March 31st, 2026
Tuesday, March 31
‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
~Luke 14:21-23
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‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
~Luke 14:21-23
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Have you had the experience of hearing great music, watching a powerful (or funny) movie, or tasting outstanding food? What did you do? You had to tell someone else, didn’t you? There’s a natural desire to share the experience you had, often by telling someone else. But it’s even better to invite someone else to share in the experience with you. You might say, “Come over here! You HAVE TO listen to this with me.” Or you watch the movie (again) with your friend or spouse. You share the podcast and talk about it. You go to the same place for dinner and bring others with you.
This is what being an agent of grace is all about – sharing the experience of the extravagant generosity and goodness of God. When it comes to faith we often have been conditioned to think that we need to “evangelize” or “tell others about Jesus.” These aren’t bad. Don’t stop doing these things. But (you knew this was coming), let’s not leave it there.
If grace was understood in the world of Paul and Jesus as sharing and participating in the fellowship and livelihood of the giver, then being an agent of grace must involve more than just telling someone else about it. We’re not talking about just a message to believe. We’re talking about an existence of life to share in together!
Grace is about being brought into a new household. This means a new existence with new ways of living, new patterns, new habits. It’s not about getting it “right” as much as becoming formed into the new household culture. But it’s so wonderful and life-giving you want everyone to move in. In this house of grace, everyone has a place; everyone is cared for by one another; no one is higher in status or position or rank. And everyone receives equally in the abundance of God’s gifts. Can it get better than this?
When we think that “grace” is just pardon for my sin, we miss out on the fullness of what grace really is and what it meant when the New Testament writers (or Scripture as a whole) talk about it. When we re-imagine that grace is God “moving us on up” (thank you The Jefferson’s) into a new existence of God’s abundance – a completely new existence with others – then things change.
In the parable of the great banquet in Luke, the master of the house had invited many people to share in his feast – an act of grace. The first round of people invited resisted the grace because they had other things to do. Such individuals would have been social equals, wealthy people with their own little kingdoms and priorities.
So the invitation went out to people who were not socially on the up & up, who had nowhere else to go unless they were invited through an act of grace. They were not “worthy” recipients. In fact they were embarrassingly unfit for such a feast. This would have been shameful for the master. But he did not care. And the master wanted his house filled with them. The door is open to share in all of the goodness.
As agents of God’s grace, we are above all recipients of God’s invitation. Consider yourself invited. Your unworthiness is no barrier. In fact, it is probably your ticket in. And it’s so wonderful it changes you. And you can’t help but go out and invite others to share in the goodness of grace. And grace is not a bait-and-switch to then burden you with things once you’re in. You don’t have to earn your keep. You come and receive. That’s all. Period. In the receiving you are transformed. And you don’t have to leave. You are home.
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For reflection:
Prayer: You are the God who invites those who are unworthy. We are the unworthy. Teach us to live with humble and thankful hearts. And teach us to live in a way that invites others to know your grace. Amen
This is what being an agent of grace is all about – sharing the experience of the extravagant generosity and goodness of God. When it comes to faith we often have been conditioned to think that we need to “evangelize” or “tell others about Jesus.” These aren’t bad. Don’t stop doing these things. But (you knew this was coming), let’s not leave it there.
If grace was understood in the world of Paul and Jesus as sharing and participating in the fellowship and livelihood of the giver, then being an agent of grace must involve more than just telling someone else about it. We’re not talking about just a message to believe. We’re talking about an existence of life to share in together!
Grace is about being brought into a new household. This means a new existence with new ways of living, new patterns, new habits. It’s not about getting it “right” as much as becoming formed into the new household culture. But it’s so wonderful and life-giving you want everyone to move in. In this house of grace, everyone has a place; everyone is cared for by one another; no one is higher in status or position or rank. And everyone receives equally in the abundance of God’s gifts. Can it get better than this?
When we think that “grace” is just pardon for my sin, we miss out on the fullness of what grace really is and what it meant when the New Testament writers (or Scripture as a whole) talk about it. When we re-imagine that grace is God “moving us on up” (thank you The Jefferson’s) into a new existence of God’s abundance – a completely new existence with others – then things change.
In the parable of the great banquet in Luke, the master of the house had invited many people to share in his feast – an act of grace. The first round of people invited resisted the grace because they had other things to do. Such individuals would have been social equals, wealthy people with their own little kingdoms and priorities.
So the invitation went out to people who were not socially on the up & up, who had nowhere else to go unless they were invited through an act of grace. They were not “worthy” recipients. In fact they were embarrassingly unfit for such a feast. This would have been shameful for the master. But he did not care. And the master wanted his house filled with them. The door is open to share in all of the goodness.
As agents of God’s grace, we are above all recipients of God’s invitation. Consider yourself invited. Your unworthiness is no barrier. In fact, it is probably your ticket in. And it’s so wonderful it changes you. And you can’t help but go out and invite others to share in the goodness of grace. And grace is not a bait-and-switch to then burden you with things once you’re in. You don’t have to earn your keep. You come and receive. That’s all. Period. In the receiving you are transformed. And you don’t have to leave. You are home.
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For reflection:
- Read Luke 14:15-23. Imagine the experience of the people who weren’t invited originally. How would you respond if you were one of these? How are we sometimes like the first group who rejected the invitation?
- What is something you’ve experienced that was amazing and wonderful (a song, a movie, a restaurant). Did you tell others about it? What did you say?
- For those with kids: Talk about what it’s like to be invited to something that you didn’t expect. How would you respond? What would you say to others? How would it make you feel about yourself?
Prayer: You are the God who invites those who are unworthy. We are the unworthy. Teach us to live with humble and thankful hearts. And teach us to live in a way that invites others to know your grace. Amen
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