“Passion Week” –  Starting with Jesus coming into Jerusalem, being welcomed and cheered by a huge crowd, and treated like a king.  Something like 1^st-time Superbowl winners coming back to a parade. Or, better yet, veterans from World War II returning home, with everyone in the whole country celebrating the victory!

Except, in this case, there was one major difference.

Five days later, a lot of those same people were calling for His crucifixion. Talk about “group-think”! Thousands of people first cheering, then jeering, just because others around them were doing the same.

Thankfully Jesus’ self-esteem wasn’t tied to people’s opinions of Him.

Thankfully His love for people wasn’t tied to their (or our) fickle treatment of Him.

What made Him, God Incarnate, willingly come to live among us on this earth?

What made Him go through all that effort to reach out and touch the “untouchables”, heal the broken in body and heart, impart wisdom and truth to anyone who would listen…?

…and ultimately, voluntarily, let Himself be nailed to a cross to die an excruciatingly painful death…?

…all for the sake of people who either didn’t understand, didn’t care, or even “put” him there?

…and for the sake of all of us who have come along since then?

…and take the eternal punishment they and we deserve, giving us His eternal life in exchange?

…starting here… starting now…?

One word—GRACE

~A force so powerful and so vital it changes lives.

Grace equals undeserved/unmerited favor and goodwill.   We receive it as a gift, not because we’ve earned it, but because someone decides to give it to us.

If we earned it, it would be called “wages”, not grace!  If we manipulated someone into bestowing favor on us, that would be called “manipulation”, or “con-job”, not grace!

Have you ever asked someone for a favor?  The reason we call it a “favor” is because we know we know that person doesn’t have to do it for us.  We can’t make them do it. We have no legal, social, or moral right to demand it from them.  We can only appeal to their willingness to help us.

We call people who do these “extra” things for others “kind” and “gracious”– As in, demonstrating grace.

Where can we see grace?

• In forgiveness—true forgiveness—when someone recognizes they’ve been wronged and hurt by someone, but chooses to not hold it against the one who wronged them. Like when Corrie Ten Boom met one of the guards responsible for cruel acts toward her and others in the concentration camp where she had been held.  The guard approached her, apologized in tears, and pleaded for her forgiveness.  Recognizing her own need of forgiveness by God, she extended her hand to that guard in acceptance, and said “I forgive you”.  Grace flowed.
• In the ability to do other difficult relational acts— such as: Treat unkind people with kindness. Or love the unlovable.  Or not just “put up with” difficult people, but even spend time with them on purpose.  Often, these people will change because of that grace.  But even if they don’t, the grace remains the same.
• In the supernatural ability to go beyond our own physical, emotional, and mental limitations—Such as: Endurance; public speaking; boldly approaching someone we’re intimidated by; creating art, music, writing; etc.
• In every way we can show love and be loved.
• Ultimately in our own salvation and reconciliation to God (Rom. 5:8,10; Eph. 2:8-9). As we saw, He unilaterally broke down the barrier between us and Him, by His grace.

~Grace that works because of Jesus’ RESURRECTION– that gives His grace its eternal, effective, power!

What ways have you experienced grace lately?  How do you plan to extend it to others?