The House We Are Building | The Bathroom
We believe God is building something far greater than what our eyes can see. In this series, Build the House, we’re stepping into His vision of a people who worship, encourage one another, and carry His presence into the world.
The Nature of Grace
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17
Grace is more than a gentle covering over our mistakes. Grace is jolting. Grace is catapulting. Grace doesn’t leave us where it found us—it launches us into a new life in Christ.
A Jolt You Don’t Forget
Pastor Jady began with a story about his days as chaplain for the Baylor football team. One day, standing on the sidelines, he jokingly told a massive freshman recruit to “punch him.” The player did. The hit was so strong it knocked the taste out of his gum and brought tears to his eyes.
Why did that stick? Because when you get jolted, you don’t forget it.
That’s the nature of God’s grace. It doesn’t just pat us on the back; it jolts us awake to real life. Paul writes in Ephesians 2 that we were once dead in our sins, but God—rich in mercy—made us alive in Christ. Grace doesn’t only forgive us; it catapults us out of death into life.
Grace in the Wilderness
The people of Israel knew what it meant to wander in a wilderness. For 40 years, they were sustained by God’s daily provision—clouds, fire, manna, quail. Yet they struggled with bad attitudes, whining instead of trusting.
And here’s the shocking truth: their behavior didn’t change God’s. His provision never stopped. His presence never left.
That is grace. Our behavior doesn’t determine God’s behavior. His goodness isn’t dictated by our performance. His grace jolts us beyond our failures and into His faithfulness.
Rahab’s Story: From Shame to the Storyline of Jesus
Joshua 2 introduces us to Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who hid Israel’s spies. By the world’s standards, she was the wrong person, in the wrong place, living the wrong kind of life. Yet God chose her as a vital part of His plan.
Rahab wasn’t treated as her sins deserved. Instead, she was spared by God’s grace. Her faith landed her in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11, and Matthew 1 places her in the very lineage of Jesus.
Grace catapulted her out of shame into God’s story.
Grace Changes Everything
Grace doesn’t just cover your past; it launches you into a new future. Grace positions you where you don’t belong, opens doors no one can shut, and jolts you from shame into the beauty of God’s story.
We were dead, but God made us alive in Christ. That is the catapulting nature of grace.