Sometimes God gives “Ah-Ha!” moments. You know, the times when you can suddenly articulate a profound idea in simple terms. I’ve found that these Ah-Ha’s revolutionize my walk with God.
The problem is this: sharing those moments can be difficult. What for me is an “Ah-Ha!” is a “No-Duh” to the person I’m talking with. So, at the risk of boring you with another “No-Duh,” let me, this Passion Week, hit you with a recent “Ah-Ha!”
When God is big, sin is big. And when sin is big, grace is magnificent.
I fear that our normal mindset is quite the opposite. God is small. Sin, therefore, becomes an annoyance, a breach of etiquette, a minor faux pas … anything but cosmic treason against the King Eternal. And when sin gets small, well, grace recedes into a common courtesy that God is obliged to offer because He would be petty not to overlook such minor matters. And we don’t want to serve a petty God, do we?
Sometimes, though, God breaks through the deceptiveness of our sinful hearts and we see God truly and our sin greatly and we fall to our knees in fearful despair because the sheer magnitude of our sin overwhelms us.
Take heart.
When you’re there, you’ve finally arrived at the place where Jesus can use you. In fact, Jesus is drawn to the fearful , despairing heart. When we allow the staggering reality of sin’s rebellion to settle, Jesus eagerly, lovingly, and sacrificially pours more and more grace to meet our need.
I used to live a few blocks from the best BBQ joint on planet earth. Yes, I know that’s a bold claim, but it’s true. On Saturday mornings, that slow-smoked, hickory scent would waft into our home, compelling me and my wife to alter lunch plans. The aroma of Mike and Jeff’s attracted our palettes just like mourning attracts our Savior’s grace.
Three scenes in Peter’s life illustrate the above, the first in Luke 5. Jesus commandeered Peter’s boat for a make-shift pulpit, taught the masses, and then told Peter to let down his nets. The resulting catch was so staggering as to be miraculous. Jesus, all of the sudden, got really big in Peter’s eyes. So, Peter hits his knees and pleads, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man” (v. 8). Jesus doesn’t disagree, but reassures: “Don’t be afraid, from now on, you’ll be catching men” (v. 10). Big God. Big sin. Magnificent grace.
Second, in Matthew 17, Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John. Peter, in keeping with his loveable character, takes the opportunity to stick his foot in his mouth: “Lord, this is awesome! I’ve a brilliant idea: let’s build three tents. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, thereby putting you on equal footing with these two men.” (that’s the Greg Baker Paraphrase). And before the words finish spilling from his unfiltered mouth, God booms, “This is my Son … listen to him” (v. 5). God got very big. And the disciples found themselves flat on their faces, prostrated in fearful despair. The very next thing they see is Jesus re-clothed in human flesh comforting them: “Rise and have no fear” (v. 7). Big God. Big sin. Magnificent grace.
Finally, we have to remember Peter’s denial. You know the story, so I won’t belabor it here, but the resurrected Jesus told the disciples to wait in the city for the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). Peter, instead, decides to go fishing. You see, he’s ashamed of his failure. He’s betrayed His Savior and thinks himself disqualified. So, he decides that its best for Jesus’s sake that he take himself out of the game and return to his former, simple life. But it wasn’t quite so simple.
Peter finally knew the bigness of Christ. And with his sin so fresh, he fully understood the depth of his problem. But he hadn’t quite got his arms around grace. So Jesus shows up — not with thunder, lightening, and judgment, but with breakfast and another impossibly large catch of fish. And even more gracious, Jesus informs Peter that he’s not disqualified. As a matter of fact, he’s in the very place of usefulness. “Peter,” Jesus reassures, “that thing you were too afraid to do, dying for me, you’ll do that, but not before a long life of service” (John 21:18-19). Peter had sinned grievously. And, to be sure, would sin again (Gal. 2:11f). Even so, where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Rom. 5:20).
A big God makes sin a cross-sized problem. But no problem is too big for God’s all-abounding, all-cleansing, magnificent grace. I hope this week you’ll see past the cruel Romans, beyond the petty Pharisees, and through the fearful disciples to eternity’s finest display of love and grace: “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
