Grace Gives Second Chances

I love God’s grace.

God’s grace makes me uncomfortable at times.

I know that those two statements seem in opposition to one another. They even seem to contradict each other but I have had and still have both of those feelings toward grace. 

I love grace because, as sinner saved by grace, I know that God’s grace is the only thing that saves me. I still sin and so, it is only God’s grace that forgives and cleanses me. I am incapable in my own human resources to accomplish what God wants in me and through me, and it is the Holy Spirit that empowers to do God’s will and I have the Holy Spirit in me only by God’s grace. So, yeah, I love God’s grace.

But God’s grace also forces me to admit that I am incapable and weak and that I fail. God’s grace makes me realize that, as Jesus says in John 15:5, unattached from Jesus I can do nothing. That is humbling and many times uncomfortable. After all, I am a man and we are taught not admit weakness.

When I think about God’s grace, I am drawn to many passages. But the one that stands out for me is one where the word grace is not mentioned. I have come to understand that grace is more a story than a theological concept. I experience grace more than I understand it.

John 21:15-17

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” and he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”

Grace is seen in this passage in that, first, Jesus did not condemn Peter for doing what Jesus had told him that he would do, deny that he knew Jesus. Jesus had every reason to condemn Peter. He had told Peter beforehand that he would deny Him three times. Peter was passionate about not denying Him. Peter even went so far as to tell Jesus that he would die for Him. But even with every reason to condemn him, Jesus does not.

In John 3:17 Jesus says that He did not come into the world to condemn the world but to save the world.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing we will never have to face the condemnation of Jesus.

Grace is also seen in this passage in that Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him.

It may seem that Jesus was asking the same question over and over to Peter to create guilt. Jesus was actually doing it to relieve guilt. Peter had denied Jesus three times and Jesus was giving Peter three opportunities to reaffirm his love for Jesus.

Grace gives second chances.

Grace gives third chances.

Grace in fact gives many, many, many chances.

God’s grace never gives up on you and me.

Raise the Roof and remove the Walls is experiencing God’s grace continually in our daily lives.

But grace is also seen in this passage by the words that Jesus used when He asks Peter if he loves Him.

The English language has one word for love that covers many very different kinds of feelings. I love my wife, I love baseball, and I love seeing people connect with God are very different kinds of feelings. The Greek language has several different words that we translate love.

Jesus first, asked Peter if he agaped Him, if Peter loved Jesus with a divine kind of love. Peter responded that he loved Jesus like a brother. He used a different word for love.

The second time Jesus again asked Peter if he loved Him with a divine love and Peter responded that he loved Jesus like a brother.

The third time Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him like a brother and Peter says that yes, he loves Jesus like a brother.

God’s grace meets us where we are, not where we are going to be.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing God’s love and grace where we are at that very moment.

God’s grace by its very nature goes to those who not only don’t deserve it but also know that they don’t deserve it. We as followers of Jesus and people who have experienced His grace are not given the task to judge or condemn but to give grace to others as we have received grace.

In God’s Grace Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                            Joe