At the end of the service the visiting minister gave an invitation to come forward for prayer. The prayer was for those who felt distant, dry and out of touch with Jesus. As I stood there in my pew, I felt such a pressure. The pressure was from God. My need was to step out into the isle and go forward for prayer. But there’s a problem: I’m the pastor.
Let me phrase that a little clearer. I’m the Pharisee as I stand in the pew. You see a Pharisee is a religious fraud. He looks good on the outside but inside he’s dishonest. He’d rather look good than be honest with God and admit his failings. That was my problem that Sunday morning. Was I willing to humble myself and come clean with God?
To step out into that isle, I would have to admit that the pastor had the same problems everyone else in the room was struggling with that day. My peace and sanity were raging war in my mind. Would I be a humble worshipper of Jesus or would I stay a fraud, protecting my own self righteousness?
As I stepped into the isle, I felt a wonderful relief take over my whole being. I was trusting again instead of trying. Trusting or trying? Worshipper or Pharisee? We all choose daily – moment by moment.
Let me phrase that a little clearer. I’m the Pharisee as I stand in the pew. You see a Pharisee is a religious fraud. He looks good on the outside but inside he’s dishonest. He’d rather look good than be honest with God and admit his failings. That was my problem that Sunday morning. Was I willing to humble myself and come clean with God?
To step out into that isle, I would have to admit that the pastor had the same problems everyone else in the room was struggling with that day. My peace and sanity were raging war in my mind. Would I be a humble worshipper of Jesus or would I stay a fraud, protecting my own self righteousness?
As I stepped into the isle, I felt a wonderful relief take over my whole being. I was trusting again instead of trying. Trusting or trying? Worshipper or Pharisee? We all choose daily – moment by moment.
I see Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. I see her pouring out her life savings, an alabaster box of precious ointment, – a years wages – on Jesus head and feet. I see a woman of infamous reputation coming into Simon the Pharisee’s home - uninvited.
She can’t stay away from Jesus. She drops to her knees and begins to wash his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. I see her again weeping at the foot of the cross. All the big strong disciples have run for their lives, except for John, another worshipper. Now I see her at the tomb weeping. She just can’t stay away from Him.
Mary intimately knew him while Simon the Pharisee only wanted to know about him. She loved him because he’d forgiven her much, therefore she could love much. Simon invited Him to his home so he could feel important. After all Jesus had just raised dead Lazarus to life and now both Jesus and Lazarus would be in Simon’s home for all to see!
In loving Jesus, Mary chose to worship him in every way, every creative way, she could. Do you and I want to know Him so we can feel important and personally blessed or do we want to know Him because we have caught a glimpse of WHO He really is?
Mary was a Jesus worshipper. Simon was a Simon worshipper. What are you, what am I? The chief aim of a true believer is “that I may know Him !” Mary knew Him. Do you and I know Him where we are today? If not, then we are failing Him. We are not here for self-actualization, but to know Jesus Christ. To often our Christian efforts are motivated by the work to be done and we feel we must do it. But the upward call is to know Him in all we are and in all we do. Yes, we must do the work but let’s do it unto Him. Then it’s true worship! If He’s not in it – what’s the point?
Jesus is still looking for true worshippers. The cost? Just everything! What will you pay? What will I pay? He paid it all. Everything! Nothing held back. After Mary’s humility in washing his feet with her tears Jesus told her that her sins were forgiven. Did she earn it? NO! No one can earn what only Jesus blood can do. So why could Jesus tell her that her sins were forgiven?
It’s the mystery of faith. Faith is not really a mystery. It’s just amazing. Amazing that God, the Holy God of heaven and earth, would allow us to believe, trust and demonstrate that believing and trust in true worship.
She can’t stay away from Jesus. She drops to her knees and begins to wash his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. I see her again weeping at the foot of the cross. All the big strong disciples have run for their lives, except for John, another worshipper. Now I see her at the tomb weeping. She just can’t stay away from Him.
Mary intimately knew him while Simon the Pharisee only wanted to know about him. She loved him because he’d forgiven her much, therefore she could love much. Simon invited Him to his home so he could feel important. After all Jesus had just raised dead Lazarus to life and now both Jesus and Lazarus would be in Simon’s home for all to see!
In loving Jesus, Mary chose to worship him in every way, every creative way, she could. Do you and I want to know Him so we can feel important and personally blessed or do we want to know Him because we have caught a glimpse of WHO He really is?
Mary was a Jesus worshipper. Simon was a Simon worshipper. What are you, what am I? The chief aim of a true believer is “that I may know Him !” Mary knew Him. Do you and I know Him where we are today? If not, then we are failing Him. We are not here for self-actualization, but to know Jesus Christ. To often our Christian efforts are motivated by the work to be done and we feel we must do it. But the upward call is to know Him in all we are and in all we do. Yes, we must do the work but let’s do it unto Him. Then it’s true worship! If He’s not in it – what’s the point?
Jesus is still looking for true worshippers. The cost? Just everything! What will you pay? What will I pay? He paid it all. Everything! Nothing held back. After Mary’s humility in washing his feet with her tears Jesus told her that her sins were forgiven. Did she earn it? NO! No one can earn what only Jesus blood can do. So why could Jesus tell her that her sins were forgiven?
It’s the mystery of faith. Faith is not really a mystery. It’s just amazing. Amazing that God, the Holy God of heaven and earth, would allow us to believe, trust and demonstrate that believing and trust in true worship.
True worship IS faith and true faith is the action we demonstrate TO HIM. Look at the original passage from the New Testament book of Luke. “Wherefore I say unto you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. And He said unto her, Your sins are forgiven. And they that sat at dinner with Him began to say within themselves, Who is this that also forgives sins? And He said to the woman, YOUR faith has saved you; go in peace. "
Do we love much? That much?
THINK ABOUT IT!
Do we love much? That much?
THINK ABOUT IT!
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