Quotes from Max Lucado - "God Came Near"

"Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian service, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see his Majesty and to imitate him, that is the sum of Christianity."

"'Love your neighbor' was spoken by a man whose neighbors tried to kill him... The challenge to leave family for the gospel was issued by one who kissed his mother goodbye in the doorway... 'Pray for those who persecute you' came from the lips that soon would be begging God to forgive his murderers."

"Something about death makes us accuse God of betrayal...

     You see, if God is God anywhere, he has to be God in the face of death. Pop psychology can deal with depression. Pep talks can deal with pessimism. Prosperity can handle hunger. But only God can deal with our ultimate dilemma - death. And only the God of the Bible has dared to stand on the canyon's edge and offer an answer. He has to be God in the face of death. If not, he is not God anywhere."

"Jesus' death was not the result of a panicking cosmological engineer. The cross wasn't a tragic surprise. Calvary was not a knee-jerk response to a world plummeting towards destruction. It wasn't a patch-job or a stop-gap measure. the death of the Son of God was anything but an unexpected peril.

     No, it was part of a plan. It was a calculated choice. 'It was the Lord's will to crush him.' the cross was drawn into the original blueprint. It was written into the script. The moment the forbidden fruit touched the lips of Eve, the shadow of a cross appeared on the horizon. And between that moment and the moment the man with the mallet placed the spike against the writs of God, a master plan was fulfilled.

     What does that mean? It means Jesus planned his own sacrifice.

     It means Jesus intentionally planted the tree from which his cross would be carved.

     It means he willingly placed the iron ore in the heart of the earth from which the nails would be cast.

     It means he voluntarily placed his Judas in the womb of a woman.

     It means Christ was the one who set in motion the political machinery that would send Pilate to Jerusalem.

     And it also means he didn't have to do it - but he did."

"You have to wonder if God's most merciful act is his refusal to answer some of our prayers."

"Our problem is not so much that God doesn't give us what we hope for as it is that we don't know the right thing for which to hope."

Book Review: "Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine "

"Grace is not blind. It sees the hurt full well. But grace chooses to see God's forgiveness even more. It refuses to let hurts poison the heart." Max Lucado has long been one of my favorite authors, largely because of quotes like this one. He is a wordsmith; he has a way of expressing things that clarifies and illuminates truth. His book "Grace" is no exception.

There perhaps is no other subject as pertinent or as necessary for society today than the subject of grace. It is a universal need. The good news that Lucado shares in this book is that it is also universally available. As he says in the first chapter, "Grace hugged the stink out of the prodigal and scared the hate out of Paul and pledges to do the same in us."

In this book, Max uses Biblical passages, like the woman caught in the act of adultery and the story of Barabbas, as well as illustrations of his own life and the lives of others, to weave together a beautiful portrait of grace. We're lead to understand why grace is necessary at all, breaking apart the myth of our own goodness. Then we're shown why it is provided: each of us is loved by God - "You are loved by your maker not because you try to please Him and succeed, or fail to please Him and apologize, but because He wants to be your Father." 

Max Lucado

Part of the beauty of grace is what happens as a result. We see lives transformed, hope restored and relationships mended. We are given a new outlook, a new lease on life. Some would say that this isn't fair, but that's why it's called "the scandal of grace." None of us deserves it - that's why it's called grace.

Concluding the book is a Reader's Guide, which is helpful for those who would like to use this book as a devotional or as a small group study. Included are pertinent quotes, a review and then some applicable questions.

All in all, Max has done it again, providing material that is highly quotable and deeply meaningful for the seeking heart. I hope you enjoy it.

Related Articles:
Book Review: I Am A Follower
Book Review: "The Grace of God"
The Cross of Jesus Christ
Rumors of Hope
Book Review: "The Harbinger"

Rumors of Hope

It's not only the events this week in Newtown, Connecticut that should affect us. The world is full of tragedy and suffering. Children die every day of hunger and malnourishment. If you've traveled to the third world or witnessed tragedy you've likely seen the pain on the faces of helpless parents or orphaned children and asked "why?"

Yet in the midst of all of this, we are called to care; called to love; called to serve. We're called to make a difference. That may seem like a daunting task - after all, how can we fix problems on such a grand scale? But, as Mother Teresa said, "If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one." I admired her so much for her attitude and her dedication. She also said, "What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family."

We who call ourselves by Christ's name cannot allow ourselves to sink into despair, which is the surrender of hope. Every day we have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people around us. In fact, in Matthew 25, Jesus taught us this lesson in The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. He said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ "The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

There is a light in the darkness; there is a peace in the midst of the storm. As theologian Carl F. Henry wrote about Jesus: "He planted the only durable rumor of hope amid the widespread despair of a hopeless world." Go and do likewise. 

I end with a prayer written by Max Lucado.

Dear Jesus,
It's a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod's jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won't you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children

 

Related Articles: 

Hope Amid Despair 

Thoughts on Suffering and Hope 

Easter - Hope Lives! 

Where Is God When You Need Him?

Help In Hard Times