Good morning, I agree that I also struggled with that as well. It made me wonder what happens after repentance and but I do understand that as His body, we are loved and cared for but we have to be careful when we begin to judge Who should get grace. God really challenged me through your study this morning. When I responded to question #9 about who I have been withholding grace from, I didn't think there was anyone until God reminded me that I am withholding grace from, my sister in law who I view as emotionally, financially and sometimes physically abusive to my brother. I thought ok God, I will reach out to her and ask how she's doing and He challenged me further to invite her to lunch....ughhh! That was a gut punch! I am still struggling with making the phone call. I've wanted to call family and friends, even my brother to discuss my discomfort with this. But I have to trust what He is doing.... Thank you Diane, your exegetical teaching is just what I've needed to challenge me to deeper faith!
Will do! Please keep me in prayer that I will not let my flesh speak but Holy Spirit will do miraculous things through me for the improvement of their marriage.
You should call her Kika. I forgave someone who took advantage of me in a real estate transaction. I didn't want to but My Christian coach told me I had to. I did. Years later, we're close friends. Who would have thought?
I love your studies. I always learn something deeper. I seldom read women’s studies, but your studies are among the best I’ve read, men’s or women’s. Thank you so much. I’d like to share with a small group of women in my church. I’ve looked for short studies to share but found so many that were just shallow mush.
Aww that makes my heart so happy. I am honored and humbled by that. Thank you so much. I am so glad you are enjoying the studies and if you ever have any questions feel free to reach out to me at diane@worthbeyondrubies.com
At first, I found myself singing along to the song about Him. But I’ve never heard it explained with this kind of depth before.
I deeply believe in extending grace beyond what feels deserved. When I was at the beginning of my recovery journey from drugs and alcohol, I had a mentor who lived that out consistently. I would relapse, confess it to her, and brace myself for anger. But instead, she met me with love. She helped me understand what led to the relapse and how to move forward differently next time.
Because of the grace she showed me, I now offer that same grace to the women I serve in a 24-hour program home for survivors of trafficking.
I’m so glad I stumbled across this post today. What a beautiful reminder of God’s grace which is extended before our repentance. His grace causes our repentance, not the other way around. When we realize this we can then extend such grace to others. And be that much more grateful for His grace in our lives!
Okay... question: you said "Yeshua didn't reward the faithful." But what about the faithful? I read variations of this statement in a lot of Bible studies, and it always makes me feel sad. What about those who were in the crowd who might have faithfully looked for Messiah, but perhaps genuinely did not yet understand? They were following Him not to gain anything for themselves, but they truly wanted to understand?
I think of those of us who have tried to faithfully walk with Him, grow closer to Him, for 20, 30, 40 or more years, and a statement like that seems so off-putting, as though there is nothing for those who are faithful, but only the newly repented? I know that isn't a correct view, but that is what that statement sounds like.
This is such a fair thing to raise and I'm really glad you did, because you're right that the way I phrased it was too broad and it landed harder than I intended.
What I was trying to say (not well LOL) is that Yeshua wasn't operating on a reward system where the most religiously respectable people in the crowd got first access to Him. That's the specific theology the crowd was running on when they grumbled, and it's what He was dismantling.
The people in that crowd who were genuinely seeking, genuinely following, genuinely hungry? Yeshua saw them too. He always does. The whole arc of Scripture is God's faithfulness meeting human faithfulness and honoring it. Think of Simeon and Anna waiting decades in the temple. Think of the disciples who left everything. Faithfulness is never invisible to God even when it feels invisible to everyone else.
The point of the Zacchaeus story isn't that the faithful get passed over. It's that grace doesn't get rationed based on a merit system. There's enough of Him for the long-faithful and the just-found, at the same table, at the same time. That's actually the better news.
Thank you for pushing back on this. It made the teaching sharper. I will edit that phrase to better represent that it was in THAT moment and not a generic statement.
I am also reminded in this question about the brother of the Prodigal Son. He is assured by the father that "you are always with me and all I have is yours." We who are faithfully walking are always with him. ❤️
Now, I worked most of this out for myself (benefits of not growing up in church and coming to faith later in life, perhaps). But I'll admit that the context of the real meaning of inviting Himself to dinner is new to me. I had no idea!
