Todd Linn's Blog, page 17

The Trinity (Theology Thursdays)

Try to understand the Trinity and you may lose your mind–but fail to understand the Trinity and you may lose your soul!

It IS Possible to Understand the Trinity. We may not have exhaustive knowledge of this doctrine, but we can know it enough to state it clearly and understand it deeply.

With a proper understanding of this doctrine, we have the intellectual basis to defend the faith and worship our Triune God!

So without further ado, Theology Thursday’s SlideShare Presentation:

The Trinity from Todd Linn, PhD

Follow Preaching Truth on WordPress.com(function(d){var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');p.type = 'text/javascript';p.async = true;p.src = '//widgets.wp.com/platform.js';f.par...

Do Not Worry!

His words, not mine.  Do. Not. Worry.  And Jesus says this more than once!  In Matthew 6:25-34, He says it three times. Check it out:

25 ” Therefore I say to you, Do Not Worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  
26 “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  
27 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;  
29 “and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  
30 “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  
31 “Therefore Do Not Worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  
32 “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  
33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  
34 “Therefore Do Not Worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Why do you suppose Jesus says this so much?  Don’t you think it’s because we are inclined to worry?

It’s hard to overstate the reality of worry.  Worry is an emotion every person on the planet experiences in some way or another.  Worry.  

Mark Twain famously said, “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” That was Twain’s way of saying, “I’ve caused myself a lot of grief simply by worrying about things that never came to pass.”

Mark Twain famously said, “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” 

We expend so much energy worrying over things that it affects our physical appearance and our physical health.  We show that we worry by getting up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep.  We show others we worry by the worn wrinkles on our faces or by the number of trips we take to the doctor.  

I well recall the church marquis where a well-meaning person placed the words: 

“Don’t allow worry to kill you.  Let the church help!”  

Not sure they meant “Let the church help kill you,” but that’s how it reads!  Worry can kill us, but it need not. 

Learn to Trust in Him (25-32)

Jesus says that when we worry we are revealing the fact that we have little to no trust.  Note the last few words of verse 30: “O you (of what?) Little faith,” little trust.  If we’re going to stop worrying and start living we’re going to have to learn to trust in Him.  We must trust God to provide what we need, to provide for us and take care of us.

Jesus says our worry reveals we have little to no trust

When we worry, we are not trusting God to take care of our situation.  In fact, the word “worry” means to be “pulled or divided into different directions.”  That’s a great word picture, isn’t it?  Rather than trusting God, we are pulled in this direction and that direction, running from here to there, never settled, always scurrying from one thing to the next.

Everyone is tempted to worry.  Everyone.  Little boys and girls worry about thunderstorms or tornados or things that go bump in the night.  Young people worry about school, passing an exam, or worry about some boy or girl—and it seems everybody is worried in some way or other about COVID 19.

Worry is practical atheism.  It’s like saying, “I believe in God,” but then living like you don’t. 

Worry is practical atheism. It’s like saying, “I believe in God,” but then living like you don’t.
Click To Tweet

The psalmist wrote in Psalm 56:3: “When I am afraid I will trust in You.”  It’s not a question of whether it is wrong to worry or be afraid.  It is a question of what we do when we are worried or afraid.  When I am afraid I will trust in You.

Jesus gives practical examples of the kinds of things people in His day worried about—food, drink, and clothing.  And He says, “You shouldn’t worry about these things.”  

There’s a little humor here when he starts comparing the people to birds.  When was the last time you saw a little bird with its head down, a sad countenance, knitted eyebrows, pacing back and forth, wringing its hands—or toes, talons, whatever—grasping a rake, tilling the soil, wiping sweat off his little bird brow, planting seed; little bird riding a John Deere tractor, gathering the harvest—you never see that, right?!  

Why?  Because God takes care of those birds.  Listen: you are more valuable than birds.  You are the crowning achievement of God’s creation, created on the sixth day as the pinnacle of His masterful work.  You are made in the image of God Himself.

It’s a bit like later in Chapter 10 where Jesus says:

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? (less than pennies) And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

You are worth more than a couple sparrows sold for a copper coin.  Sold for next to nothing to eat.  Cheap eating; two sparrows for one coin—like Taco Bell—cheap food!

Yet Jesus says God cares for those birds until their last flying moment. So He adds: “Do not fear therefore—(why? because)—you are of more value than many sparrows.”

You are the crowning achievement of God’s creation, created on the sixth day as the pinnacle of His masterful work.

Jesus says it’s the same with the beautiful lilies of the field.  They don’t work for their own clothing.  You don’t see a flower sitting in a chair pulled up to a sewing machine, working the pedal, sewing its own shirt and pants.  God takes care of that lily.  In fact, God can dress up a flower of the field with more regal clothing than what King Solomon wore.

So Jesus concludes: “If God so takes care of the grass of the field—grass which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven”—burned as fuel to bake bread—how much more do you think he’s going to take care of the crowning achievement of His creation?  

O you of little faith.  We must learn to trust Him.  Trust God to meet your needs.  Believe that God “will supply all of your need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).”  

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you.”  

Next time you wake up in the middle of the night worried about something just close your eyes and say, “Dear God, You have taught me in your word not to worry.  And I’m learning to trust in You.  I trust to Your care right now this problem.  I give it to You.  Take it.”  That’s faith.  

Jesus actually teaches that our worry makes us look like unbelievers (“for after all these things the Gentiles seek”).  When Christians worry, they are living like unbelievers—like people who don’t know God.  Don’t do that!  Your heavenly Father knows what you need.

Live Today for Him (33)

Learn to Trust in Him.  Live Today for Him.  Verse 33:

When Christians worry, they are living like unbelievers—like people who don’t know God.

