Are We Preparing To Meet God? (Part #6)

Earl Gillespie

Are We Preparing To Meet God?

Do We Really Believe In God??

What would you think of me if I ask you in church, "do you believe in God"?  No doubt your response or reaction would be on the same level of reaction to the title of my first book, "My Search For The Real God."  One lady's response was, "why would you search for the real God, you already know who God is."  Many are aware that there is an outward expression of God that make us feel apart of the group and the is that hidden expression or feeling of God that keeps us searching.  It is this feeling that causes many who once professed to be godly to turn away from Christianity. Those that are unable to control this inward expression of doubt often evolve into a 'regenerated' atheist. After the death of Jesus, Thomas's testimony was I know Jesus, I have walked with him and I have talked with him, I know what he said, yet I will not believe this new thing  unless I can see and touch."  Jesus dealt with his unbelief.  Are we prepared to deal with another's unbelief?  Do you actually believe the story of Noah’s flood?  The introdoctinated answer is, "if the Bible says it happen then I believe it happen."  Many religious scholars, preachers and pastors don’t even believe it actually happened. They explain it as a “nice story” containing symbolism that can teach valuable lessons. Why don’t people believe it? Their response is, “where is the proof?” Believing the account of the flood is strictly a matter of faith because there is no strong physical evidence. Therefore, most people do not believe in a literal flood.

The shaping of the scripture to reflect our personal wishes and/or desire, the spiritulization and sermonization of the Word  or God is not drawing souls to Christ.  Todays messages are centered around giving money to God and he will bless you.  Ask God for what you need and he will bless you with.  Come to Church and get your praise on a blessing will come down.  Many are following along for the bread crumbs that are being scattered along the way.  When Jesus fed the five thousand, I am sure many began to follow him looking for a free meal.  The is probably why he addressed them as a generation of vipers, and at no time did he say follow me and I will give you food to eat.  To Jesus, feeding the hungry was just and after the fact 'act'.  There are those who claim to believe in God but they are sheep in wolf's clothing, they are living of the flock and are destroying the true Church of God.  Do they really believe in God? 

A belief that is based upon an indoctrinated platform is not really a true form of believing.  True believing must come from within and it must be triggered by an inward or personal experience. The church's mission that it has neglected, should be to help or teach others how to believe. Can you teach a soul to believe? Can you explain the Word of God in such a manner that a distorted sinner will exclaim, "You have convinced me to be a Christian"? Not through cute phrases or indoctrinations, but aid us in having a personal relationship with God.   Those that are religious will say this is not my job, yet this is what Phillips did as he ran along side of the chariot.  The, "I know he lives because he lives with me, or, "If he did it once he will do it again," is not faith building statements, nor will these phrases help that struggling soul to grasp that moment of believablity.  To believe requires a personal experience.  Look around us, the believablity  of  God is not enhanced by promises of what God is doing or what God can do. Jesus addressed the matter in this manner, "It rains on the just as well as the unjust,"  there the person testifying of how God healed a headache or gave them a job  will not cause an unbeliever to believe.  These things happen, as Jesus said, it rain on the just as well as the unjust.  We can only find a revealing Christian experience through the application of the fruit of the spirit.  God has already provided for the natural man in the Book of Genesis, today we should seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness.  Ministers of God need to search for and teach the fruit of the Spirit.   

Church services in many arenas have given over to the charlatans who have concocted all types of schemes to fleece the sheep of God pasture of money.  Many are impressed with the promise of blessings if they give a certain amount of money.  Jesus condemns this practice.  Revelation 2:14-15  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. (Spiritual fornication is when the world and the church walk hand in hand) So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.  (It began when the messengers of God accept money from the government, thereby giving the government control of the message.) We know that Balaam was a prophet for hire, and the Nicolaitans were a group of people that set themselves up as rulers of the Church. 

The Father gave to Jesus Christ a revelation and the prophet John was inspired to write the Book of Revelation. John never saw the fulfillment of what he wrote because it was not about his time. The beginning of Revelation is mostly about the Church of God that would continue for nearly 2,000 years, leading into the very end-time. John gave testimony about seven Church eras that would exist through this time. One era would follow another until the last era, the Laodicea era. The Church is in that era now, and near the end of it. Laodicea is the last era of the Church before the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings to rule the earth in God’s government.  The Laodicean church, a representative church in its final state of apostasy, a church that was so corrupt that Jesus found himself standing at the door knocking.   There is a failure to give proper attention to these letters because they are the beginning of a prophecy of doom, but regardless man’s  form of government is about to be brought to a close. In the first chapter of Revelation, John describes these seven Church eras, in symbolism, as seven golden lamp stands. Certainly this symbolism is important to God because it is about His Church that has continued since the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D., with each era leading into the next, until the end. These seven letters trace the corruption of the church beginning with Revelation 2:4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  The solution to the problem was laid out in Revelation 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

This is Jesus speaking to the representative Church of today.  Read and re-read this passage.  If you need enlightenment ask God. This is Jesus final message to the Church.  He is not talking to his disciples, he is not talking to the Jews, he is talking to the Church.  Revelation 3:14-22  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would that you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white clothing, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.

Even the Devil believed in God but the key to pleasing God is living according to Gods directives.  How do we do that?  First we must separate our thinking from those who are shaping, mis-locating the Word of God and using it for their own vain glory.  We must heed the teachings of Paul in 2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  We must search for a personal experience with God that will boost out faith.  Instead of asking God for earthly goods, try asking God for the fruit of the spirit.   Focus on the things that will withstand the fire of judgement, these are the things that will cause your spirit to soar.

Are We Prepaired To Meet God? (Part 5)

Earl Gillespie

Are We Preparing To Meet God

Or

Are we just enjoying the trip?

Can you visualize yourself on a trip across country?  You have been offered a job in a city and state that you have never visited.  You mode of transportation is traveling by car.  You are enjoying the trip so much that you forget about what await you at your destination.  You are taking your time, taking in the sights and for a moment you began to wish the trip would never end.  The new company that you will be working for has promised to reimburse you for your travel expense among other benefits.   You become at ease as you slowly make your way across the country to your new residence.  In your moment of having fun and enjoying the trip you overlooked the fact that there was a time limit and the offer would be rescinded.  The moral of this story is, we can become so caught up in our journey that we loose track of our destination.

