More grace and truth

As I blogged a while back, I preached about grace and truth on September 7th at New Covenant and September 14th at Encounter Christian Church.  I came across this great quotation on Bob Hyatt's blog which recalled to my mind some of the points I made during my message:

Personal transformation happens best in the context of a loving community that extends grace and truth. The Gospel of John proclaims 'The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.' Personal transformation happens best when the individual is offered a grace-filled environment. When Jesus encountered Thomas' doubt following his resurrection, He did not lash out in anger. He responded with grace (John 20:27). Judgment, criticism, guilt, or shame can produce short-term change, but meaningful, long-term, inside-out change is nurtured by grace. Creating an environment where an individual experiences acceptance in spite of failure allows personal transformation to take root.