The Jesus Response – by Eliezer Gonzalez

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Nov 30, 2015 2307

I have a wonderful friend who together with his amazing wife runs a recovery and healing ministry based on Christian principles. Graham and Michelle Hood of Mission Serenity sacrificially help men, women, couples, and young people to climb out of the pit of sexual abuse, abusive and dysfunctional relationships, as well as porn, and other addictions.

The results of their ministry has been simply one miracle after another as they apply the healing power of grace to restore broken lives. Their whole approach is based on the principles of the Gospel, and on their own journeys of healing through the power of the grace of God.

Graham and Michelle talk about the “Jesus Response” as being the way that we should deal with those who are hurting in their sins. Graham tells of his Michelle’s response when some years ago he momentarily relapsed into porn.

Her first question was, “Are you alright?”

And her second question was, “Is it anything I’ve done.”

Graham says, “Her third response was the clincher.” She said,

“What can I do to help you?”

Wow! That’s the Jesus Response. No condemnation. Only grace and restoration. It seems so alien if you don’t experience it in your life, doesn’t it?

It’s modelled, as the name says, on how Jesus responded to sinners.

Remember the woman caught in adultery. The crowd had clamoured for her condemnation. It was well deserved. But Christ’s words to her were,

Woman, where are your accusers? (John 8:10 – NLT)

When she said that they had gone, he said,

Neither do I [accuse you]. (John 8:11 – NLT)

In other words, “There is no condemnation for you.”

And then Jesus said,

Go and sin no more. (John 8:11 – NLT)

In other words, “You are not diminished in my eyes; you are free to go and be the best that you can be. I will be here for you.”

That’s the Jesus Response. It’s healing. It’s restorative. It’s powerful.

No matter how badly you have hurt someone, no one has ever been as badly hurt by you than Jesus. And if Jesus did not respond the way he does to the reality of your life and of my life when we come to Him, heaven would be empty. No one could ever make it.

The only way that you can be saved is to accept this kind of love from Jesus.

And the only way that you can become an agent of healing both in your society, your family, and in your own life is to start demonstrating the Jesus Response to sinners whom you know. I know… it’s the most unnatural thing in the world. Your evil nature will fight against it tooth and nail, especially if you have also been hurt!

But to show the Jesus Response is to demonstrate not only that you have understood the gospel, but that you have accepted it in your own life. That’s why Jesus assures us that those who do not give the Jesus Response to other sinners will not see the Kingdom of God (Luke 6:37; Matt 18:21–35).

There is no more powerful weapon against sin than the Jesus Response. Use it. Start healing the world now… and you might just allow your own healing to begin.

– Eliezer Gonzalez