Good day dear friends. We continue to ask prayers for Elaine Laster, the mother of Rev. Richard Laster, a pastor in Houston. Richard and I were roommates at Southwestern after having been close friends and classmates at Lon Morris, later we were classmates at SMU. This has been a most difficult time for Richard and his family.
We continue to affirm our faith that yes, in a sense, Christianity is a crutch for the weak, but overall, it is that which helps us live as God intends.
Here is our study guide for today: Tuesday: Jesus makes an interesting statement in Luke 5:31-32 about the “sick” and the “well.” Would you consider yourself to be “well” or “sick” in the terms Jesus spoke of? How would you go from “sick” to “well” if you so desired?
Here is that passage Luke 5:31 Jesus answered, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; 32 I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance."
There were in Jesus' time righteous people. These were the ones who lived their lives as God wanted. These were the ones who did not need Jesus' attention and healing. But my guess is that there were few of these righteous. The huge crowds that Jesus attracted may have contained more of the "sick" than the "well." These were the ones who wanted signs and wonders performed so that they might "believe" as they said, but to be entertained is probably more like it.
Jesus came to call the sinners to repent. The righteous were those already on the road to fullness of life, still sinful, but knew God enough to live their lives praying for forgiveness and mercy each day, as we should. But the unrighteous were those who didn't know to pray this or didn't care to. Jesus came so that they might know about this better way to live.
And He still calls today. Will we ever escape the temptation of sin? No. Sin seems to follow us everywhere we go and most times we seem to know just where sin is and there we go. To be righteous means to know to say no, through prayer and the assistance of the Holy Spirit to be led away from temptation. Say the Lord's Prayer again, and hear those words. Hear also the words about "forgive us."
PRAYER: Come, Holy Spirit, to forgive me of my sins. Lead me on the path to righteousness, that path that helps me live life to the fullest. Help me to know your call to live right and do right. Help the words of this prayer Your Son, Jesus Christ, taught me to become real: Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespassess as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
