Sermon Tone Analysis

These days, the world is full of people arguing over the truth.

Absolute truth vs. emotional/psychological truth

“a generic, ecumenical clergyperson” representing an “undemanding God.”

Bad religion is established religion.

Good religion is free religion.

Sullivan, Winnifred Fallers.

A Ministry of Presence .

University of Chicago Press.

Kindle Edition.

Sullivan, Winnifred Fallers.

A Ministry of Presence (p.

12).

University of Chicago Press.

Kindle Edition.

But the opening of John’s gospel reminds us of what is special about Jesus.

He came from the Father, “full of grace and truth.”

In Jesus Christ, grace and truth are joined.

His life and his message show the beauty and the power of grace and truth, walking hand-in-hand.

From Jesus, we can learn something about how to walk and speak in the world today, through grace and truth.

This morning, in the final week of our three-week series on God’s grace, we should learn from Jesus about the power of a message spoken in grace, peace, and truth.

Some people emphasize grace.

Others emphasize truth.

But Jesus showed us that apart from grace, we cannot really speak the truth, and apart from the truth, we are not really speaking words of grace.

The peace of God comes when grace and truth are joined.

And in Jesus, we see our perfect example.

John’s gospel continues with words of grace.

“From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” ( NRSV).

The NIV substitutes “one blessing after another” for “grace upon grace.”

But why argue over translation?

I believe John was searching for a way to communicate that God’s grace is multi-layered.

If we walk with him 50 years, we will discover again and again the God who beckons us (in C.S. Lewis’ happy phrase) to come “farther up and farther in.”

But take note: if we are determined to think of grace as merely a ticket to heaven, there is no farther up and farther in, either in this life or the next.

Why come to the shores of God’s grace only to dip our toes in the ocean?

One sure indicator of a religiously-closed mind is the firm conviction that we have this “Jesus thing” figured out.

The religiously-closed mind is only interested in exporting its brand of spirituality.

We need to discover that it’s impossible to drink in God’s grace if we do nothing but try and tell others how to live.

reminds us, “But he gives us more grace.

That is why Scripture says ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”

More grace.

Greater grace.

All the more grace.

I believe James was speaking from experience, not theory.

I think he discovered the multi-layered grace of God as he learned to humble himself again and again.

When we humble ourselves, we position ourselves for greater grace.

And when we humble ourselves, we create an atmosphere of peace that allows us to speak the truth, filled with grace.

Did you know that the apostle Paul opened each one of his letters with the very same greeting?

Thirteen times he says, “Grace and peace to you.”

It describes an international calm and a relationship of goodwill between God and humans.

Most frequently it describes a social reality, a state of reconciliation and wholeness among a group of people.

Šālôm is the daily greeting in Israel; šālôm ʿălêkem “peace upon you (pl.)” is a common expression we could translate as “good day.”

But it really is closer to “may you be well.”

To be well is, of course, to be “whole, to be complete,” to have physical and spiritual resources sufficient to one’s needs.

Grace is the favor of God to human beings.

The noun ḥēn (“grace, favor”) occurs 69 times; a frequent occurrence is in such expressions as māṣāʾ ḥēn bĕʿênê (“find favor in the eyes of”), which serves as the passive of ḥnn (“find favor” = “be favored”), and nātan ḥēn bĕʿênê (“give favor in the eyes of”)

The idiom “find grace, favor in the sight of (someone)” refers to the positive disposition of the one acting graciously and granting favor, a disposition which is manifested in the bright, happy countenance of the one granting favor.

In Num 6:25, “May Yahweh make his face shine on you” is followed by a form of the verb ḥnn (“and may he be gracious to you”).

ḥesed can appropriately be considered a word for grace, i.e., God’s free and uncoerced action for individuals or for the whole people, in a situation of grave need, when God is appealed to as the only source of assistance.

Grace is love demonstrated by giving; in the gospel, grace is unmerited divine favor, arising in the mind of God and bestowed on his people.

It is often considered with regard to its beneficial effects.

Each one of Paul’s letters opens with these words.

Thirteen times!

Whether Paul was writing to the people of a church, to his “true son in the faith,” like Titus, or even when he was writing to discuss the difference between slavery and brotherhood, his blessing was always “grace and peace.”

Grace can mean loving help to an individual or to people.

Each one of Paul’s letters opens with these words.

Thirteen times!

Whether Paul was writing to the people of a church, to his “true son in the faith,” like Titus, or even when he was writing to discuss the difference between slavery and brotherhood, his blessing was always “grace and peace.”

The apostle Paul opened every letter with the words “grace and peace.”

Some people might think these words are a formality, but these words—even if they were formalities—were breathed out by the Holy Spirit.

In the New Testament epistles, even the greetings are part of the inspired scripture!

Why would this man of God greet everyone in this manner?

What is so important about grace and peace that Paul feels the need to speak the words immediately?

Perhaps we could start here:

Paul greeted everyone with “grace and peace” because he understood our ongoing need for both of them.

He was writing to believers, yet he wished for them more grace and more peace.

I believe Paul gave each congregation grace and peace because they were his to give.

Jesus had instructed the original twelve, “Whatever house you enter, let your first words be, ‘peace to this house’” ().

Jesus had in mind something more than words.

He observed that a greeting of peace could rest upon the people in that house or return to the one that gave the greeting.

This peace Jesus instructed the disciples to give was something real, something tangible, no less tangible than handing someone a loaf of bread.

Decades later, Paul, a follower of Jesus, wrote to the churches of God scattered across the Roman world, and his first words are “grace and peace.”

Paul possessed grace and peace.

Apparently, he had a surplus; he could give it away!

In many cases Paul was the founder of the church to which he wrote.

He wrote to encourage what was good in these churches and to offer correction for whatever needed help.

How often do we look upon correction and teaching as sources of the peace and grace of God?

For those who have given it any thought at all, God’s grace and peace should be prized above almost anything else in our lives.

Many of Paul’s churches faced persecution from the outside, and some experienced disagreements on the inside.

All of them needed grace and peace.

They were so important that Paul presented these gifts up front, just as a guest would before entering a house.

Paul wanted his friends to experience God's grace and peace, and when necessary he brought powerful words of reproof.

From our perspective, centuries later, we understand that each letter was the Word of God, then and now.

Those people who first heard the words of Paul read aloud in the congregation had a choice: They could listen beyond the mere words of the letter, and in so doing receive the grace and peace offered them.

Or, like the householder in , they could refuse to receive the grace of God and the peace of God as it appeared to them.

How often does God’s grace or peace appear to us in some form we may not recognize?

We should ask ourselves:

Do we receive the words of loved ones as God’s grace in our lives?

Do we ever consider that the instruction we receive from those in authority has the potential to bring God’s peace?

Paul’s words were not only about receiving; his greetings were examples of what we have to give.

Have we received some measure of grace?

Of peace?

Jesus had straightforward instructions to his followers, “freely you’ve received, therefore freely give” ().