Dumbfounded by Grace

Dumbfounded by Grace
Words of Faith 9-22-16
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2016
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John 3
[9] "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
[10] "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? [11] I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. [12] I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? [13] No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. [14] Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, [15] that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
[16] "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

When religion encounters grace, it is usually incredulous. “How can this be?” is the response we all have when we come face-to-face with God’s truth that He loves us and saves us completely by His grace and not by our religious works.
Jesus marveled at Nicodemus, the earnest religious teacher of Israel. Nicodemus was highly trained in the intricacies of the Law and the interpretations of the great Rabbis, yet he was dumbfounded at this simplest of spiritual truths, that it is the Spirit who gives spiritual birth to us in His way and timing.
Jesus may have even chuckled a bit at this man so steeped in learning yet failing to grasp the most elementary of truths. How can we move on to heavenly things until you grasp that which is so basic? It is the Spirit who awakens you to life that is abundant and everlasting.
Jesus gave Nicodemus the Gospel in a nutshell:
-- The Son of Man has come from Heaven.
-- He will be lifted up upon a cross as foreshadowed in the desert when Moses lifted up a bronze snake on a pole and those who looked upon the snake were saved from certain death (Numbers 21:4-9).
-- Everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
-- Why? Because God loved the world so much that He sent His Son to die so that whoever believes would not perish.
That is as simple as it gets yet nothing is more profound! The details of atonement will be better understood later. The nature of the church will be revealed in the future. The ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in believers is still to come. The process of God shaping us into the image of Christ will be very important. But for now, the critical response is that we trust in the One who came from heaven and was lifted up before Israel.
Have you grasped the simple truth? Sometimes we run on to matters more complicated and leave the most important things behind. Sometimes we labor on in our religious activity failing to realize that which is the first building block. For this day and for eternity-- have you trusted in the One sent by God to save You by His grace?

Lord, I rejoice in this simple truth, that You have saved me by Your grace. I rejoice in Your amazing grace which dumbfounds my religious striving. I rest in the wondrous knowledge that You have sought me out for the gift of life that is abundant and eternal. I rest in You. In Jesus’ name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2016
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.