The Grace That Appeared: God’s Reckless Love Made Visible

On Christmas Eve, The Rev. Charlie Holt’s sermon centers on the stunning claim of Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” Drawing on the imagery of the song Reckless Love of God by Cory Asbury and Jesus’ parable of the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to seek the one, the sermon proclaims the Incarnation as God’s deliberate choice to leave divine security and enter human vulnerability. In the birth of Jesus, God’s grace is no longer abstract but visibly revealed—kindness, goodness, and loving-kindness made flesh.

The sermon explains that this appearing grace accomplishes salvation in two inseparable movements: redemption and purification. Christ redeems us by paying a debt we could never repay, freeing us from guilt, shame, and lawlessness. He then purifies us, patiently reshaping our lives so that we may belong to Him and become people zealous for good works. This grace is radically inclusive—for all people—leaving no sin, failure, or hidden darkness beyond God’s reach.

Christmas, therefore, is not merely sentimental or symbolic. It is the bold declaration that God has acted decisively in Jesus Christ, pulling out all the stops—prophecy, angels, stars, and shepherds—to make His saving love unmistakably clear. The sermon concludes with the assurance that whatever walls, fears, or secrets we carry, God’s grace pursues us still, leaving the ninety-nine to come after each one of us.

Image: Adoration of the Shepherds, Gerard van Honthorst, Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne, 1622.