Grace and Truth

Sermon on Sunday, January 4, 2026

Dear church,

The gospel comes to us in pairs. In today’s continued reading from the Gospel of John, we hear the following proclamation: “The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” I love that pairing, grace and truth. In most of life, in most personalities, those two energies are not very compatible. They don’t jell. Either someone tends to speak the truth, sometimes harshly, vehemently, candidly or someone shows grace, kindness, understanding. You can picture the two prototypes. Many people even associate them with opposite genders. Truth is supposed to be the masculine energy that takes no prisoners and holds you to account. Grace is supposed to be the feminine energy that loves and forgives no matter what. You can even see these energies in the various religious role players in the Bible. The prophets were the unapologetic truth speakers. The priests gave people a gracious out: make a sacrifice. Or later, in the Catholic tradition, they’d say: “Ten Hail Mary’s, and you’ll be fine.” That’s grace.

Now John proclaims that grace and truth are united in Jesus Christ, manifesting themselves in total harmony in the life and teachings of Jesus.

Is that possible for normal human beings?

I mean, can we become people of grace and truth? Can we grow whole like that? The invitation is there. When Christ says, “Follow me,” it’s not primarily about certain tasks to be done or specific things to believe or how many times we need to pray or anything like that. Essentially, it’s about who we become, how we integrate the forces that pull us apart, how we allow the light of God to shine within us. Especially in this divided political climate, in this polarized world, let us strive to become people of grace and truth. In other words, let us become Christians!

The gospel comes to us in pairs. It’s about the reconciliation of opposite parts, it’s a marriage within us, it’s the healing of our souls. Some of the other opposites are Faith and Doubt; Connection and Separation; Action and Contemplation; Love and Expectation. When those pairs come together, we will become more Christ-like; it’s the inner work of a lifetime. To say it more poetically, when those pairs consume their marriage, a new person is born; it’s what all the born-again language in the gospel refers to. Yet, for now, let us stick with the pair that is brought to our attention this morning: grace and truth. How are we doing with those?

John remarked that Moses brought the Law to us, but it didn’t move the needle. Mount Sinai, the Commandments, the sacred Torah, it didn’t move the needle. The law just made us aware of how flawed we are. It became the bar we could never reach, no matter how many new year’s resolutions we formulated. There are thousands of laws in the Bible and millions of laws in the law books of the world. Have they moved the needle toward a more just and better world? Have we become a better society through laws?

The New Testament says, no, it never works that way. The only thing that has a lasting effect is renewal from within a person. Truth! Are we willing to be honest with ourselves? Are we honest about the culture and the belief systems we live in? How many times do we avoid truth because it’s uncomfortable, unsettling, discouraging, depressing? How often do we choose a little delusion and a bit of darkness over the light of day? In order to connect with our faith and Jesus within us, we need to give the Holy Spirit permission to speak truth to our hearts.    

And then: grace. Truth alone also doesn’t move the needle either. It can be very painful and of course “true” - and then what? The grace that Jesus proclaimed in the gospel, showing kindness to seriously flawed people while not letting them off the hook is a model. Grace is patient with people, more patient than I can often be with myself. Grace believes in you, despite evidence to the contrary. Grace is rooted in the cross, atonement, you being restored despite yourself… 

The gospel comes to us in pairs. Veer to one extreme at your own peril. We see in our outside world where it leads us when we are ruled by extremes. The same is true in our inner world. Which force is stronger in you? Truth or Grace? Which one needs to expand?

Here is another thought I would like you to ponder… Is it perhaps misleading to call ourselves “Christian,” much as we are used to religious labels and perhaps need them? Would it not be a bit more honest to say that we are always and ever in the process of becoming Christians, followers of Christ, inviting the grace and truth of our Savior into our souls?   (Just a thought!) 

“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.”

Let the light of Christ shine in you and through you this year! With grace and truth... 

Amen.