If you have been following my blogs, you will notice something different in this six part segment. The difference is that sometimes I refer to the scriptures but I did not publish books, chapter and verse.   In my normal Bible study blogs I use books, chapter and verse extensively to make a point.   In this segment I am trying to have more of a conversation that might cause you to invoke and apply the rule of common sense.  Often we are not given the chance to think in the matters of scriptures, we are told that “God said it” and once that seal is placed on the spoken word there is nothing more that can be said.   That is, unless you have the gall to stand out like the little boy in the story of the emperor's new clothes, and questions the status quo.   I consider myself a deeply religious person and for that reason I question a lot of things that are being attributed to the word of God.   Like the little boy playing in the sandbox who speak with great authority, “my daddy can whip your daddy” , we speak of God in that trivial manner and expect him to act.

What is being prepared to meet God?   Is there something we ought to be doing?  It seems that Christianity is all about cashing in on the blessing or promises of God.  God is doing so much blessing today that Christians ought to be rich and sinners should be poor.  Christians should be driving the fanciest cars while those who do not believe in God drive old beat up pickup trucks.  What did Jesus really promise his followers? Did he promise to be our lawyer in a courtroom and deliver us?  If he did then why did he allow John the Baptist his forerunner, his friend to remain in jail and get his head chopped off.   Did Jesus promise his followers wealth and glory? Why did he allow Paul to live and die in chains?   The Bible speaks of numerous people who suffered and died in the service of  their Master.  Today the major function of God is to break the chains.  Has God always spoken, or should I say do God always speak?  The answer is no, the children of Israel become so mired in sin that God went into his place,  issued a degree of divorcement and was silent for four hundred years.  Then he sent his son

The Bible is not a book of loosely inserted proverbs, each one relating to a specific event in our life.  The Bible is the sacred story of God’s creation and his interaction with his creation down through the ages and dispensations.  The Bible details Gods love for his creation and his plan to establish his Kingdom here on earth.  The devil attempted to overthrow His creator, and he was cast out of Heaven upon the earth where he attempted to establish his kingdom.  God created man to subdue the earth.   In a man’s first encounter with the devil he ceded control of God creation over to the devil.   Now the devil  does not want man to believe that he is in charge of the earth, he wants mankind to blame God for all of the evil that exists in the world.  The Devil wants humanity to go through life laughing and dancing and talking about what God is doing all the while the earth moans and groan under his evil influence.   Air pollution, water pollution, sickness, disease and death because the man choose not to live according to God's laws.  We twist the word of God and mis-locate scriptures and promise that God is going to heal this land. The Devil knows as long as we believe this we will not be prepared to meet God, we will go through this life with "no oil in our vessels."  

Think of a man, tortured, stripped of everything that was earthly dear to him.  He was lied on and spit upon, they placed a crown of thorns upon his head, then he was nailed to a cross, a spear was thrust into his side whereas he bled out and died.  Can you feel or visualize the pain?  Can you understand the suffering?  Why would the Son of God allow himself to be subjected to this type of sadist torture?  Why? He did it to pay a debt.  A debt that required a blood sacrifice.  Whose debt?  It was the sin debt of man.  Why?  Why?  Adam turned over to the Devil what God had given him dominion over.  A debt was incurred and justice demanded that the debt be paid according to the laws of Justice.  Justice demanded that man should die, but Jesus said, "I will pay the price."   John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.  What part of everlasting life we don't believe?  Was it necessary for the son of God to suffer so much pain so that we could be prosperous?

In our walk with God  we need to be careful of how we treat the name of God.  God issued a warning to the children of Israel that has been handed down through the generations when he said, "thy shall not take the Lord thy God's name in vain."  Apply the rule of common sense what does it mean to take God name in vain.  When the young child screamed, 'my daddy can whip your daddy", was he taking his father's name in vain?  Even if it was true did he expect his father to perform according to his wishes?  Do we mean what we say and most of all do we believe what we say.  In our daily walk when we reference God are we doing it in such a manner that others will be impressed and see God in our expressions? Or, are we just spouting trivial words that are designed to impress and excite?  Often in situations and times of despair we are told not to worry because God is in control, or God knows what he is doing.  These statements are true but the use can be wrong, being in control does not mean God is driving the car.  A deeper understanding of God's Word might allow us to see that God's control will be truly expressed in the day of judgement, and until that day man and his co-partner, the Devil, the antichrist is out to destroy the effectiveness of the Word of God.  Being in control means God allows and in his appointed time he will preform a strange work, he will render judgement upon a sin cursed world.

There are many paths that are littered with crumbs and the end thereof is destruction.  A walk in faith is following in the footsteps of Jesus, and searching for the fruit of the spirit.  Nothing could be truer than the words of that old song that says, "What more could he do. He has laid the foundation, open up the way, what more could my Lord do."  

Part #6

Do We Really Believe in God?

Are We Prepaired To Meet God? (Part 4)

Earl Gillespie

Are We Prepaired to Meet God?.

The requirements to meet God

In the days past when we were young and playing in the sandbox, we had a way of bringing bullies under control.  At first it was a simple statement, "I am going to tell my daddy" was enough to bring the bulling to a halt.  To counter this threat the other party would respond  in kind, "I will tell my daddy." The effectiveness of this ploy soon faded because of the lack of involvement by the fathers.  It became necessary to reinforce this ploy with a response such as, "My daddy can whip your daddy."  Each party would continue to recite the phrase, increasing the intensity and velocity until someone gave up out of frustration and either walked away or upped the ante. Did any of the parties involved believed their father was going to get involved in a childish argument?  I doubt it.  Thus began the preparation of our mind for the indoctrination that was sure to follow.  

The rise of denominations within the Christian faith can be traced back to the Protestant Reformation, the movement to "Reform the Roman Catholic Church during the 16th century, out of which four major divisions or traditions of Protestantism would emerge: Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist and Anglician.  From these four, other denominations grew over the centuries.

