Confessions

.I need grace.

At our church, Solid Rock, John Mark (one of the teaching pastors) is doing a series on Jesus. Sounds funny since its all about Him anyway, right? He is digging into Jesus, who He is and who He is NOT. The result- I don't know about others, but for me, its making me fall head over heals in love with Jesus...who I THOUGHT i already WAS head over heals in love with.


This is all taken from John Mark's teaching yesterday, you can listen to the whole thing (which is way better) here.

Yesterday I remembered that I need grace. Please read the story and think about it. Think about who you are in the story.

Luke 7:37-50

And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that
He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster
vial of perfume,
and
standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her
tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and
anointing them with the perfume.
Now
when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man
were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is
touching Him, that she is a sinner."
And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have
something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."
"A moneylender
had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
"When
they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So 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 judged correctly."
Turning
toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your
house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
"You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time
I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.
"You did not anoint My head with
oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.
"For this reason I say to you,
her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is
forgiven little, loves little."
Then He said to her, "Your sins have
been forgiven."
Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say
to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"
And He said to
the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

How do you feel right now? Do you feel like Simon, or do you feel like the woman (by the way, the woman being a "sinner" means she was a prostitute)? I know my answer. I think I used to feel like the prostitute. I KNOW what grace means. But more often than not, I am the snobby, stuck up, prideful Christian named Simon.

Whether you have been a prostitute, or you have been a "good Christian girl or boy" you whole life. You need grace. I need grace. When I compare myself to others...yeah, i'm okay. But when I compare myself to Him...i'm the chiefest of sinners.

So really, We're all the prostitute, right?