SERIES
Sojourn: Toward an Enduring City
2016-11-20T11:00:00-06:00
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.30 I and the Father are one.”
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org
One of the most famous stories in the Bible is the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). In its most famous scene, the father sees his prodigal son returning and runs to him, embraces him, and calls his household to rejoice in the son’s repentant return. The parable powerfully portrays the surprising grace of God the Father to those who repent of sin and cast themselves on Him for mercy.
In contrast, one of the most unfamiliar stories in the Bible is the story of the marriage of Hosea to Gomer (Hosea 1:1-3:4). Like the parable of the Prodigal Son, this story focuses on the theme of the grace of God to sinners. But while the story of grace in Jesus’ parable is surprising, the story of grace in Hosea is downright scandalous. Not only is Hosea’s story one of real historical events, but it recounts how grace pursues those still living in sin. Hosea does not welcome a repentant adulterer as his wife; rather, he pursues an active adulterer as his wife, seeking to woo her out of sin, guide her through repentance, and prosper her in new life.
While we may readily agree to be identified with the repentant son in the Prodigal Son, few of us would ever agree to be identified with an unrepentant adulterer. But this is where the eternal story of our redemption begins; not with our humble repentance, but with our stubborn unfaithfulness. God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ does not merely meet us at the point of repentance; it pursues us in our far country wanderings and brings us to the point of repentance. While we were still sinners, the Holy Spirit changed our hearts (Ezekiel 36:25-28); and while we were still sinners, Jesus Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8).
It is uncomfortable to see our sinfulness in all of its rebellious ugliness. But the more we understand the depths and horrors of our past sinfulness, the more we will wonder at the surprising and scandalous grace of God given to us in Jesus Christ. We have been given an indescribably gracious gift. For it, may we be people of increasing gratitude.