The Lutheran denomination was named after Martin Luther and was based on his teachings.  The methodists got their name because of their founder, John Wesley, was famous for coming up with "methods" for spiritual growth.   Presbyterians are named for their view on church leadership, the Greek word for elder is presbyteros.  Baptist got their name because they have always emphasized the importance of baptism.   Each denomination has a slightly different doctrine or emphasis from the other, such as baptism; the availability of the Lord's Supper to all or just to those whose testimony can be verified by the church leaders; the sovereignty of God verses free will in matters of salvation; the future of Israel and the church; pre-tribulation verses post-tribulation rapture; the existence of the "sign". Gifts in the modern era, and so and on. 

These points of contention are never about Christ as Lord and Savior, but rather differences of opinion by godly but flawed people seeking to honor God and retain doctrinal purity according to their consciences and their understanding or lack of understanding of God Word.  All who can accept this is on the road to a deeper understanding of the Word of God.

There are different methods of expressing the reception of the Spirit of God within one's life, it can vary from a simple prayer and an expression of faith (The sinner's prayer) to a dancing, shouting and wallowing on the floor while foaming at the mouth.  Aside from the denominational division there is also an ethnic division within the household of faith. There are those that tone up, scream and shout to deliver a message, and those who simply teach the Word of God.  If we try to determine what is right and what is wrong or even who is right and who is, we will become awash in a sea of confusion.  Our argument becomes the same as the kids on the playground screaming, " my daddy can whip your daddy."  

The Bible itself reveals the doctrines that are essential to Christian faith.  They are 1. The deity of Christ, 2. Salvation by Grace, 3. Resurrection of Christ, 4. The Gospel and 5. Monotheism. These are the doctrines, the Bible says are necessary. Though there are many important doctrines, these five are the ones that are declared by the scripture to be essential.  A non-regenerate person will deny one or more of these essential doctrines.  There are other derivative doctrines of scripture that become necessary also, the Trinity is one, but how can you accept the Gospel without accepting the Trinity.

These five core doctrines should promote the teaching of a church or an assembly at every level.  To deny one or more of these core doctrines is the base of false teaching.  Is the Gospel hopelessly confusing? Not so, not even for little children.  Here I must inject my favorite oxymoron, its called deliberate confusion.  The devil started this game in the garden of Eden, the idea is not to deny the Word of God, but to inject confusion in the Word of God. 

There are many times good men and women have a message that is good for the assembly, but because of the structure, the hierarchy of the assembly, they are not allowed to speak.  In order to create an avenue of exposure they elect to form their own independent assembly.  If this independent assembly is successful it began to branch out, and the problems it creator was trying to get away from, began to manifest itself again.  Men and women in fancy suits and titles before their name began to appear and preverted the true message of God.  Bogus checks are being drawn on bogus accounts and God is not honoring the claim.  

Are We Prepared To Meet God? (Part #3)

Earl Gillespie

Are We Preparing To Meet God?
Part #3
(Trying to understand the confusion)

Two questions I posed at the beginning of this dissertation. 1. Are we prepared to meet God and, 2. Is the modern day church fulfilling it's purpose?  Now, I am aware that to some these questions might be considered asinine, as the 'Indoctrination of Denominations' teaches that we are not to question but blindly follow our leaders.  This is a concept that Jesus often taught against.  Today, the scripture is taught by repetitious recitation of selected scriptures designed to prove a point. More emphasis is placed on storytelling, rather than a verse by verse study of the Word of God. Storytelling is a great form of entertainment, whether spiritual or natural, but real scripture knowledge is gained through a verse by verse study of the Word of God.  The acceptance of the entertainment aspect of Christianity has allowed for many to come in the name of a leader, or in the name of Jesus, but their motives were far from noble. 

The sheep of God's pasture need to be vigilant and wise enough to sound the warning when wolves come in and began to devour the flock.  In some instances the sheep is depended upon to make enough noise to wake up the sleeping shepherd.

 In the parable of the ten virgins Jesus addressed the required preparation to become a part of the Kingdom of God. Five of the virgins were wise and he called the other five foolish.  The blind leading the blind was another common phrase that was also used by Jesus. The preparation to go back with Jesus have taken a back seat to those who striving to gain earthly pleasures.  Churches by every conceivable name continue to sprout up and all are declared to be sanctioned by God. Prophets and apostles are rising throughout the land and they sell the attributes and blessings of God.  But to the lowly sinner sitting under the big Oak tree sipping on a forty ounce, struggling to maintain a level of common sense,  can't help but wonder.  Why would a supreme God, the creator of the universe, sanction any religion and/or church that are filled with so much confusion.   

There are sheep of God's pasture that have lost their way, and they are searching for that message of hope.  I suffer from the effects of cancer, should I spend my day begging God to heal me?  Church people are dying from all types of diseases and so is sinners. I go to church the preacher preaches a message, "God is able."  A spirit of euphoria engulfs the church, but in that group there are some who are aware that they are dying, (we all die) and they are wishing, they are searching, they are begging for a message of hope.  No amount of praying, shouting or lying is going to change the fact, that we are going to die.   My mother, my father, my brother has passed on tell me about dying is to be with God.  Tell me about the Kingdom of God. Moses floating down the river is a beautiful story for a sunny day, but many of us are facing the darkest days of our life.   A message of hope is what the young man or woman who has fallen by the side of the road needs.  Why speak to me of how God is going to deliver me on this earthly plateau when people are dropping like flies around me, and if you end your message from God or your e-mail by asking for money then there is a problem with your message.  The indoctrination is wearing off and this is one of the reasons our young people are walking (running) away from the structured church.  

Let's not stray too far from our thought of preparing to meet God and the mission of the church. There needs to be a clear definition as to what is the church.  It is clear that when Jesus said upon this rock I will build my church, he was not speaking of a particular denomination.   If he was as some proclaim,  then what denomination was he speaking of?  Coming of age in the sixties, I was aware of several denominations less than one hundred years that claimed to be the only true church.  I entertained many nightmare moments wondering about all of those who died before these new churches were formed. Walking down a street in LA  created an unforgettable scene in my mind, in a fifteen to twenty block stretch of Broadway there were at least five churches within each block.   The Catholic church has always laid claim to being the church that Saint Peter founded.  Being the oldest 'denomination' of record there is some validity to that statement yet it is not a fact.  In Jesus messages to the churches that is often overlooked,  condemnation was brought against the leaders of the church for allowing men to come in and set themselves up as rulers of his church. Read the first three chapters of Revelation.  Overall there seems to be a lack of real scripture knowledge and the application of God given common sense when it comes to the application of the word of God.