33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  

The “kingdom of God” is the “rule” or “reign” or even “rest” of God.  Christians enjoy a sense of God’s rest in this life, but will experience a fuller, more complete rest in Heaven.   

We enter into God’s kingdom when we receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  “His righteousness” in this context refers to living the Christian faith, righteous living.  

As the New Living Translation puts it: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”  

Make sure Jesus Christ is the centerpiece of your marriage.  Make sure you live for Him first.  Make sure Jesus Christ comes before your boyfriend or your girlfriend, before your job, before your stuff, before your worries.  Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness “and He will give you everything you need.”

Live today for Him.  Put Him first in all things.  Don’t allow the worry and noise of today’s events get in the way of your love for, trust in, and devotion to Jesus Christ.

Learn to Trust in Him.  Live Today for Him.  Thirdly:

Leave Tomorrow to Him (34)

Here’s the third “Do Not Worry”  Jesus says:

34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Do not worry about the future.  Leave it with God.  Live one day at a time.  Live today.  Jesus teaches elsewhere that we are to live this way.  In the Lord’s Prayer, for example, Jesus says pray like this: “Give us—(what?)—this day our daily bread.”  The concept of living one day at a time comes from the Bible.  Do not worry about tomorrow.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  

“Someone has said that the average person is crucifying himself between two thieves: the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow.”  

“Someone has said that the average person is crucifying himself between two thieves: the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow.”  You can’t change the past and you can’t control the future so don’t worry about it.  It’s a waste of energy.

As another saying goes: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”

Learn to Trust in Him.  Live Today for Him.  Leave Tomorrow to Him.

What About You?The psalmist said in Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid I will trust in You.” What will you do today?If you are not a Christian, worry may make sense to you; it’s all you know. But God created you to have life in Christ. Turn to Him, receive Him, and trust Him as Lord and King of your life.If you are a Christian, consider this prayer: “Dear God, I know that because You are good and because I am Your child by adoption through Jesus Christ, that You will take care of me. Give me grace to me stop worrying, and start living, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Follow Preaching Truth on WordPress.com(function(d){var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');p.type = 'text/javascript';p.async = true;p.src = '//widgets.wp.com/platform.js';f.par...

Powerful Faith Or Powerless Faith

Today’s post concludes a treatment of James 2:14-26 and focuses on James 2:26. For a study of the previous verses, see previous posts on this passage of Scripture.

James concludes his argument by stating: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

If you have ever viewed a dead body, you know exactly what James is talking about.  You can tell the person’s spirit is no longer there.  There is nothing inside to animate the body.  It is without spirit and dead.  James says in a similar sense “faith without works is dead also.”  Faith without demonstrable works is like a dead body with no spirit.  There is no life.  There is no power.

But where there is genuine faith, saving faith, real living faith, there is power!  It’s interesting to note that when James speaks of the “works” of Abraham and Rahab, he does not have in mind the kinds of works which are generally familiar.  James does not say, for example, “The reason Abraham and Rahab’s faith is clearly genuine is because of their works of reading the Bible and going to church.”

No, the “justification by works” evidenced in Abraham and Rahab are the “works” of putting their hopes and their very lives on the line for God.  Abraham is willing to see his son die.  Rahab risks her life by hiding the spies.  These two people have anything but a powerless faith!  They have a powerful faith, a faith that leads to life-denying, risk-taking works.  

When you truly love someone, you will risk everything to be with that person.  It’s not that you are selfishly motivated by what you can get out of the relationship, but that you find pleasure and joy in simply being in the relationship.

I love this statement about Abraham at the end of verse 23: “And he was called the friend of God.”  When we are genuinely saved, we are regarded as a friend of God.  We once were enemies of God, but by the grace of the gospel, we are now friends of God.  What a wonderful relationship! 

A person is not your friend if they are using you to get what they want, taking advantage of your position or the stuff you have, or your job.  A true friend won’t manipulate you to get what they want.  Friendship is just being with someone because you love that person. It’s the pure joy and pleasure of being in that relationship.

That’s what being a Christian is like.  We are friends with God and friends of God.  We are His friends not for what we can get out of the relationship, but merely because we enjoy being with Him, being in His presence.  Arguably, this desire to be with God is the greatest evidence of genuine salvation. 

What About You?If someone asks you how people in the Old Testament were saved, how would you respond?How can you use the examples of Abraham and Rahab this week as you share the gospel with an acquaintance?Our desire to be with God and spend time with Him is arguably “the greatest evidence of genuine salvation.”  Do you agree?  Why or why not?

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 96-98, available on Amazon.

7 Things The Lord Has Taught Me In 25 Years Of Ministry

I’ve written a few posts over at chucklawless.com in recent weeks; grateful to Chuck for his inviting me to provide a few “Thursdays With Todd Linn” on his terrific site. This post is similar in format.

It was this time twenty-five years ago when I left my job as a parole officer and entered my first semester of seminary in preparation for pastoral ministry. A lot has happened since then and I am grateful for the privilege of pastoring three wonderful churches, the most recent a pastorate for over seventeen years. While I’m still learning and growing, here are 7 things God has shown me in 25 years of ministry:

1) Feelings Of Inadequacy Are Healthy

I cannot count the number of times I feared church members would discover how clueless I was to be their pastor. Some feelings of inadequacy are healthy as a minister feels the weighty responsibility of leading God’s people (cf. 1 Kings 3:6-9). Thankfully, God blessed me with gifted staff or pointed me to laypersons who were equally gifted to lead.

2) Being Ourselves Is Essential

Phillips Brooks offers a succinct definition of preaching as the communication of “truth through personality.” 1 Among other things, Brooks means God has given each pastor a unique personality through which He intends to do His work. As such, pastors should feel the liberty to be themselves, resisting the temptation to compare themselves to other pastors or ministries.

