Love and Repentance

Today's Reading:

• Luke 19:28 - 19:48

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Luke 19:28 - 19:48
Today's reading starts with Jesus humbling riding into Jerusalem on a donkey colt. My study bible tells me two things: first, his ride on the donkey is fulfillment of prophecy; and second, that choosing a humble donkey instead of a war horse is symbolic of the reconciliation and peace that Jesus would bring.

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, a huge crowd gathered and threw their clothes on the ground in front of him, shouting and signing songs of praise as they followed along side. I can hardly imagine this scene. A man, riding on a donkey on top of piles of clothes thrown in front of him and crowds singing and praising all around. What a glorious sight that would be. It is hard to believe that human nature is so fickle, that many of these same people would soon be publicly demanding his crucifixion.

Jesus then wept, for he knew the people would reject his salvation and come to ruin. Jesus is there for all of us, he died for all of us, yet how many of us will refuse that wonderful gift? How many souls of the people we know and love will be forever lost and separated from God? It's a terrible thing.

We are then told of how Jesus drove the money changes and merchants out of the temple. Luke's account of this event are fairly mild. John 2:15 tells of how Jesus made a whip to drive these people out. It seems that in today's world, people only want to talk about the love of Jesus. Every sin seems to be covered by the fact that Jesus loves and forgives. It is very true - without the true love Jesus showed by dying for us, without his forgiveness, we are destined to hell. But too often it seems to be overlooked that Jesus also condemns the sin. He drove those people out with whips! The woman who was caught in adultery, whom Jesus saved from being stoned, was told to "Go forth and sin no more" (John 8:11).

Jesus came to save us. Jesus came so that we could be forgiven. Jesus loves us more than we can ever comprehend. He died for each of us - the ultimate gift one can give. Jesus is full of love and forgiveness, but we must also repent. The love does not excuse the sin, as seems to be taught today. Through repentance our sins are forgiven, but they must be repented of. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word repent as: "to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life". To repent, we turn from our sin. We then make amends for our sins by changing our ways. The Lord is gracious to forgive us, and the Lord absolutely loves us, but love does not excuse our sins.

 

Seeking Those who are Lost; Investing in the Kingdom of God

Today's Reading:

• Luke 19:01 - 19:27

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Luke 19:01 - 19:27

Today's reading focused on two stories - that of Zacchaeus the tax collector, and the Parable of the Ten Servants. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector; in other words, a regional tax collector who oversaw subordinate collectors. This made Zaccheaus a very rich man. But Zaccheaus was drawn to the Lord Jesus Christ, so much so that he climbed a tree (apparently a very demeaning thing for a man of his stature to do) just to get a glimpse. Jesus called Zacchaeus by name down from the tree and invited himself to dine in his home. This upset people, for they new Zacchaeus sinned by stealing from people, making himself rich in the process. The story ends with verse 19:10:

"For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."

It can be hard to remember that Jesus is seeking those furthest from Him. Most of us have been that person far separated from Jesus in our lives. The closer we walk with the Lord, the more righteous we try to become to align with the Word of God and remain obedient, the easier it is to forget that Jesus calls the sinners. He calls the worst of the worst, He wants all to belong to Him. I know many people feel uncomfortable trying to find a church home. They feel like they have to "clean up" their lives to become good enough to find a church and become closer to the Lord. But that is the opposite of what needs to happen. The church needs to welcome the sinners with open arms, to bring them in, to help them with their walk towards Jesus. I know my church has been an integral part of my growing relationship with Christ, for this very reason, and I am so very thankful for that. When I walked into my church for the first time, I didn't feel judged; instead I felt loved. I felt genuine interest for myself and my family, and it was wonderful. I began to attend regularly, and slowly work through the things that were separating me from the Lord. It is a constant work in progress; a never ending work, but it helped me to realize that you don't need to be "fixed" to find and attend a church. The church will help to fix you through the love of Jesus Christ. 

Onto the second part of the reading - The Parable of the Ten Servants. This parable reminds us that God has invested in us and that we are expected to grow that investment. The concept of the story is financial, as a king has given each of his servants ten pounds of silver to invest while he was away. The first servant made ten times as much, the second made five times as much, and the last made exactly nothing; he simply returned the original amount to the king. This, of course, infuriated the king, who expected at least something in return, even if just a little interest. To the other two servants, he gave them proportional responsibilities in his kingdom.

Although the concept of the parable is financial, I see that this parable can apply in many different ways in our lives. Yes, we have a financial responsibility to tithe and to give God what is His, regardless of our own income. The more we can give, the better. That will bless people and help to grow God's kingdom. But there are other things, too - such as giving our time, our talents, and simply spreading the word about Jesus Christ to friends and family. This is a hard topic for me because I know I don't give as much of myself as I should. I try to spread God's Word, but that is very difficult for me too, as I am a very shy and introverted person. I have to remind myself that the work done here on Earth has eternal consequences. What will my reward be in Heaven? What kind of return have I given compared to all the Lord has blessed me with?This parable is a great reminder that we are plant, grow, and harvest the things given to us for the good of the Lord.