I am the greatest sinner

I had an interesting discussion this week about someone who thought her son was exaggerating a bit when he gave his "testimony". She felt like she was pretty involved in the lives of her children and that, while they were not angels, she didn't feel like this son was really into as much as he says he is when he tells of being "saved". (When you see the quotation marks, just imagine me doing that cynical bunny ears thing in the air when I talk.) Anyway, it sparked a conversation about having a good "before and after" story to tell to people when you try to convert them. I imagine a proper Southern Baptist preacher talking about how he strayed from the lord, but is forgiven of all the boozing, cheating, lying, gambling, etc. that he did before he found Jeeeeesssuusssaah.

This story makes me think of that. It makes me think about proving yourself the greatest sinner, and therefore the most forgiven. It bothers me a little to think of it that way, though. I don't want it to be about being forgiven and leaning on the everlasting cross, I want it to be about forgiving with the kind of forgiveness that requires me to really let go of stuff that messes me up and restore a right relationship with those I feel have wronged me in some way. I want this story to be about taking all the justification and self-righteousness that I hold on to, and pouring it out in one wasteful moment and just letting go. But I guess that's the part that takes faith......

The Friend of Sinners

Luke 7:36-50
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’ 40Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’ 41‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ 43Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ 44Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ 48Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ 49But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ 50And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’

Your thoughts? Mine coming this weekend. Stay tuned...

really guys...

i am excited to be a part of this...church?...dare i say? yes sundays have taken the back burner for me lately, but i am honestly most excited about the serve last weekend and this upcoming weekend. which is new for me - to associate my main involvement in church as serving the poor. i had to hear a sermon last night where the guy was talking about stepping out on faith, and honestly, for the first time i feel challenged and the need to step out of my comfort zone in a real way that i can actually grasp. and it's scary and a little initimidating, but that tells me that something is probably right about all this.

+ stratton

Discipleship...more than a church program

I would invite you to look some of the material by Ray VanderLaan who has done some insightful work in understanding the rabbi / disciple relationship. I think it would be helpful as we read Luke 5 and understand Jesus as a rabbi par excellence . You can check out the short version, or the longer article.

Short version...http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=1855
Article...http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=2753

Enjoy!

Jesus vs His Neighbors

As excited as I am to finally be reading some of what Jesus actually did, I'm afraid the message I find will be difficult to receive.
Jesus' first preaching begins with a reading and interpretation from Isaiah. Much of this message resounds with me,
"..to announce good news to the poor, to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to send off the oppressed with liberty..." (Luke 4:18)
Jesus claims he fulfills this scripture. The scene quickly turns bitter and the people in the synagogue drive him out of town.
I can easily support that scripture, that Jesus came for the outcasts. What is uneasy and frightening to me, even though Jesus is for every nation, Israel will reject him. Israel, his home country, rejects him because Jesus' mission extends outside of Israel. How can a mission be so large that people turn against Jesus? It is Israel's response that shakes me as I think of myself as a modern-day Israel.