PASTOR TO PASTOR —

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  (John 1:14-16)

From: City of God  — Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

God’s grace could never be more gracefully extolled than when the eternal Son of God came to put on man, and made man the means to bestow His love to all men; whereby all men might come to Him, who was so far above all men, being compared to them, immortal to mortal, unchangeable to changeable, just to unjust, and blessed to wretched.

Augustine cites a double grace in the coming of Jesus. First, God came graciously among us for our salvation, via the only means that would suffice, the suffering of His own Son. Then, second, He commissioned and empowers us to be the agents of His grace to other men, calling all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel through the ministry of the Church. We who are mortal, changeable, unjust and wretched, God transforms and retools for an eternal mission of grace and truth. Truly, here is grace upon grace from our loving heavenly Father!

Next Steps:

Why do you think so many churches today are neglecting the work of evangelism? Talk with your church leaders about this question.

Adapted from the Series: “The Church on the Hot Seat,” in “Pastor to Pastor,” Colsoncenter.org — Reprinted with permission.