Scandalous Grace

 

 

"And after that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me." And he left everything behind, and rose up and began to follow Him.

And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do likewise, but Yours eat and drink." And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’"

Luke 5:27-39

 

Good Morning my beloved,

We are delighted to come together today to worship in the presence of our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a true honor and a privilege to have you with us today. We are grateful for those who have continued to share our ministry's website with their friends, neighbors and loved ones.Your commitment and dedication to spreading the Gospel message has produced remarkable outcomes, people from all around the world are responding. We humbly ask that you would continue to spread God's Word and for your continued prayers, as many governments have tightened their control and surveillance over religious and worship services, and, the reality is it's only going to get worse in the coming days, as we continue to move closer and closer to the return of Christ and the end of human history. We are certainly living in amazing times, as we witness the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

 

I frequently hear a great deal of criticism regarding the church, pointing out that congregations are filled with people who are hypocritical, saying one thing and then acting contrary to everything they've just said. I'd just like to say, we acknowledge we're not perfect, we are very aware of our imperfections, that's actually why we come to church. And, the the more we grow in Christ, the more we comprehend the profound teachings found in Scripture, revealing the extent of our own depravity, the greater our awareness of just how wretched we are. In fact, Scripture clearly states from the very beginning, that unless one is willing to acknowledge his one's own sinfulness, it is impossible for him to enter into the kingdom of God. It's important to understand, that when Jesus hung out with sinners, they didn't change His mind about their sin, He influenced them, changing their minds about sin. If anyone says anything other than what God's Word has already said regarding sin, then we know who’s wrong, because God's Word remains constant and never changes! Jesus said "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." During His time on earth, Jesus distanced Himself from those who were self-righteous, who considered themselves to be morally superior to others, instead He opted to invest His time with those who were willing to be honest with themselves honestly, ready to acknowledge their profound spiritual need.

 

Yet, many continue to live in a state of denial, refusing to acknowledge their true spiritual condition, they are disillusioned, believing themselves to be far from spiritually bankrupt and lacking any commendable qualities, so when someone comes along preaching a message about sin, they are not interested, in fact, perceiving themselves to be righteous, even seeing themselves as among the spiritually elite, in a sense, they actually become unreachable, thereby committing spiritual suicide, because they won’t acknowledge their sin. In other words, there will never be salvation when you deny the disease, because you eliminate the cure, which is forgiveness. It's crucial to recognize that all sin is devastating, inherently destructive by nature. However, the most critical consequence of sin is that it is the only thing that creates a barrier between us and God. And, if you allow it to persist, the results can be catastrophic, with certain sins carrying more severe consequences than others, not that the sin itself is greater, just the price you pay for engaging in it can be disastrous, wreaking havoc on your life, destroying families, relationships, careers, and ministries, that's why God, through His Word, warns us to stay far away from it. 

 

The definition of sin is determined by God, not man. It is essential to remember, because God is holy, any act of sin violates God's will, missing the mark of what pleases Him, therefore, the decisions we make regarding sin should never be taken lightly. In Genesis 6, God destroyed the entire human race except for Noah and his family, as a demonstration of His divine judgment for those who choose to pursue a life of sin rather than God. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul explains that those who live unrighteously will not be able to enter the kingdom of God, and in 2 Corinthians 5:17,  he explains that when a person becomes a follower of Christ, they undergo a complete transformation and becomes a new creature, meaning they no longer engage in the same sinful behaviors as they did before.

 

I find to be deeply troubling, even heartbreaking, when pastors goes around affirming people as Christians, who have not repented of their participation in a immoral lifestyle, they even go as far as condoning their hellish perversions, calling it a gift of God, despite the explicit warnings of Scripture to flee from any form of sexual immorality. And, we wonder why the church as a whole is facing moral failure, an epidemic of sexual immorality, as church leaders have become more and more tolerant of sin and sexual impurity in the church. The consequences for those who are suppressing the Truth of God, encouraging sinners to engage in immoral behavior at will, to experience sexual freedom outside of biblical marriage, will be utterly catastrophic, as well as for those who place their trust in such damning deception. I strongly believe that someone better encourage undiscerning believers to go check their Bible, because to advocate God's approval with any kind of  behavior that God hates, contrary to God's standard is blasphemy!

