"The Rights of God" # 21

The Rights of God and Grace (continued)

Luke 4:38-41

"And when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them." These were those who had recognized the need for help and for grace's sake desired it. Demons were also driven out. That was grace in its triumph.

So we have four things standing closely together:

Grace proclaimed.
Grace demonstrated.
Grace rejected.
Grace triumphing.

Although the demons testified that He was the Son of God, the people, however, recognized Him as God's messenger of grace and accepted Him. Thus God came to His rightful position.

How clear grace is made to us in the case of the widow! - Flour and oil, that do not run out during three and a half years become a picture of Himself. "I am the bread of life, which come down from heaven, to give life and to save the people from spiritual famine" (John 6). He does this in the power of the Holy Spirit. Does this not speak to our hearts? We are only saved from spiritual poverty through Christ giving Himself to us. We have no means to save ourselves from spiritual poverty. If we are left to ourselves, we must die as the widow would have died. But Christ in His grace has sought us out. He has become our life. Should we not give God His place, after having recognized our need for His grace!?

And how about Naaman? He too was outside of Israel. And he was leprous. Of what use was his exteriour position to him? Leprosy was consuming his life. But the grace of God is for this very leper who is outside of Israel. For him there was help. Christ wants to show us this. He wants to demonstrate that the Son of Man came to seek and save that which is lost. The grace of God in Christ Jesus is for sinners. They will thank Him and give Him the place He deserves, because of the greatness of His grace.

Israel failed to recognize its need to be freed from sin. Therefore the grace of God meant nothing to them. Those, however, that stood outside of Israel recognized it. God will always have His place where His grace is recognized most and where it is accepted gratefully.

The measure in which  we recognize His grace will also be the measure in which we surrender to Him.

Wherever there is an incomplete picture of the grace of God, there is also an incomplete testimony. The more we live in His grace, the more we will also testify for Him and be effective.

This is a very simple message. It is the simple message of the grace of God. But what in truth is more suitable to give God His place in our hearts than grace!

The Lord keep us from the self-satisfied position of Israel and make us hungry for grace, that it may accomplish its full purpose in us.

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 22 - (God's Rights In His House)