Text study

Text study – Luke 16:19-31

/ The Pastor / 12 Comments

It has been way too long since I wrote a "text study" post.  It is not because I have not been doing text study each week it’s because…well…I don’t know why.  Oh well…I guess I won’t try to explain.

The Gospel text for this coming Sunday (18th Sunday after Pentecost) is from Luke 16:19-31.  Here Jesus tells the story (parable) of a rich man and Lazarus (not to be confused with the Lazarus Jesus raised from the dead in the Gospel of John).  Actually the name "Lazarus" means "Helped by God".  Maybe this is something that helps…I don’t know.  In any case, there is a rich man (Notice:  The rich man here and in other parables of Jesus are not given names, but the poor are given names.  I wonder if this is significant) and Lazarus (a poor man).  The rich man treats Lazarus with contempt during their lives and refuses to show any kind of mercy and love.  Upon their deaths, Lazarus is "…carried away by the angels to be with Abraham." (Luke 16:22) and the rich man was buried and ends up in Hades. 

The rich man sees his predicament and Lazarus across the way with Abraham on the other side of a great chasm.  All of a sudden roles are reversed as Abraham points out verse 25 in response to the rich man’s plea for mercy.  After Abraham points out the great chasm the rich man then pleads for his brothers to be warned.  Abraham indicates that they have Moses and the prophets but the rich man pleads for Lazarus to be sent to warn them.  Abraham then replies "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." (Luke 16:31)

This story gives me a few things to ponder and I offer them to you:
(1) "Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed…" — What are the "great chasms" of today?  What separates people from the Kingdom?  a) Despair over sins/past life that people feel can not be forgiven; b) Pride — notice how the rich man continues to look down on Lazarus expecting Lazarus to serve him. Being corrupted by wealth; c) Unbelief — People simply do not believe Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior; d) Intellectual faith — People try to rationalize and reason their way to heaven, but get tripped up.

What are your thoughts on this "great chasm"?

(2) Throughout the Gospel of Luke, money and wealth is a very popular topic for Jesus.  Maybe this needs to be addressed.  During text study this morning, someone asked the question "How do you minister to the wealthy" and then answered by saying, "Give them opportunities to give/serve".  Obviously the rich man in this story knew Lazarus; he had to step over him almost daily.  The rich man had many chances to give and show mercy but did not.  How many chances have we missed — because after all, we are among the wealthy?

(3) The name Lazarus means "Helped by God".  Is that significant?  Jesus could have used any name or not even used a name for the poor man.

Now if we go back to the other texts for Sunday – Amos 6:1a, 4-7 & 1 Timothy 6:6-19 – we get more talk about the misuse of wealth.  The 1 timothy text has the popular verse (10) that says, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…"  Paul does not condemn the rich; saying that wealth is "bad", but rather the misuse of it gets people in trouble.  He warns the rich not to fall into temptation; thinking their wealth will save them (just ask the rich man in Luke 16).  Amos also goes after "those who are at ease" (Amos 6:1)

There is plenty of food for thought in our texts for Sunday.  Does any one have any other thoughts to throw into the mix? (Not that I need to be confused even more – but I guess that doesn’t take much)

Update
This Sunday is "Bible Sunday" at Salem and Belmont Lutheran Churches.  Third graders will be presented their Bible along with the Salem congregation receiving their pew Bibles (but don’t tell Salem for I have told them that the pew Bibles are a "surprise" — which I probably totally ruined by typing this 🙂  Oh well… if people have read the council minutes, they know this is coming.

Anyway…thanks for "listening".  Take care and God bless!

-edh-

Text study: Luke 14:1-14

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

Personal side note:  My pastoral care issues just got a little more intense today.  Obviously I can’t go into details but I can tell (since it is out in the news around here) that D and J’s daughter was arrested for 1st degree possession and selling of Meth.  This daughter,K, faces some serious jail time.  The family is really struggling right now trying to understand K’s actions.  Please remember them in your prayers.  Thank you.

