WHEN JESUS IS LIFTED UP
Jesus said, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32). And so he has drawn us. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day expected a Messiah who would strike a blow against the occupying army of the Romans; instead, Jesus allowed the Romans to strike a blow against Him.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2Cor. 8:9)
He was lifted up on a cross but his willingness to be humiliated, beaten, mocked, and crucified resulted in “radiant grace”…grace that just keeps radiating out, drawing “all men” into his eternal kingdom.
FLASHES OF THE GRACE OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST RADIATING OUT
I am constantly reminded of God’s grace in pulling me into His kingdom. A week or so ago, I connected with a high-school friend, Fred Brown, and found out his son is now a pastor. When Fred and I were in high school, neither of us knew Christ, but both came to do so later because of God’s radiant grace. Now we both have sons in ministry (my son, Linus Jr., helps lead Adventures of the Heart).
I visited the church Fred’s son Eric pastors yesterday. My phone call with Fred, followed by meeting his son Eric were flashes of God’s radiant grace. So was the visit by long time friends Dan and Jan Wroblicky. Dan was part of a Bible study I led before we moved to France. He and Jan have lived lives of grace in teaching, coaching, and family for the glory of God.
Another flash of God’s radiant grace was the visit this past week of our “Dutch son,” Bas van Rhee. Bas lived with us for two years and played basketball at Thousand Oaks High School before going on to college. He is now married with six children, an elder in his church, and passionate about Scripture, following the Lord, and living out his faith.
Yet another flash of God’s grace this week was the visit of John and Paula Rowland. I performed their wedding ceremony.
John is a medical doctor in Seattle and was part of a Bible study I led after he attended medical school in England. John was part of one of our basketball outreaches to Northern Ireland, and has been on numerous Mercy Ship medical missions led by Gary Parker, who was also part of the Bible study in our home.
John and Paula stayed overnight and was present Friday morning, when I lead the NO BS BS. Since there are two medical doctors in our Zoom Bible study, I wanted them to meet John, and John them, so I had John introduce himself to group on camera. There are incredible stories of God’s grace in the lives of each of the NO BS BSERS.
GOD’S GRACE RADIATING OUT THROUGH THE NATIONS
The day after John and Paula’s visit, I received a photo taken in 1984 of the Crossroads International Church that we were part of starting. In the photo below are two of the men who were on the Friday NO BS BS: Gary Vannatter (top row sunglasses) and Vince Leong (front row holding a folder). Four of our children are in the photo too.
This was the first of our church plants in Europe. My heart swells with joy as I think of the grace-radiating stores of those pictured…as well as those that God has used the Crossroads (and the other churches we planted) to reach, encourage, equip, and send around the world as followers of Jesus since. Below is a photo taken this past year of the Crossroads church.
All this (except the NO BS BS) was before becoming part of Global Training Network. There are many more stories of God’s radiant grace through our training in Uganda, Brazil, Nepal, Ethiopia, El Salvador, and more, since 2011.
SOME HEART-FELT PASSAGES (TO ME) ON GOD’S RADIANT GRACE
2Cor. 4:15 “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
Rom. 5:15 “But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!”
Rom. 5:20-21 “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1Cor. 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”
2Cor. 12:9 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
AND LASTLY, THINKING OF YOU
1Cor. 1:4 “I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.”
Lifting up Christ…and living out of His great grace,
Linus…for the Global Training Network Divine Expedition team
On Expedition + 