The Amazing Nature of God's Grace - Pt. 2

 [Jesus said] “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:35-40 ESV).

 

Life in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M was always “exciting.” The picture I’ve included today is much more current than my time there. Much has changed during the fifty years since I was there, although I’m sure the traditions of morning reveille and dining together has not. Our squadron sat together with the upperclassmen relaxed as they were served by the freshmen. All the meals were served “family style” in those days, though rank and order were always followed. Freshmen sat “at attention” and answered every question posed to them by ranking members of the group. It required small bites and quick swallows! I don’t regret any of those days for many reasons which would take away from the central truth of this little bit of inspiration.

 

The point is there were servant at each table; however, they were those with lower status. The servants in today’s reading are like that in some ways. They were waiting for their master’s return from a wedding banquet. They are prepared to greet him at the door and care for his every need, to meet his requests with their dutiful devotion. Their job was to serve. And, most of us would look at the beginning of this reading and stress the necessity of being dressed for service, attentively waiting for Christ’s return. After all, as servants of the master, we must dedicate ourselves to serve Christ.

 

Something unusual happens here. The master returns, dresses himself in work clothes, and serves his own servants. He prepares a sumptuous feast for the servers. The custodians, kitchen help, floor scrubbers, and dish washers recline in lounge chairs while the master bows in front of them to fulfill their every wish. Strange isn’t it? But it’s no more outlandish than the grace of God. Central to the kingdom of God is the character of the king. The master reveals himself as the best and most conscientious servant of all. The master puts our needs first and thinks about us before his own desires. The master’s attention is always directed toward us.

 

When we grasp the servant heart of God, all devotion motivated by guilt, all legalistic performance, all superficial compliance to God’s will vanishes. Overwhelmed with the grace of God, we offer all of ourselves in return. Again… that’s the amazing part of God’s grace!