Forgiveness

Good Monday Morning To You!!

Can you believe Thanksgiving Day is upon us? As of today, it will be here in only 10 days. Are you ready for it? I hope yours is special, but don’t work so hard on it that it takes away your joy. Let’s think about the meaning of thanksgiving. The best way to think about it is to pause and consider something for which you are genuinely grateful. For me this year is an easy choice. I will be thankful that I will be able to sit with my family at a Thanksgiving table. As some of you may very well remember, back in July it was quite possible that I wouldn’t be here to do that. Even now, I do not take tomorrow for granted. I am feeling much better, and I have more energy than I’ve had in years. My cardiac rehab is progressing very well. I’m up to twelve minutes on the treadmill, which for me is a tremendous improvement. When I first started I was only able to walk it for about one minute, and sometime less. I see all of this as a gift from Almighty God and I’m very thankful. I try to live every moment of each day in a spirit of gratitude. For what are you grateful? I’m sure if you’ll allow yourself to think about it, you can come up with several thoughts.

Yesterday was another delightful day at Friendship Harmony. The music, as always, was uplifting, and the Spirit made His presence known. I preached a message about a thankful woman from Luke 7:36-48. I’m sorry, but there were no notes. It was an expository message, but if you will take time and read the entire seventh chapter of Luke, you will see why this lady would be thankful. In fact, she never intended to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, or anything else for that matter. How do we know? Two reasons. Number one, it was the custom of the day to provide a guest of the house with water so they could wash their feet. Simon the Pharisee, was the Lord’s host, and although he grossly slighted Jesus, the woman could not have known that in advance. Number two, she did not bring a towel. She was prepared to anoint Him with a costly perfume, but not wash His feet. However, when she arrived in His presence, she was so overcome with joy that a flood of tears ensued. All she had was her hair, which she used to wipe her Lord’s feet. We also see she repeatedly kissed the Savior’s feet and anointed them with the perfume. Normally, the head is anointed, not the feet. Perhaps she did not feel worthy to anoint anything BUT His feet. In verses 41, and 42, just 41 words in your King James Bible, Jesus slams the door on Simon’s arrogance. Actually, He lead Simon into slamming the door himself. He told Simon about a man who was owed by two individuals. One man owed 500 pence, while the other owed only 50. Both men had their debt forgiven. Jesus asked Simon which man would be the most grateful. Simon correctly answered the man who was forgiven most. Jesus, not to subtlety, lets all in that room know that the woman’s expression of love toward Him was brought about by her thanksgiving over her forgiven sin. Her love of Christ did not bring about her forgiveness. Her forgiveness, however, brought about her love of Jesus. She loved much because she had much forgiven.

My question to you is this: is your outward expressions of love for Jesus a good indicator of how much you have been forgiven? At this Thanksgiving season, you think about that.

For those of you who are here with us, don’t forget the announcements for the week. On Wednesday at 2:00, our small group, “The Jewish Roots of Christianity” meets at the home of Ken and Margaret Birdsong. On Thursday our ladies meet for their monthly luncheon at 1:00 at Captain Con’s in Bokeelia. Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. our men meet for their monthly breakfast. It’s a busy week at Friendship Harmony, but we are so blessed to have these groups meeting. Have yourself a good, safe and healthy week and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.