The purpose of the church (not a building or denomination) that Jesus sanction was to assist us in our journey to meet God, or should I say to prepare us to meet Him.  The spiritual church was to reflect and demonstrate the light of Christ.  Jesus threatens the removal of this light if the church did not adhere to his teaching.  The church is readily accepted as the bride of Christ by most pious prelates.  But, if we consider that statement in view of our modern acts of trivialization and proliferation, who and where is the church.  To those we classify as a sinner this causes them to ask the question,  "Where is God."  The truth is we will know God only when He, in His own time and way, reveals Himself to us.  The Trivialization of God has always been the greatest temptation for the people of God.  We trivialize God into a god who will be manifest and useful in this confusing world,  He is a doctor, he is a lawyer, he is a god who will fit the molds of our individual desires.   Consider this, to achieve his purpose God revealed himself to the children of Israel as a God of destruction and a God of fire, in return the children of Israel wanted a golden calf.  There is a dangerous illusion involved in the creation of a manageable God.  We cannot manage God. Too often we surgically remove a verse,  take it out of context and then use it in our attempt to provoke God to act.  How often have you heard this prayer, "Father, you said in your Word to ask, now I am asking..."   Here again the Devil kick back under the old Oak tree with a smile on his face as we are reduced to trying to defend why God didn't act.

In this discussion I have done as many have today, I addressed the church as if it were a building or a denomination.  This is far from the truth.  The true church is within the heart or is a condition of the of the soul.  It is indicative of those who has accepted Christ as their Savior. The church is not a denomination nor is it a social club and it should not be used as an outlet for entertainment.  Have you ever wondered how the Baptist, Methodist and the Pentecostials were going to reconcile their differences when they get to Heaven?  Will each group have its own little section in Heaven?  Maybe it is time somebody stopped telling cute stories and address the division that is being perpetrated in the name of our Father.   This world is not going to get better, Jesus has made it clear, his Father is going to render judgement upon the evil systems of the earth.

 In the first three chapters of Revelation, Jesus addressed the condition of the church in the form of seven letters.  Seven being the number of God, it is representative of a complete work. Seven is used through the Bible to indicate the completeness of God, seven spirits, seven vials, therefore the seven letters to the churches is representative of the complete history of the church from its creation until the time it is caught up.  The growth of the church as a body can be seen in the first letter Jesus wrote as one that had begun to lose their first love.  The seventh letter is to a church in its full state of apostasy.  This is representative of the churches of today, a church that was walking hand and hand with the world and glowing in its corruption and excess. This church had become so corrupt that Jesus no longer address the leaders of the church, but ended his message with a promise to the individuals who was able to overcome.  Salvation is that new thing that Jesus suffered and died that we might be saved.  It is not about claiming so-call promises of God.  What God promised the Jews was not a promise to the church.  What God promised Abraham was not a promise to the church.  God said to Peter, James and John, this is my beloved Son, hear Him. Jesus said to the church, "to him that overcometh.." if you can endure the pain, the suffering, the struggles of this world I will give you a crown of life.

Part # 4

The requirements to meet God

Are We Prepared to Meet God (Part #2)

Earl Gillespie

Are We prepared To Meet God (Part #2)

The Role Of The Church

The young girl’s mother stood by the bedside, tears streaming from her eyes, as she refused to accept the inevitable.   Fueled by the promise that God was going to work a wonder, the family of the young girl had amassed a collection of Bible verses that referred to the healing virtues of God and they struggled to build their faith upon those verses.   The key to their faith as taught by the pious prelates was simple, Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: There is a suggested here that has allowed for the trivialization and the proliferation  of the word of God.  No thought is given to Jesus words nor the context in Revelation 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  It seems as if we are thanking Jesus for not coming back, and we are asking for Heaven on earth.  Many are invoking the promises that God made to the Children of Israel in the ancient time. If the father would answer many of our prayers, there would be no reason to make all things new.  In church last Sunday the minister had delivered a beautiful message on walking by faith. 

There is a contradiction at work here, if we are to believe in the bible, there is no hope for this world.  The book of Revelation tells us what to expect but the churches have become caught up in peddling hope on earth.  Why? Because hope sells.  Ministers have learned the art of being great motivational speakers.  Those who excel become pastors of mega churches.  The book of Revelation tells us that Jesus is walking among the churches admonishing and condemn the action of the leaders, while God angry is building and judgement is pronounced. 

A twenty-four seven prayer vigil was initiated at the church and the message of support to the family was, ‘God is able” and “He might not come when we want him but he is always on time.”  There were those who felt they were close to God testified that God was going to work a miracle.  It seems somewhat strange that the tone of these prayer sessions had changed from the prayer session of old.  

In Heaven, God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. This will be one of the characteristics of that blessed state,  not a tear shall ever be shed there. How different will that be from the condition here--for who is there here who has not learned to weep?  Weeping  and suffering is a product of this sin cursed world.  Often the scripture is quoted that God said, "if my people which are called by my name would humble themselves and pray..."  God was talking to the children of Israel concerning their existence in the land he had promised them.   Read the Bible, no amount of praying is going to change the condition of this world.  We should be preparing to meet God.

And there shall be no more death. In all that future world of glory, not one shall ever die; not a grave shall ever be dug! What a view do we begin to get of heaven, when we are told there shall be no death there! How different from earth, where death is so common; where it spares no one; where our best friends die; where the wise, the good, the useful, the lovely, die; where fathers, mothers, wives, husbands, sons, daughters, all die; where we habitually feel that we must die. Assuredly we have here a view of heaven most glorious and animating to those who dwell in a world like this, and to whom nothing is more common than death. In all their endless and glorious career, the redeemed will never see death again; they will never themselves die. They will never follow a friend to the tomb, nor fear that an absent friend is dead. The slow funeral procession will never be witnessed there; nor will the soil ever open its bosom to furnish a grave.

