The Word This Week
Luke 7:36…
There is a relationship between having a clear assessment of who we really are in God’s eyes and how we worship God.
When Jesus entered the home of the Pharisee named Simon, He was not met with the customary evidences of hospitality practiced in their day. We are left to wonder why not?
Simon evidently had a high opinion of himself, as most people mired in the confines of religious practice to attain righteousness often do. He was easily led to compare himself to others and to consider his righteousness greater than theirs.
A very visible case-in-point presented herself in this household.
We are shared this story to draw a sharp contrast between this woman, characterized as a “sinner,” and this Pharisee, who considered himself not only worthy of judging others in comparison to himself, but also capable of judging Jesus, which is probably the reason he invited Jesus into his home in the first place…
Alone in his displeased thoughts of this obviously false prophet he had invited into his house to expose, he quickly found himself guilty on many fronts. Indeed, he was more guilty before God than this woman – who entered Simon’s home carrying a great weight of sin upon her shoulders.
Her self-assessment was correct. His was flawed to the extent he should be considering his eternal condition before God, which is never based upon our own sense of self-worthiness.
The inhibiting problem for this Pharisee is he thought himself a “pretty good person.” (Especially in comparison to others.) He had committed no known crimes, and his character was considered good enough by all to allow him to rise to the rank of a Pharisee.
How we worship Christ is dependent upon our need for Him, and our love for Him is based upon our need being met by Him – and the personal acknowledgement He is the ONLY ONE Who can meet our need for the provision of eternal life - despite the sin present in our lives.
Jesus therefore recognizes worship as an expression of love, and how that love for God is measured by God. It is as plain as day.
Pastor Bill
There is a relationship between having a clear assessment of who we really are in God’s eyes and how we worship God.
When Jesus entered the home of the Pharisee named Simon, He was not met with the customary evidences of hospitality practiced in their day. We are left to wonder why not?
Simon evidently had a high opinion of himself, as most people mired in the confines of religious practice to attain righteousness often do. He was easily led to compare himself to others and to consider his righteousness greater than theirs.
A very visible case-in-point presented herself in this household.
We are shared this story to draw a sharp contrast between this woman, characterized as a “sinner,” and this Pharisee, who considered himself not only worthy of judging others in comparison to himself, but also capable of judging Jesus, which is probably the reason he invited Jesus into his home in the first place…
Alone in his displeased thoughts of this obviously false prophet he had invited into his house to expose, he quickly found himself guilty on many fronts. Indeed, he was more guilty before God than this woman – who entered Simon’s home carrying a great weight of sin upon her shoulders.
Her self-assessment was correct. His was flawed to the extent he should be considering his eternal condition before God, which is never based upon our own sense of self-worthiness.
The inhibiting problem for this Pharisee is he thought himself a “pretty good person.” (Especially in comparison to others.) He had committed no known crimes, and his character was considered good enough by all to allow him to rise to the rank of a Pharisee.
How we worship Christ is dependent upon our need for Him, and our love for Him is based upon our need being met by Him – and the personal acknowledgement He is the ONLY ONE Who can meet our need for the provision of eternal life - despite the sin present in our lives.
Jesus therefore recognizes worship as an expression of love, and how that love for God is measured by God. It is as plain as day.
Pastor Bill