Does Grace Ever Make You Angry?

Are you angry with Grace? We are not talking about a woman named Grace. Instead it is the ideal of someone being mad about God’s grace. There are several instances in the Bible where men and women were actually upset over the unmerited favor of God being bestowed on others.

  • Jonah the Most Disappointed, Successful Prophet

The prophet Jonah was one of the most successful prophets of God. He was reluctant to do God’s bidding and when his mission proved to be of a great success, Jonah expressed great disappointment. Considering God’s graciousness toward Jonah you would think he would be the first to demonstrate an attitude of loving-kindness toward others. First, God was gracious in sending Jonah on a mission to warn the wicked Ninevites of their need to repent. When he ran from God and hopped on a ship to Tarshish in a vain effort to run away from his duty, God was gracious in sending Jonah a storm. Next, God was gracious in saving the ship when Jonah had the sailors throw him into the sea. God was gracious in sending Jonah a sea creature to swallow him, so he would not drown. God was gracious in sparing his life for three days and nights. Curled up in the belly of this great sea creature, Jonah prayed one of the most sincere prayers in the Bible. God was gracious in answering his prayer. God was gracious in giving him a second chance to do his duty. God was gracious in that the Ninevites heeded his message.

Most Bible students already are well acquainted with this part of the story. What you might not know is the rest of the story. Forget about the great sea creature and Jonah’s miraculous rescue, look at God’s grace. From the King all the way down to the animals the Ninevites repented in sackcloth and ashes. But Jonah was angry (Jonah 4:1-3). Any preacher today would turn green with envy over Jonah’s success, but Jonah was angry and envious over the grace of God given to Nineveh. He fell into a suicidal depression. God asked him, “Is it right for you to (4:4). Jonah threw himself a little pity party. “So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.” (4:5). For any Jew at the time saving the Ninevites was not in the best interest of God’s people. They deserved to be wiped out with fire and brimstone. Jonah wanted God to show no mercy. He was so willing to receive God’s grace for himself and even the pagan sailors but not this city.

God continued to show grace to Jonah by sending a plant to give him shade (4:6). Then to make a point God sent a worm to kill the plant (4:7,8). Next He sent a blasting east wind to heat him up. Again, God was gracious in asking him again about his anger. “God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, ‘It is right for me to be angry, even to death!’”(4:9). Jonah had been sent on a mission, he did not want to fulfill. The message of warning is one he did not want to preach. The penitent reaction to the message was a disaster in his eyes. The giving of God’s grace to such a despicable race was beyond his comprehension. Finally, God showed grace to Jonah by showing him the big picture. “But the Lord said, ‘You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?’” (4:10,11).

  • Jesus At Nazareth

 

Jesus went back to his home town of Nazareth to preform miracles and preach in the synagogue. After quoting a prophecy of Isaiah and applying it to himself, Jesus told them of God’s demonstration of grace in the Old Testament. “But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:25-27). This home town audience did not like his preaching. They wanted to kill Him (4:29). Both the recipients of God’s grace were Gentiles. Gentiles were not worthy of God’s grace in the mind of the first century Jews.

 

In fact, no one is worthy of God’s grace. If they were worthy, it would not be grace. Life is not fair. We do not get what we deserve, especially from God. In fact, none of us wants to get what we actually deserve. If a just God gave you or me everything we really deserved right now, that would mean immediate death and hell.

 

  • Simon and the Harlot

 

Jesus was a dinner guest at the home of Simon the Pharisee when in comes a women who of ill-repute who washes Jesus feet with her tears of repentance and her hair. In Simon’s view, if Jesus was a prophet as He claimed to be would not let such an unworthy wretch would not even be permitted to serve Jesus in this manner. Jesus told Simon, “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47). Simon’s blood pressure could have caused a stroke over this show of grace to such a undeserving woman.

  • Parable of the Householder

 

The Parable of the Householder (Matt. 20:1-16) is a response in part to the limited forgiveness that the Jews of the day felt they owned their fellow man. Jesus tells the story of a man who hired various groups of men to come work in his vineyard. Those who came and worked all day received a denarius and those who came and worked only an hour received a denarius. This seemed very unfair to those who worked all day. Yet, no one was cheated. All were paid what was promised. The householder has the right to make contracts with workers and honor such agreements. A denarious was needed by a worked to maintain his household for a day. The boss was gracious in seeing that every day-worker was taken care of based upon an agreement and their need. Likewise, God is gracious, because it is part of His eternal nature. This parable is not about good business practices, but about God’s right to show grace to all.

 

  • Parable of the Elder Brother

 

Another demonstration of the Pharisees being angry with God’s grace is in the last part of the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). Some hold this to be a separate parable of the elder son. The prodigal son came home and received a welcome home party with a ring on his finger, new clothes on his back, and a pair of sandals on his feet. The elder son was angry, so he threw a pity-party. The father gave his wasteful brother a party that was not deserved. So he stay away and threw himself a pity-party. In his eyes he did not deserve grace, because he had earned the right to be honored. “Grace is NOT FAIR!” Point made. Lesson learned.

 

Why Some Are Angry With Grace?

 

▸ A False Belief They Are Deserving of God’s Favor

 

So you are the twelve hour worker and deserve God’s blessings, at least more than others? All are undeserving. No one can earn God’s grace to cover a single sin. Instead of complaining about God’s grace, all should give thanks for God’s gift. No one has ever earned God’s blessings because of their hard work and sacrifice. God sacrificed His Son to work out our salvation.

▸ A Feeling of Obligating God to Gives Us What We Have Earned

 

Jesus told His disciples, “so likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do’” (Luke 17:10). Suppose you perfectly obeyed all the traffic laws of your state. Do you receive any reward? God told Job that He is not under obligation to any man. “Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine” (Job 41:11). God does not owe anyone anything (Rom. 11:35). The Jews had a sense of entitlement to the blessings of God, because they were Jews. The Gospel says “NO”. They had to be saved by the same grace of God as the Gentiles. Christians today need to be careful not to develop this attitude.

 

▸ A Sense of Injustice when Comparing Gifts

 

The elder brother thought his father unfair. The twelve hour laborers thought the householder was not being just with them. When we compare what God gives to others in the way of ability, opportunity, health, wealth, etc., envy toward others and murmuring against God can result. Since grace is not about what one deserves but God’s gifts to others this comparison of blessings is not a personal affront by God. All the blessings in the world do not equal what one has earned or deserves.

 

Notice Jonah never answered God’s final question concerning His demonstration of grace (Jonah 4:11). Did Jonah come to know God’s universal love? Did Jonah ever overcome his anger concerning God’s grace? Did Jonah ever see the folly of his attitude? The Bible does not tell us. Perhaps, this is an effort to have us focus on how we would respond if we were in Jonah’s shoes.

 

God’s grace is amazing. Yet are your ever angry with grace? Do you think God is unfair with His gifts of unmerited favor? Are you mad with God for being a loving, kind, merciful God? Perhaps, it is time to let God be God! And God is gracious toward you!

– by Daniel R. Vess

 

News & Notes

● Morning’s Lesson by Russell Taylor, Sr.: Finding Grace ● Contribution Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21 ● Tonight’s Sermon will be by Eddie Caskey: The Grace of God in the Everyday Life of a Christian ● Dan Vess’ brother-in-law passed away on Wednesday morning please remember the family in your prayers. ● Leadership Class will be cancelled this month due to the Gospel Meeting. ● When in doubt, always tell the truth. ● When some people run into a telephone pole, they blame it on the pole. ● Some of the best arguments are spoiled by people who know what they are talking about.

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