*******

The Gospel text for this Sunday (14th Sunday after Pentecost) comes from Luke 14:1, 7-14.  It is the story of Jesus attending a dinner party at the home of the leader of the Pharisees — obviously a ploy to gather more evidence against Jesus.  During this dinner party Jesus is tested and subsequently offers a couple nuggets of wisdom about humility and hospitality.  But first…

…The lectionary here surprisingly leaves out some important verses.  Sometimes I don’t understand what these lectionary authors were thinking — verses 2 – 6 are left out.  This section tells the account of Jesus healing a man with dropsy.  On the surface it seems kind of strange that this man would be invited to such a prestigious dinner party.  But William Barclay in the The New Daily Study Bible commentary series suggests that this man was invited by the Pharisees in order to see how Jesus would deal with him.  Seems to make sense.  So in the discussion of humility and hospitality it seems somewhat incomplete to leave these 5 verses out.  Unlikely conversation: A lectionary blog also agrees that these verses are important to include. 

Jesus sees this man with dropsy and questions the dinner guests if they would help their ox or donkey that has fallen in a well (the Law says that would be alright).  Nobody answers Jesus, so he heals the man then tells a parable.  The parable is about seating assignments at a dinner party.  Jesus suggests that you take the lowest seat so if the host asks you to move up, you will be exalted in front of everyone instead of being made to look like a fool if you are asked to move down.  It is a lesson in humility.

The second teaching deals with WHO you should invite to a dinner party.  Jesus says you should invite those who are not able to pay you back, for if you invite only your friends and/or family and they return the favor, where is your reward.  It is a lesson in hospitality.  This lesson in hospitality is then expanded on in verses 15 – 24 when Jesus teaches the parable of the Great Banquet.  Maybe we should include those verses as well on Sunday.

So as I ponder and reflect on this text, a couple thoughts linger within me:
(1) Jesus says "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind" Just like last week I am drawn back to Luke chapter 4 where Jesus says he was anointed to bring Good News to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind and release to the oppressed.  In this text he is living and teaching this proclamation.

(2) There is some irony here.  The Pharisees invited the man with dropsy to the dinner party not because he was welcome, but to trap Jesus.  And this man is the very person Jesus is saying you need to invite to something like this (and more).  I wonder what the Pharisees were thinking when Jesus said what he said in #1.

(3) Taking the "lowest seat at a banquet" in the hope that you will be exalted in front of others is NOT humility.

(4) Welcoming only those that you like is NOT hospitality.

When have you experienced "true" hospitality?  Who is the humblest person you know? Who are the "poor" in spirit; those who are "crippled" in their faith; the ones who are "lame" and unable to move foreward in life and the ones who are spiritually "blind" that we need to reach out to and welcome?  How can we live this proclamation better?  These are but a few things I am pondering.  What comes to your mind when you read this text? 

May God bless your day with a love and peace that surpasses all understanding.  Take care.
-edh-

Healing on the sabbath

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

I am still trying to get my hands around the Gospel text for this Sunday (13th Sunday after Pentecost) which is Luke 13:10-17.  The story is about Jesus healing a woman in the synagogue, in full view of the synagogue leader, on the sabbath day.  The woman was bent of over; afflicted by Satan, for 18 years.  Instead of delaying love and mercy Jesus "violated" the Law and healed her.  When the synagogue leader saw this he began speaking to the crowd about the appropriate use of the sabbath day.  NOTICE:  The synagogue leader did not even have the courage to direct his comments toward Jesus himself.

Following the leader’s rebuke of Jesus, Jesus fires back and puts the powers that be to shame through the very Law they hold so dear (they would show mercy to an animal over a daughter of Abraham).  At this, the people joined the woman formerly know as the woman who had been afflicted by God for 18 years (it was believed that this woman was being punished by God for her sins) in "rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he (Jesus) was doing.  While this rejoicing was going on the powers that be were wallowing in their shame.

So what do we take from this?  How does one preach this text?  A couple thoughts come to mind:
(1) Priorities:  Maybe a question to ask is, "What are your priorities?"  For the leaders of the synagogue their priority was the Law and following the rules over people.  They choose the letter of the law over the spirit of the law.  How many time have WE done that?  Maybe, as we preach this or study this text, we go so far as to ponder what is important in our lives today.  What does your priority list look like:  God – Family – Friends – Job/career (for example).  Maybe the priority list looks like many people where I serve: Sports/Family (these can be interchanged) — Job/career — God — <Something, something>…  Is serving God really number one in our lives?

