This Sunday we finished up a series of conversations centered on grace. Though our "Graceland" theme is over, our hope is that the concepts of grace will continue to shape who we're becoming.
Each week we had the privilege of hearing a different spoken word piece as we engaged with this beautiful and challenging subject. Below are links to each piece and the highlight video, and below that are some quotes that were used throughout the conversations, enjoy! (Also- feel free to check the podcasts for the messages and convesrations)
Big time props to Matt Evearitt for putting these together!
From Week 1:
This Sunday we're starting a new conversation called "Graceland". Each week a different artist will be sharing a unique work as we reflect on the disruptive, provocative, and beautifully-unfair dynamics of God's grace. Stoked for what should be a very meaningful series of conversations. All are welcome.
Below you'll find some musings, quotes, and thoughts on grace in no particular order:
-The notable Greek scholar, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates described grace as ‘the undeserved, unearned and unmerited favour, benefit or kindness.’ He further added, ‘a favour done without expectation of return; absolute freeness of the loving-kindness of God to men finding His only motive in the bounty and free-heartedness of the Giver.
-A parable about grace:
A dispute once arose between the Wind and the Sun, which was the stronger of the two, and they agreed to settle the point upon the issue – that whichever of the two soonest made a traveler take off his cloak, should be accounted the more powerful.
The Wind began, and blew with all his might and main a blast, cold and fierce as a Thracian storm; but the stronger he blew, the closer the traveler wrapped his cloak around him, and the tighter he grasped it with his hands.
Then broke out the Sun. With his welcome beams he dispersed the vapor and the cold; the traveler felt the genial warmth, and as the Sun shone brighter and brighter, he sat down, quite overcome with the heat, and taking off his cloak, cast it on the ground.
Thus the Sun was declared the conqueror; and it has ever been deemed the persuasion is better than force; and that the sunshine of a kind and gentle manner will sooner lay open a poor man’s heart than all the threatenings and force of blustering authority.
- “Grace is a dangerous, slippery slope”
-"The law says IF, Grace says Free"
- “Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God.” ( )
-Bono on Grace:
“It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the Universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma…
You see, at the centre of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you; an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics – in physical laws – every action is met by an equal or opposite one. Its clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the universe. I’m absolutely sure of it.
And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “As you reap, so will you sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff.
That’s between me and God. But I’d be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I’d be in deep shit. It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.
The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled….its not our own good works that get through the gates of heaven…
If only we could be a bit more like Him, the world would be transformed. All I do is get up on the Cross of the Ego; the bad hangover, the bad review. When I look at the Cross of Christ, what I see up there is all my shit and everybody else’s. So I ask myself a question a lot of people have asked: Who is this man? And was He who He said He was, or was he just a religious nut? And there it is, and that’s the question. And no one can talk you into it or out of it.”
I know, to banish anger altogether from one's breast is a difficult task. It cannot be achieved through pure personal effort. It can be done only by God's grace. (Mahatma Gandhi)
-“Grace isn’t defined- it’s demonstrated” (Phillip Yancy)
"The best demonstrations of grace usually come from pilgrims, activists, and artists." (Phillip Yancy)
-“Whatever the reasons, when forgiveness happens it is always a miracle of grace. The obstacles in its way are immense” ( Miroslav Volf )
“Grace is the unbelievable yet true news that you are accepted, though you’re unacceptable” (Tony Campolo)