Happenings 21 March 2019

John tells us that Jesus came full of grace and truth (John 1:14). John didn’t choose these two words at random – he chose them very carefully. They are two opposite ends of a pendulum swing that, as people, we struggle to avoid. We tend to move, both as people and as a society, to a position of either ‘graceless truth’ or of ‘truthless grace’. The first position is one the church has been guilty of at times … emphasising proclamation of the gospel message without wrapping it in empathetic hearts, helping hands and accessible wallets. The second position of ‘truthless grace’ has been flooding the airwaves since last Friday. I was listening on talkback radio to caller after caller applauding how various religions have been forgetting their differences to come together to show solidarity after the terrible shootings last week. The unmistakable message is that the content of your belief is irrelevant so long as you are showing grace and love. Now, don’t get me wrong – our shared humanity, our love for others and our role as ambassadors of God’s compassion should impel us to love the hurting in our world and stand with those who have suffered grievous loss - no question. But the subtext that the world would be a better place if concepts of truth were jettisoned and grace was everything should disturb us. What did Jesus do? He came full of both grace and truth and managed to live holding them together in harmony. He spoke and lived truth as an expression of God’s grace; his gracious words and acts led people to truth. Let us also hold onto both.

In Him,
Murray