(2) Freedom:  When I look at the language about the woman being "set free" and the "untying" of the donkey I see a similar action going on.  The woman has been bound and now set free and so with the donkey as it is lead to water.  In both cases someone needed to intervene.  Who around or among us is "bound" and needs to be "set free" through the Gospel?  What binds you and/or others?  Are we placing rules and societal expectations before the needs of people?  The Gospel sets us free yet we can be very stingy in the proclamation of it.

(3) Anointed:  In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus quotes these verses from Isaiah 61, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach Good News to the poor.  He sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."  Jesus did the very thing that he said he was anointed to do; he gave freedom to the woman.  Aren’t we all "anointed" through our baptism to do the very same thing — to proclaim freedom? But do we?  Maybe this connection can be made with people as a call to live out who we are created to be through the wonderful gift of baptism.

This text is more than a simple healing story.  I am excited to see where the Spirit will lead me this week.  Either way, though, what sticks with me is that we need to continue to "proclaim freedom" to people through the Gospel in whatever ever form that may take.

God bless and rejoice in all the wonderful things Jesus has done and continues to do for you every single day.  Amen!
-edh-

FIRE!!!

/ The Pastor / 7 Comments

"Jesus said, ‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!’" (Luke 12:49)

"Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces." (Jeremiah 23:29)

I have been doing a lot of thinking about our texts for this Sunday (12th Sunday after Pentecost).  In Jeremiah there is talk of God’s word being like fire.  In the Gospel text Jesus says he came to bring fire to the earth.  What is in all of this fire talk?  A few things come to my mind.

Fire is an extremely destructive force.  Throughout this summer we have all heard about fires in various places around our country.  Here in Minnesota we were captivated by the fire in the BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area).  Some people watched in horror as this so-called devastating fire ran wild through a beautiful piece of God’s creation.  Or how about the Yellowstone fire a few years back (I forget when).  We had fires in California and Florida to name just a few others.  And we could name many more.  When the fires broke out, firefighters responded in force in an effort to contain "the beast" (to borrow a term from the movie Backdraft — remember that movie?)  Anyway…the fire was not going to be allowed to be in control.  It must be snuffed out and extinguished.

But what happened waaaaaaaaay back when there were no firefighters to stop wildfires?  What happened to the forests and the prairies?  No doubt that lightening strikes started many fires, but back before people settled North America who "contained" the fires?  Who stopped them?  Who snuffed them out?  No one…and the forests and the prairies still thrived. 

Why? 

Because fire is needed to purify and needed for re-birth.  Some tree seeds need fire to pop them open so they can take root and grow.  Old under bush will prevent new growth unless it is removed (or burned away).  So before people, fires did their job.  They purified the forests and allowed for new growth (re-birth).  Once again, people get in the way.

And what about a "fire" in the church (I am being figurative here now)?  Imagine what that could do if left unchecked?  Imagine the repentance that would take place if people allowed the Holy Spirit to radically transform their lives by burning away the impurities.  Imagine the growth and re-birth that could happen.  Imagine the transformation. Imagine…

…But…

…we are afraid of "fire".  We are scared silly.  We don’t want to be burned.  We don’t want to be changed.  And I fear that what the Church really wants is a "fire" they can control and predict…not one that controls us.  We want to control whatever can hurt us, change us, or kill us.  We want to "contain" the "fire"… 

…But…

…God’s word cannot be contained.  It cannot be controlled.  It cannot be stopped.  Jesus came to bring fire.  Jesus came to transform the world.  Jesus came to bring life through a new source.  Not the Law, but the cross and the empty tomb.

The Word is here…oh how I wish it were already kindled.  But the firefighter in me — in all of us — keeps the water hose close by just in case the "fire" gets too wild.  Let it burn.  Let it purify.  Let it cause re-birth and growth.  Let it transform.  Basically…we need to get out of the way and let the "fire" do its job.

