Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

February 2
Tuesday


TIME FOR
A CHANGE

READ:
Luke 7:37-49
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This Man, if He were a
prophet, would know
who and what manner
of woman this is who is
touching him, for she
is a sinner.
__Luke 7:39
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A friend once told me, "In my lifetime I've seen a lot of things change, and I've been against them all!" Perhaps he overstated the point, but many of us would agree that we don't like change--especially if it involves altering our habits and attitudes.

That's one reason Jesus was so unpopular among the Pharisees. He challenged their long-established system of good works and self-righteous living. Consider the incident when the town "sinner" entered the home of the town "saint' in Luke 7. Simon the Pharisee wasn't impressed with the woman's lavish display of affection for Jesus. Reading Simon's self-righteous thoughts, Jesus immediately challenged his flawed perception of his own goodness by telling the story of two debtors--one who owed much to his master and one who owed less. "Which of them will love him more?" Jesus asked (v.42). Obviously, the one who had been forgiven more. Speaking to Simon's I-feel-pretty-good-about-myself attitude, Jesus said, "to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little" (v.47).

The challenge is clear. Lulled into thinking how good we are, our love for Jesus wanes because we have forgotten that we too are among the ones "forgiven much." And when that happens, ready or not, it's time for a change! __Joe Stowell
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````````````````````Forgive us, Lord, for failures past,`````````````
````````````````````````Then help us start anew`````````````````
```````````````````With strength and courage to obey`````````````
```````````````````And closely follow You. __Sper````````````````
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When God starts changing things,
He usually begins with changing us.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 7:37-49************

37 Behold, a woman in the
city who was a sinner, when
she knew that Jesus sat at
the table in the Pharisee's
house, brought an alabaster
flask of fragrant oil, 28 and
stood at His feet behind Him
weeping; and she began to
wash His feet with her tears,
and wiped them with the
hair of her head; and she
kissed His feet and anointed
them with the fragrant oil.

39 Now when the Pharisee
who had invited Him saw
this, he spoke to himself,
saying, "This Man, if He
were a prophet, would
know who and what manner
of woman this is who is
touching Him, for she is a
sinner."

40 And Jesus answered and
said to him, "Simon....

41 There was a certain
creditor who had two
debtors. One owed five
hundred denarii, and the
other fifty. 42 And when
they had nothing with
which to repay, he freely
forgave them both. Tell Me,
therefore, which of them
will love him more?"

43 Simon answered and
said, "I suppose the one
whom he forgave more."

And He said to him, "You
have rightly judged." 44 Then
He turned to the woman
and said to Simon, "Do you
see this woman? I entered
your house; you gave Me no
water for My feet, but she
has washed My feet with her
tears.... 45 You gave Me no
kiss, but this woman has not
ceased to kiss My feet since
the time I came in.

46 You did not anoint My
head with oil, but this
woman has anointed My
feet with fragrant oil.

47 Therefore I say to you,
her sins, which are many,
are forgiven, for she loved
much. But to whom little
is forgiven, the same loves
little" 48 Then He said to
her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49 And those who sat at the
table with Him began to say
to themselves, "Who is this
who even forgives sins?"