Yesterday (Tuesday) in our Lent booklets we read about Jesus being invited to the home of Simon the Pharisee. During this visit a woman comes and pours perfume over Jesus’ feet. Simon criticises this action, and in response to his comments, Jesus tells this short story.
Read: Luke 7: 41-43
The story Jesus told, is one which any of us can relate to, either because we have been in debt to other people, or because we work hard to never be in debt to anyone. Recognising that we owe God a debt we could never repay is probably not something we often consider, but this is at the heart of the gift of Salvation which God offers to each of us.
The prayer at the end of Tuesday’s study says that God made us ‘for worship and for love, and for relationship with him’. Whenever these aren’t the aims of our life, we are sinning and this incurs a penalty, a price to be paid - a debt. Sin isn’t only doing bad things it is also failing to put God at the centre of all that we are and all that we do.
We sin whenever we break the summary of the 10 commandments, which Jesus quotes in Matthew 22: 37. Whenever we find ourselves not loving the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind, we are sinning and sin puts us ‘in debt’ to God. Read: Romans 5: 6-8
It is all too easy for us to focus on and build-up our role in receiving God’s gift of Salvation, which can then cause us to forget that actually all we did was receive the gift God offered to us. It was Jesus who did it all, it was him who did for us what we could never do for ourselves and clear the stain of sin from our lives.
Last Sunday I asked you to consider during this week how the plot of a TV drama, film or book would be changed if the main character put their trust in God to save them. This morning I want us to consider our own lives and how different our life’s story might be if we weren’t trusting in God to be our Father and Lord. Perhaps that involves looking at what you know about the lives of others who grew up alongside you or it may simply involve you recognising in what direction your life was heading before you put your trust in Jesus as Saviour and Lord.
Try to spend a few moments considering the ‘big picture’ of how God’s Story has made a difference to your story. Recognise the debt we owe to God, which has been paid for us by Jesus our Saviour.
This hymn by Matt Redman reminds us about how we can show our thankfulness to God, for Jesus paying our debt by giving up his own life.
I will offer up my life in spirit and truth, pouring out the oil of love as my worship to you.
In surrender I must give my every part; Lord, receive the sacrifice of a broken heart;
Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring to so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?
Saviour, what can be said, what can be sung as a praise of your name, for the things you have done?
O my words could not tell, not even in part, of the debt of love that is owed by this thankful heart.
You deserve my every breath for you've paid the great cost; giving up your life to death, even death on a cross.
You took all my shame away, there defeated my sin,opened up the gates of heaven, and have beckoned me in
(Matt Redman © 1994 Kingsway's Thank You Music)
Prayer requests
Pray for Phoebe and Toby who come to Brigades and for their parents Cheryl and Stuart as they mourn the death of Cheryl’s dad.
Janet asks that we pray for a family friend, Naomi, who has Lupus as well as other severe ongoing health problems. Naomi has a husband and 4-year-old twins.
Pray for those who are close to you, who haven’t yet let God’s story transform their own life’s story.