So…as I reflect on this text…one of my favorite Bible camp songs come to mind.  Maybe you know it.  Here it is:

Light the Fire
I stand to praise you, but I fall on my knees.  My Spirit is willing, but my flesh is so weak.

So light the fire — In my soul — Fan the flame — That makes me whole — Lord you know — Where I’ve been — So light the fire in my heart again

I feel your arms around me as the power of healing begins.  You breathe new life right through me; like a mighty rushing wind.

So light the fire in my heart again.

Amen!
-edh-

Praising GOD!

/ The Pastor / 6 Comments

I think it is very easy for us to rejoice in the wrong thing when we are trying to do God’s work.  Just as the disciples in Luke 10 I too have been caught up in my perceived "successes":

(1) "Pastor…I don’t know the Bible well enough.  Can you tutor me and help me understand the basic Bible stories".
(2) "Pastor…I believe we need to get rid of our bulletin inserts and put Bibles in our pews."
(3) "Pastor…I think we need to give half of our free will offering, from coffee hour, to that visiting pastor as he bikes across the country on his missionary journey."
(4) "Pastor…I would like to serve on the church council." (O.K….maybe this one didn’t happen, but I can dream can’t I?)

Anyway…

…Jesus says, "Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this…but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)  None of this is of my doing.  None of our "successes" are of our doing.  None of the things we like to rejoice in are our doing.  God is the maker and author of life.  Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit and thus it is God working through us.  But more importantly, our rejoicing should be in what God has done, not in what we are doing.  God gives us life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  I don’t give people life.

So as I celebrate some of the exciting things that are happening in my world, I pray that God does not let them go to my head.  Rejoicing in the salvation that Jesus gives us through his death and resurrection is the key to evangelism.  People won’t come to Christ because of my perceived "skill" but through God’s work and God’s work alone.  It’s not my doing, but God’s doing.  So any "skill" I may have is of God.

So Let’s praise GOD always and forever, Amen!
-edh-

Looking ahead with Jesus

/ The Pastor / 8 Comments

The Gospel text for the 5th Sunday after Pentecost is from Luke 9:51-62.  This text is a great one about discipleship.  It is about looking ahead (with Jesus) and not focusing on the past.  It is about following Jesus without reservation.  It is about getting off our butts, leaving the sanctuary and actually doing something for the Kingdom.

In verse 58 Jesus says, "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  I have always liked this verse.  It serves as a reminder that following Jesus is no bed of roses.  We are not promised riches and luxury (like some prosperity Gospel preachers like to promise).  We are not promised comfort.  We are not promised ease of life.  Jesus had no place to plop down and take it easy.  Jesus has no temptation to enjoy His possessions while forgetting about the outside world.  Jesus’ home was out on the road — with people.  Ministry is "out there" and that is where the Christian needs to look and live.  Christianity is not a get rich quick scheme.  It is not a way to pad your bank account.  Jesus never did any of this.  Christianity is about loving people and serving our God by going to where people are at; proclaiming (through word, deed, and action) that Jesus has died and risen for the forgiveness of our sins.

Another kick in the butt this text gives me is the fact that Jesus does not live in the sanctuary of our individual congregations.  A while ago I attended a meeting at another church in SW MN.  As I walked up to the main door (going into the sanctuary) I noticed a sign that read, "Servants Entrance".  I thought that was neat.  On the other side of the sign it read, "Entering the Mission Field".  I thought that was even neater.  So I stole/borrowed the idea (not the sign) and now a sign like that is taped to the sanctuary door at the congregation I serve.  We enter the building being reminded we are servants and leave being reminded we have a job to do.  We are all missionaries (as scary as that may sound to some people).  Worship may be a safe place to be, but we can’t live in the church sanctuary all week (for a number of obvious reasons).  People that need to hear the Gospel live "out there" in the mission field.  You find these people in your home, school, work place, coffee shop or the grocery store.  They live "out there" not in your sanctuary or on your living room couch.

