Grace is Accepting the Outcast

Jesus shows grace in many ways. He did not let circumstances or what others expected Him to be or do stop Him from displaying grace.

In Mark 2:13-14 Jesus calls Mathew to leave his position as a tax collector and come and follow Him, Jesus. Later Jesus appoints Matthew as one of the twelve apostles. Jesus called a man who, because of what he did for living, was hated by his people, the Jews.

Jesus shows grace by accepting and calling an outcast to be not just a follower, but one of the Twelve.

Then in verse 15 Jesus is at Matthew’s house eating with Matthew’s friends. Matthew’s friends are other tax collector. Eating with another person in eastern culture shows acceptance. Jesus not only accepted Matthew; He showed acceptance to many other outcasts.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing God to manifest His grace through us by us accepting those who are cultural outcasts.

In verse 16 the Pharisees question why Jesus was eating with sinners. Jesus responds in verse 17 by saying, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteousness but sinners.”

Jesus can do nothing for those people who see themselves as righteous apart from what Jesus did on the cross. When we recognize our sin and admit our sin and our need for Jesus then we can and will experience the acceptance and forgiveness of God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging our sin and seeking Jesus as the solution.

In Mark 2 :18-19 Jesus is asked another question. Since the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, why did His disciples notfast?.

In verse 20 Jesus asks why the wedding party would fast and not celebrite while the groom is still with them. He tells them in verse 21 that there will be a time to fast after the groom has left.

Jesus says that He as the bridegroom is reason for celebration, not fasting.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is focusing our lives on Jesus and celebrating Him.

In Mark 2:21 Jesus points out that no one sows a new cloth patch on an old garment. If they do, it will shrink and make the hole bigger and worse. In verse 22 Jesus says that you don’t put new wine into old wineskins because it will burst the old wineskins and both the wine and wineskins will be ruined. You put new wine into new wineskins. Jesus came with something new, the gospel, and it needed a new container, a new structure. If not, then everything will be ruined.

 

Jesus is pointing out that grace cannot be contained in the old structure of the law. The gospel needs a new container. It needs the faith community of the church to effectively impact the world.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is letting grace, not rules and rituals, control your life.

Jesus in these passages is:

The Physician who heals the sick.

The Bridegroom who brings joy to His friends.

The Tailor who fixes the hole.

The Winemaker who provides new wine.

Grace is accepting outcasts and the unlovable no matter what others think and living based on a relationship with Jesus, not religious rules.

In Grace Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                      Joe