This is too Hard!

Two weeks ago, I opined, in The Shiloh Insider, about the three basic theological/practical objections to a theology of grace. I claimed that those three arguments are: 1. Grace is about radical equality, but the traditional Church has preferred a religion of privilege and power; 2. Grace sounds too facile in theory but is, in actually, too difficult in application; and 3. Grace is about the here and now instead of the hereafter.

It is the second of those arguments with which I am most interested today. As a regular feature of Shiloh's  7:00 p.m. "Discovery Time" contemporary service, the gathered worshipers comment on and discuss the texts/message. The text was from Luke 13, where Jesus heals a woman in the synagogue on the Sabbath. The message drew a parallel between what God asks of Jesus and what God asks of us. God asked Jesus to speak for him, to embody those words in acts of grace and kindness (particularly demonstrating God's love for those previously excluded), and to sacrifice his entire life for the sake of God's kingdom on Earth.

God asks the same of us. God invites us to speak for God, to articulate God's love, acceptance and mercy to every person in every place. God asks us to embody those words in acts of grace and mercy, paying particular attention to those among our brothers and sisters who have been rejected and made disadvantaged by the systems under which persons live. And, finally, God invites us to dedicate our entire lives to the establishment of God's kingdom on Earth.

As the worshiping community discussed the message and texts, one of those in attendance spoke what I imagine most were thinking. He said, "This is too hard. It is too much."

Grace sounds simple in its basic theory, but is remarkably challenging in its actual application. We are only human, after all. We are not able to speak for God, to embody God's grace in acts of love and kindness and generosity, and we certainly are not prepared to place our entire lives on the sacrificial altar of God's kingdom on Earth. It is too much. It is too hard.

This is too much and it is too hard. No human being can possibly speak and act from God's will. No human being is capable of sacrificing self for the sake of expressing God's will in real, concrete, practical situations.

Two questions. Firstly, then why does God grant us the power of God's Holy Spirit? Why are we empowered and equipped? Is it not in order that we may do far more with the Spirit than we are able to accomplish if left to our own skill sets? Does the Spirit not work miracles through us?

Secondly, why do we gather in communities of faith? Why do we worship together, study together, fellowship together, work together? Is it not to share the apostleship to which each of us is called? Is it not to support one another in the course of our mutual ministries and shared mission? Does the community not lift us, support us, enable us?

Grace sounds simple, but it is exceedingly difficult in its application. Sometimes, it is too hard. Often, it is too much. Thank God, in those times, we can rely on the empowerment of God's Holy Spirit and the shared apostleship of the Church. If the Church fails in doing this work, if it allows persons to feel less than empowered and supported, then it is not doing its work. If it fails to call persons to accountability for the Spirit that is breathed into them, and fails to embrace them in their work, then the Church is meaningless in establishing God's kingdom on Earth.

At Shiloh, we work all the time at finding ways to help persons feel empowered, to help people feel the support of a loving, called, equipped community of faith. We could use some additional help. How can you help us?