The Need for Grace

Luke, a physician from 21 centuries ago, tells the story of an encounter between Jesus of Nazareth and a man from the ancient town of Jericho named Zaccheus. (See Luke 19:1-10) Zaccheus was a tax-collector in the employ of the Roman Empire; one of thousands recruited from among the people conquered by Rome. Given the chance to become fantastically wealthy with Rome's support, Zaccheus did so, to the scorn of his own people. He would have had all the money, stuff, power, women, and manifestation of the good life he wanted. Yet, when an itinerant Galilean carpenter/preacher wandered into Jericho, something pulled at Zaccheus' gut. He ran to see Jesus, and shinnied up a tree to get a good look at him. Both actions, running and tree climbing, would be a social embarrassment to a man of his position and power. What would cause him to risk all that? What would Jesus offer that he couldn't buy with all his resources?

I suggest that without even knowing it, what Zaccheus wanted was the very thing Jesus offered him. Jesus wanted to sit at a meal with him. In that culture, no gift of grace was greater than sharing table fellowship. It was especially poignant given Zaccheus' position and reputation. The concept of "grace" comes from the Greek word charis. It came to mean a gift that is unearned, undeserved, unanticipated, but freely given. The saving act which is Jesus crucified and risen, and in our midst, epitomizes and embodies this grace.

Think how absent this kind of grace is in our world? How many times are people gifted in this way, without having to qualify for it, pay for it, do something in return, or have some other condition attached? Consider the following questions:

When was the last time you were "graced" - given something out of the blue, not because you deserved it, and with no thought of payback or glory given to the giver?

When was the last time you "graced" another human being?

What would it look like for Jesus-followers to be concrete examples of pure grace? What would it look like for a congregation to "grace" a community?

What could you do in the next 24 hours to give unconditional grace to someone else?

I'll see you around the next bend in the river.