All is of Grace.  Romans 15.13-16

Paul was all about the grace of God.  And because he knew that without the grace of God, no one would know either hope or peace, he regularly offered the three in his writing to the people of God.  I Remember one day that I saw grace tangibly needed, offered, and received by one of God’s children.  The scene was at the little old Sanctuary, where I was holding weekly Bible studies for the street people of the wicked, beautiful city of Long Beach.

Yes, I remember the day our Sanctuary community in Long Beach was the scene of amazing grace.  Al, a brother, who lives in Lincoln Park, was waiting when I pulled my car up to the curb.  Thrilled to see Al again, I jumped out to hug him and welcome him back; his return meant he had felt accepted in our midst, or he would not have returned a second time.  Why?  Al is a Crip, who lives in Lincoln Park, has led an openly gay lifestyle, and is now HIV positive.  It is no secret. 

On this clear, cool Tuesday morning, the Sanctuary is where he wanted to be.  He was looking for hope.  He was looking for answers.  He was looking for grace.  I knew he was desperately hurting, and wanted to know where he could find God…again.  At one point, I had us turn to Zephaniah 3.17… and then I asked the Duke of Earl if he would please turn to Al, and read it to him.  Duke donned his reading glasses, cleared his throat, and said, ‘All right.  “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”’  Well Duke didn’t even get to the second sentence, before Al burst into tears.  I got up from my seat, crossed the circle, and reached out to hug him; at that point, he was wracked with inconsolable guttural sobs, so I held him, while all around the room, eyes filled with tears.  It was a holy moment.  My dear ones, when the children of God can be alongside someone in his pain, and just be still in reverent silence, God is present.  A holy moment indeed.  When I went back to my seat, Duke put his long arm around Al’s shoulders, and protectively supported him until he could compose himself.  Duke extended grace to Al.  And through the life-giving Word of God, Al received grace in the form of a God who delights in him, a God who will quiet him with his love, and rejoice over him with singing.  Ah, the look of grace.

“May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace”-Paul’s beginning sentiment to the Ephesians; “May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ” - Paul’s words, ending his letter to the Ephesians.  Grace … in the beginning, and in the end.  Freely, you have received God’s grace, freely give it away.

And now, Paul’s sentiments in Romans chapter 15:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15.13-16

Clearly, I was the one who highlighted the particular words in red, but notice with me that the words are concepts that flow from one Source.  God/Holy Spirit -> grace, hope, joy, peace, knowledge, goodness, gospel, offering acceptable to God, sanctified    Indeed, it is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to apprehend grace.  Once we have taken hold of grace, the Holy Spirit in us makes us more like Christ (he sanctifies us), by working out goodness, hope, joy, peace, and knowledge—so that our lives may be an acceptable offering to God. 

What Al experienced that day in Long Beach impacted all who were present, not just him . . . see, when on that rare occasion, we see grace freely offered, freely given away, and then grace taken a hold of—like a drink of cool water to a parched throat—it is never forgotten.

Christine