Thank you for breaking it down for us. I appreciate all the work that went into this! Additionally, I hope we are teaching the next generation differently. There is such a thing as oversimplification.
I find it interesting that Jesus not only broke expectations amongst the lower class—he reached out to the poor and disabled—but also the wealthy. That kinda blows my expectation too. He came for the sick across the board, not to a particular class.
This: "That is not a flannel board story. That is a theological earthquake." Oh girl, I laughed out loud at one part. I LOVE this post so much, I'm going to restack it. Excellent writing - what could have been a boring "correct-your-theology" post was very engaging and kept me to the end. I know that happened with great intentionality. You rocked this one, girl!
I am SO happy to hear you not only enjoyed it but laughed. I try very hard to communicate in writing the way I do in person so I am happy to hear that came through. Thank you!!
Of course! I’m trying to do the same thing that’s why I think I noticed it. Handling difficult topics without being offensive and in an engaging way is no easy task.
Thank you for this lesson! I have moved on from the “flannel board” story and “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man” song 😅to a greater understanding of what was happening; but your explanation deepened and widened it! 👍🏻🙏🏻
This was a profound explanation & great picture that Grace comes first when we surely deserve something else. He was like Saul: Jesus called their names, & things changed!
I’m reminded of the verse, “His kindness leads us to repentance.”
Also, in so many cultures around the world, extortion or “padding the bill” is common, so how Zachaeus operated is well understood outside American or Western cultures. It’s business as usual & not taught in Sunday School. When people in similar roles become genuine believers, it costs them a lot, even their jobs sometimes.
Good morning, I agree that I also struggled with that as well. It made me wonder what happens after repentance and but I do understand that as His body, we are loved and cared for but we have to be careful when we begin to judge Who should get grace. God really challenged me through your study this morning. When I responded to question #9 about who I have been withholding grace from, I didn't think there was anyone until God reminded me that I am withholding grace from, my sister in law who I view as emotionally, financially and sometimes physically abusive to my brother. I thought ok God, I will reach out to her and ask how she's doing and He challenged me further to invite her to lunch....ughhh! That was a gut punch! I am still struggling with making the phone call. I've wanted to call family and friends, even my brother to discuss my discomfort with this. But I have to trust what He is doing.... Thank you Diane, your exegetical teaching is just what I've needed to challenge me to deeper faith!
Oh I am so happy to hear that!! Please let me know how it goes Kika!
Will do! Please keep me in prayer that I will not let my flesh speak but Holy Spirit will do miraculous things through me for the improvement of their marriage.
Absolutely! I am praying for you and for them.
You should call her Kika. I forgave someone who took advantage of me in a real estate transaction. I didn't want to but My Christian coach told me I had to. I did. Years later, we're close friends. Who would have thought?
I love your studies. I always learn something deeper. I seldom read women’s studies, but your studies are among the best I’ve read, men’s or women’s. Thank you so much. I’d like to share with a small group of women in my church. I’ve looked for short studies to share but found so many that were just shallow mush.
Aww that makes my heart so happy. I am honored and humbled by that. Thank you so much. I am so glad you are enjoying the studies and if you ever have any questions feel free to reach out to me at diane@worthbeyondrubies.com
At first, I found myself singing along to the song about Him. But I’ve never heard it explained with this kind of depth before.
I deeply believe in extending grace beyond what feels deserved. When I was at the beginning of my recovery journey from drugs and alcohol, I had a mentor who lived that out consistently. I would relapse, confess it to her, and brace myself for anger. But instead, she met me with love. She helped me understand what led to the relapse and how to move forward differently next time.
Because of the grace she showed me, I now offer that same grace to the women I serve in a 24-hour program home for survivors of trafficking.
His goodness truly leads to repentance.
That's beautiful! Thank you for sharing that. And bless you for helping those women and being that display of grace to them as well.
Thank you. 🥰
I’m so glad I stumbled across this post today. What a beautiful reminder of God’s grace which is extended before our repentance. His grace causes our repentance, not the other way around. When we realize this we can then extend such grace to others. And be that much more grateful for His grace in our lives!