3) Everyone Has Value And Is Worthy Of Respect

Each person is made in God’s image and, therefore, is worthy of respect. Whether ministers agree with the input and opinions of others, they honor them when they allow them to share and will listen carefully to them, believing God may reveal something they need to hear.

4) Fear And Guilt Have No Place In Ministry

Unfortunately, in my early ministry I frequently made decisions based on fear and guilt. Either I was either worried what others would think or felt compelled to do something simply because it was expected. In more recent years, God liberated me from these feelings and gave me the assurance He was guiding me to make decisions in keeping with His perfect will.

5) God Always Honors Biblical Preaching

People really do grow through faithful exposition of Scripture. It’s always a joy for pastors to hear from church members as they share what God has been teaching them through the preaching of His Word.

6) Taking Time Off Is Important

Most of the pastors I know are hard workers and love their churches. But pastors need to be reminded rest is a biblical principle and taking time off keeps them energized and blesses their families, too.

7) People Love Hearing The Gospel

The gospel truly is “good news!” People never grow tired of hearing God loves them unconditionally and accepts them entirely in Christ, even when their religious performance leaves something to be desired.

Pastors: What lessons have you learned in your years of ministry?

Follow Preaching Truth on WordPress.com(function(d){var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');p.type = 'text/javascript';p.async = true;p.src = '//widgets.wp.com/platform.js';f.par...

Names Of God (Theology Thursdays)

The Third Commandment prohibits “taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain (Exodus 20:7).”

To “take” means “to carry.” As we “carry” the name of God with us wherever we go, we must not carry His name in vain; in a disdainful way.

Consequently, it would be helpful to know something of the “name” or “names” of God, wouldn’t it?

Today’s Theology Thursday SlideShare presentation is:

from Todd Linn, PhD

Follow Preaching Truth on WordPress.com(function(d){var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');p.type = 'text/javascript';p.async = true;p.src = '//widgets.wp.com/platform.js';f.par...

Good News For Struggling Parents

A pastor once cautioned his hearers about the tendency to believe that good parenting results in problem-free children. He spoke autobiographically in this memorable line:

I’ve had both kinds of kids, so I can testify: When God gives a parent an easy keeper you get way too much credit. When God entrusts a parent with a keg of dynamite dressed up as a kid, you get way too much blame. Think twice before you ask the parent of a seemingly perfect easy keeper how they “did it.” If they’ve never tried to rear a keg of dynamite, they don’t have a clue!

That is so true!  We often forget that Proverbs 22:6 is a proverb, a proverbial statement, not an ironclad promise: “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  That’s a proverb—a good proverb, I might add—but a proverb nonetheless.  

If there is one thing helpful for younger parents to learn early, it is that good parenting does not guarantee a trouble-free family. We live in a fallen world, a world plagued by hardships, setbacks, and difficulties.

But there is good news for today’s family! And one ironic place to find this good news is in Mark’s Gospel–Mark 9:14-29–where a father brings a very troubled son to Jesus for healing.

The Seriousness of the Son’s Problem (14-24)

Jesus enters a town where a crowd has gathered around a father and his son. Approaching the crowd, Jesus hears the people talking and He hears the scribes arguing with the disciples. 

Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. (verse 17)

Here is a father with a problem.  It’s a serious problem.  The dad says that his son “has a mute spirit,” which means his son is possessed by a demon that keeps him from speaking.  We read later in verse 25 that the spirit also causes the boy to be deaf.  It’s  a very serious problem.

Demon possession was just as real in biblical days as it is today.  Our Lord Jesus certainly believed in it and the main thrust of this story is that He has authority over the demonic spirits. 

The father continues to tell Jesus what happens when the demon seizes upon his son:

And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” (verse 18)

The disciples were unsuccessful in casting out the demon.  And Jesus responds with a rebuke of the disciples:

He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” Then they brought him to Him. And when he (the spirit) saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. (verses 19-20)

This detail teaches that the evil spirits recognize the power and authority of Jesus Christ!  

So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. (verse 21)

The father’s boy has been troubled by this demon since he was a child.  This tells us that he is not a child any longer.  He’s grown.  We don’t know how old, but he is at least a young adult.  How difficult it must have been for this father!  The mother is not mentioned, but let’s assume she is alive and just not mentioned in the narrative.  How hard it would have been on her, as well.

And often he (the demon) has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (verses 22-23)

The verse should probably be translated the way the majority of translations have it, with verse 23 more like Jesus’ saying, “If you can?”  Like a question or like an exclamation, “If you can!”  And that’s probably the best way to translate it, with an exclamation mark. 

Read this way, the father says to Jesus, “If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” and Jesus repeats the man’s statement—as with a smile—“‘If you can!’  And Jesus replies, “All things are possible for one who believes.” 

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (verse 24)

That’s just so honest.  This father of the son sounds like me, at times.  You, too?  I love that honest admission.  We’ll come back to that. 

The Magnificence of the Savior’s Power (25-27)

And this really is the point of the passage.  

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. (verses 25-27)

Luke’s account adds that Jesus then gave the boy back to his father (Luke 9:42).

That phrase in verse 27, where Mark writes that Jesus “lifted him up, and he arose,” is literally that Jesus, “raised him, and he was resurrected.”  He raised the son and he was resurrected.  Hard not to see a bit of foreshadowing there!

The boy who “became as one dead” and “arose” did so precisely because, Jesus Himself would actually “become dead” and would Himself “arise.” 

The Dependence of the Saints in Prayer (28-29)

The narrative ends with two verses, verses 28 and 29, that underscore the importance of one’s utter dependence upon the Lord for absolutely everything.  The disciples are scratching their heads trying to figure out why they were unsuccessful in casting out the demon. 

