Grace-Beggars

A few years ago I preached a sermon at Metro State Prison in Atlanta. Metro is a state penitentiary for women. I had been going to the prison once a week counseling with two women. One was a drug addict and the other was a murderer. I had heard the stories of some of the other women through my colleagues. After the sermon I helped serve Holy Communion. I would say the words that we have become familiar with as I gave the bread, “The body of Christ broken for you.” The first lady up was a lady who was a former prostitute who was addicted to crack cocaine. “The body of Christ broken for you,” I would say. Another lady had murdered her husband out of rage after years of abuse. “The body of Christ broken for you.” The lady behind her had sold her children in order to buy more drugs. “The body of Christ broken for you.” Some where down the line was a twenty year old who as a part of a gang initiation that had murdered a member of a rival gang. “The body of Christ broken for you.” Behind her was someone who was formerly part of a white supremacy group that had terrorized portions of the Southeast. “The body of Christ broken for you.” What better can the church offer such people other than grace?

Dr. Tom Long, homiletics professor tells a story: “A student of mine went jogging with his father in their urban neighborhood. As they ran, the son shared what he was learning in seminary about urban ministry, and the father, an inner city pastor, related experiences of his own. At the halfway point in their jog, they decided to phone ahead for a home delivered pizza. As they headed for the phone, however, a homeless man approached them, asking for spare change. The father reached into the pockets of his sweat pants and pulled out two handfuls of coins. ‘Here,’ he said to the homeless man. ‘Take what you need.”

The homeless man, hardly believing his good fortune, said, “I’ll take it all,” scooped the coins into his own hands, and went his way. It only took a second for the father to realize that he now had no change for the phone. ‘Pardon me,’ he beckoned to the homeless man. ‘I need to make a call. Can you spare some change?’ The homeless man turned and held out the two handfuls of coins. ‘Here,’ he said. ‘Take what you need.” We are all grace-beggars extending the grace of God to other vagabonds. Homeless without the grace of God. Hopeless without the grace of God.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found – Was blind, but now I see.