Embracing Radical Acceptance Through Grace and Truth

 

Summary

In this Advent season, we are invited to embrace a posture of radical acceptance, rooted in the hope and promise that God will ultimately set things right. This acceptance is not merely a psychological exercise but a spiritual discipline grounded in the reality of God's grace and truth. As we reflect on the coming of Jesus, both in the past and in the future, we are reminded that our acceptance of life's circumstances, our emotions, and even our suffering is possible because we trust in God's redemptive work.

The Gospel of John introduces us to Jesus as the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth. These two elements are essential for living a life of radical acceptance. Grace allows us to experience God's love and mercy, while truth requires us to confront reality honestly. We often resist facing the truth about ourselves and our world, preferring to deny or justify our failures. Yet, true acceptance demands that we see things as they are, without embellishment or denial.

Our society struggles with this pursuit of truth and justice, as seen in high-profile trials and ongoing social inequalities. The longing for justice is a universal human experience, often reflected in literature and art. However, justice without grace can be terrifying. Jesus embodies both, offering us a model of living with freedom and love, unencumbered by the need for approval or the contagion of toxic emotions.

Jesus' life exemplifies a non-anxious presence, a differentiated self that remains calm and compassionate even in the face of chaos and hostility. His ability to maintain his identity and mission, whether in the temple as a child or on the cross, demonstrates the power of living in grace and truth. As we journey through Advent, we are called to carry these two words with us, seeking God's help to see the truth within and around us, and to respond with grace.

Key Takeaways:

- Radical acceptance is rooted in the hope that God will set things right, allowing us to say "yes" to life's circumstances, emotions, and suffering, trusting in God's redemptive work. [00:50]

- Grace and truth are essential for living a life of radical acceptance. Grace offers love and mercy, while truth requires confronting reality honestly, without denial or justification. [02:14]

- Our society's struggle with truth and justice reflects a deeper longing for a world where everyone receives what they deserve, yet justice without grace can be terrifying. [08:01]

- Jesus exemplifies a non-anxious presence, maintaining his identity and mission amidst chaos, demonstrating the power of living in grace and truth. [09:32]

- As we journey through Advent, we are called to carry grace and truth with us, seeking God's help to see the truth within and around us, and to respond with grace. [11:45]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:26] - Radical Acceptance in Advent
[00:39] - Hope in God's Promise
[01:03] - Embracing Life's Circumstances
[01:26] - The Word Made Flesh
[02:14] - Full of Grace and Truth
[02:46] - Awareness of Reality
[03:43] - Facing Truth and Justice
[05:06] - Justice in Literature
[07:31] - The Need for Grace
[08:27] - Living in Freedom and Love
[09:32] - Jesus' Non-Anxious Presence
[10:51] - Differentiation and Identity
[11:45] - Carrying Grace and Truth
[12:31] - Community Engagement

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
2. John 14:6 - "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
3. Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Observation Questions:
1. How does the Gospel of John describe Jesus in terms of grace and truth? ([01:26])
2. What examples from the sermon illustrate Jesus' non-anxious presence? ([09:32])
3. How does the sermon describe society's struggle with truth and justice? ([04:01])
4. What does the sermon suggest is necessary for living a life of radical acceptance? ([02:14])

Interpretation Questions:
1. How might the concept of radical acceptance change one's perspective on personal suffering and emotions? ([00:50])
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that grace and truth are essential for confronting reality? ([02:14])
3. How does Jesus' example of a non-anxious presence challenge common responses to chaos and hostility? ([09:32])
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between justice and grace in the context of societal issues? ([08:01])

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a current life circumstance where you struggle with acceptance. How can the hope that God will set things right help you say "yes" to this situation? ([00:50])
2. Identify a truth about yourself or your environment that you have been avoiding. What steps can you take to confront this truth with grace? ([02:46])
3. Consider a situation where you feel the need for justice. How can you incorporate grace into your response to this situation? ([08:01])
4. Think of a time when you were anxious in a chaotic situation. How can Jesus' example of a non-anxious presence guide you in similar future situations? ([09:32])
5. As you journey through Advent, what practical ways can you carry grace and truth with you in your daily interactions? ([11:45])
6. Reflect on a relationship where you feel the need for approval. How can embracing your identity in Christ free you to love without seeking validation? ([08:55])
7. Choose one area of your life where you want to practice radical acceptance. What specific action can you take this week to trust in God's redemptive work in that area? ([00:50])

Devotional

Day 1: Radical Acceptance in Hope
In the Advent season, we are called to embrace radical acceptance, a spiritual discipline that allows us to say "yes" to life's circumstances, emotions, and suffering. This acceptance is not a passive resignation but an active trust in God's promise to set things right. It is rooted in the hope that God's redemptive work is ongoing and will ultimately bring justice and peace. By accepting our reality, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God's grace, which enables us to navigate life's challenges with faith and resilience. [00:50]

Isaiah 30:18 (ESV): "Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to accept your current circumstances? How can you invite God's grace into this area today?


