Does Grace Hit a Nerve in Your Heart?

By Hazel Holland

Jesus' life was a living demonstration of the gospel.  In His preaching and teaching He showed love and forgiveness to people.   He never shunned publicans, or shamed prostitutes, or exposed someone caught in the act of adultery.  That's why sinners loved Him.  He always gave them mercy and grace.  And that's why the religious people hated Him... 

They hated Him because He loved sinners.  They hated Him because He was a continual threat to their religious traditions.  They hated Him because they saw Him as loose on morality.  They hated Him because they felt He was compromising the Law at a time when they needed Him to stand up against the Romans.

Jesus' life was a continual stumbling stone to the religious people of His day.  So much so that they saw that if they didn't do something to stop the spread of His message of love and forgiveness and grace to sinners, it would change the world.  Although they saw that His message had the power to change lives, they didn't want it to change their lives.  That could mean that they might lose their place and position in society.

But Jesus was always one step ahead of the religious people of His day.  He willingly gave up His life for them as well as for those who knew they were sinners.  He showed His grace and love to all when He died on the cross so that all might have the opportunity of responding to His goodness and grace. 

What about today?  Does Jesus' message of love and forgiveness still hit a nerve in the hearts of His hearers?  Jesus was willing to allow Himself to be seen as a compromiser of the Law so that He might reach us all with His gospel of grace.  Are we willing to do the same?  Are we willing to be seen as loose on morality in order to minister to someone in their hour of need?  Does grace hit a nerve our hearts, too? ♥