July 17, 2011: Circles of Grace – Jon Gettings

We are very quick to draw circles of grace in our own lives.  We strive for security and, as people of faith, especially for eternal security.  We do this because this has been the primary message we have received from the church in the last 50 years.  We have been given an equation that will securely provide something this world never could...and we respond to that invitation and work out the equation in our lives!  But, ultimately the rest of our faith journey becomes about defending our circle of Grace.  When its definition is challenged...we respond in fight or flight...but usually defensively defend our circle.  Jesus asks the question:  but what about the lost Sheep, Coin, and Son.  What about a God that is more about the lost than the found...how does that impact our circle and how we spend our time?

I would like to look at this idea in general and in light of the two audiences that are present for this time of teaching...the Pharisees and the 'sinners.'  Each of them would received these words from their own experience and context.  And, we will also receive it from our own experience, faith, understanding, etc.  So, what does it mean for us to receive these words today?  How then should we live?  How does this impact our theology and our how God calls us to live and spend our time in this world?