We continue with our preaching series on Grace which is also our year long guiding theme. During our first Sunday we talked about Grace in the metaphor of water and the oceans. And then last week we continued still with water on how to live by grace in the same way we use water. Today we will be talking about GIVING GRACE, pero low key na muna tayo sa metaphor of water kasi baka umay na at over used na. After talking about LIVING BY GRACE, we proceed with GIVING GRACE. To some extent, natouch ko na a little bit as the closing part of last week’s preaching.

Thank you everyone and all the volunteers last week for a wonderful worship service lalo na music team last week. Thank you JT for reading my preaching and Jom for officiating communion. And to clarify, my preaching last week in its entirety or in parts does not pertain nor is it directed towards any specific person. Okay? Pero syempre kung kinausap ka ni Holy Spirit sa preaching ni Pastor and the shoe fits… well, that’s not on me ha. And if naman relevant sayo, then there’s no reason to be affected. Okay?

Preaching clock begins now direk.

A bit of a review – so if you are a Christian, then Jesus Christ is God’s grace in the flesh and the source of God’s grace. Whether you are progressive, conservative, moderate or somewhere else in the Christian spectrum, Jesus of Nazareth, a subversive peasant Jew is God’s living grace and our source of grace. Amen? Si Jesus ba ang ating Lord, Savior, Teacher, and Friend? Yes. Amen?

God’s grace like an ocean which no one can own or control exclusively, should be available and accessible to everyone whoever they are. And NO ONE is outside of God’s grace. Amen?

Jesus in the gospel writings telling us his teachings and us his example shows us how grace looks like. The Apostle Paul responding to community issues by writing to the Christian communities spread across the Roman Empire and under Roman oppressive system, brilliantly articulates the theology of grace. Both Jesus and Paul’s theology of grace are subversive and counter-cultural to the cruel and oppressive Roman Imperial system.

For Christians – GRACE – is no longer based on the cruel systems of the world, the empire, and of emperors and kings. Grace is God’s free and willing gift to all and no one can work to earn or deserve grace. Grace is based on love, compassion, kindness, and certainly common good for all.

Lastly, grace is something we receive and experience through each other’s giving of Grace. We are also God’s channel – alulod – of grace.

We give grace because we have received grace upon grace as per the gospel of John 1:16. Whoever you are, whatever your situation is then and now, in a unique and contextual way, you have received and experienced God’s grace. Masasabi nyo ba that you have always received and experienced God’s grace during or after difficult or painful moments?

And the only reason we are here week after week worshiping and volunteering together for 18 years is only because of God’s grace through the grace of each other? Tama? Amen?

Grace is not something horded or exclusively kept for ourselves. Eitherwise, like stagnat water it will rot. Give away whatever grace you have in many different ways and situations.

Pero how do we give or extend grace nga? What’s the first obvious thing to do to be able to share grace?

What is the definition of grace? – Loving Kindness – and loving kindness means doing or giving something good or beneficial to others, especially those who are struggling or in need without expecting anything in return or having other motives for helping.

Let us all together read the next slide taken from the gospel of Matthew chapter 25:35-36: for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’

This is the closing parable of the 25^th chapter of Matthew and it has been titled by bible publishers as the Judgment of the nations or Judgement of humanity. This verse is one of the mostly quoted and used bible passages here in Open Table or at least by me. At the end of it all, the measure and judgement of our lives will ONLY be our concrete actions of loving kindness to anyone who is struggling, sick, and in need? Especially to those who are desperate and whose only hope is God. Have you heard that phrase before? Those whose only hope is God? It means and refers to people na wala na ibang makapitan at malapitan maliban sa Diyos. Sa sobrang hirap o bigat ng kanilang sitwasyon, na halos wala na silang malapitan, ang tanging lalapitan na lang ay ang Diyos.

Giving grace means to do or give something good for each other and for those in need when you are able without expecting anything in return nor any ulterior motive as reason for helping.

Now let us be clear – helping and doing good does not mean doing it stupidly or being gullible. Hindi yan yung nagpapauto ka sa kung sino man para bilhan mo ng mamahaling gamit or gadget. Hindi yan kakikilala nyo pa lang for a few weeks or a few months eh pinautan mo na ng libo-libong pera. Hindi yan yung gwapo o Magandang nakilala mo sa social media send ka agad ng GCash. Tapos pledge mo sa church 150pesos tapos hind imo pa makumpleto. Nung dark ages ito ng MCC. Sige kahit wag na sa church sabihin ginagaya ko ang pang-guguilt trip na ginagawa sa evangelical churches. Sige kahit hindi na sa MCC, sa ibang charitable organizations na lang… hindi makapagdonate or bigay? May pang ES walang pang offering or walang pang ayuda sa Pride Cares or Angat Buhay Foundation? Chariz. Not Chariz. Again, wala akong moral judgement sa mga ganap nyo mga accla. Don’t get me wrong also, personal nyong mga buhay yan at mga relasyon, and pinaghirapan nyong mga resources nyo. Hindi yun ang problema, ang problema mga desisyon nyo sa buhay na minsan pajulit-julit. Go and experience God in those private extra-curricular activities pero wag excessive and ayusin ang priorities gurl. Ang dami kayang katangahan, pardon the language, because of wrong priorities and wrong forms of kindness. Minsan talaga napapaisip ako – kung sa simbahan or pride cares na lang sana binigay or sa Angat Buhay. Daming naloloko, na-sca-scam at nakukuhaan ng malaking pera because of wrong priorities and motivations masked or justified as kindness.

Remember, Kindness is not something you do so that you can feel good about yourself. Kindness is not something you do or give EXPECTING love and intimacy in exchange. Generosity is not something you do or give so that you feel validated or affirmed.

Grace as acts of kindness is yoru response to the pain, suffering, or desperation of another human being. O baka may magalit, this is not specific to anyone, eto ay nangyayari naman talaga sa sangka-acclaan maski nga sa mga shibulibambam na nagkape lang bukas live-in na agad. Maski nga sa straight minsan nangyayari rin ang mga ito.

Aside from Loving Kindness, there are 7 other ways to give and extend grace.

Aside from loving kindness, the first tangible form of grace is presence or being present. To show up. This is also deeply rooted in the most orthodox Christian dogma of Incarnation of God becoming flesh – Immanuel – God with us. God’s presence and grace became flesh when God became physically present in the person of Jesus Christ. In the same manner we can give grace when we are present with others. When we show up when a friend is struggling or sick. Grace is when we attend the worship service pag Sunday kahit hindi ka volunteer for the day. Sometimes, just being present is enough. After all everything begins with physical presence. You cannot do anything or do very little if you are not present. Pag present ka maraming pwedeng gawin depende sa situation and need, and as I’ve said sometimes, just being here is enough.

Patience and understanding – one of the closest virtues to grace is patience. Sometimes Grace is used interchangeable with patience. For today I am not pertaini ng to patience in relation to waiting but rather, – pagpapasensya – and kasama niyang pagpapasensya ay pang-unawa or understanding. Giving grace means to try our best to be patient and understanding of others especially towards the imperfections of our loved ones,friends, people we work with, people in community, and people we encounter. As much as others have been patient and understanding with our imperfections, we should also be patient and understanding of others. Hindi pwedeng ikaw lang palaging pinagpapasensyahan at inuunawa. Ikaw rin dapat giving grace through patience and understanding.

Next is acceptance – pagtanggap and this is the closest thing we can relate to as queer people. One of the greatest expressions of grace in our life as queer peopl...

Giving Grace