Day 2: Living in Grace and Truth
Grace and truth are foundational to living a life of radical acceptance. Grace allows us to experience God's love and mercy, while truth requires us to confront reality honestly, without denial or justification. In a world where we often resist facing the truth about ourselves and our surroundings, embracing both grace and truth is essential. It challenges us to see things as they are and to respond with compassion and understanding, trusting that God's love will guide us through. [02:14]

Ephesians 4:15 (ESV): "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."

Reflection: Is there a truth about yourself or your situation that you have been avoiding? How can you approach this truth with grace and love today?


Day 3: Justice and Grace in Society
Our society's struggle with truth and justice reflects a deeper longing for a world where everyone receives what they deserve. However, justice without grace can be terrifying, as it lacks the compassion and mercy that are essential for true healing and reconciliation. Jesus embodies both justice and grace, offering us a model of living with freedom and love. By following His example, we can work towards a more just and compassionate world, where grace tempers justice and brings about true peace. [08:01]

Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Reflection: How can you actively pursue justice in your community while also extending grace and compassion to those around you?


Day 4: Jesus' Non-Anxious Presence
Jesus exemplifies a non-anxious presence, maintaining His identity and mission amidst chaos and hostility. His life demonstrates the power of living in grace and truth, allowing Him to remain calm and compassionate even in the face of adversity. As we journey through Advent, we are called to embody this non-anxious presence, trusting in God's guidance and strength to navigate the challenges we encounter. By doing so, we can reflect Christ's love and peace to those around us. [09:32]

Philippians 4:7 (ESV): "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: In what situations do you find yourself becoming anxious or overwhelmed? How can you invite Jesus' peace into these moments to remain calm and centered?


Day 5: Carrying Grace and Truth
As we journey through Advent, we are called to carry grace and truth with us, seeking God's help to see the truth within and around us, and to respond with grace. This journey requires us to be intentional in our actions and interactions, allowing God's love to guide us in all that we do. By embracing grace and truth, we can become agents of change and healing in our communities, reflecting the light of Christ in a world that desperately needs it. [11:45]

Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Reflection: How can you intentionally carry grace and truth into your interactions with others this week? What specific actions can you take to reflect Christ's love in your community?

Quotes


In this Advent season, we are invited to embrace a posture of radical acceptance, rooted in the hope and promise that God will ultimately set things right. This acceptance is not merely a psychological exercise but a spiritual discipline grounded in the reality of God's grace and truth. As we reflect on the coming of Jesus, both in the past and in the future, we are reminded that our acceptance of life's circumstances, our emotions, and even our suffering is possible because we trust in God's redemptive work. [00:00:39]

Grace and truth are essential for living a life of radical acceptance. Grace offers love and mercy, while truth requires confronting reality honestly, without denial or justification. Our society's struggle with truth and justice reflects a deeper longing for a world where everyone receives what they deserve, yet justice without grace can be terrifying. Jesus exemplifies a non-anxious presence, maintaining his identity and mission amidst chaos, demonstrating the power of living in grace and truth. [00:02:14]

I cannot live with a posture of radical acceptance unless I'm honest about what it is that needs to be accepted, and one of the great difficulties is I push away from that. I try to deny reality; I don't want to look at it. And so when I failed back when I was a grad student, I forget all about that failure until many, many years later my advisor reminds me. [00:02:46]

Our nation right now is struggling with discovering what is the truth about ourselves. How do we ever know? And there have been a couple of very high-profile trials, one in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, and then another one, the trial of the killers of Ahmaud Arbery. As a country, as we try to look at will there ever be justice, there's all of the intricate details of an individual case. [00:04:03]

We believe that because God became flesh, that justice, truth, reality will one day prevail. But then one last sentence in this little passage: but when we do so, we rarely remember to count ourselves among their company. We look around and discover that before the end of the weekend, all assembles will get their justice earth, but we rarely remember to count ourselves. [00:07:31]

Jesus is full of truth, reality, justice will come, but justice alone can be a terrifying thing if it is not accompanied with grace, mercy, compassion, favor, goodwill. And Jesus is full of them, and it is because of it is because he is the one who is full of grace and truth that he lives in other utter freedom and is able to be present in love for people. [00:08:27]

When he's on a boat, there's a storm going on. Everybody in the boat is terrified; they're convinced they're all going to die. Remember what Jesus is doing? He's taking a nap. By the way, he brings what is classically called a non-anxious presence. Little acronym, nap, nap. It's the ability to take a nap when everybody's going crazy. [00:09:32]

His awareness of his identity and his vocation are extraordinary, and he doesn't detach. He goes back home; he obeys his parents. We see this over and over again in his life when he's with a leper where nobody else would touch this person, he reaches out at risk of great stigma to himself. When he's in the temple and everybody else would be likely to conform. [00:10:51]

So today, carry these two words: grace and truth. From one moment to the next, God help me to see the truth, what's going on around me, what's going on inside me, my anxiety, my anger, my fear, my resentment, my boredom, and then instead of beating myself up for that or rejecting myself or condemning other people, God let me live in grace. [00:11:45]

May the Jesus who came to Bethlehem, who is coming again, come to me today, come to you today full of grace and truth. May the one who was incarnated make you differentiated. I'll see you next time. [00:12:31]

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Transcript
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