God's Prevenient Grace

Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him (John 11: 54-57).

Prompted by the threats of the chief priests and Pharisees, Jesus withdrew from the crowd that had gathered as a result of the resurrection of Lazarus in Bethany. He traveled to the wilderness town of Ephraim. Here we notice another difference between followers and disciples. When Jesus left town, followers remained behind while disciples accompanied Him. The Passover was coming, and back in Jerusalem there was more excitement than usual. Everyone was talking about Jesus and the miracle of Bethany. They were wondering if the Lord would make an appearance at the Passover celebration… “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” There was an unusually heavy presence of guards at the Temple. The city was thronged with pilgrims and priests. Just six days before the Passover, the elders were sure Jesus was coming to Jerusalem and they were preparing to arrest Him. They would not let Him disrupt the religious solemnity of this important feast. They were still bent on ending the life and ministry of the carpenter from Nazareth. But the Son of God knew with even more certainty that in just six days He would be stretched out on the cross to give his life for both those who loved and hated him. The timing was also going to be a perfect part of the divine plan. There was no doubt that this year’s Passover attracted large crowds and would climax with the crucifixion of the Lamb of God… “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). How ironic that among the many that went to Jerusalem before the Passover to “purify themselves” walked Jesus Christ, the only true hope of their purification. That God would use this feast to draw crowds to the revelation of the true Lamb of God is a marvelous reflection of God’s prevenient grace.

Times have changed but the hearts of people remain the same. Everyone has a sense that there is much more to life than this material, temporal existence because we are created in the image of God and He has placed a sense of eternity in our hearts… “He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Everything in the created world around us also makes us aware of the sin that separates us from our holy Creator… “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:18-20). Many choose to suppress this truth that cries out in our hearts… “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21). But the longing for a resolution to the problem of sin and for a re-connection with our Creator is God’s prevenient grace. It cannot be fully denied. Just as it drove crowds on the way to the Passover feast to “purify themselves”, this divinely implanted craving is intended to drive us to Christ, the Lamb whose blood has purchased our salvation and restored us to fellowship with God… “You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,  but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). If you know Christ as your Savior you should never cease thanking God for this grace that drove you… “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Revelation 1:5).

As we grow up into Christ our witnessing becomes more effective as we yield to and cooperate with…

God’s Prevenient Grace.