A woman living in adultery met her Saviour at the well, never condemned only loved but commanded to live in sin no more; a tax collector, the chief of sinners, asked to provide a meal for the Saviour, never condemned only loved but commanded to live in sin no more. A rich young ruler, proud and strong, in need of salvation, never condemned only loved but commanded to give away all he had. A criminal on the cross, one last parting hope for salvation, never condemned only loved shown forgiveness in his dying moment. A murder on the road to Damascus saw the Light of the Son, never condemned only loved but commanded to live the life of killing no more. Jesus, friend of sinners, never condemned only loved, but never allowed one to stay in their sin, he commanded them to turn from their sin. It does not matter how many times a Father has told the son to not play in the street, it does not matter how many times He has told the son of the destruction and pain that could come from playing in the busy street, the son still will test the Father, yet the Father can not sit idly by and watch his son play in the street, he will join him in the street, pick him up and place him in safety. The Father can not let a child live a life of destruction, He will love her and convict her, there is NO condemnation for those who love the Lord, there is salvation, a freedom from bondage and sin. A man will not let his child befriend someone of darker skin, a woman picks up the phone to tell of another's misfortunes, a husband deletes a text in fear of his spouse reading it, a woman sits afraid in a room with her hand on her stomach and hears her name called by the nurse, a student glances on the paper next to them for an answer that has alluded them, a sister brings hurt to their sibling, a man is tempted to enter into acts with another man, a teenager gets behind the wheel of a car after a night of drinking and wakes up with a warrant for their arrest, a mother will not let go of hurt and brings bitterness to her family, a father left his family for another family and has caused pain, a word slips of the tongue of a friend and hits another like a dagger to the soul, a scale has determined the cause and the worth of a young woman instead of the truth of the Gospel, a young boy and young girl think they are in love and give themselves away, a thought in the mind that leads to another thought that leads to a feeling that leads to a wrong action against a friend....Jesus friend of sinners, never condemned only loved but never allowed one to stay in their sin. We love because He loved us, we care because He cared for us, we befriend because He befriended us. There is No condemnation for those who love the Lord only salvation. We are called to love, to befriend, to serve. However, we are called to live in truth and in Spirit. We are called to be a light, we are called to shine a light, through prayer and petition to the Father through the Son, into the darkness this world is living in. We are not called to become like the world, we are not called to become of the world, we are called to live IN the world. We are not called to separate completely from the world but to live IN the world, loving caring serving praying. We are not called to agree with the world to tolerate the world to allow the world to govern our hearts and minds, we must live lives that are different that are intolerant of falsehoods and lies that are governed by the truth of the Gospel. We can not be ashamed nor sit idly by. We must recognize we are all sinners all hypocrites all living lives that at times contradict the Truth but we are saved! We have a hope! We have a cross and a Saviour that is risen and that when we sin we are forgiven! We have been shown grace and mercy and salvation and that is what we are to show the world! Throughout this Holy Week, let us remember the cross, let us remember where we were, and where He has brought us. Let us remember we too are sinners in need of a Saviour. And let us remember, Jesus friend of sinners. May we not live a life of disobedience to the Gospel, may we not be ashamed of the Gospel, but may we also not live a life of condemnation but walk in the Spirit, living in the Spirit. Galatians 5 sums up the truth:
"13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."
No comments:
Post a Comment