Those of us who have been forgiven much we love that much more!
Everything in the Old Testament was God ordained as it is in the New Testament in the finished work of the Cross of Jesus Christ. Once a year the priest entered into the holy of holies and offered blood sacrifice for the sins of the people. It was “the day of atonement” and on that day their sins were covered for another year. Before the finished work of the Cross the blood of animals was unable to save us fully and completely…only Jesus can!
Hebrews 9:6 6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, foretold of things to come, that the way to the presence of God was not yet made manifest until the shedding of the perfect, sinless blood of Jesus Christ, all God and all man. All things before Him were just a template of the things to come. God in His sovereignty kept temple sacrifice until after the resurrection of Jesus and only then the temple (70AD) and the law could be destroyed and replaced with a new and better covenant. through faith in the grace He gifted to mankind in the birth, death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ mankind could be saved.
Christ is THE high priest He is the Good News! All the daily working of the Old Testament and the day of atonement was a prelude to the cleansing of all sins permanently in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross.
In Christ earthly ministry certain scribes and Pharisees wanted a sign that He was who He said He was.
Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Ephesians 4:8-10 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
Now that he ascended He also descended into the lower parts of the earth that He would fulfill all things. When Jesus ascended on high He led the captive Old Testament Jews in hades to the presence of God.
Jesus conquered death the last obstacle to eternal reunification with our holy God.
in preparation of the priest entering the holy of holies the start was the washing of water (baptismo). Jesus washes us as white as snow in the forgiveness and grace of God. Baptism is the outward sign of our inward faith in Jesus who saves.
Jesus plainly stated "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6a) and "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12a). The Apostle John declared that "in [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). And the Apostle Paul reminded believers that Jesus "became to us wisdom from God" (1 Corinthians 1:30).
As children of God, we have ultimate access to generational wisdom through our relationship with Jesus, God's own Son! Jesus has secured an inheritance for us in God's Kingdom; when we trust in Him for salvation, He brings us into the light of God's presence. When we faithfully walk with Him, our reflection of His light grows progressively brighter as we are transformed increasingly into the likeness of the true Light of the world (2 Corinthians 3:18). First5
Holy Spirit convicts but never condemns. He wants every one of us to come to faith in Christ finished work on the Cross.
This was another hard week for me. The news, yes. And many conversations (phone and email) about our world (and our place in it), and how it is easy to feel, or to be, quite literally, lost. And lost is not just a GPS malfunction. Too many know what it means to be disconnected, discounted, diminished, demeaned. Lost.
In the story of the lost sheep the shepherd doesn’t blame the lost one. Or give advice. Or admonish. Because to the shepherd, that sheep is not just a number, but a face, a name and a story.
The shepherd knew that some stories are too heavy to carry alone. That every one of us at some time in our life will need the loving arms of justice, mercy and unmerited grace.
And here’s the deal: some days we are the one lost. And some days, we are the hands and feet of the shepherd.
Celebrant: Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
People: I will, with God's help. (The baptismal covenant in the Episcopal Church.)
Because some stories are too heavy to carry alone. Sabbath Moments
Ed Kilbourne wrote a song called Promised Land.
“There’s a place they call the promised land where people live by grace
The leaders are their servants, the last ones win the race
And those who love are wealthy and those who hate are poor
And honor’s won by making peace, not by making war
And everyone’s invited when the kingdom feast is spread
They remember how they got there in the breaking of the bread
They pass a cup around the room to every tear stained face
And drink a toast to Jesus as they sing Amazing Grace.”
Worry happens when we keep our problems to ourselves or present our problems to the puny deities of money, muscle, or humankind. The act of prayer moves us from a spirit of concern to a spirit of gratitude. Even before our prayers are answered, our hearts begin to change.
Peace happens when we pray. Max Lucaado
Luke 7:41-50
41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 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. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 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.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” The New King James Version
The denarius was the usual daily wage for a laborer. A debt of 500 denarii was seemingly insurmountable. Rather than making the point Himself, Jesus prompts Simon to give an answer that condemns his own attitude. Jesus uses this same tactic with the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:36–37). The parable reflects the scene. The woman, who appeared to be in great need of forgiveness, expresses her love and appreciation more than the Pharisee, who likely thought that he needed little or no forgiveness. Jesus contrasts the woman’s devotion and care with Simon’s failure to do anything to honor his invited guest. Forgiveness of sins could be granted by God alone.
Jesus often recognizes faith as the catalyst for healing and salvation. Faithlife Study Bible
Jesus often compared sin to a monetary debt. A denarius was a day’s wage for a basic laborer, so five hundred denarii was approximately the wages of one and a half years. Which of them will love him more? Jesus’ point is that the amount of love showered on the Savior will be in direct proportion with one’s sense of the gravity of the sins that the Savior has forgiven. The woman knew she had been forgiven much, and as a result she would love much. Jesus contrasted the actions of the woman with the actions of the Pharisee Simon, implying that the woman knew more about forgiveness than Simon.
Jesus confirmed that the love of the woman, which was visible in her actions toward Jesus, had come from being forgiven. The grumbling over Jesus’ declaration concerning forgiveness indicates that at least some people in the audience rejected His authority.
Faith is the human channel for receiving God’s gifts. The NKJV Study Bible
None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence on account of sin, and admiration of his mercy, the self-sufficient will be disgusted, because the gospel encourages such repenting sinners.
The Pharisee, instead of rejoicing in the tokens of the woman’s repentance, confined his thoughts to her former bad character. But without free forgiveness none of us can escape the wrath to come; this our gracious Saviour has purchased with his blood, that he may freely bestow it on every one that believes in him.
Learn here, that sin is a debt; and all are sinners, are debtors to Almighty God. Some sinners are greater debtors; but whether our debt be more or less, it is more than we are able to pay. God is ready to forgive; and his Son having purchased pardon for those who believe in him, his gospel promises it to them, and his Spirit seals it to repenting sinners, and gives them the comfort.
Let us keep far from the proud spirit of the Pharisee, simply depending upon and rejoicing in Christ alone, and so be prepared to obey him more zealously, and more strongly to recommend him unto all around us. The more we express our sorrow for sin, and our love to Christ, the clearer evidence we have of the forgiveness of our sins.
What a wonderful change does grace make upon a sinner’s heart and life, as well as upon his state before God, by the full remission of all his sins through faith in the Lord Jesus! Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Matthew 9:2–3 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”
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