Praise the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
It has been a very mild weekend here in New York. The crocuses by the parsonage
are popping up (more than a tad early). The Lord is going to grant us two
Spring seasons this year . The one in January and the the other one in March.
Our Lord is majestic and merciful and always gracious. He blessed us with His
very presence during Worship, Sunday School, and Fellowship gatherings
yesterday. I preached from the Ephesians Chapter 1. We are blessed beyond
belief . The Lord pours upon us His grace and peace continuously. We are saved
by faith, by placing our trust in what Jesus did for us on the cross. The only
forgiveness available to us is the forgiveness received because of what Christ
did. Because only Christ’s death deals with the problem of the human heart.
The movie "Les Misérables" has been described as one of the most redeeming movies of lat year. The central theme of the Book deals with the story of a criminal named Jean Valjean, a tough, bitter man who has spent nineteen years in prison. When he is finally released, he finds it impossible to find work or shelter because no-one wants anything to do with him. Finally he is taken in by a kindly bishop, who gives him food and a place to stay. However, in the middle of the night, Valjean creeps downstairs and steals the bishop’s silver. He is quickly caught by three constables and brought back to the bishop’s house.
Things look desperate for Valjean. The bishop has the opportunity to incriminate him for his act of betrayal and have him imprisoned for the rest of his life. Instead, the bishop says to Valjean, “So here you are! I’m delighted to see you. Had you forgotten that I gave you the candlesticks as well? They’re silver like the rest, and worth a good 200 francs. Did you forget to take them?” In this way, at considerable cost to himself, the bishop asks the constables let Valjean go.
After the authorities leave, the bishop insists that Valjean keep the silver and the candlesticks. Basically, the bishop absorbs the cost of the silver, and tells Valjean, “Do not forget, do not ever forget that you have promised me to use the money to make yourself an honest man.” The stunned Valjean is thus released and given the silver candlesticks as well. Valjean stutters, “Why? Why are you doing this?”
The bishop replies, “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil. With this silver I have bought your soul and now I am giving you back to God.”
The bishop could have treated Valjean in one of three ways.
First, he could have treated Valjean with justice, giving him exactly what his deeds deserved. He could have said, “Give me back my silver,” got the constables to arrest him, and have him packed off back to prison. That would be justice, simply giving him what he deserves—no more, no less. Second, he could have treated Valjean with leniency. He could have said, “I want my silver back, but I won’t press charges.” The last option open to the bishop is the option he actually takes as he treats Valjean with grace. By his actions he says, “I know what you’ve done, how you’ve abused my generosity. But look, keep the silver and take these candlesticks as well. You can go free. The only thing I ask is that you use the money to change your life for the better.” He gives the criminal standing before him a very expensive gift—one that is totally undeserved. That is grace!
The movie "Les Misérables" has been described as one of the most redeeming movies of lat year. The central theme of the Book deals with the story of a criminal named Jean Valjean, a tough, bitter man who has spent nineteen years in prison. When he is finally released, he finds it impossible to find work or shelter because no-one wants anything to do with him. Finally he is taken in by a kindly bishop, who gives him food and a place to stay. However, in the middle of the night, Valjean creeps downstairs and steals the bishop’s silver. He is quickly caught by three constables and brought back to the bishop’s house.
Things look desperate for Valjean. The bishop has the opportunity to incriminate him for his act of betrayal and have him imprisoned for the rest of his life. Instead, the bishop says to Valjean, “So here you are! I’m delighted to see you. Had you forgotten that I gave you the candlesticks as well? They’re silver like the rest, and worth a good 200 francs. Did you forget to take them?” In this way, at considerable cost to himself, the bishop asks the constables let Valjean go.
After the authorities leave, the bishop insists that Valjean keep the silver and the candlesticks. Basically, the bishop absorbs the cost of the silver, and tells Valjean, “Do not forget, do not ever forget that you have promised me to use the money to make yourself an honest man.” The stunned Valjean is thus released and given the silver candlesticks as well. Valjean stutters, “Why? Why are you doing this?”
The bishop replies, “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil. With this silver I have bought your soul and now I am giving you back to God.”
The bishop could have treated Valjean in one of three ways.
First, he could have treated Valjean with justice, giving him exactly what his deeds deserved. He could have said, “Give me back my silver,” got the constables to arrest him, and have him packed off back to prison. That would be justice, simply giving him what he deserves—no more, no less. Second, he could have treated Valjean with leniency. He could have said, “I want my silver back, but I won’t press charges.” The last option open to the bishop is the option he actually takes as he treats Valjean with grace. By his actions he says, “I know what you’ve done, how you’ve abused my generosity. But look, keep the silver and take these candlesticks as well. You can go free. The only thing I ask is that you use the money to change your life for the better.” He gives the criminal standing before him a very expensive gift—one that is totally undeserved. That is grace!
We will never understand Christianity until we
see ourselves in exactly the same position as Valjean. All of us stand before
God as Valjean stood before the bishop: utterly guilty, deserving judgment for
the way we’ve abused his love for us, and with no way of putting the situation
right. Rather than treating us as we deserve, God, in his amazing grace and
generosity, offers us forgiveness that is only made possible by Jesus’ death on
the cross. This forgiveness is “the gift of God.” There’s nothing any of us can
do to earn it. We turn to the Lord in utter dependence and weakness, realizing
that nothing we do will be enough to cure the problem of the human
heart.
Not surprisingly, some people find this very hard to do. It is difficult not only to admit how weak and dependent they are, but also to accept that anything so costly could be given to them for free. It is hard to accept this gift from the Lord when all our lives we’ve been taught that we have to earn our supper, earn our praise, earn our salary. The truth is that the Christian life is not about duty or "just desserts". It is about receiving a gift I don’t deserve, and then living a life of thanks for that gift. In fact “charis,” the Greek word for grace, also means “rejoice.”
Victor Hugo wrote, “Life’s greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved.” In his great work, Les Misérables we see that the undeserved forgiveness and generosity that Valjean receives from the bishop changes his life. It unlocks his heart and unleashes his potential. He is ransomed from fear and hatred and becomes a human being of remarkable generosity and mercy, touching numerous lives. It all stems from the new identity he found when the bishop treated him with grace.
In the same way, God’s grace allows us to find our identity, our ultimate worth and our ultimate purpose and mission.
Not surprisingly, some people find this very hard to do. It is difficult not only to admit how weak and dependent they are, but also to accept that anything so costly could be given to them for free. It is hard to accept this gift from the Lord when all our lives we’ve been taught that we have to earn our supper, earn our praise, earn our salary. The truth is that the Christian life is not about duty or "just desserts". It is about receiving a gift I don’t deserve, and then living a life of thanks for that gift. In fact “charis,” the Greek word for grace, also means “rejoice.”
Victor Hugo wrote, “Life’s greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved.” In his great work, Les Misérables we see that the undeserved forgiveness and generosity that Valjean receives from the bishop changes his life. It unlocks his heart and unleashes his potential. He is ransomed from fear and hatred and becomes a human being of remarkable generosity and mercy, touching numerous lives. It all stems from the new identity he found when the bishop treated him with grace.
In the same way, God’s grace allows us to find our identity, our ultimate worth and our ultimate purpose and mission.
In
Christ,
Brown
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