 

I believe the widespread increase in sexual misconduct the church facing can easily be attributed to the presence of many who are occupying  the pulpits, that are not biblically qualified for leadership positions, much less serve as a role model for exemplary Christian character. I don't believe that many Christians realize how negatively the way we conduct ourselves reflects directly on Christ to a world, that is judging Him by our ungodly behavior. Obviously, we live in society where sexual immorality is totally acceptable, but it is unacceptable to God and therefore, it must be as unacceptable to the church. There are many passages in the Bible where it says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." But, there is nowhere in Scripture where it says that He is willing compromise His divine standards in order to accept our sins. 

 

I don't want to belabor the point to dwell on this issue, but it is important to note, that there are numerous references in Scripture where it says the Lord unequivocally condemns fornication, adultery, or any other form of sexual immorality and is strongly opposed to those who engage in such sinful behaviors. Satan has always taken a good thing that God has created, in this case, the very thing that God designed for procreation and enjoyment between a man and a woman, and he totally distorted it, making it a perversion. Then, he endeavors to entice humanity into following his twisted, devious plan, subsequently succeeding in corrupting the creation God designed in His image to glorify Him. I must confess, it is truly disheartening to observe that widespread tolerance in the church and the acceptance of just about every kind of sexual proclivity among the professed people of God has become as commonplace as eating, drinking, sleeping. It’s unbelievable that sexual immorality has become so commonplace in the church, that the people of God have become oblivious to the fact it’s even going on, right in front of their eyes. 

 

Scripture is very clear, engaging in that kind of sinful behavior is unacceptable for those who claim they have given their lives to Christ and is inconsistent with biblical Christianity. The first thing we have to do in confronting sin within the church, is recognize that it's there, then I strongly believe that it is our responsibility to deal with it, following the prescription for church discipline, because when a Christian fully comes to fully grasp his identity in Christ and recognizes the immense grace that has been extended to him, it will profoundly influence not only his view of sin but also every aspect of his life. Lastly, if you have followed all the steps for church discipline trying to get him to change, and he still refuses to repent, then you have no choice but to put him out of the church. I realize that may sound harsh, but sin is like cancer, if left untreated it will spread, eventually infecting the rest of the body of Christ. You have to aggressively deal with it in order to preserve the purity of the church. I firmly believe that there are a considerable number of people who identify as Christians, who are going around thinking they’re in great spiritual shape, who have never really taken the time to honestly and objectively examine themselves against the test of Scripture, comparing themselves with what the Bible says a Christian is. Now that you’re a Christian, you're supposed to leave the sins of your former life behind, not drag them with you all over the place. There’s no place for that old sinful life in the church, that’s the meaning behind 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Would you pray with me?

Heavenly Father,

Father, as always, we are so thankful for Your Word, and we are grateful for the clarity with which it speaks to our hearts, both corporately and individually, instructing us to deal with anything that tarnishes Your church, so that Your people, those who You have called to be separated from the worldly influences, would live an obedient, pure life that glorifies You. Lord, we humbly confess that we cannot accomplish this on our own, we desperately need Your guidance to help us as we endeavor to leave everything behind, disassociating ourselves from our former ways of life to embrace a new life of obedience and purity. Lord, we can never claim to be righteous, so we humbly ask for Your grace, Your mercy, Your compassion and Your patience with us, as we persistently strive daily towards becoming in practice what You’ve graciously made us in position. We ask and pray this for Your glory, in Christ’s name.

Amen

Today's Message: Scandalous Grace

Back in Jesus' day, being a tax collector was a highly profitable occupation, providing many opportunities for personal gain at the expense of others. Matthew, a tax collector, was considered to a traitor, and like many of us in the church today, he was  seen as an outcast of society, the lowest of the low, at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Yet, when Jesus saw him sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me!"

Jesus did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, salvation is only offered to those who are unworthy of it, a message that irritates just as many today as it did two thousand years ago.

 

When a close personal friend of mine first began his ministry, he was a very strong teacher,  he showcased exceptional abilities in explaining God's Word in a relatable manner that really brought the scriptures to life. He consistently urged his students to grasp the deeper meaning behind God's Word, steering them away from their preconceived notions.  He was really gifted at caring for the physical and spiritual needs of people, he had the uncanny knack for offering the right words and actions, often times without even being asked. My friend was one of those kinds of teachers, people either admired and looked up to or they despised him for challenging their established traditions and confronting their misguided beliefs. 