And when He (Jesus) had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out? So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (verses 28-29)

Most of the modern translations have simply, “prayer.”  The word “fasting” is not found in the older Greek manuscripts and that’s why it is omitted in most of the current translations.  Of course, fasting is important too, but the real point is the utter dependence of the believer upon the Lord for absolutely everything.  And that utter dependence of the Christian is demonstrated primarily through his or her prayer life.

The disciples lacked a consistent prayer life so they were working largely from their own strength.  Their day-to-day lives were not bathed in prayer.  And this is why they lacked power in ministry.

You can do a lot of ministry by relying on a process or a procedure, but not power that comes through prayer.  It’s like preaching without spending time in prayer.  Or reading the Word without praying.  

Prayer is a demonstration of the truth that we are not able to do all things ourselves.  It’s an admission that we can do nothing apart from God.   

It’s Natural for Parents to Struggle in their Faith

The father in this story is so honest.  Jesus had said, “All things are possible to him who believes” and the man replies so genuinely: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  It’s natural for moms and dads to struggle in their faith.

We find ourselves saying, “I believe—but Lord, I also struggle with unbelief.  I mean, I believe You are who You say You are and You can do whatever You wish—I really believe that—but I’m a sinner; I’m fallen and I live in a fallen world.  It’s not an excuse, Jesus, I just need help.  Help my unbelief!”

One of the primary reasons the church exists is to help folks who struggle in their faith. After all, it’s encouraging to know we are not alone!

The popular 80s group “The Police” have this great song: “Message in a Bottle.”  It’s about a guy who feels he’s all alone, feels like he’s a cast away, “an island lost at sea.”  

So he sends out a message in a bottle.  Maybe it reads, “Help.”  He sends it out in the hopes someone will get the bottle and read his note. If he’s lucky, they’ll write an encouraging note back to him, sending it back to him in the bottle.  And he says over and over in the song, “I hope that someone gets my message in a bottle.”  

A year goes by and it doesn’t seem like anyone’s gotten his S.O.S., his message in a bottle.  But finally the encouraging line comes. The man says: “Walked out this morning and don’t believe what I saw—a hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore!”  And then this memorable lyric: “Seems I’m not alone in being alone; a hundred billion castaways looking for a home.”

The encouragement of knowing we’re not alone!  The church exists for countless castaways and outcasts who struggle in their faith.  Seems we’re not alone in being alone.  Be encouraged, parents: It’s natural for us to struggle in our faith.  

It’s Natural for Parents to Struggle in their Family 

Parents often struggle in leading their families.  Much of this point is implicit in the narrative.  Certainly we see the pain of this father in his concern for his son’s wellbeing.  He is heartbroken over the spiritual state of his son.  

Here is an evil spirit who has troubled his son since he was a small child.  It’s almost unimaginable the pain that must have caused both mom and dad. 

But the most important thing this dad did for his son was to bring him to Jesus.  The father brought his chid to Jesus.  “Teacher,” he says in verse 17, “I brought you my son.” 

Practically speaking, how do parents “bring their children” to Jesus today?

**Bring your kids in worship

You can’t expect your sons and daughters to be any more spiritual than you are.  You can’t expect them to pray if you don’t pray.  You can’t expect your children to love Jesus if they can’t see that you love Jesus. 

The most important thing this dad did for his son was to bring him to Jesus

Don’t allow your children to determine who goes to worship and when.  Lead them by bringing them to the Lord.  “Teacher,” the father said, “I brought you my son.”  Bring your family to worship by leading them.

I’m so glad that after my parents divorced my mother made me get up and go to worship when I was a young, rebellious teenager.  It was never a question of whether we were going.  She didn’t come and ask for my opinion.  You know like, “Todd, do you want to wake up and go to worship or do you think we all ought to just sleep in?!”

As a parent, she didn’t let me lead her, but she led me.  It wasn’t, “Do you want to go,” or, “Where are you happiest?”  She made those decisions for me.  So it was just, “Get up, get dressed, and get in the car.”

I’m especially grateful for that leadership now. 

Parents, lead your family by leading them to regular worship in God’s house.  Teach them by example.  In doing so, you will prevent their growing up to become mere “consumers” of the church, coming only when it is convenient, coming only to get their needs met—but regularly giving of themselves by regularly attending worship, serving the Lord, working among the body of Christ, joyfully serving Him and others.

JC Ryle, in his booklet, The Duties of Parents, writes of the parents leading their children by regularly taking them to worship.  He says:

Do not be discouraged because your children do not see the full value of church and the Lord’s Supper now. Just train them to have a habit of regular attendance. Set it before their minds as a high, holy, and solemn duty, and believe me, the day will very likely come when they will bless you for your efforts.

JC Ryle

**Bring them in prayer

The father in this passage brought his son to Jesus.  He brought the needs of his son to Jesus.  His son was troubled by a spirit that kept him from hearing and talking, so the father did the talking for him!

You may not always feel you can talk to your kids about God, but you can always talk to God about your kids—and you can do that now while they are in the home.  It is good for your children to hear you pray, to talk to God about them.

Don’t preach when you pray.  Just pray, “God, you know I love this young man, this young lady,” etc.  Let them hear you pray for them.

You may not always feel you can talk to your kids about God, but you can always talk to God about your kids
Click To Tweet

**Bring them in love

Love your kids the way your Father loves you.  That is, love them for who they are, not what you think they should be.

Love your kids the way they are.  That’s how the Father loves you.  That doesn’t mean He doesn’t want you to grow in Christlikeness.  Rather, it means that God loves you as you are because He made you that way. 

As a parent, you are to love your children for who they are—their unique personalities, giftedness, and even oddities—because God made them that way.

