Inviting Yet Holy

Good morning, welcome. Please open your Bibles to John 1.

New sermon series- What does a welcoming church look like? How would it be described? What makes one feel welcome when they walk through our doors?

Last week- We must begin by knowing who walks in.

This week- Who are we supposed to be? When people walk in, who is it that they will encounter?

Focusing on who we are before we look at what we do. What we do flows from who we are.

Who are we as Christians? We are at our core followers, or disciples, of Jesus.

How are we to portray Jesus to those with whom we come into contact.

What, then, should people see when they walk through the doors of our church? What will Christ displayed look like to them?

If we are followers of Jesus, then we ought to study Jesus to see who He was, how He loved, how He behaved.

Read John 1:14- “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Pray.

Two points to understand about our text before we move on:

Intro- referred to as the prologue of John’s gospel.

Jesus is called “The Word” because He is the perfect expression of the triune God.

Jesus, in representing the triune God, is said to be full of grace and truth.

Echoes the OT. Love and faithfulness.

Genesis 24:27- “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”

Exodus 34:6- “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”

Psalm 40:10- “I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.”

Remember, Jesus is the perfect representation of God who is known throughout the OT as loving and faithful. We shouldn’t be surprised to see that Jesus is full of grace and truth.

That being said, when I hear this phrase, I want to know what it means, and there are a couple of possible explanations.

Filled with grace and truth.

Filled to the brim- possessing both grace and truth entirely and perfectly and dispensing them to God’s people.

John Calvin- “Christ demonstrated that he actually is an inexhaustible fountain of grace and truth.”

For many, this doesn’t make sense. How can He possess in entirety both grace and truth?

Doesn’t one exist and increase at the expense of the other? No. Jesus possessed them both.

When He was gracious, it wasn’t at the expense of His truthfulness.

The fullness of grace and truth.

The grace of God revealed, the truth of God revealed.

Perhaps seen most clearly in the cross- God’s grace revealed in the unearned sacrifice of Jesus.

But also God’s truth made known- no toleration for sin.

John Calvin- “The apostles acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God, because he had in himself the fulfillment of all things which belong to the spiritual kingdom of God.”

Likely both are true and both are meant.

Jesus is filled with grace and truth and holds them both in balance with one another simultaneously.

He is also the perfect representation of God’s grace and God’s truth.

Thus, if Jesus is described as being both full of grace And full of truth, and we are to be the representation of Jesus, the body of Christ, to a world that does not know Him, then we are to also be full of grace and truth.

“Oh to be like you…”

Let’s explore each in turn.

1. Full of grace.

Grace, simply defined, is undeserved favor. Everything that Jesus did for anyone had no existing merit.

People came to be healed, or taught, or encouraged, without having done anything for Jesus. Jesus owed no one anything.

Shown most clearly in the cross. Because of our sin, no one deserves the offer of eternal life because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

This is fascinating to actually thing about. The extension of goodwill, but the highest possible definition of goodwill.

Azariah and Ainesis. Blown away by the grace and generosity shown for 55 cents.

How was Jesus’ graciousness seen and experienced?

The incarnation of Jesus.

Matthew 8:1-4- “When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

The fullness of Jesus’ grace was shown in His entrance into people’s lives, and more specifically, into their pain.

The usefulness of Jesus.

Jesus met needs. He saw what was going on in a person’s life, what was their deepest problem, and He met those needs.

Matthew 9:10-13- “And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus saw true need.

The compassion of Jesus.

Matthew 9:35-36- “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus was moved by the pain of others.

Watching movies differently. Being moved in our gut.

The grace of Jesus deployed.

We are meant to possess the very qualities as Jesus.

A ministry of usefulness.

Are you able to see the needs of others, even as they enter the doors of the church?

What are the needs of someone coming for the very first time?

Not talking about alleviating dire poverty here, I’m talking about simple friendliness.

Greeting with a friendly smile, helping people know where they are going, answering questions, giving up your seat. Asking how you can help.

Jesus saw that the sick were in need of a doctor- are we able to diagnose the needs of a visitor?

What do you have to offer? What can you give of yourself?

A ministry of incarnation.

How are you able to invite someone into your life?

Family that always was looking to invite new people over for lunch.

Interlocking fingers.

A ministry of compassion.

Do you feel the needs of others? Let me clarify, not simply see the needs, but feel something because of them?

Are you driven to help?

2. Full of truth.

The truth of Jesus defined.

Jesus is the reality of truth. No falsehood.

John 14:6- “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Importance of the word “the.”

The only way, the only truth, the only life.

The truth of Jesus displayed.

He spoke necessary words.

Perhaps this is surprising to you. Didn’t Jesus heal, cast out demons, raise to life, feed, etc.? Yes, but there was always more.

Jesus’ ministry was one of spreading God’s Word. His ministry was a preaching ministry.

Matthew 9:35-36- “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Yes he healed, but he was always aware of what was the greater need- spreading the Kingdom of God. Making it known through His words.

In fact, it appears that Jesus’ compassion was what drove His preaching.

He spoke difficult words.

John 3:9-10- “Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?”

Is Jesus being cruel here? Or is he saying something that is difficult but necessary for Nicodemus to hear?

He communicates that all of Nicodemus’ religious training has not revealed to him what God is doing in Jesus.

He brought up the very system through with Nicodemus viewed the world and showed how it was lacking.

Isn’t this the nature of evangelism? Of preaching? We seek to understand who a person is, how they view everything, and seek to provide a better way.

And at it’s core, the truth, no matter how difficult, is always Jesus.

The truth of Jesus deployed.

Jesus is our firm foundation of truth.

All of what we say measured against the person, character and behavior of Jesus.

John Wesley- “When I was young, I was sure of everything: In a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before. At present I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to man.”

This is the hill on which we die. No negotiation. Jesus is everything to us. We preach Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, crucified and risen. Everything comes back to this central truth because it is indeed an actual central truth.

We can speak of following God, of living rightly, but it must be firmly planted on who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.

Truth is given for the right reason.

We can say truthful things in a way that is sinful because it runs contrary to the person, character and behavior of Jesus.

Our kids tattling on one another- true message given for the wrong reason.

Jesus spoke truth from a place of grace.

His compassion and love drove Him to speak the words that He spoke.

It ought to be the same for us.

So what should people find when they come to NHCC?

A congregation that is inviting yet holy.

Inviting because we care. Our greatest desire is for needs to be met, and the highest need possible is to know Jesus.

Holy because we speak and live truth.