Neither sorrow. The word sorrow here denotes sorrow or grief of any kind; sorrow for the loss of property or friends; sorrow for disappointment, persecution, or care; sorrow over our sins, or sorrow that we love God so little, and serve him so unfaithfully; sorrow that we are sick, or that we must die. How innumerable are the sources of sorrow here; how constant is it on the earth! Since the fall of man there has not been a day, an hour, a moment, in which this has not been a sorrowful world; there has not been a nation, a tribe--a city or a village--nay, not a family where there has not been grief. There has been no individual who has been always perfectly happy. No one rises in the morning with any certainty that he may not end the day in grief; no one lies down at night with any assurance that it may not be a night of sorrow. How different would this world be if it were announced that henceforward there would be no sorrow! How different, therefore, will heaven be when we shall have the assurance that henceforward grief shall be at an end!  This is what the church should teach.

Nor crying this word properly denotes a cry, an outcry, as in giving a public notice; a cry in a tumult--a clamor, Ac 23:9; and then a cry of sorrow, or wailing. This is evidently its meaning here, and it refers to all the outbursts of grief arising from affliction, from oppression, from violence. The sense is, that as none of these causes of wailing will be known in the future state, all such wailing will cease. This, too, will make the future state vastly different from our condition here; for what a change would it produce on the earth if the cry of grief were never to be heard again!

Neither shall there be any more pain. There will be no sickness, and no calamity; and there will be no mental sorrow arising from remorse, from disappointment, or from the evil conduct of friends. And what a change would this produce--for how full of pain is the world now! How many lie on beds of languishing; how many are suffering under incurable diseases; how many are undergoing severe surgical operations; how many are pained by the loss of property or friends, or subjected to anguish by the misconduct of those who are loved! How different would this world be, if all pain were to cease for ever; how different, therefore, must the future state of the blessed be from the present!  

For the former things are passed away. The world as it was before the judgment. Our prayer: Lord let your Kingdom come.

In the military the effectiveness of our training taught us to embrace death and not fear it.  It is somewhat strange that the mission of the church is to embrace life and fear death.  A prayer for God to rebuke death could be considered to be an unanswered prayer.

Ask; that is, ask of God. The whole passage (Mt 7:7-11) offers to the Christian a strong assurance of favorable answers to sincere prayer. According to the usual custom of our Savior in his instructions, the principle is stated in a broad and unqualified manner, on the presumption that the good sense and candor of the hearer would apply the qualifications to which all general statements are liable. The very illustration which the Savior uses, show that these limitations are implied. The great Father of all like human parents sometimes finds best to deny the requests, of his children, and often to answer them unexpected ways.

Next 

Part #3

Are We Preparing To Meet God (Part #1)?

Earl Gillespie

Are We Preparing To Meet God?

This will be a six part series.  At first I will present the rudiments of loosely stated and random thoughts, then in part five and six I will try to combine all of these loose thoughts into a solid dissertation that will be enlightening and thought provoking.   Do we really believe in God?"

The weather, the world, the church, the home is groaning and is in a state of upheaval.  The values of society are crumbling and in our enlighten and indoctrinated state we have laid the blame at the feet of God.  "God knows what he is doing", has allowed the Devil and humanity to shift the blame for a world heading for judgment and destruction.  

Paul once spoke of an experience that he had and it was unclear as to whether he was in the body or not.  This experience would leave me wondering the same thing.  Sitting in the corner of the dimly lit and antiseptically cool Hospital room my mind was adrift in a sea of confusion.  Reflecting on the things I had been taught when I was a child only magnify my bewilderment.  I was now dealing with a reality that few are prepared for.  The religious community whose mandate should have been preparing us for this moment seems to have abandoned their mission and entered into competition with the institutes of higher learning.   Now, those who cannot afford to go to college or get a job can go to church to learn how to walk in God’s favor and be prosperous.   A quick scan of the social media pages and we am inundated with the things God is doing.  God is paying peoples' bills, and making people rich.  In order for our God to exist he must be busy behind the scene working things out for us, yet people are getting sick and dying.   but at church he is delivering people and prayer is keeping people alive.  Still, it seems that on this day,  in this Hospital room, no matter how much I utter ‘words’ God was silent.

I am not questioning the ultimate power of God, this is not an issue.  It is how we use the knowledge of God’s infinite power.  There is a key to understanding God’s power in the book of Geneses that is often overlooked.   What is man’s purpose and why did God create man?   There is the conclusion of the matter in the book of Revelation.  What transpires in between should give us an insight of how God interacted with his creation down through the ages and dispensations.  According to the modern day interpretation of the scripture, God created man for the sole purpose of having someone to give stuff to, therefore based upon this concept, Christians should be rich and sinners should be poor.  

                                                           *****

Arguments can be made to justify every condition of the human experience.  There are arguments made to justify a war veteran struggling to exist from day to day, while the actor who played his part in a movie earned over twenty-five million dollars.  Millions of people will pack stadiums across the land, regardless of weather conditions.  For what purpose?  To be entertained by their favorite team. Entertainment is the driving force of humanity.   What makes one team the favorite? 

Speak a word against a preacher that demands ten percent of an old lady's social security check and you will be placed on a fast track to Hell.  Malachi 3:8, is defended, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings."  Yet, Ecclesiastes 9:8  Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. This can be simply explained away.  And take no thought of invoking the laws of Leviticus 20:13  If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

                                                             *****

Christianity has transformed the spiritual aspects of God into sellable attributes that are attainable through a simple act of prayer and a financial contribution.   The late Rev. Ike set the stage for the selling of the God of our salvation when he said, “The pie in the sky bye and bye conceit of Christianity was not a sellable attribute”, he proceeded to create the products necessary for selling the blessing of God.   Glen Turner’s approach to selling the attributes of hope by those with special skills, (Google It) taught many how to capitalize on the power of the poor, the suffering and those who are in search of hope.  Many lost their homes and their life saving reaching for that brass ring of hope.  Yet there are many who are living off the resources of others will testify of the blessing received

The gospel of the Kingdom of God has become disputed, diluted and perverted.  The believability of our God is suffering and too many of our younger generation choose the way of guns, drugs, and prison life.  Many of us choose to suffer in abject silence, yet the words that many speak today will somehow affect the spirituality of those who are suffering in silence from diabetes, cancer, the loss of a family member, confined to wheelchairs or acts of humanity.  Remember, God did not pollute the food supply but in Revelation he has a way to clean this mess up.   When I was young I rejoiced in messages of Good health, prosperity and increase, these are the things that Jesus said profited a man nothing, in the spiritual realm. 