Love them for who they are, not what you think they should be

Our job as parents is to train up our children.  They will eventually grow into adults and they will have the benefit of all of our training inside them.  They’ll not forget it.  They may stray and wander, at times, but it’s there—all that training and all that teaching.  

Remember that they are sinners.  Watch your boasting about them.  And be careful not to swell up in pride when others boast about them—telling you how wonderful they are—you know them just like you know yourself.  They are sinners.

Guard against the temptation to post their every good deed on Facebook or write about their glowing accomplishments in the annual “Christmas brag letter” (am I the only one who hates those things?!).

Speaking of Christmas letters, hear the caution of Sinclair Ferguson: “The boasts of one Christmas letter may be the griefs of later ones.”  Wow.  So true.

It’s like those bumper stickers that read something like: “My child is the smartest person in the world,” or whatever.  “My child is a genius!”  

Usually when you read that bumper sticker: “My child is a genius,” you pull your car alongside it and try to gaze into the car window that you may catch a glimpse of the royal wizard himself.  And as you pull alongside and peer into the window, what do you see? You see the little genius gazing into oblivion with his finger shoved halfway up his nose!  

Parenting is a lifelong commitment.  What is important is how your kids finish spiritually.  That’s more important than anything else.

We need to be reminded that it really doesn’t matter whether our children grow up to be the best doctor in all the land, the best athlete, the best salesperson, or financial officer, or honor student—ultimately—those are not the greatest concerns.

Parenting is a lifelong commitment

Or was our Lord wrong when He asked, “What shall it profit a person if he should gain the whole world but lose his soul (Mark 8:36)?”

Be encouraged parents: it’s the long haul of parenting that makes the difference—because it often may not seem to be making a difference now.  

Hear again encouragement from JC Ryle in Duties of Parents: “I do not doubt that many children will rise up in the day of judgment and bless their parents for good training, [children] who never gave any signs of having profited by it during their parents’ lives.”

I agree.  And I think that is good news for struggling parents.

What About YouDo think Proverbs 22:6 is a proverb or a promise? How can struggling parents be encouraged to know that it is not an iron-clad guarantee?If you are a parent, do you regularly bring your children to Jesus in the way this post suggests?What struggling parent can you help this week?

Follow Preaching Truth on WordPress.com(function(d){var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');p.type = 'text/javascript';p.async = true;p.src = '//widgets.wp.com/platform.js';f.par...

God’s Love For Both Patriarch And Prostitute

It’s a sobering fact that there is a kind of faith that may seem genuine, but is a faith that is useless, powerless, and dead.  It is a faith that does not save from hell. 

When we speak of “saving faith,” we are talking about a kind of faith that puts us in right standing with God.  Saving faith is faith in Jesus Christ, the One who lived a perfect life for us and died a substitutionary death in our place, so that we could be forgiven of our sin.

Apart from God’s grace through saving faith in Christ, every one of us deserves death, hell, and eternal separation from God.  To be “saved” is to be rescued from that awful predicament, rescued and made right with God so that one may enjoy abundant and eternal life.

James teaches that true faith, saving faith, is shown to be genuine by the “living out” of one’s faith.  A true Christian will do good works—not in order to earn God’s favor; this is impossible—but a true Christian will do good works as a demonstration of the fact that his or her heart has been truly converted.  Good deeds, or good works, necessarily flow from authentic faith.  This is why James can say, “Faith without works is a dead faith.”  

James gives two examples from the Old Testament to make the point that real faith is proved genuine by the doing of good deeds, works that naturally follow and flow from a truly converted heart.  These two Old Testament examples are the examples of Abraham and Rahab, a patriarch and a prostitute. Here’s the text, James 2:20-26:

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 
22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 
24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Consider a Patriarch’s Faith 

Abraham is the patriarch of believing Jews and Christians alike.  He is the primary “Father figure” of the faith.  So James uses this patriarch to illustrate that one’s faith is proved genuine by the doing of good works.

Specifically, James asks, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?”  And he adds, “Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?”

The background of James’ illustration is found in Genesis 15 and Genesis 22.  In short, Genesis 15 is where we read of Abraham’s faith and Genesis 22 is where we read that Abraham’s faith was proved genuine by the doing of good works.

Genesis 15 describes that memorable occasion where God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.  And the Bible says, “And Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).”  

This is the same text James cites now in verse 23 where he writes: “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God.”

The Apostle Paul also cites this text in Romans 4, teaching that one is declared righteous solely by faith.  He writes:  “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness (Romans 4:3).”  When a person genuinely believes, surrendering to God, he is credited “righteous.”  Abraham took God at His word.  He was saved by grace through faith.  

This is a good place for us to review that men and women throughout biblical history are saved the same way.  In our day we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, looking back in time to the event of the cross, looking back to the Christ who has come.  In Abraham’s day, believers also were saved by grace through faith, as they looked forward in time to the Christ who would come.  Whether on one side of the cross or the other, all persons are saved by trusting God, looking to Him in faith.

Abraham believed God (Genesis 15) and his faith was proved genuine by what he did (Genesis 22).  And what was it that Abraham did in Genesis 22?  This is that marvelous accounting of Abraham’s giving visible evidence of his faith in God by obeying God’s command to offer up his son Isaac upon the altar.

To summarize, God says, “Abraham, take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and…offer him as a burnt offering…” And the Bible says that Abraham obeyed God and proceeded to do precisely what God had asked.  You can read the full account in Genesis 22, but for our purposes know that God stopped Abraham before he sacrificed his son because He was merely testing Abraham’s faith, testing to see whether Abraham would obey.  And Abraham passed the test.  This is why James can say that Abraham was called “the friend of God.”

God was looking for evidence that Abraham’s faith was genuine.  He tested Abraham and Abraham passed the test by demonstrating that his faith was not merely confessional, nor merely intellectual, nor merely emotional, but that his faith was real and genuine.  That’s why James can say that Abraham’s faith “was working together with his works, and by works his faith was made perfect, or complete.”

