The Response to Grace

THEME: Heeding the call

As Pastor Dan brought the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus to life for us this past Sunday, I could not help but anchor on one thought for a bit. That was Prevenient Grace.

Those of you who have grown up in the Nazarene Church may have come to take the doctrine of Prevenient Grace for granted. I am not making a blanket judgment, but merely a conjecture, as all of us who have known something all our lives tend not to be awed by it any longer.

Being a relative novice in the Wesleyan tradition, I am still excited and awestruck about God's grace that precedes a sinner's exercise of saving faith in Jesus Christ. Incredibly, God must prod us to awaken to His wonder and call. The term prevenient comes from a Latin word that means” to go before.” Our God saves us, grows us in the image of our Savior, and even awakens our hearts to accept all of this. And this Grace is given to all humanity. All of us.

Paul summarized this Grace in the first chapter of his letter to the Roman Church. He wrote, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans‬ 1‬:18‬-20‬ NIV‬‬)

Would you please get to your point, Joe? How did you think of Prevenient Grace when hearing and reading the story of Zacchaeus? Well, here it goes.

Jesus was on His march to the cross, entered Jericho, and “was passing through.” The Grace of God had already softened the heart of one least likely to surrender his life to Jesus.

That man was Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector, and the most hated in Jericho. The Prevenient Grace of God had already awakened the reality of Jesus and his desperate need to “see Jesus.” But what separated Zacchaeus from all the rest of the Jericho population?

Zacchaeus acted! He responded.

Look back at what Paul wrote to the Roman church. God’s wrath is revealed against those who “suppress the truth.” God grants us the Grace to know Him and ignites the truth in our hearts. However, we, heeding the lies of the Evil One and seeking to be gods of our lives, bury the truth of God and, thus, harden our hearts to His Prevenient Grace. As Paul said, we are, “Without Excuse!”

Those of us who know Jesus as our Lord and Savior did one thing that separates us from those who do not. We repented, surrendered, and accepted. How did I, I do not know? And so did Zacchaeus. I am sure he was also unaware of all his act entailed and what was in store for him. He just knew that he needed to see Jesus, and that Jesus had something he knew he lacked and needed. Did Zacchaeus wait and hope passively? As I wrote earlier, he acted. Zacchaeus climbed the tree. This wealthy, successful man chose absolute humility and vulnerability to see Jesus. He actively responded to the Grace of God and surrendered his pride and mask of life to see his Savior.

And the rest is history. Prevenient Grace is given; we either act on it or suppress it. And every day since, we must choose to climb out there on that skinny branch to see Jesus. It is a daily choice, not always easy, but what an incredible view!

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SCRIPTURE: Romans‬ 1‬:21‬-22‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬

‬‬ “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools”

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PRAYER:

Oh Lord, thank you for your Grace and Mercy. I smile at the fact that I did nothing that led me and keeps me where I am today, in You. Before I knew you, Your Grace was preparing my heart. When I was trying Transcendental Meditation and other things, it was you tugging at me while I was desperately needing you but trying to keep me on the throne. It has been you all along Lord, and now it is still you molding me, teaching me, empowering me to remain and grow into what you purposed me to be. I cannot come close to describing to you how grateful I am, as it is beyond any words I can express. All I can do, Lord, is to give you this feeble gift of all of me, not that I am close to being enough, but that you will use me for the purpose you created me for. In Jesus name, Amen!