of Jesus.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "The law says you shall not commit adultery. But I say anyone who looks at a woman and lusts after her has already committed adultery in his heart." Grace isn't removing the restriction, it's expanding it. God no longer deals with just external behavior but with the purity of our hearts.
Jesus said, "The law says an eye for an eye. But I say if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek also." Grace turns retaliation upside down because it's not about getting revenge, it's about living righteously in relationship with God.
The law said if a Roman soldier forced you to carry his load one mile, you had to do it. But Jesus said, "Go an extra mile." Show God's abundance and the immeasurability of His grace.
Is grace easier than the law? No, because grace deals with our hearts, not just our behavior.
Grace wasn't given so you could be free to do whatever you want. Grace was given so you'd be empowered to live a righteous life, transformed into the image of Jesus.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "The law says you shall not commit adultery. But I say anyone who looks at a woman and lusts after her has already committed adultery in his heart." Grace isn't removing the restriction, it's expanding it. God no longer deals with just external behavior but with the purity of our hearts.
Jesus said, "The law says an eye for an eye. But I say if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek also." Grace turns retaliation upside down because it's not about getting revenge, it's about living righteously in relationship with God.
The law said if a Roman soldier forced you to carry his load one mile, you had to do it. But Jesus said, "Go an extra mile." Show God's abundance and the immeasurability of His grace.
Is grace easier than the law? No, because grace deals with our hearts, not just our behavior.
Jesus Demonstrated Grace
Jesus didn't just teach about grace, He lived it. From birth to resurrection, Jesus dealt with people in need with great kindness, respect, value, love, and compassion. He extended grace and said, "I'm giving you a model of how to live out this life of grace."
Yes, thank God you're saved by grace, but don't live like a heathen till you get to heaven. Reflect the grace you've been given.
Grace Extends Forgiveness
In John 8, the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. The law said she should be stoned. Jesus said, "Those without sin, cast the first stone." One by one, her accusers left. Jesus told her, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."
Grace meets us at our worst moments but doesn't leave us there. It lifts us up.
Grace Honors the Outcast
In Luke 7, a woman of the streets came to Jesus, poured perfume on His feet, and wept. The religious people were irate. Jesus said, "Her sins, which are many, I know every one of them. But she loved much, for she has been forgiven much."
When you comprehend the depths of your forgiveness, it leads you to abandon yourself to worship. Those who've been forgiven much love much.
Grace Restores the Fallen
The prodigal son spent his inheritance on immoral living and ended up in a pig pen. He came to the end of himself and said, "I'll go back to my father. Maybe he'll let me be a servant."
But while he was still far off, "the father saw him and felt compassion and ran and embraced him and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). The father threw a celebration: "My son who was dead is now alive. My son who was lost is now found."
Grace restores the fallen. It looks for ways to restore.
Grace Is Present After Failure
Peter told Jesus, "I'll never leave you. I'll never betray you." But he denied Jesus three times. After the resurrection, Jesus told Peter, "Feed my sheep." Even after failure, Jesus recommissioned him.
On the day of Pentecost, 3,000 people got saved. Who preached? Peter, the same guy who betrayed Jesus. Grace doesn't just restore you. Grace recommissions you.
Yes, thank God you're saved by grace, but don't live like a heathen till you get to heaven. Reflect the grace you've been given.
Grace Extends Forgiveness
In John 8, the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. The law said she should be stoned. Jesus said, "Those without sin, cast the first stone." One by one, her accusers left. Jesus told her, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."
Grace meets us at our worst moments but doesn't leave us there. It lifts us up.
Grace Honors the Outcast
In Luke 7, a woman of the streets came to Jesus, poured perfume on His feet, and wept. The religious people were irate. Jesus said, "Her sins, which are many, I know every one of them. But she loved much, for she has been forgiven much."
When you comprehend the depths of your forgiveness, it leads you to abandon yourself to worship. Those who've been forgiven much love much.
Grace Restores the Fallen
The prodigal son spent his inheritance on immoral living and ended up in a pig pen. He came to the end of himself and said, "I'll go back to my father. Maybe he'll let me be a servant."
But while he was still far off, "the father saw him and felt compassion and ran and embraced him and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). The father threw a celebration: "My son who was dead is now alive. My son who was lost is now found."
Grace restores the fallen. It looks for ways to restore.
Grace Is Present After Failure
Peter told Jesus, "I'll never leave you. I'll never betray you." But he denied Jesus three times. After the resurrection, Jesus told Peter, "Feed my sheep." Even after failure, Jesus recommissioned him.
On the day of Pentecost, 3,000 people got saved. Who preached? Peter, the same guy who betrayed Jesus. Grace doesn't just restore you. Grace recommissions you.
What We Must Do
First, receive His grace. You don't have to perform to be loved. Just receive it.
Second, live by grace. Stop striving. Live in the transforming power of relationship with God.
Third, extend grace to others. Freely you've received grace, so freely extend it.
Just because you can say something doesn't mean you should. Just because you want to post something on social media doesn't mean you should. Except by the grace of God, there goes you. That could be your marriage you're criticizing. That could be your child you're condemning.
The safest place in your life is at an altar of surrender with a God who's looking down the road saying, "Is today the day my son or daughter comes to the end of themselves and realizes the best life is the life I have for them?"
Grace is not a concept. Grace is a person and it's the person of Jesus living through us.
Second, live by grace. Stop striving. Live in the transforming power of relationship with God.
Third, extend grace to others. Freely you've received grace, so freely extend it.
Just because you can say something doesn't mean you should. Just because you want to post something on social media doesn't mean you should. Except by the grace of God, there goes you. That could be your marriage you're criticizing. That could be your child you're condemning.
The safest place in your life is at an altar of surrender with a God who's looking down the road saying, "Is today the day my son or daughter comes to the end of themselves and realizes the best life is the life I have for them?"
Grace is not a concept. Grace is a person and it's the person of Jesus living through us.