March: Costly Grace

In March, our focus will be on exploring the concept of Costly Grace. As part of our themed approach for the year 2024, each month delves into a specific theme, and this month, as previously announced, we will be examining Costly Grace. This theme holds particular significance as we approach Easter towards the end of March, commemorating Jesus' death and resurrection. The inspiration for this month's theme stems from the teachings of theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Mr. Bonhoeffer was a reserved man who stood up against the Nazis, criticized Hitler publicly and called upon Germany’s state church to repent of its anti-semitism and to refuse to allow itself to be used by the Nazis.

After being presented with detailed information and pictures of the atrocities against the Jews, this pastor, theologian and man of peace joined a conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Bonhoeffer was sent to Tegel prison, then the concentration camps of Buchenwald and Flossenburg. Shortly before the war ended he was hung.

In his book The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes: Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace.

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the Cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye, which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows Him.

Above all, it is costly because it costs God the life of His Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon His Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered Him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.

Above all, it is costly because it costs God the life of His Son.

We will conclude the month of March featuring cross paddle outs from around the globe on easter. To remind us that what has cost God so much, CANNOT be cheap for us! Amen.