A Journey of Grace: Come and See

Situation

Ralph and Ruth Parsons

Displayed grace at work in their lives by faithfully bringing the neighborhood kids to VBS every summer. This was their way of inviting us at a young age to come and see. It was one way they faithfully lived out their faith, and invited others into this glorious life changing journey of grace.

What is grace?

. Grace is the favor and faithfulness of God embodied in the person of Jesus, mediated through the Spirit, at work in this world to align the world to the beautifully life-giving, redemptive purposes of the Father. Grace isn’t a panic button or a family-imposed expectation. Grace is an invitation to step into a new journey of life, a new perspective, a new way of seeing and experiencing the world in light of the life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

Looking at my life of following Christ, I have come to love seeing it as a journey. Over the course I can look back and see God at work in that journey, I can see God at work here and now along the journey, and I know God will continue to work along the journey. The disciples Jesus called to come and see joined him along the journey.

We enter this journey of grace with the invitation to come and see. To come and see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. To get a glimpse of God’s grace that invites us along the journey.

*Grace embodied in Jesus is so compelling that it’s not forced into our lives. It simply invites us along for the journey.

Complication

The complications along the way of the journey grace for me have been between following self, and following Christ.

Our journey of grace begins with the invitation to come and see. To come and see who Jesus is what he is all about , it at this point that we are confronted with a decision. This decision pulls us from the side of the road and into the path walking with Jesus and his disciples along the journey.

Following Jesus is not a spectator sport.

There is a point that Come and See becomes follow me.

Rich Young Ruler

Luke 18:18–29 NLT

18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. 20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’” 21 The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 22 When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. 24 When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 26 Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” 27 He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.” 28 Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.” 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God,

We all must make the decision for ourselves to follow Jesus. That decision requires us to give up ourselves, for the sake of embracing Christ. We can make this decision because of God’s grace extended to us through Christ who extends the invitation.

This grace is personal but not private. It will meet you where you are, as unique as you are and it will challenge you on a personal level to live differently.

The journey of grace is costly. It cost God his one and only son. It cost the rich young ruler everything he had. It cost the disciples their lives as they knew them.

Mark 8:34–36 NLT

34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

To jump into this journey of grace we must deny ourselves, our selfish way of doing things and follow Christ.

Resolution

The decision to follow Christ is deeply compelling, and personally costly, but it will powerfully, continually, and completely transform who you are.

“You Will Be”

Simon becomes Peter

John 1:42 NRSV

42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

Matthew 16:16–19 NRSV

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Simon’s confession of who Jesus so completely changed him that it even changed his name. When we understand that Jesus is more than just a wise teacher to be followed, but is the very grace of almighty God in human flesh that brings salvation our lives will never be the same.

Jesus meets us where we are in our own life’s journey. As Paul puts it Oh what a miserable wretch that I am. Jesus meets us, and loves the miserable wretch that we are, but doesn’t leave us as miserable wretches. Along my journey of grace God has changed and is changing this miserable wretch. I give thanks for God’s amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.

I give thanks that God put people along my journey like Ralph and Ruth Parson who were living testimonies of God’s grace at work in the world.

Celebration

God has called each one of us into his glorious journey of grace.

The journey starts with “Come and See” moves to “follow me” promises “you will be” and commissions us to “go and do”

The work of grace is personal but not private. God’s grace is at work personally in us, but it is at work in our homes, churches and communities through us.

*The journey of grace is compelling not only to us, but also through us to others.

After the disciples left John and began following Jesus. They couldn’t help but share the invitation to come and see the awesome grace and love they have seen in Jesus Christ.

We are called into partnership with Christ to carry out God’s mission, his journey grace, in his redeeming work for all of Creation.

The grace of God, who brings salvation has appeared to all people. Let us go and do so that others will come and see what this glorious journey of grace through Christ is all about.