Got Grace?

April 2, 2000

The Rev. Dr. Anthony J. Godlefski, Pastor

Montgomery United Methodist Church

Ephesians 2: 4-10

But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through the gift of God-not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

John 3: 14-16

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, good morning! Friends, I'd like to talk to you today about one of the most beautiful words in the English language. I hope that even though this word may be very dear to you, I hope it will be dearer still when you walk out of the sanctuary this morning. And I hope that you will personally feel its inner meaning. And that word is grace.

Oh, amazing grace, how sweet the sound! If someone came up to you, perhaps someone who wasn't a Christian, or a little child, and asked, "What does that word mean?" what would you say? I'd like to offer a few thoughts on that beautiful word today, that you might find it ever more meaningful.

The classic definition of the word grace is "unmerited favor." That's the standard theological definition, unmerited favor. But that doesn't have enough zing or punch in it. The word grace, to me, means love. Love may be one of the biggest words in the whole world, but you know what? It isn't big enough, because grace is about God's love. So I would submit to you that grace is God's OGL - God's outrageously generous love. That's what grace is.

God is the most outrageously generous being in the universe, and grace is the word we Christians use to describe that incredible generosity and that incredible love. And it's all around us, and it's for you. In the Epistle reading we heard today, it said that while we were all sinners, grace is what saved us, God's grace through faith, while we were yet dead through our transgressions.

What does that mean? It means that while we were still mistake-makers, while we were still in doubt, while we were still in sin, God loved us! His love surrounded us even then. Isn't that great? He doesn't wait for us to be perfect. He doesn't wait for us to be complete. He just says, "Come on home. I love you." That's how big his love is, and that's what grace is all about.

God is the most outrageously generous giver in the whole universe. And his grace is all around. The first thing we need to do is believe it. Did you ever walk in a forest and see on the forest floor a flower? A flower that may bloom for just a few days and might have gone unnoticed except for the fact that you came by to see it. And yet God put it there, and there are probably thousands in that very forest. God's love and abundance is limitless. That's what God's grace is about, that incredible, outrageous generosity.

To know God is to believe that God loved the world so much that he sent the best to us. That's what God is like. Believe that God is a God of grace. Do this with me for just a second - flex your hand into and out of a fist. Did you ever stop to think how complex that move is? Did you ever stop to think about how many synapses and neurons and electronic connections make that move happen at will? It's amazing! And you can do it with both hands, and you can move your feet, and you can see it! God's grace is so abundant to us.

The older I get, the more amazed I am at the whole idea of getting up in the morning. [Congregant: Yes, every morning when I get up, I say, "Good morning, God! I love you!"] Getting up in the morning is God's way of saying, "I love you." What a relationship! It's amazing. It's a miracle. It's abundant. It's God.

God is the God of outrageously generous love. And once we believe that, we' re on the path. What is the difference between goodness and sin? Goodness comes from faith. Sin is the set of behaviors that come from a lack of faith. The condition of being in sin is lacking faith. We've all been there. But yet, while we're in that condition, God loves us still. He embraces us. Did I ever tell you the story of the camp counselor who liked to hug the kids? There were two kids at the camp. One was always stiff. It was like hugging a tree. But there was another kid who used to roll in the dirt and get himself all messed up. He was the one who ran with open arms to her, and she would hug him. She used to say, "You know, it's easier to hug a messy kid than a stiff kid." God hugs us when we're at our messiest and when we're at our best, when we're doubting and when we're full of faith, when we do wrong and right, when things are going badly and when things are going well. His love surrounds us, and that's what grace is. That 's the God who loves you.

So believe it, dear friends, and the second thing is, receive it. Won't you receive it? Sometimes there are people who are so good to others, but they never invoke it for themselves. Is that you? Sometimes we get so condemning of ourselves that we don't need any judge and jury. Sometimes we get so used to putting ourselves down that we don't know the grace of God. I invite you to simply receive it. I invite you to know that whatever condition you're in and wherever you've been, God loves you. God loves you with an abundant love that will never let you go. That's what grace is about. That's what makes grace amazing. Receive it for yourself. And next time you're down on yourself, the next time you regret something you did, just say, "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound," and let that love surround you and enfold you and hold you. Know that it is behind you and in front of you and within you. You are surrounded by grace like a fish is surrounded by water.

So believe it and receive it for yourself. Go easy on yourself, please. Let God give you a royal break - that's what grace is. Believe it, receive it, and reflect it. Because God is so gracious, we are free to be gracious people. God loves us into loving. God smiles us into smiling. God cares for us into caring. God blesses us into blessing. And our job is to receive it and reflect it. Reflect it to those around you. Let us be known as the gracious people of the world.

I took the confirmation class a week ago to the library at Princeton Theological Seminary. You know, there's something different about that library. The head of the library was so glad that the confirmation class was coming, and he said, "I'm going to prepare a special exhibit for you." He took out leaves from the Gutenberg Bible. He had an original copy of the King James Bible. He had manuscripts from 300 A.D. He had ancient music manuscripts. And he had it all out on the table. He gave us all white gloves to wear. I said to the class, "This may be one of the only times in your life when you'll get this close to manuscripts like this without bullet-proof glass between you." The head of the library was so generous. There was a spirit about that whole meeting that was so kind and reflecting of a Christian institution.

God is so gracious, and he invites us to reflect that graciousness. And it happens. I watched here yesterday as people were cleaning the church out of the love of their hearts. They spent a beautiful day cleaning the church. That's reflecting God's gracious love. We have opportunities to do it, and what a way to live!

The first part of the week I was taking a class in Florida. It was very nice down there; I could tell through the window of my classroom. It was a good class, on the theology of faith and stewardship. I was flying back on the plane, and as I looked down through the window and saw all the lights and cities and cars, I thought, "This is what God sees. God loves all these, and so much more." God's grace is so big and so good.

When we got home, I went to a favorite restaurant in Linden, a great Polish restaurant. God gave me an opportunity for graciousness. It was late, the waitresses had gone home, and this particular restaurant has a cafeteria set-up. You take a tray and get some good Polish food. There was a little lady bringing out the food behind the counter. I thought to myself, people usually tip the waitress; everyone gives 20%, right? But what about this lady? Does she ever get a tip? And I thought, why ever not?

So I took a bunch of bills out of my wallet and gave it to the woman after I paid, and that tired, sad face all of a sudden brightened to a smile, and she thanked me profusely in Polish. And I thank God for the opportunity to be gracious. How about you? We are a gracious people. We reflect a gracious God.

Let me tell you just one more story in closing, where I felt the blessing of God's gracious people. When I was preparing to come to Montgomery and leave my former church of 16 years, there were many celebrations and wonderful parties of all kinds. The last one was a picnic. And during that picnic, just before I left, a little girl about 8 or 9 years old had gone into the forest behind the church and picked a handful of daisies. She came over to me, and without a word she gave me the flowers. And I knew as I took the flowers and gave her a hug that I had been blessed indeed by a God-like spirit. I didn't deserve those flowers, but she gave them to me anyway. What a blessing! What a joy!

Friends, you are the children of a great and gracious God. Receive the blessing, believe in the blessing, and reflect the blessing. And we will walk in His way. God bless you. God loves you, and I do, too. Have a wonderful week. Amen.