So James concludes: “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.”  That is, one way we can be reasonably certain that a person is saved, is by seeing the evidence of his or her genuine faith.  If a person is born again, he or she will live a different life than before conversion. 

It is important to note that no one can know for certain about the salvation of another.  None of us can see into the heart the way God can see.  But we can be reasonably certain that a person is saved if his confession of faith is demonstrated by the way he lives out his faith.  There will be a growing pattern of godliness, an evidence of saving faith.  The once barren tree now bears fruit.  There is life.  

How sad are those occasions when we attend a funeral and listen to a preacher trying his best to put a positive “spin” on the deceased person’s life.  We are told this man was a Christian.  Perhaps even years earlier this person himself—like the person described by James in James 1:14ff—had “said” that he had faith.  But there is no evidence, no overall pattern of spiritual growth.  There is no real evidence of his love for God, nor love for His Word, the Bible.  Here is a man who had faith, but apparently it was a faith James describes as useless, powerless, and dead.  It was a faith that does not save from hell.

Abraham’s faith saved from hell.  His faith led to demonstrable works.  We have learned from this patriarch’s faith.

Consider a Prostitute’s Faith

James could not have provided a greater contrast with Abraham than Rahab.  He takes us from a patriarch to a prostitute, from a Jew to a Gentile, from a man to a woman, from one who was privileged to one who was poor, from one who had a good reputation to one who had a bad reputation.

He asks, “Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?”

The second chapter of Joshua relays the story of Rahab the prostitute.  Rahab is the one who hid the spies, or messengers, that Joshua sent to do reconnaissance work in Jericho, the ones who viewed the land that they would soon be claiming as their own.  

The Bible indicates that Rahab had come to know the One True God.  She had heard how God had divided the Red Sea so that His people could cross over as they escaped the Egyptians.  Rahab trusted in the One True God.   So when God in His providence guided the spies to Rahab, she hid them so they would not be discovered by the unbelieving rulers of Jericho.  Rahab risked her life by covering for the spies and helping them to escape later.  

So Rahab, along with Abraham, serves as an example of one whose faith in God was proved genuine by the doing of good deeds.  Her works, namely her saving of the spies, proved her faith to be genuine.

I think it is a mark of grace on the part of James to place Rahab alongside Abraham.  It is as if he wished to stress that whether one is “really good” or “really bad,” both are saved the same way—by grace through faith, a faith that is proved genuine by the doing of good works.  And a “really good” person like Abraham is no more saved than a “really bad” person like Rahab.  And a “really bad” person like Rahab is no less saved than a “really good” person like Abraham.

Whether you identify more with Abraham the patriarch or Rahab the prostitute, every person is saved the same way and, because of the gospel, every Christian is on equal footing in the eyes of God.  Every Christian—whether patriarch or prostitute—is loved equally by God because every believer is equally “in Christ.”  

If we are saved, God loves us perfectly in Christ.  No one is more loved or less loved due to background, giftedness, education, or experience.  Furthermore, no Christian will be loved more by God when he does well and no Christian will be loved less by God when he stumbles.  God loves each Christian perfectly because He loves each one in His perfect Son Jesus Christ.

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 91-95, available on Amazon.

Follow Preaching Truth on WordPress.com(function(d){var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');p.type = 'text/javascript';p.async = true;p.src = '//widgets.wp.com/platform.js';f.par...

The Preacher’s Joy In Sermon Preparation

Most pastors find sermon preparation and delivery to be the most enjoyable work of their ministry. While other aspects of ministry are important, there is a special joy derived from hours spent in the study of a biblical text. And, while study can be grueling at times, most pastors delight in the work, agreeing with the apostles’ stress upon giving oneself “continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4) and Paul’s charge to “correctly handle the Word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). To cultivate and maintain your joy in sermon preparation, consider these three important principles:

1) Avoid Using Commentaries Too Soon

We’re often tempted to turn to commentaries before spending adequate time wrestling with a passage ourselves. It is certainly wise to consult commentaries, and failure to do so may be a mark of pride. As Charles Spurgeon wisely noted: “It seems odd, that certain men who talk so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves, should think so little of what he has revealed to others.”1

Using commentaries too soon, however, may rob the preacher of the joy of discovery. There is a singular pleasure experienced by the preacher when the Holy Spirit enables him to understand the meaning and implications of a text. The preacher who prematurely studies the insights of others–including sermons–will not experience the same degree of wonder as the preacher who has first poured over the passage himself.

2) Involve Both Head And Heart In Your Study

“Headwork” tends to come naturally to most preachers. They enjoy thinking through a passage, analyzing it, and outlining it. Equally important to involving one’s head, however, is involving one’s heart. The preacher experiences greater joy in sermon preparation when he allows the truth to move from his head to his heart, prayerfully internalizing that truth and feeling it deeply.

As E.M. Bounds helpfully suggests: “A prepared heart is much better than a prepared sermon. A prepared heart will make a prepared sermon.”2

3) Trust God To Work Uniquely Through You

God has called us individually and equipped us uniquely to preach to our particular congregations. While each congregation is similar to others, it is also different from others. It has its own history, character and needs. In the same way, each pastor is in some way different from other pastors. God has sovereignly called each of us and has placed us in each church for His glory. When we trust Him to work through our own personality, study, and delivery, we’re more likely to experience the joy of His using us to speak to the hearts of His people.

Attributes Of God (Theology Thursdays)

Renowned researcher George Barna recently released the latest installment of his study on the the theological beliefs of Americans. Not surprisingly, the results continue to reflect a downward trend in support for orthodox Christianity.