And lastly…this text reminds me they we are called to follow Jesus without reservation and without gripping on to the past like a security blanket.  History and tradition are fine but when it gets in the way of the future you are heading in the wrong direction.  Nobody drives down the highway keeping their eyes focused on the rear view mirror.  Nobody travels from point A to point B in reverse (unless for the obvious reasons of course).  That kind of silly (and careless) action will only get you hurt while finding yourself coming up short of your destination.  Jesus does not command up to "forget" about the past, he tells us not to "look back" or long for the past to a point that impedes your movement forward.  Simply…remember where you came from, but trust Jesus and follow Him while looking to the future.

In the sea of change that Salem is finding themselves in (see Changes are coming and Changes are coming — part 2, this text is going to be a fun one to preach.  Trust Jesus and look forward.  How can we possibly go wrong?  Take care and God bless.
-edh-

Deviled Ham

/ The Pastor / 6 Comments

I just had to share this with you…

…I was visiting this exegetical web site I visit quite often for sermon prep called CrossMarks Christian Resources.  If you page down a little bit to "Other Resources" there will be a link to exegetical notes on the lectionary.  I then found the Gospel text for today and this is what I found in the opening paragraph:

"…this is the one shot the lectionary preacher has of saying, ‘This is the first reported case of deviled ham."  (Of course this is the reference to Jesus driving out the demon from a man into a herd of pigs)

I don’t know about you but I laughed out loud when I read that.  That line could be a good sermon opener this Sunday.  If not a sermon opener then you could use it as a fun Bible fact to open a conversation…an ice breaker.

On a serious note…check out CrossMarks sometime.  There is a lot of good information for Bible study and sermon prep plus other resources.  The author of the site is a former pastor in Minnesota but now is a professor at Lutheran Theological Seminary Gettysburg.

Enjoy and God bless!
-edh-

The healing of the wild, naked man

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

"The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him (Jesus); but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’  So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him." (Luke 8:38-39)

The Gospel text for this Sunday, June 24 (the 4th Sunday after Pentecost) is from Luke 8:26-39.  This is the story of Jesus healing the wild, possessed naked man who found his joy by running through the tombs (this always gets the attention of my confirmation kids).  As Jesus entered the country of the Gerasenes he is greeted by this possessed man.  The demons plead for their life as Jesus commands them to come out of the man.  Jesus, showing compassion, allows them to enter a swine herd and they proceed to drive the herd into the ocean; destroying it. 

The wild, possessed naked man is now healed, clothed and now in his right mind.  The people looking on, however, are scared silly.  Because of their fear they ask Jesus to leave, so he does.  As Jesus is preparing to leave, the healed man wants to go with Jesus but Jesus commands him to stay and proclaim the good news.  The man obeys and proclaimed "throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him."

The response of the healed man is nothing unusual.  Many of you have probably attended retreats, seminars, worship services or Bible studies where you truly felt the presence of God.  In those cases many people want to stay put.  They don’t want to leave and risk losing that incredible feeling.  This is what we would call a "mountain top experience".  They feel good and safe.  Our problems seem to melt away and time seems to stop.  But we all know that the time comes when we must return home – for life is not lived on the "mountain top, but in the valley".

The healed man had experienced an amazing healing (a mountain top experience) and wanted to stay with Jesus, but Jesus wanted him to proclaim the good news.  And the same goes for us.  We can’t live at the retreat center or seminar or worship service or Bible study.  We can’t live on the "mountain top".  The point of our experiences is to share with others the amazing things that God does for us.  And this command to tell others what God has done for you means to re-enter the valley.  But as we re-enter the valley we can be assured that the Holy Spirit goes with us.  Jesus promised his disciples this and Jesus promises us this as well.

So…"‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’"  Return to the "valley" so others may have a "mountain top experience".  Praise be to God, always and forever.  Amen!
-edh-

Expensive pants

/ The Pastor / 7 Comments

54 MILLION DOLLARS!!!  What is this world coming to?

A judge in Washington D.C. is suing his dry cleaner for 54 million dollars for losing his pants.  Check out the story here.  I know this post probably doesn’t exactly fit the flow of what I have been writing on this blog, but I need to say something…because seriously…is a pair of pants really worth 54 million dollars?  I guess if they were gold plated with diamond studs running down the seams with a solid gold belt bucket then I could begin to understand.  But at last check…they were a pair of suit pants.  Sort of looked like a pair that I have (and mine are not gold plated with diamonds).