 

Unfortunately, there was another side to my friend, a side that began to spark rumors about his questionable activities that didn't align with religious standards, ways that were deemed unbecoming of anyone who is representing God. One night, he was spotted having dinner with a well-known prostitute, who was being openly affectionate toward him, it was obvious to everyone, there was a very close personal relationship. To make matters even worse, when he was confronted about his questionable choice of company and his inappropriate behavior, and why he was hanging around with such a scandalous woman, rather than building healthy relationships with good people, my friend responded defensively, he was very abrasive in his response, and one might say, even creating a scene. He even went so far as to spend more time not only with this woman, but a number of others who were considered morally questionable by societal standards. 

 

What should be done with someone in his position? Should he be politely asked to step down or forcibly removed from his current position and excluded from the church until he repents? Before you respond, I kindly ask you to take a moment to think carefully about how this very sensitive  situation should be approached. I imagine that many of you will conclude, that as his friend, the best course of action would be to sit him down and have a heart to heart serious talk with him, explaining to him why his behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable in the eyes of God. Encouraging him to think carefully about his behavior and make a decision to change or consider leaving the ministry all together, and if he refuses to listen, inform him that his unwillingness to listen, makes it necessary to involve church leaders, recommending that he should be removed from his position.

My dilemma is after my friend explained his side of the story, I tend to be in complete agreement with him in this situation. You see, my friend is a friend to sinners, and His name is Jesus Christ. When Jesus hung out with sinners, they didn't change His mind and condone their sin, but instead, He inspired them to change their ways and compelled them to strive to do better. While He will accept you as you are, it's important to understand that He loves you too much to leave you that way. Salvation is not for those who think they're good enough to go to heaven, it's for those who know they’re not and recognize their need for a Savior. I imagine if I had chose to begin my introduction differently, most of you would have failed to see just how scandalous it was for Jesus to associate with known sinners. That's the problem with familiarity, we tend to immediately draw our conclusions based upon our personal opinions and own experiences. You know what I find interesting, is that we're always being told that the goal is to be more like Jesus, yet in all my years of attending church, or during my theological training, I don’t recall anyone telling me that in becoming more like Jesus, I should hang out with homosexuals, prostitutes, thieves and drug addicts. I have personally witnessed the Word of God, living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, pierce through even the most hardened soul and work out the miracle salvation.

With that in mind, as we look to the Word of God, let’s open our Bibles to Luke chapter 5, as we come to verses twenty-seven through thirty-nine, a scandalous portion of Scripture, about a different time, different place, with different religious customs and traditions. Yet, in many respects, it's not so much different than today. I trust that you will follow along with me as I read, to get our minds set on God's Word as we open up our hearts and listen for what the Spirit of God has to say to each of us today. Luke 5:27-39.

 

"And after that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me." And he left everything behind, and rose up and began to follow Him.

And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do likewise, but Yours eat and drink." And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’"

  

Let's look at verse 27, "And after that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me." Luke starts the verse with "and after that," meaning after  He had healed paralytic man and forgave his sins, He went out of the house in Capernaum where He had been.  According to Mark’s parallel passage, He went out by the seashore; and the entire crowd was coming to Him, and He was teaching them. And as He passed by, He noticed, it's the verb "theáomai,"  meaning He gazed intently, He fixed His eyes upon a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me." In other words, it's as if He's saying, "Hey, you! You're just the kind of guy I'm looking for, a man who understands how sinful he is, follow Me" In Matthew’s parallel passage, he humbly refers to himself as Matthew, which means gift of God, while Luke and Mark both call him Levi. Names have always been important to learning about a culture, however, in recent years, many popular names rooted in biblical origins have taken on new meanings and significance, while still maintaining their familiarity as well as preserving their popularity. Unfortunately, in the eyes of most Jews, regardless of the name he's referred to as, he is perceived as the scum of humanity, a crook, the worst of all sinners, who exchanged his birthright for a tax franchise, he was the unforgivable. Yet, it was the religious elite Jesus denounced, calling the scribes and Pharisees sons of hell, brood of vipers and hypocrites. That poses the question, "Who are the real sinners and who is capable of receiving salvation from the Lord?" Before you answer, I''d like you to ask yourselves, do you really want to be like the Jesus, embodying the same qualities and characteristics of the One Who welcomed and embraced the most wretched, vile sinners, while deliberately shunning the self-righteous religious community, because this was not an isolated incident, this was the way Jesus actually lived His life. 