For example, only 51% of Americans believe God to be the “all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect and just Creator of the universe still ruling the world today” whereas just twenty-nine years ago 73% of Americans believed that to be true.

In a recent statement to the Christian Post, Barna observed: “The spiritual noise in our culture over the last few decades has confused and misled hundreds of millions of people.” He added: “The message to churches, Christian leaders, and Christian educators is clear: we can no longer assume that people have a solid grasp of even the most basic biblical principles.”

For this reason (and others!) I’ve been dedicating Thursday posts to “Theology Thursdays.” Each week we’ll continue looking at one aspect of biblical, orthodox Christian theology and why it matters.

The Attributes of God

Attributes of God from Todd Linn, PhD

Follow Preaching Truth on WordPress.com(function(d){var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');p.type = 'text/javascript';p.async = true;p.src = '//widgets.wp.com/platform.js';f.par...

Forgiven Much?

A minister friend once told of a funeral he had conducted where a woman was offended by his message. Specifically, the woman took offense with his remark that “all are sinners,” bristling at even the suggestion that she herself was a sinner.

Well, if there ever were a woman who readily acknowledged her own sinfulness and unworthiness it would be the unnamed woman in Luke 7:36-50. Not only did she know herself to be a sinner, but everyone gathered around her knew it, too. You could say her reputation preceded her.

Here’s what happened…

One of the Pharisees had invited Jesus to dinner.  Maybe the Pharisee wanted to know more about Jesus or thought that by having Jesus over he might sort of “score some points” with this popular prophet.  

Luke doesn’t tell us the man’s motivation, so we don’t really know.  In any case, something happened that was a bit of a surprise: an uninvited guest joined them.

On the one hand it wasn’t unusual to have someone enter into the dining area.  In our day, it would be really strange because we eat in houses with doors shut and even locked.  And nobody just walks into a modern 21st Century house uninvited and sits at the table—unless you want to get shot!

But in the ancient near eastern context, meals were shared in an open area of a home, open to the outside, where passersby could actually see who was eating and even kind of “hang out” near where the folks were eating, even listening to conversation.  It was a more communal experience even for uninvited guests.

And folks didn’t sit around a modern western table with chairs, but rather they reclined in something of a circle, leaning on one arm and eating with the other hand.  It was so different!  It’s still that way today in much of the eastern world.

So that’s the setting when this unnamed woman walks in.  Who was she?  Luke doesn’t tell us her name, but he tells us her condition:

And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner (verse 37)

She is a woman “who was a sinner.”  In other words, she had a reputation.  And it wasn’t a good one.  Everything about the context suggests that this woman was a prostitute—or at least had been a prostitute.  She was well known in the city.

A Conspicuous Sinner (36-38)

She was well known in the city and shunned by many given her sinful reputation.  Luke tells us what happens next:  

When she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil 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. (verses 37-38)

This sinful woman has made her presence known. She is conspicuous in every way. She seems undaunted by the jeers and sneers that surely accompanied her as she approached Jesus.

She opens an “alabaster flask of fragrant oil.”  This was likely a small flask worn around the neck, containing costly perfume.  We may suppose she used this perfume in her profession, but is now using it for a very different purpose.

It is at this moment that the woman begins to sob—and the sense is not just a whimpering cry, but a deep, heartfelt sobbing (Martin Luther described her tears as “heart water”).

The woman is crying so much that she is able to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiping them with the hair of her head.

To describe her as conspicuous is quite an understatement because her every single action would have drawn further attention and glaring stares and shock to guests in the room, especially the Pharisee.

In the Talmud—a Jewish commentary—it is stated that for a woman to let down her hair in the presence of men was a major no-no.  In fact, if the woman were married, this action of letting down her hair was grounds for divorce.  It was a shameful action.

A Critical Spirit (39-40)

Look at what Luke says in response to this woman’s actions:

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.” (verse 39)

He is just shocked that this woman is even touching Jesus and that Jesus allows it!  So the Pharisee is like, “If this man were a prophet he would know this!”  Now we learn the Pharisee’s name:

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” (verse 40)

Someone said this statement is like Jesus’ throwing a grenade to Simon: “I have something to say to you.”  After all, Simon had just said to himself, “if this man were a prophet He would know who this woman is,” and apparently Jesus heard exactly what Simon had muttered.

Pharisees were a religious group in Jesus’ day who were very powerful and very influential.  The Jewish historian Josephus writes that there were as many as six thousand Pharisees during the time of Christ.

And these Pharisees were not only powerful and influential, they had a tendency to be critical and judgmental.  And the reason for this tendency was because they had such a high estimation of themselves as the morally upright upper crust.  

The very word “Pharisee” means, “separated one.”  These men separated themselves from the common people and their common ways.  They were therefore thought of as highly moral and superior in righteousness, given their strict adherence to tradition and law.

A Compassionate Savior (41-50)

Jesus tells a parable to illustrate His compassion for those who know the depth of their sin and their need for God’s forgiveness.  

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  (verse 41)

So there’s a money lender.  He lends money to two persons.  One owes the equivalent of two years’ wages and the other owes the equivalent of two months’ wages.  

Neither of the two could pay down the debt, or pay off the debt.  And if you didn’t pay off your debt in those days you could be thrown into debtor’s prison.  So both of these debtors in the parable are in the same boat.  

And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” (verses 42-43)

In other words, “Good answer, Simon! You have answered correctly.”  And it makes sense, doesn’t it?  The person who knows his debt to be so great and sees no way out of the situation, is likely to be more grateful when the debt is forgiven than the one who feels his debt is manageable.