                                                              *****

The indoctrinated concept of, "if the Bible said it, then it's true", is not the best defense of the Holy scripture.  The truth of this statement is relevant to the person making the statement.  The Devil used this technique to confuse Eve and he even tried it on Jesus.

Like Mitt Romney who’s ‘off the record’ forty seven percent  speech was taken out of context and used to trivialize the plight of forty seven percent of the American people, we trivialize the spirituality of God when we speak of the ninety and nine.

                                                           *****

If the greatest exhibition of our faith is thanking God for waking us up this morning.   We trivialize our God by thanking him for the things he do for all and not focusing on the things he done for those who believed.   Jesus said in Matthew 5:45 that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  If our desire is for the spirit of God to abide in us, it seems as if our prayer should be for wisdom and knowledge and the fruit of the spirit to manifest itself.  Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  Luke 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division. Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith. 

Many modern day ministers preach messages of favor, increase and prosper.  A picture is painted of Christians smiling and dancing in the Sunshine as they enjoy heaven here on earth.  Buzzword and cliques are the heart of a great message.  

                                                        *****
The ominous and persistence sound of the life support equipment fills the room and brought me to a heighten state of reality.  The cancer ridden, emaciated and highly sedated form lying on the bed was slipping in and out of consciousness, this added to the eerie and the surreal feeling that something unseen was taking place in this hospital room.  Where is that person who can minister to this condition?   That minister that said God wants us to live a long and prosperous life, is he or she standing by to condemn this struggling soul?

Next

Part 2 of 6

How much Do I Love , Part #2

Earl Gillespie

How Much Do I Love?
Part #2

Text: Luke 7:36-50

Our thankfulness to Christ should be in direct proportion to our consciousness of the amount of sin forgiven and not the accumulation of earthly treasures.  We should consider just how thankful we are, for the forgiveness we have received (or will receive).  The suffering a and dying of Christ and its purpose, is what we should be thankful for. 

Luke 7:44-46    Jesus then turned toward the woman and asked Simon if he saw her.   And, of course, Simon saw her; he saw her as a contemptible sinner, as tainted and worthless.  Yet Jesus was urging Simon to see her for who she really was: as a forgiven sinner and one overflowing with love and thanksgiving.  

Jesus next presented Simon with a series of sharp contrasts in order to illustrate just how very much the woman had expressed her love and gratitude, in addition to showing how Simon had communicated no love, whatsoever.   And while there is some debate as to whether Simon actually failed to do what was culturally demanded, clearly he received Jesus with an indifferent hospitality, at best.   Simon was thoughtless, neglectful, even rude, to Jesus, his so-called “guest.”   Effectively Jesus said to Simon, “At your invitation, I came to your house; and yet you did not welcome me with even minimal hospitality.  You provided me with none of the basic amenities which invited guests customarily receive.”   It would be like spending the night at someone's home and they’re failing to provide you with so much as soap and water to wash your hands — nor a towel with which to dry them.

But in contrast, the woman went far beyond the norms of hospitality; for truly she was extravagant in pouring out her love to the Lord.   Whereas Simon failed to so much as even to provide water to wash Jesus’ feet (a common courtesy in the days of open sandals), the woman, in contrast, literally “rained” tears upon his feet and dried them with her hair.  Whereas Simon failed to greet Jesus with so much as a customary kiss upon his cheek, the woman continued to kiss his feet, over and over.  Whereas Simon failed to anoint Jesus’ head with even cheap olive oil, the woman continued to pour expensive perfume upon his feet.  Though Simon was the one who invited Jesus to the meal, it was the woman who actually treated the Lord as a truly special and honored guest. 

Verse 47   Notice that Jesus does not gloss over the woman’s many sins.  Instead, he readily acknowledged that she had lived a desperately sinful life.  And yet, he went on to boldly declare that her sins had “been forgiven.”   Her sin-debt had been cancelled; she was now pure, clean, holy.   Moreover as I said previously,  her sins had been forgiven prior to her coming to the banquet.   This can be seen in the Greek verb which Luke used here for receiving forgiveness (φέωvται); it is in the perfect tense—referring to something done in the past with continuing results.   That is, the woman had been forgiven at some previous point in the past and she was continuing in that state of forgiveness.   In addition, Jesus explains that the woman’s lavish expression of love arose as a result of her forgiveness.  Truly, her great love and gratitude developed in response to having had her many sins remitted.   She knew that she had been forgiven much; a debt which she could never repay had been cancelled.  And in appreciation of the gracious forgiveness which she had received, her heart poured forth love in abundance.  Just as in the parable, forgiveness of the debt came first, then love (or thankfulness) followed as a consequence.   Evidence of her prior forgiveness is readily seen in her outpouring of love.  Consider how the passage reads in The Message (paraphrase):   “She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful.” 

Next in contrast to the woman’s extravagant outpouring of gratitude (given in response her gracious forgiveness), Jesus goes on to say, “He who has been forgiven little loves little.”   We thus begin to see a correlation between our love (or thankfulness) to God and our awareness of just how gracious God is, in forgiving us.   Indeed, our thankfulness to Christ is in direct proportion to our consciousness of the amount of sin forgiven.  That is, if we are vividly aware of our desperate bankruptcy before God, then we will (like the woman) pour forth exuberant gratitude for the forgiveness we have received.   But on the other hand, if we (mistakenly) think that we are somehow only “little sinners” without all that much debt before God, then our thankfulness to him will only be minimal.  Yet as in the parable, even if we have committed only a tenth as many sins as someone else,  we are nevertheless still completely unable to repay our sin-debt to God.   Whether our sins are many or whether they are (comparatively) few, any hope for our salvation is by God’s grace alone.  And finally, if we  (like self-righteous Simon) express no love (or thanksgiving) to God, then it surely points to the fact that we have received precisely that much forgiveness: none.  

Now the people of Jesus’ day would have assumed that a Pharisee, like Simon, would have had the greatest love for God.   That is, the Pharisees kept up their outward religious appearances.  They looked “good” in the community.   They were “honorable” citizens.   They knew the law.    And yet it was not the Pharisee, but the “woman who had lived a sinful life” who is noted for having great love.  Indeed, this story reminds us that loving God does not mean “doing religious things” in order to earn our way to him.   Instead we are called to accept the free gift of salvation in Christ, with corresponding gratitude. Whereas Simon was not even aware of his need for forgiveness, the woman would never forget her huge debt of sin which had been cancelled.  The difference between the two was a consciousness of sin and the need for a Savior.   

