Bible’s Top Ten Grace Interventions, pt 2

[Here’s the continuation from the last post…]

Grace is traumatic. Grace is a crisis. It’s a massive reversal of everything you thought about God. I use the word intervention on purpose. An intervention is an “in your face confrontation.” An intervention is a direct challenge to your status quo. In psychology, an intervention is a last ditch effort to persuade a person to deal with a blind spot that’s wrecking their lives.

Here are my Top Ten Grace Interventions in the Bible, part 2.

5. Esther

Grace Deficit Disorder: Our people have a huge problem and I have to solve it.

Grace Intervention: Problem solved in Esther 6, and she isn’t even in the room. Check it out for yourself. Herman’s downfall begins without one bit of help from Esther.

4. The Adulterous Woman

Grace Deficit Disorder: “they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. “Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”” John 8:4, 5, NKJV.

Grace Intervention: “When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”” John 8:10, 11, NKJV.

Notice the order of Jesus’ statements to her. Until “neither do I condemn you” is hardwired into your psyche, “Go and sin no more” will be impossible.

3. The Four Lepers

Grace Deficit Disorder: “Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? “If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.”” 2 Kings 7:3, 4, NKJV.

Grace Intervention: “And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it. Then they said to one another… This day is a day of good news…” 2 Kings 7:8, 9, NKJV.

2. The Jews at the Exodus

Grace Deficit Disorder: “Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” Exodus 14:12, NKJV.

Grace Intervention: “And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.” Exodus 14:13, NKJV.

1. Paul

Grace Deficit Disorder: “though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Philippians 3:4-6, NKJV.

Grace Intervention: ““Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. “And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’” Acts 22:6, 7, NKJV.

and… 

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” Philippians 3:7, 8, NKJV.

Bottom Line: Sometimes, it takes a kick in the seat of the pants to step up to new levels of grace. Human nature is terminally blind to grace. We need somebody to shake us awake. I pray that God will launch a Grace Revolution in our land. Not the insipid, bland, lenient version of grace currently popular, but the song, muscular, uncompromising grace of Jesus.