 

At the end of the verse, Jesus gave Levi an explicit command, "Follow Me." And, in verse 28, we see he turned his back, leaving everything behind, and immediately got up and began to follow Him. I'd like you to notice Matthew's response when Jesus called him, was the opposite of the rich young ruler who wasn't willing to recognize his own sins and leave everything behind to follow Jesus, instead he went the other direction. Matthew's obedience was truly remarkable, he willingly stood up and quickly abandoned everything without the slightest hint of reluctance, knowing that he could never go back, he's so humble, desperate for forgiveness, he's absolutely speechless, there's no grumbling or complaining about what he would have to give up, a stark contrast to the common complaints we often hear today, without hesitation as it should be, displaying a deep sense of pure joy and enthusiasm. This is a perfect illustration of a man who understood his unworthiness of salvation, nobody needed to tell him that he didn't deserve to be forgiven, he was acutely aware of his own wretchedness. Jesus lived in Capernaum, Matthew worked there, He wasn’t just familiar with who he was, but what He saw that day was more than just a sinner, a tax collector. He saw a man with a broken and contrite heart, overflowing with penitence for the sins he committed. There's no need to question the salvation of someone like that, who is ready to break free of the past and a walk in a new life. Transformation is the clear evidence of the reality of repentance. I find it fascinating that after Christ's resurrection, the believers realized the necessity for a written record of the account of Christ’s life and Matthew, the one-time tax collector, was selected for the task, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he penned the first Gospel.

 

If we're going to be more like Jesus, shouldn't we be more open and willing to welcome sinners, perhaps instead of seeing them as the most hated of all, but as lost souls in need of a Savior and extend an invitation to them to engage in a truthful conversation about salvation and receiving forgiveness rather than simply passing judgment and condemning them? There are a number of people that I dearly love, people outside of the church, who not part of the religious community, whose lives and lifestyles go against everything that I believe, that as a pastor, I simply cannot condone or approve of but rather than to just discard them, casting them aside, I choose to be intentional, and lovingly engage them, addressing the implications of sin and it's damning eternal consequences, without compromising the Truth. Believe it or not, it is possible to speak the Truth without trying to be personally offensive. It's one thing to be offensive because of the content of your message, it's another thing to be offensive because of your choice of words. It was not Jesus Himself that caused offense, but rather the Truth that He spoke that offended people and stirred controversy. You will never make a difference for Christ, or have a meaningful impact for kingdom on this world, by simply avoiding sinners, you must find the courage and boldness to speak the Truth to those whom it needs to be said. However, you cannot go around confronting the sin in others, if you're not willing to deal with the sin in your own life. And, that's why I believe there isn't more victory in the church today, far too many are publicly condemning others while secretly harboring their own sin.

Sinners are literally turning the world upside down by audaciously daring to speak their deceiving propaganda and damning lies without fear of creating conflict or causing offense, quite frankly, I believe they're putting many intimidated Christians to shame. You’ve got to be willing tell the Truth in love, even if it may offend people. Then you have to offer them the grace, mercy and forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ. We have remained silent long enough, and it’s high time that we proclaim the Truth in love, even at the risk of offending sinners and trusting God with the results. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." How can they see our light shine if busy essentially denying our faith by remaining silent? As Jesus stated in Matthew 10:33, "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven."

Verse 29, "And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them." With nothing but pure joy in his heart from his own conversion, it is easy to imagine that Matthew must've been eager to share the Good News with everyone he knew, because Luke writes he gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other outcasts, the only kind of people he knew, who were reclining at the table with the Son of God. Indicating that starting out, he may well have been one of the wealthiest of all the disciples, a big reception likely requires a big house. Surely, he believed that if Jesus could offer salvation to him, then there was hope for literally anyone who desired to repent. It must have been that night as Matthew threw a big dinner celebrating his departure from his former life, that Jesus became scathingly branded, the friend of tax gatherers and sinners. Do you know why they were reclining? Because dinner is a big deal, not like the twenty minute deal we're used to today, they ate and they talked for hours. That's why it's often been said we're known for the company we keep, because so much profound conversation took place.