When was the last time you shed a tear for your sin?
Click To Tweet

This latter debtor may not even feel the same need as the other.  Consequently, when his debt is forgiven he is not as likely to love in the same way the other loves.  Jesus continues:

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 and wiped them with the hair of her head. (verse 44)

Washing a visitor’s feet was a common near eastern practice.  If you wear open-toed sandals everywhere, your feet will get dirty and dusty.  You washed the feet of your dinner guests before they reclined for meal.  Simon had not done so.  Apparently Simon regarded Jesus as one of the “commoners” of the community.  Jesus adds:

You gave Me no kiss (a popular eastern greeting even today), but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil (showing courtesy and hospitality), but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. (verses 45-46)

There is a difference between being “religious” and being saved. This woman knew the difference.

The sinful woman did for Jesus what the morally religious person failed to do. Perhaps Simon reasoned the way many professing Christians reason today: “Isn’t it enough that I invited you here?!” Isn’t it enough that I go to worship every Sunday?!”

Then this statement by Jesus:

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.” (verse 47)

Forgiven much.  Love much.  They go together: if one knows his or her sins to be many—and is forgiven—he or she will love much in response.

The sinful woman had been forgiven of her many sins.  Consequently, she loved much!  At some point she had placed her faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and knew therefore the loving forgiveness He brings.

Jesus reassures her that her sins had been forgiven:

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (verses 48-50)

There is a difference between being “religious” and being saved.  The woman knew the difference.

And if we know anything of the gospel, we too, know the difference.  And we will identify more with the prostitute than with the religious man.

Genuine Humility before God

Simon is detached, cold, and stoic.  It seems he wants Jesus to be there, but he also wants to keep Him at arm’s length.  

He probably invited Jesus over for something of an academic experience or religious seminar.  Simon seems comfortable so long as he himself is in control.

The woman, on the other hand, gives up control. She knows how dark her sin is in the presence of the bright light of Christ. She gives up control. She surrenders.

Only when we know the depth of our sin are we able to know the wideness of God’s mercy.
Click To Tweet

When was the last time you shed a tear for your sin?

Only when we know the depth of our sin are we able to know the wideness of God’s mercy.

Geoff Thomas puts it another way:

If you figure that you are a ‘little sinner’ then all you need is a ‘little Savior.’ If you think you are a ‘moderate sinner’ then what you’ll need is a ‘moderate Savior.’ But if you are a ‘big sinner’ you’ll need a ‘big Savior.’ Those who have a little Savior will love him little, while those who have a big Savior will love him greatly. 

Geoff Thomas

We all need a big Savior.  The religious people had muttered, “Who is this who even forgives sins (verse 49)?”  And this is precisely the point: Jesus forgives sins because Jesus is God.  Jesus is a big Savior to all who know the depth of their sins.

Genuine Love & Gratitude for Christ

The Pharisee doesn’t really see himself as much of a sinner.  He considers himself morally upright.  He keeps the Law.  He probably thought to himself: I would never live like this lowly prostitute!”

He really doesn’t regard himself as much of a sinner.  So how then does he treat Christ as a result?

He treats Christ as just a common, ordinary person.  He doesn’t give Him a proper greeting, doesn’t wash His feet, and is shocked when Jesus doesn’t recoil in disgust in the presence of the woman.  

The woman, however, regards herself as a sinner, doesn’t she?  She knows the depth of her sin. By comparison, how then does she treat Christ?  She loves Him.  She has endless love for Christ and endless gratitude to Christ.

If you know you have been forgiven much, you will love much.  If you know the depth of your sin, you will love Jesus greatly.  You will never get over the wideness of God’s mercy in His forgiveness of you.

This is the whole point of Jesus’s parable.  Here is a lender who lends money to two people and each finds himself unable to repay the debt.  So the lender graciously absorbs the debt.

In these situations, debt is never truly cancelled.  It is simply transferred to another.  The payment of the two debtors is absorbed, or paid for, by the money lender.  

Jesus equates Himself with the lender.  Indeed, this is precisely what Christ accomplishes for all who will believe in Him:

The debt of the woman—and the debt of the Pharisee—is absorbed, or transferred—to Jesus on the cross.  Jesus Christ “the lender” pays off the debt of others.  

So it costs much for sinful women and self-righteous Pharisees to be forgiven. It cost the death of Christ on a Roman cross.

In one sense, it really doesn’t matter whether we regard ourselves as “a little sinner” or “a big-time sinner.”  

If you’re on an airplane that will soon explode in the air, then it really doesn’t matter whether you are seated in first class or coach.  

Self-righteousness, judgmentalism, and a critical spirit—all these things vanish when we realize that before God we are all sinners equally in need of a Savior.  

If you’re on an airplane that will soon explode in the air, then it really doesn’t matter whether you are seated in first class or coach.

The Pharisee was worried about getting a seat in first class, but he’s in the same predicament as the woman seated near the restroom in coach.

Genuine Love & Forgiveness for Others

When you have experienced God’s forgiveness and the wideness of His mercy, and you identify with the sinful woman, then you are in a better position to understand and forgive others when they hurt you—your co-worker, your wife, your husband, your children.

When I am hurt by my children, I feel so justified in my anger.  If one of my children lies to me, I feel I have a right to be angry.  Then, the Holy Spirit does His good work on me and I sense my Heavenly Father asking, “What about the lies you have told Me?   What about the times you have hurt Me, my son?  Do I not have a right to be angry with you?  Shall I stop forgiving you, cut off My mercy and My forgiveness towards you?” 

What About You?The sinful woman loved Jesus more than her alabaster flask with oil. It was a costly gift. What “alabaster flask” are you unwilling to part with?How does this passage show Jesus’ love for the “unlovable?”To whom do you need to show mercy this weekend?

Follow Preaching Truth on WordPress.com(function(d){var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');p.type = 'text/javascript';p.async = true;p.src = '//widgets.wp.com/platform.js';f.par...