John 13:36
Simon Peter asked,
“Lord, where are you going?” (Quo vadis?)
And Jesus replied,
“You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”
Friends,
With matters of Grace there is a time and a place for everything. And for the one who follows a life of Grace, there is a time to come and a time to go, a time to speak and a time to keep silent. For the one who would follow a life of Grace there is a moment and a way for everyone to discover Jesus' heart and mind. What is needed is to enter into that moment of discovery instinctively by to coming in Grace, in Jesus Christ, in prayer, in The Spirit, and ask the Lord "where are you going?" Quo vadis? In the Latin.
Let's settle this Grace thing first:
Why follow Jesus to receive? Why can't we all just follow after grace? Can't anyone approach the Father in any sincere manner and receive his grace? Aren't there many avenues to grace?
Fact of the matter is, God’s grace is not an abstract concept or a thing. God’s grace is a person, Jesus Christ. God established grace in and through his only begotten Son Jesus. God sent the eternal word of God (the logos) who came physically and tabernacled or pitched his earthly tent among us in the person of Jesus. And Jesus came as the living and true temple of God's Spirit, he was “full of grace” and truth. God appeared to us as Jesus. And therefore, all who would seek and hope to follow a life of grace must absolutely seek and follow the person Jesus Christ. All authority and power has been given in him. No other means for grace stands equal to or above him. Every means for grace is subject to him and receives its power from him. Therefore no one need seek grace in any other way other than in him, the person Jesus Christ. Traveling another path is merely a distraction, an obstacle to the true way of grace.
Titus 2: 11-14 says the same thing.
Take a look:
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus..."
Folks,
In this age, right here and now, there is no other way. There's no need for another way. There's no full of grace path other than the person of Jesus Christ. Everything we need comes through him. Every grace available is available in him. Every truth is made true in him. Every righteousness is made righteous in him. All godliness is found to be godly in him. All hope comes from him. Every ungodly worldly desire is defeated in him. All death is overcome in him. He is Love, all love flows out from him. All forgiveness is given in him. All repentance is paid for by him. All instruction is his. And last but certainly not least, all salvation is eternally sealed through him and his obedience and sacrifice.
And so why would those who seek after grace go anywhere else but to him? Many want to redefine what is true, they want what is truly spiritual, they look everywhere for the most meaningful spiritual path that can be found. Redefining in whom, what, or where grace can be found. What they fail to truly grasp is grace isn't a movement, it's not a revival, not a group, not an icon. These are sometimes guiding means meant to point the way to The Way. These means to grace gather up the wheat and lay the harvest at the feet of Jesus Christ. Why him? Because he IS grace. These means for grace are powerless if they are not guiding EVERYONE to the One shepherd of Grace, Jesus Christ.
And so, we come on bended knee, and we ask the Lord Jesus, Quo vadis, where are you going? In effect we're asking him "where should I go Lord?" Because wherever you go Lord, there also I will follow.
Friends,
I've always loved this one song in particular from a favorite and timeless musical, Godspell, the song is called "By my side". And this song has always had the power over me to conjure up The Spirit living within me. The song causes tears of love and joy to pour out of me as I sing along with this prayer to my Lord Jesus. In this song I reach down inside my very soul and express my desire to follow Jesus wherever he goes. I cry out in his love my desire to live by his side. To take him with me wherever I go. To surrender everything to him. This song has this amazing spiritual power over me, but it's just a means to grace. The song isn't grace, the subject of the song is Grace. The words aren't grace, the melody isn't grace, the voices aren't grace. God's Son, our Lord Jesus Christ is the Grace that gives life, holiness, love and grace to that song for me. In him, that song breaks down all my obstacles to Grace. It reaffirms my faith in Him. It speaks in music my heart for Him. It expresses my hope in Him. It blesses my days, my whole life through Him.
Please join your hearts with me now as we sing our prayer to Grace, Jesus Christ and commit our souls to Him.
God Bless You All Friends.