Beautifully said!
Okay... question: you said "Yeshua didn't reward the faithful." But what about the faithful? I read variations of this statement in a lot of Bible studies, and it always makes me feel sad. What about those who were in the crowd who might have faithfully looked for Messiah, but perhaps genuinely did not yet understand? They were following Him not to gain anything for themselves, but they truly wanted to understand?
I think of those of us who have tried to faithfully walk with Him, grow closer to Him, for 20, 30, 40 or more years, and a statement like that seems so off-putting, as though there is nothing for those who are faithful, but only the newly repented? I know that isn't a correct view, but that is what that statement sounds like.
This is such a fair thing to raise and I'm really glad you did, because you're right that the way I phrased it was too broad and it landed harder than I intended.
What I was trying to say (not well LOL) is that Yeshua wasn't operating on a reward system where the most religiously respectable people in the crowd got first access to Him. That's the specific theology the crowd was running on when they grumbled, and it's what He was dismantling.
The people in that crowd who were genuinely seeking, genuinely following, genuinely hungry? Yeshua saw them too. He always does. The whole arc of Scripture is God's faithfulness meeting human faithfulness and honoring it. Think of Simeon and Anna waiting decades in the temple. Think of the disciples who left everything. Faithfulness is never invisible to God even when it feels invisible to everyone else.
The point of the Zacchaeus story isn't that the faithful get passed over. It's that grace doesn't get rationed based on a merit system. There's enough of Him for the long-faithful and the just-found, at the same table, at the same time. That's actually the better news.
Thank you for pushing back on this. It made the teaching sharper. I will edit that phrase to better represent that it was in THAT moment and not a generic statement.
I am also reminded in this question about the brother of the Prodigal Son. He is assured by the father that "you are always with me and all I have is yours." We who are faithfully walking are always with him. ❤️
Great observation!!
I love this!
Now, I worked most of this out for myself (benefits of not growing up in church and coming to faith later in life, perhaps). But I'll admit that the context of the real meaning of inviting Himself to dinner is new to me. I had no idea!
I am so glad you liked it!!
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Amen!
Thank you for breaking it down for us. I appreciate all the work that went into this! Additionally, I hope we are teaching the next generation differently. There is such a thing as oversimplification.
THIS!!
I find it interesting that Jesus not only broke expectations amongst the lower class—he reached out to the poor and disabled—but also the wealthy. That kinda blows my expectation too. He came for the sick across the board, not to a particular class.
Yes!!! Exactly!
This: "That is not a flannel board story. That is a theological earthquake." Oh girl, I laughed out loud at one part. I LOVE this post so much, I'm going to restack it. Excellent writing - what could have been a boring "correct-your-theology" post was very engaging and kept me to the end. I know that happened with great intentionality. You rocked this one, girl!
I am SO happy to hear you not only enjoyed it but laughed. I try very hard to communicate in writing the way I do in person so I am happy to hear that came through. Thank you!!
Of course! I’m trying to do the same thing that’s why I think I noticed it. Handling difficult topics without being offensive and in an engaging way is no easy task.
Thank you for this lesson! I have moved on from the “flannel board” story and “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man” song 😅to a greater understanding of what was happening; but your explanation deepened and widened it! 👍🏻🙏🏻
I am so happy you enjoyed it!!
This was a profound explanation & great picture that Grace comes first when we surely deserve something else. He was like Saul: Jesus called their names, & things changed!
Amen!!
Grace that only goes to the deserving is not Grace. ❤️
THIS!!
I’m reminded of the verse, “His kindness leads us to repentance.”
Also, in so many cultures around the world, extortion or “padding the bill” is common, so how Zachaeus operated is well understood outside American or Western cultures. It’s business as usual & not taught in Sunday School. When people in similar roles become genuine believers, it costs them a lot, even their jobs sometimes.
I loved this so much - from your illustration (both words and graphic) to the hard-hitting truth. So well done!
Thank you so much Jamie!!
Excellent break down of it.
Thank you!!