Verse:48    For the first time Jesus directly addressed the woman and said that her sins “are forgiven.”   Yet just as in the previous verse, the same word in the same perfect tense is used:   again her sins had been forgiven and she was continuing in the state of forgiveness.  Her sins, all of them, stood forgiven.  What she already knew, Jesus thus reaffirmed, “Yes, it really is true, your debt of sin is cancelled.”  And though the people of her town thought otherwise, Jesus authoritatively announced to all, within earshot, that she was truly free from sin.  Perhaps he said this in the hope that they would  no longer castigate this loving and tender daughter of God.

Verse:49-50   The other guests, likely more Pharisees, were offended by Jesus’ words to the woman.  So they began to murmur among themselves effectively saying, “Who does he think he is, acting as if he can forgive sins?”  Just as in Luke 5:20-21, they correctly understood that only God can forgive sins; but they (sadly) failed to see that Jesus is God.   Indeed they were apparently so caught up in trying to determine whether or not he was a prophet (v. 39), that they missed out on seeing him as the Savior.   Jesus, however, seems to have ignored their muttering.

Instead with the great affection of a loving father speaking his daughter, he tells her, “Your faith has saved you, go in peace.”  And yet again, it’s the Greek perfect tense.  Her faith is what moved her to seek God’s forgiveness in the first place and her faith was continuing to keep her in a state of forgiveness.  Jesus then blessed her to continue on in the peace and wholeness of God.    

As the story ends, Simon is seen as the “sinner” and the woman as the righteous one. As Simon sensed no need for forgiveness, he received none.  In contrast, the woman was utterly, desperately, totally conscious of her need for grace and so could not possibly thank Jesus enough for cancelling her debt of sin.  So now, which character most clearly represents you?  

For, you see, our thankfulness to Christ is in direct proportion to our consciousness of the amount of sin forgiven.   So, how much do you love?   Just how thankful are you (or will you be) for your sin-debt being cancelled?   Not at all thankful, like Simon?   I so hope that is not the case.  (And I likewise hope that Simon saw the error of his self-righteous way and so turned to Jesus.)   Or maybe you are a little thankful, somewhat thankful (v. 47).   Comparatively speaking you have only committed just few sins, once in a while, now and again.   Maybe you have come to believe that you were not really all that much in debt to God, after all?   Again, I so hope that is not the case.   And if it is, I hope that you will reflect again on the parable— because no matter how few our sins, we cannot repay the debt.    Or maybe your heart (like  hers) is welling up, in fact, absolutely overflowing with a veritable flood of thanksgiving and gratitude for your forgiveness.   And I hope so this is the case.   Yet each of us must ask, “How much do I LOVE?”

How Much Do I Love #1

Earl Gillespie

How Much Do I Love?

Text: Luke 7:36-50
Part One

The hypothesis: Our thankfulness to Christ is in direct proportion to our consciousness of the amount of sin forgiven.  Thankfulness is an expression of love.

Purpose: We should consider just how thankful we are, for the forgiveness we have received (or will receive).

The setting is the second year of Christ’s ministry.  Both Jesus and John (The Baptist) had been preaching throughout Galilee, both proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God (Luke  4:43; 3:3).   In response to their preaching, those with open and receptive hearts were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (John 4:1; Luke 7:29; 3:3).   Significantly though, especially for our message, is the fact that the Pharisees rejected the God’s call for baptism.  Luke 7:29-30: All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.

With few exceptions, the Pharisees were not interested in the message of grace, which both Jesus and John proclaimed.  They saw no need to have their sins forgiven, because (amazingly) they believed that they had no sins.  Truly, they saw themselves as righteous before God; but sadly, theirs was a self-righteous (Luke 18:9).   They were justified in their own eyes (Luke 16:15).  Yet from God’s perspective, their sins clearly remained.

Our text is Luke 7:36-50.  The NIV, from which I am using for this study, entitles this passage, “Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman.”   But as we continue, I believe that we will begin to see that as a rather poor title.  Instead, why not call it, “Jesus Anointed by a Forgiven Woman,” because that is what she really was: a once sinful woman, who was now forgiven.   Or perhaps we might entitle the passage, “A Woman Who Showed Great Love” because certainly we will see that, as well.

 7:36   Now the Pharisees are noted in Scripture as the strictest sect of the Jews (Acts 26:5).   Moreover, it was their policy to maintain a certain “safe” distance from the rank and file populace, the people of the land.  They sought after a ritual purity, and so separated themselves from “contamination,” as it were.  But again, theirs was a self-righteousness.  The Pharisees (by and large) had no need for grace; they saw no need for forgiveness.   As far as the Pharisees were concerned, they already were right with God.   Now again with very few exceptions (like Nicodemus, John 3:1), Jesus spoke harshly of this group, in passages such as Matt. 23: “Woe to you Pharisees . . . hypocrites . . . blind guides . . . blind fools!”   But for all that, here we see that Jesus was invited to dinner by a Pharisee, named Simon (v. 40); and we further see that Jesus accepted the invitation.   

Now at this point, many will find themself wanting to ask, “Why?  Why would a Pharisee even want to have Jesus, as his guest, in the first place?”   And there are several possible explanations to that question: First, Simon might have been looking for a reason to accuse Jesus.  The Pharisees were noted for doing that; they would try to entrap Jesus in one way or another (Luke 6:7).  Perhaps Simon hoped to “catch” Jesus violating some Pharisaic tradition. A second plausible explanation is that Simon invited Jesus in hopes of increasing own righteous (Simon’s own self-righteousness, that is);  because it was considered a meritorious act to invite a guest rabbi to a meal.  A third reason (and the one that I believe is best supported by the text) is simply that Simon wanted to personally see for himself whether the rumors that Jesus was a “great prophet” (Luke 7:16) were actually true.   But regardless of what Simon’s motivation for inviting Jesus may have been, as we continue, it will become increasingly clear that his invitation was surely not extended to Jesus out of friendship.  And neither did Simon invite Jesus out of his love for, or even out high regard for, the Lord.