 

And, we know that it was certainly not uncommon for Jesus to surround Himself with self-confessed wretched, sinful people. That's why the righteous leaders hated Him. However, allow me to remind you that it was the tax collector beating his breast and saying, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner," who went home justified, and not the Pharisee, who stood there praying these things to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector," in Luke 18. That's why Jesus called the righteous leaders whitewashed tombs, they were concerned with what people could see, to gain the approval of men, Jesus was concerned with the inside because that what makes lowlife sinners holy. That is what makes Christianity distinct from every other religion in the world, Jesus came to accomplish the unthinkable, by offering salvation to sinners and condemned the most religious, who were fixated on their outward  appearance and displays of piety, as expected, they were absolutely furious, and they never got over it, that's what ultimately lead them to kill Him. I suppose that's one of the unfortunate realities of being a long-time Christian, the longer we're a Christian the more we tend to find ourselves gravitating towards fellow believers, spending more time with Christians and far less time with unbelievers outside of our faith community, the very ones that we're supposed to reach. Have you ever noticed that its the newly converted believers that tend to have the most enthusiasm in bringing others to Christ?

Verse 30, "And the Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" I find it interesting that the self-righteous religious leaders who obviously weren't invited to that celebration party, not they would have gone even if they were, imagine socializing with unclean people, the dregs of society, yet they still managed to know exactly what was going on. I envision a scene where sinners were literally spilling out all over the place, they could probably overhear the joyous festivities taking place celebrating Matthew's conversion, which is what likely triggered their response, "This is scandalous! What are You doing? Why are You eating and drinking with these people, everyone knows they're tax collectors and sinners." You can almost imagine the combined shock on their self-righteous, pious faces! I love that Luke uses the verb "goggýzō," which means they were literally murmuring under their breathe to their show smoldering discontent; it's an onomatopoetic term imitating the sound of cooing doves. They're probably still fuming over Jesus' scathing indictment in Matthew 5, "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." According to Matthew, they expressed this stinging rebuke to His followers, suggesting that they might have perceived that even His followers showed more reverence for the law than anyone else in that crowd, including Jesus, Who dared to questioned their righteousness. Because truly righteous people would never associate with that group of sinners!

I love that Jesus overhearing their question, decides to point out the obvious based upon their own admission in verse 31, "And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick." I mean, how can anyone argue that analogy? If they were able to  recognize how sick these sinful people were, then why were they not able to comprehend just how crucial salvation is for these lost souls? I'll tell you why, they were blinded by their hatred of these people. I believe that the church is facing that same issue today, by clinging tightly to our distorted perceptions of who we think is worthy of receiving the Gospel, we become reluctant to welcome individuals from different backgrounds or lifestyles, we hinder the church's ability to reach a broader audience and essentially missing out on the opportunity spread the message of salvation and forgiveness to all. Therefore, I strongly believe it is imperitive for the church to frequently reflect on its core practices and beliefs to ensure that they truly embody the message of grace and align with the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. I just want to point out, Jesus Christ came to save the lost, heal "those who are sick," and His mission was not limited to a specific group but encompassed all who were in need, including the self-righteousness people, who believe they are morally superior that tend overlook their own shortcomings and spiritual struggles, as well as their own desperate need of grace, forgiveness and mercy. Unfortunately, it is this group that tends to dictate whose sin He can or cannot forgive and just how far His forgiveness can go, this discriminatory approach is a behavior that not only contradicts His teachings, but erodes His message of extending forgiveness, love and compassion to all, regardless of their past, rather than a privilege reserved for the select few. That's not the way Jesus responded in Matthew 9:13, when He said "But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Christ doesn't want your self-righteous attitudes, He wants a heart of mercy.

Verse 32, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." The Gospel is for sinners, not for those who refuse to see themselves as a sinner. It reminds me of Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, when he said "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." How quickly we forget verse 11, "And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." Friends, I cannot emphasize it enough, you can't minimize the Gospel, making light of sin and glossing over the gravity of it's consequences, it is essential to preach the profound Truth that every heart is wicked, so that every individual understands the depth of depravity in the human heart, stressing the importance of self examination, prompting each person to come to a true assessment of their own spiritual condition, cultivating a sense of humility and accountability for their words and actions, then and only then, can we offer the precious gift of forgiveness and the hope of transformation to those who are willing to embrace His grace and salvation God provided through faith in Jesus Christ, and His finished on the work on the cross. 

Christ's message of redemption is intended for all, today He offers you grace, mercy, forgiveness of all your sins, and His unending love, but He can't do anything unless you're willing to come to Him, and acknowledge your need for salvation. I pray that you will hear Him say, "Follow Me," and that you will embrace His teachings, repent and turn away from your sin, so that you too can experience true transformation!

 

May it be so..

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.

Now and forever, in Jesus' name

Amen


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