Wednesday 1/5/2005
Luke 7.18-50 - John’s messengers look for proof that Jesus is Jesus - Jesus just tells them to look at what he is doing - God will bless me if I don’t reject Jesus -- but what am I doing? - is there proof by what I am doing that I believe? - faith without works is dead - Jesus was here for a purpose and his life demonstrated this - I am here for a purpose - called by God - does my life demonstrate this? - listen to God speak - listen to God speak through John and others - don’t be so haughty that you don’t listen - then act out your life to what and where God leads - just like John - just like Jesus - if I’m serious about believing - my actions will demonstrate that commitment to Christ - So a Pharisee invites Jesus to dinner - Jesus shows up - a sinful woman in town found out that Jesus was there - bought a bottle of expensive perfume - came and stood behind Jesus - she cried and started washing his feet with her tears- drying his feet with her hair- pouring perfume on Jesus feet - the Pharisee was disgusted with Jesus - doesn’t Jesus know what kind of woman is touching him? - she is unclean! - Jesus explains that this woman has much to be forgiven and is more grateful for forgiveness than those nicey nicey people are- Jesus forgives her sins and tells the woman because of her faith God has saved her-- but what seems to stand out even more here for me is the love this woman demonstrated boldly before Jesus and everyone else -- how much more am I in need of forgiveness than this woman-- how much more should I demonstrate Jesus love for me to the world I live in -- none of us are any better - we all sin and sin is separation from God -- God comes down to us in Jesus -- God closes that gap of separation -- I widen that gap and turn the other way -- I sin -- I need God’s forgiveness -- when God separates - it is to show that God is God - when I separate - it is sin - because then I think I am God -- forgive me!
Genesis 11 - The separation theme -- men thought they could be closer to God by building a tower to reach God -- they spoke the same language and it was working -- but it was all sin - this isn’t how we come close to God -- God comes close to us through Jesus - I can’t make myself close to God -- so God separates man once again - confuses his language and the project fails -- but God later decides on Pentecost to become close to man -- he sends his Spirit upon them and they understand all the different languages and get God’s message -- again -- we can’t make ourselves close to God by moving to God - God closes the gap by coming down to us -- in Jesus -- in the Holy Spirit - it’s not about me - it’s about God! - ok- then all these people who got so old and had sons -- all leading up to Abram -- born in Ur -- Abram married Sarai and they began to move with Abram’s dad Terah to Canaan but stopped to live in Haran.
Psalm 5 - Listen God to me when I pray - each morning you hear me pray - I wait for your reply - I am filled with wonder and bow down to you - I worship you - please guide me - make your teaching clear to me
Focus on the Light that comes down to me; that one and only light of Christ - then turn the lights on through me in this dark world in which I live. Let the Light that comes down light up in me and my world. Here and now.
Keep my conduct pure and honorable
Ephesians 3.1-12 - The mystery of Christ - God closes the gap by sending Jesus - even to me and the Gentiles - God who created all things -closes the gap in Jesus- I now have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in Jesus - serve God - tell the world how God has closed the gap - eliminated the separation through the loving grace of his son Jesus - hurry up!!!
Philippians 1.1-11 - We all share in God’s grace with each other -hold each other with love in our hearts - long with compassion for each other - let you love overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight - keep your focus on Jesus and glorify and praise God
Psalm 133 - Live together in peace- God will bless you
Prayer - Jesus come close to me - I will boldly walk up to that dinner table with you - for you have come close to me - you come close at that table- in the bread - in the wine - in the body and in the blood - as I see that you have come close to me and I receive the forgiveness of sins - my response is thankfulness and service in your kingdom - compassionate thankfulness- in tears of thanksgiving - in giving all I have to you - in washing your feet with that wonderful perfume of joy and happiness- that wonderful smell only you can give to the world - may I take your closeness and the message you give to my world - may they smell your perfume in me - may I have your compassion - your love and your action in life to show the world how real you are - how you come to us - how you save us -- it’s all about you -- let my love overflow in my world today to touch those I meet - to touch those I talk to -- and my those “others� see that love as you -- as your light shining through - and may they turn to you as you come down to them. --- Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment