The words of Jesus are hard words for us to hear today, especially in America. They call us to question our lifestyle choices, to turn from our pursuit of happiness, and to experience the gift of grace.
Jesus will return in glory to bring the fulfillment of God’s grace to all. Until that time, however, we are given one day in the life of Jesus and comforted by the multi-faceted nature of God’s grace.
As the church year ends, we are not give a vision of Jesus on His throne, ruling over a new creation. Instead, we see Jesus ruling from the cross. His grace comes in the midst of suffering and pain.
When God does not give you a life free from suffering, He calls you to look for Him in the midst of suffering. There you find Him doing His work, giving you words to speak and promises to hold onto.
In the text, Jesus enters a Pharisee’s house for dinner. Between the invitation and the meal, however, Jesus transforms this man’s home into a place of God’s care.
When offering encouragement to His disciples to follow Him, Jesus did not promise a pain-free life in this world. Instead, He highlighted the struggle and the difficulty. Why?