And notice again, that when given the invitation, Jesus did, in fact, go.  And this was not the only time that Jesus dined with the Pharisees, either.  And while it is surely true that he despised the self- righteous attitudes of most of the Pharisees, it should also be remembered that he never wrote them  off completely.  For truly, Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (Luke19:10). And whether they realized it, or not, that also meant that Jesus came to save, even the Pharisees.

Verse 36 tells us that Jesus was “reclining” at the meal which indicates that this was something of a special meal, a banquet of sorts.  In such a formal sort of setting, dinner guests were not seated on chairs, such as we are accustomed.  Instead they reclined on low couches (or mats or cushions) around a short table.   They would lean on their left elbows with their heads toward the table and their bodies stretched away from it.  In this position, their right hands were free to pick up the food and their feet were as far away from the food, as possible.   Try to visualize Jesus’ in this position: reclining, with his feet stretched out behind.

Luke 7:37-38   Then with the Greek text indicating something of a surprise (“and behold, and look”), a woman who had lived a sinful life walks into the banquet.   We are not told her name, but only her history.  She had lived a sinful life.   She traditionally has been identified as a prostitute (and she may have been), but the text does not really say that she was.   Instead God’s Word only tells us that she was known as a sinner in the town, that she had lived a sinful life.  Yes, she was a sinner.   In Jesus own words, she had committed “many sins” (v. 47).  So in many ways, she sounds very much like you and like me.  In fact, since we’re not told her name, nor her specific sins, . . . how about in your mind penciling in your name and your sins as we watch this scene unfold?

Somehow the woman had learned that Jesus was at Simon’s house, and so she also came to his house and entered the banquet area.   And while her “crashing” Simon’s party from our 21st century perspective might seem rather presumptuous, it was not at all unusual in the ancient world to allow access to a meal which was being given in a rabbi’s honor.   Instead, interested people were most welcome to enter the room (or perhaps courtyard) in which these sorts of functions were held.   They would sit on the edges of the banquet area, listen to the discussion, and perhaps even obtain some of the leftover food.   And yet, for this particular woman, a known “sinner” to enter a Pharisee’s house, now that was quite another matter.

But now why?  Why did she come?   Before we can adequately answer that question, it is important to clearly understand that she did NOT come in hopes that Jesus would forgive her sins.  Far from that idea, her sins had already been forgiven.   Yes, she had (past tense) lived a sinful life.  But as we will see (especially at v. 47) her sins had already forgiven, prior to this banquet taking place.   Now among the townspeople her reputation as a flagrant sinner continued; and yet God was no longer charging her with past sins.   Luke does not give us the details surrounding her forgiveness.   Yet given the context of the passage, it seems reasonable to suggest that upon hearing the good news (most likely through Jesus’ preaching, or maybe through John’s) that she had repented, was baptized, and her sins were washed away.

But again, Why did she come?   The answer to that question begins to emerge when we notice what she has brought with her: an alabaster jar of perfume.  In antiquity, alabaster was quarried only in Egypt and was a luxury item, as was the perfume, or ointment (literally myrrh).    And so with Jesus reclining at the table, she positioned herself behind him, near his feet.  She then must have bent over or knelt to reach his feet in order to anoint them with them with the perfume.   And then, apparently, she was overcome with emotion and began “to wet” his feet with her tears.   Indeed, she was weeping so profusely that she let down her hair and used it as a makeshift towel in order to dry his feet.  And all the while she continued anointing his feet with the costly perfume, and kissing his feet over and over again.   The cultural implications of what she was doing were enormous.    First, for a woman to let down her hair in public was looked upon as disgraceful and indecent.  Yet in this spontaneous moment of devotion, propriety was not her greatest concern.   So also there is much to be seen in that fact that she kissed Jesus feet, as this was a cultural sign of the most heartfelt gratitude — the kind of thankfulness a person might have for someone who had saved their life.  So why had she come?  She came to express her overwhelming gratitude to Jesus for saving her, saving her from sin.   And her tears?   Surely they were tears of sorrow for the sins she had committed in the past; but even more than that they were tears of profound gratitude for the forgiveness she had received.   

7:39   As I already suggested, the clearest explanation as to why Simon invited Jesus to the meal was to ascertain whether, or not, Jesus was a prophet of God.  Moreover, it looks as if Simon was probably suspicious of Jesus, even from the beginning.   But now that he has witnessed, for himself, how Jesus interacted with the woman, Simon was absolutely convinced that Jesus could not be a prophet.  Simon reasoned within himself, “Just like I thought, just as I suspected ‘this man, this fellow’ (with an apparent measure of contempt). . . he’s no prophet.   A prophet would maintain a respectable distance from a sinner like her.   A prophet would realize that she (unlike me) is contemptible and keep a safe distance.”   But Simon’s understanding was completely mistaken.   Instead a true prophet of God does not isolate himself from sinners; and neither should we.  Indeed Jesus was noted for welcoming and eating with sinners, in hopes of calling them to repentance (Luke 5:29-32; 15:1-2).  And God calls us to do likewise.

7:40   Simon’s reasoning process, with the conclusion that Jesus could not be a prophet, was not audibly spoken.  He did not verbally say the words, instead it was only Simon speaking within himself.   And yet, Jesus was able to “hear” what Simon was saying to himself.   He was able to read Simon’s thoughts, which he then addresses with a parable.  And whereas Simon believes that the woman is the sinner in the house, as the story continues, we will see that is not her, after all.

7:41-43   The parable is about two men who were both in debt to a certain moneylender. One man owed 50 denarii, the other owed 500.   A denarius was the daily wage for a common laborer, farm hand, or soldier.   Thus one man owed a couple of months wages and other man owed ten times as much, almost a year and a half’s worth of pay.  With regard to their ability to repay, however, both of them were in exactly the same position—neither could pay what they owed.   Indeed, both of them were bankrupt.   Both of them were at the mercy of the lender, who could have rightly foreclosed on their debt and thrown them both in jail.  But instead with incredible generosity, the lender canceled both of their debts.  Jesus then asked Simon, which debtor would then love (or thank) the lender more.  And Simon correctly responds, “I suppose (or I imagine, I presume) the one who had he larger debt cancelled or forgiven.” 

Continued  in part #2