Grace

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many may be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. [Rom 5: 15]

The Grace of God; It is, perhaps, the most sublime matter that can be found in all of Scripture. From beginning to end, the Bible is a revelation of God's grace to fallen man. From the day that God first killed an animal to clothe Adam and Eve until that final day when we all are transfigured and clothed with the glory of God, one of the Bible's uppermost themes, is the unestimatable Grace of God.

I. The Definition of Grace
What is grace? Often grace is defined merely as unmerited favor. But that does not really do it justice. From Genesis, to Revelation, we see God showering grace upon a fallen, miserable, rebellious race known as the human race. From the day that Adam brought sin into the world through his rebellion to God's command, mankind has been living in open rebellion against God.

We see God all throughout the Bible putting forth His hand in kindness calling and longing for man to both receive His love and to return it in kind. We see Him extending His love toward man only to have that love answered with contempt, pride, open rebellion, and an utter revulsion at the suggestion of His very existence. How would you react, if the very object of your love, the one who is your chief desire, responded with disdain at the fact that you were alive?

When God sent His Son, Jesus, it was His ultimate act of Grace taking precedence over all that He had done, or has done since. Jesus, God in the flesh, came unto his own, and His own received Him not (John 1:11). Jesus brought the grace of God down to fallen man in a way that man could see who God is, and how much He loves each and every person. He healed the sick, He raised the dead, He fed thousands, He reached out to the outcasts the misfits, the societal throw-a-ways. He brought forgiveness and hope to those that the religious leaders had given up on. Jesus showed that it was God's will not to harm us. Even to those who should have been destroyed according to strict adherence to the law, Jesus brought mercy and restoration. Jesus demonstrated that mercy is grace in action. The Hebrew word for bless is barakh. It means to kneel. It is not a reference to kneeling is subjugation, but rather kneeling to enrich. The word picture is that of a father who kneels to relate to his children face to face. Jesus did exactly that.

Yet for all that, Jesus was reviled, he was hated so much that a kangaroo court, a mockery and sham of a trial was instigated against Him.

He brought the love of God down to us. Jesus was the Father's way of getting down on His knees to relate to us face to face, to pull us to Himself and hold us close; close enough that we can hear his heartbeat. False witnesses were brought to accuse him, and nearly 200 laws from both the Torah and the Talmud had to be broken just to put Jesus on trial. He was reviled and lied about, but He never opened His mouth. He was beaten, and scourged within an inch of death, and he never once sought to defend Himself. Surely, those twelve legions consisting of 72,000 angels of the armies of the Living God stood ready with swords drawn, nearly busting the seams of heaven to come to the aid of their King if He would just give the word. Just one word from Jesus, and the earth would have been a cinder block hurtling through space.

Yet, Jesus as he never failed to do, continued to demonstrate God's Grace by offering up prayer for His enemies. Father, forgive them they don't know what they are doing. Even on the cross in agony, His mind was not on His pain, his torn flesh, the splinters in His back, the torture of the nails that impaled Him to the cross. His thoughts were for His enemies. His thoughts were for His mother. His ministry did not end in Gethsemane. Even on the cross Jesus offered salvation and forgiveness. Jesus's thoughts were not upon Himself, but upon us. Jesus was thinking about His enemies, the thief, His mother, and he was thinking about you.

It has been said that offering salvation was the greatest act of God in the history of the universe. It was a greater demonstration of His power than the creation of the universe. This is so, because in salvation, God gave all He had. Jesus gave EVERYTHING to save you and me. We are rebellious, selfish, demanding, impatient, prideful, full of vanity, bitter, foolish, contemptuous, and yet God still loves us. He never gives up on us. He's always there to give a second chance, a third chance, a 56th chance. Even when we are faithless, the Bible says, He is faithful. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. We have spurned his love, and trampled it with our selfish desire to do our own thing. And once we have screwed everything up and made a horrible mess of our lives, He is there, waiting at the portals, watching like the Father of the prodigal son. Waiting to embrace us in His loving arms. No matter how much we have hurt Him, He is willing to receive us back with open arms. One thing you can be sure of; Jesus will never break your heart.

I posit therefore, that grace is NOT unmerited favor at all. Grace is the over-exhibited mercy, loving kindness and favor of God, given freely to those who merit His uttermost contempt, and disfavor.