Tuesday, September 17, 2013

LOVE AND FORGIVENESS (09-17-13)

Luke 7:50
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

The story of the woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and her hair is one of the most moving accounts in the New Testament.  Without saying a word, she proceeded with kissing and washing the Lord’s feet with ointment – a very expensive one.

She knows that all the people in the party is condemning her.  But she also believes that Jesus will not.  She went there to ask for forgiveness of her sins, and Jesus did not fail her.  She received forgiveness that the religion at that time could not give to her.  Jesus’ love and forgiveness, not religion, changed her heart and her life.

This woman’s worship of Jesus was at a great cost to her. It cost her the expensive vial of perfume, and the humility to kiss, wash, and dry the dirty feet of the Lord Jesus.  But the forgiveness she received is worth more than anything in this world.  She was forgiven by our Lord, while those who thought themselves righteous went away unforgiven.  Jesus’ love and forgiveness can change your life.  This is what it means to become a Christian. 

You don’t become a Christian by just subscribing to the doctrines of the Bible and trying to following the ethics of the Bible.  You become a Christian by meeting the Jesus of the Bible – the same Jesus that this woman met, and experiencing his love and forgiveness. 

It is this encounter with the living Jesus and his undeserved love that changes your heart and gradually transforms your life to thank him and love him and serve him by giving his love to others.

Let us pray +

Lord Jesus, I cast myself on your mercy.  I trust that you are willing and able to pay my sin-debt for me, and I ask you to forgive me for all of my sins.  Thank you for loving me and forgiving me as you promised.  I want to follow you because of your love.  Amen +


How great are the works of the Lord!

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