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Expressing and Experiencing Grace

Scene from Les Miserables:

Right at the beginning of Les Miserables Jon Valjean has just gotten out of prison. On his travels he stays with a priest. During the night he steals the priest’s silver. The next morning the police bring Jon Valjean Jon to the priests home.

They ask the priest if he was missing silver. The priest said to Jon Valjean, “I am very mad at you, you forgot to take the silver candle sticks.” He gave more silver to Jon Vanjean, and told him privately, “With this silver I have purchased your soul away from the hate you have felt from those who have hurt you.”

Grace This clip is an illustration of grace. The priest not only forgave and didn’t seek revenge, but chose to bless him by giving him the silver, and then add more blessings by giving him the candlesticks.

Just as the priest’s giving grace to Jean Valjean gave him a new future, expressing grace in your marriage can ignite new possibilities for you and your spouse.

But before we talk about what grace would look like in our marriages, let’s talk about what it isn’t.

The Source of Grace

The title tonight is Expressing and Experiencing Grace. We cannot adequately express grace until we have experienced it. The priest had experienced God’s forgiveness and love, which gave him the power to extend grace to Jean Valjean. As you experience God’s grace in your life, you will be able to extend it to your spouse.