The judge here is claiming that this mom and pop business is engaging in deceptive business practices with two signs that say: "Satisfaction guaranteed" and "Same day service".  Seriously…if you are not satisfied with the service most places will make it right — if they don’t is the "damage" really worth 54 million dollars (unless of course we are dealing with gold plated pants with diamond studs and a solid gold belt buckle — hmmm…I better be careful here…this judge might sue me for 54 million dollars for writing this. <UPDATED> "God, forgive me…I need to be nice here").

Anyway…to my point:  Where does forgiveness play in this case?  I am not saying this judge should just ignore the fact that his pants were lost but at what point do you "turn the other cheek"?  In 2 Samuel (the Old Testament text for Sunday June 17) king David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed to cover it up.  Of course God was not too pleased and sent Nathan to confront him.  After David learned of his sin and was caught red handed he pleaded to God for forgiveness.  God spared David’s life when the sentence should have been death, but God DID punish David by killing his son with Bathsheba…seems like an appropriate punishment.  God did not go overboard.  There was forgiveness and there were also consequences.

In our legal system AND in our world there needs to be some grace but there also needs to be accountability and punishment when deserved.  In the case of the missing pants isn’t grace deserved somewhere?  Isn’t a more lenient punishment justified (if indeed the dry cleaner is guilty)?  At what point do we cross the line and go too far?

I don’t know all the facts in this case so I will stop short at passing judgment on this judge (even through my rant at the beginning may communicate otherwise).  What I want to do is pray that this man experiences God’s forgiveness in his life.  For when we understand how much God forgives us through Jesus Christ (see the woman from Luke 7:36-8:3) then we are able to show much love.

Mr. Judge person…Jesus Christ died for you.  Jesus Christ loves you beyond measure.  Jesus Christ offers forgiveness to you.  Can you show this love to your neighbor (including your dry cleaner)?  Won’t you please live in peace?

We have an awesome God!  Love as if you have been forgiven much (and you have).  Praise be to God, always and forever.  Amen!
-edh-

Amazing Forgiveness

/ The Pastor

Last week we had some great resurrection texts.  God, through Elijah, raised the son of a widow and returned that son to his mother.  Jesus raised the only son of a widow.  Both accounts speak of hope.  Both accounts speak of an unimaginable love.  In my sermon from last week (Sermons by Eric) I focused on the theme of hope.  Jesus came to this world and overcame this world.  Jesus showed a love like no other and (as another pastor said in her sermon) returned us to each other after raising us to New Life in Him (I love that thought).

This week we have a number of texts dealing with forgiveness.  The Old Testament text is from 2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15.  Of course, the lectionary organizers left out verses 11 and 12.  Well…here they are in case anyone is interested:    "For thus says the Lord, ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you.  Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight (this takes a great deal of faith to sleep with the king’s wives in broad daylight) You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’"  Are these verses too difficult for people to hear?  I just can’t stand it when the lectionary organizers insist on trying to "protect" people by picking and choosing verses to be read.  This happens a lot.  But I digress and step off my soapbox…

The Gospel text for Sunday, June 17 is from Luke 7:36-8:3.  This tells the story of a "sinful woman" anointing Jesus feet with oil at the home of a Pharisee.  The Pharisee gets upset but Jesus tells a parable about the debts of two people being forgiven, one larger than the other.  The point is that the person who is forgiven much will love the forgiver more.  We are forgiven much…do we love God much?  I think we take forgiveness for granted.  I think too many people go through the motions of the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness and don’t think about the words or the proclamation of forgiveness.  God has forgiven us much but do we show love in return?

We have a lot to learn from this woman.  She knew her sin.  She was ashamed of her sin.  She was repentant of her sin.  So…she threw herself at Jesus feet and experienced amazing forgiveness.  You and I experience this same amazing forgiveness each week when we hear the pastor (or worship leader) announce forgiveness by the power and authority of Jesus Christ.  Know your sin, throw yourself at Jesus feet, and live the love of Christ. 

Love much for we have been forgiven much.  Praise God always and forever.  Amen!
-edh-