Grace alone
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
— John 1:1-3, 14, 16-18
October 31 is the celebration of the Lutheran Reformation. It was led by a man named Martin Luther. But why should we care? What makes this day unique, not just for Lutherans but for all Christians?
What drove Martin Luther to do what he did? All of it came down to one question: How do I know? How do I know that I am right with God? It was because Luther wanted to be right with God and know it that he searched to find the answer, and when he found that answer, he defended it with all his might.
How do you know? How do you know you are going to heaven if you die today? How do you know that all your sins are forgiven? How do you know that you stand before God as his dear child? Is it because you do the right things the best you can? Or is it because of something else?
Luther found the answer, and we, too, see that answer to that essential question in God’s word. The answer is “grace.” It is because of God’s grace that we stand before him holy and blameless. We can’t take the credit. If it were left to us, we would never have received God’s love. But our God gave it to us freely, which makes it amazing grace.
Our eternal God, who didn’t have to help us did the unthinkable. He became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Why would God want to come down and save us? Once again, it is best described with a single word, “GRACE!”
Grace is a gift that doesn’t require any payment in return. Grace comes from a heart that genuinely loves the one receiving the gift. And that is why our God did what he did. He loves you and me so much that knowing that we could never make up for what we have done came and dwelt among us to save us.
We can’t explain a love like this. We can’t understand why anyone would want to do this for anyone else, much less the whole world. Yet, this is what our eternal God did for us who didn’t deserve anything from our God, whom we failed and continue to fail every day.
When you are down and out, and this world seems to be fighting against you, nothing will go your way or feel like all hope is lost; look to your God, the creator of heaven and earth, and see how he feels about you. Look and see that he loves you. Look and see that he cares about you. Look and see that he has blessed you with blessings unending. Look and see that he has saved you.
Look and see it all in Christ who became flesh and made his dwelling among us to make us right with God: a gift that can’t be taken away from you and a gift worth fighting for because of your God’s amazing grace.
Happy to have God’s grace, just like you!
Jacob Hanneman is the pastor of Shepherd of the Plains Lutheran Church in Fort Morgan. Worship is online at www.shepherdoftheplainslutheranchurch.com.