"I like this guy"

Luke 18:9-14 recounts the story of a pharisee and a tax collector praying in the temple. I'll let you read it for yourself - while I will level my keypad and thoughts at telling you why I like the pharisee.

"Whoa," you may say, "this guy is clearly in the wrong - you cannot be serious." The fact of the matter is this, as a pastor I love that this guy fasts twice a week, gives tithes on everything (picture getting a birthday card with $20 and tithing 10% back to the church), and is aware that he is set apart from others. I like this guy.

So, what makes my "like" of this guy conditional? It's simple, he opened his mouth. Matthew 12:34 Jesus aims his criticism at the pharisees when he says, "You brood of vipers! How can you speak good when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Once this pharisee (in Luke 18) opened his mouth it was apparent to everyone where his heart was.

I encourage you today, understand and embrace the humility of the tax collector who opened his mouth and said, "be merciful to me, a sinner." Is fasting twice a week wrong, no. Is tithing on EVERYTHING wrong, no. Together lets beg God to show us piety for the sake of God not the sake of man.

Quality, Quantity or neither: you decide

Here's the deal, I sat this morning on a couch and watched the sunrise over a cup of coffee while reading a story in Luke chapter 7. I have read the story a number of times before, but this one was different. "Why?" you may ask. I'm glad you have an interest. The answer may surprise you.

In the story Jesus is at some prominent Pharisee's (Simon) home when a broken woman comes on the scene. Traditionally, this passage is taught in a "do you have messy stuff no-one else wants, come to Jesus and he will forgive you...and you will be SO APPRECIATIVE." which is not all bad, but bears closer scrutiny.

However, as I watched the sunrise I could not help but think God was trying loose the bonds of a sin caste system of sorts. This old method of teaching the passage almost always results in people who grew up with relatively "minor" sins casting an appraising glance at those "dirtier and deeper" sins in others.

Listen, that is not the point. Jesus, is getting at something much deeper when he says in 7:42, "...her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." The point is not that she was a prostitute and came to Jesus to be cleansed, although that is part of it. In a very elementary way Jesus is saying, "Simon (pharisee), she recognizes her need of me, you don't - therefore you extend little love to her."

So, brass tacks, what kind of damage are we talking here if I have lived apart from this understanding of forgiveness and love my whole life? Here it is: Its not how much (quantity) you sin, or how great (quality) your sin is; it IS whether you find in Jesus a REAL, LASTING, and PERFECT solution for ALL sin. For when you do you will be free to Love Much for you have been Forgiven Much. (The whole story is in Luke 7:36-50).

I invite your comments as to what you learned from this or how it challenged you.

Jesus - My Humility Part 2

So, admittedly as I have aged, Jesus has brought into my life little (or not so little) events which have caused me to realize the necessity of humility. There is a common thread in all events in my life concerning humility: it happens to be a choice. Jesus did not find himself on the cross as accidental act of obedience to the Father. That fact of humility, CHOICE, being duly noted - let me just ask you to examine your own heart as you read on. The tendency, I know (because we are not so different you and I), is to think, "man, so and so could totally use this information, or my husband is so arrogant - maybe I can get him to read this, etc, etc etc; but I implore you - be reconciled to God first. Horizontal relationships will follow.
Last post we talked about the humility of Christ - this one deals in specifics. In regards to humility and Philippians 1:27-2:11:

1. Recognize your need & your position in Christ (1:27): a life worthy of the Gospel should be taken positionally in Christ - the behavior will follow the position.
   
2. Reorient your life (2:6): Practically, for us this is the use of gifts, talents, money, time, etc it is all subject to the purpose and plan of God. Do you have money - its God's, do you have time available - its Gods, etc etc etc.
   
3. Render your service (2:7-8): One cannot serve another person when they believe themselves to be innately better. Ask yourself this question when serving someone – how does what I am doing right now evidence the death of Christ in me and promote it whom I’m serving?

Finally, as I said in the previous post - I preached on this very topic in my church recently. CLICK HERE to listen to either of those sermons (they came in two parts like the blog).

Please add your thoughts by clicking on the "comment" link at the bottom. Be patient with the audio files, they are large and will take a while to load.

Jesus - My Humility Part 1

I'll tell you what's difficult - being young, being someone who is easily termed a "recovering pride-a-holic," then preaching on humility. I know of no one less qualified than I to even touch that with a ten foot pole. However, the irony of God knows no bounds so I endeavored to teach on this very topic recently. This post then will be in two parts, one today and part two to follow soon. This post will cover Christ's humility displayed - really a close look at Phil. 2:1-11.
The three 'E's of Christ's humility:
1. Exercise (Phil.2: 6-7)– where Jesus was in the form (or essence) of God but did not see it as a source of entitlement BUT made Himself subject to God. The term exercise was carefully chosen to illustrate the active and continual nature of Jesus' humility.
2. Extent (Phil. 2:8)- He chose to do everything that humans do (eat, sleep, go to the restroom, etc) to the point of death on a cross. The significance of that cannot be overstated as execution on a cross was indicative of the curse of God. Galatians 3:13 says that he (Jesus) bore the curse for our sin. So the extent of His humility...was sufficient to save.
3. Exaltation (Phil. 2:9-11)- the result then of Jesus humility was being exalted and all confessing the Lordship of Jesus – But as v. 11 states, He was humble “…to the Glory of God the Father.” Ultimately, us being humble is not for us, but for the glory of God.
Well, I leave you to consider Jesus and His humility along with the implications for your life as you wake tomorrow. Stay tuned more is coming on humility and feel free to add your comments below.