What's So Amazing About Grace

Early in the exploration of my call into ministry, my pastor recommended a book titled,

What’s So Amazing About Grace by Christian author Philip Yancey. This book had a

major impact in my understanding of God’s love and helped me tremendously in making

my decision to enter ministry.

It remains in a prominent place on my bookshelf almost 30 years later. The author Philip

Yancey has been one of my favorite writers over the years. I have many of his works in

my library of favorite books. I have often referred to What’s So Amazing About Grace

and other works by Yancey in my writings and sermons.

Recently, as you may have seen, Yancey admitted committing adultery. He confessed

to having had an 8-year sexual relationship with a woman who was not his wife. When

I first heard this news, I was sick. I was so disappointed that a man who I admired and

looked up to had fallen into such sin.

Unfortunately, he was not the first; nor will he be the last prominent religious leader to

fall into such sin. The aftermath of his revelation has been swift – shame, loss of respect,

loss of revenue from his dozens of books, loss of his position as editor in chief of

Christianity Today, forced to admit that his actions were less than what his wife and

Jesus deserved. He has been blasted, deservedly so, as a hypocrite, and a charlatan by

many.

While I do not offer excuses or absolution for his sin, my heart still grieves for Yancey

and even more so for his wife of over 55 years, Janet. As I processed my feelings, I

picked up my copy of What’s So Amazing About Grace and turned to the first page.

Yancey began by telling a story of a woman who once confessed to him her unimaginable

sin. After hearing her confession, not knowing what else to say, he asked the woman,

‘Have you ever thought of going to a church for help?’ ‘With a look of shock on her face,

she cried out, ‘Church! Why would I ever go to church. I already feel terrible. They would

just me feel worse.’

What a pity. The place where sinners should be welcomed is often the place where our

shame is highlighted. Where is the grace in that. While sin should never be taken lightly,

sin does not have the final word. That is the meaning of grace.

John 3:16-17 tells us, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only

Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent

his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

Jesus doesn’t dismiss us when we sin. Rather, he invites us to repent and welcomes us

with open arms.

It would be easy to condemn Phillip Yancey, there are many who will. But Jesus isn’t

one of them. Instead, Jesus offers us Amazing Grace. I pray Yancey and his wife will

experience that grace as I pray we all will.

I invite you join us this Sunday as we continue to experience God’s grace.

Pastor Marty