1-14-2016

Good Morning All!!   

      Luke 5: 31-32; “And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

     So when you read articles in the newspaper or on the internet about health issues and you read where 1 person out of 50 or 100 will be affected, do you think you are the 1 or are you part of the rest?  Most of us usually think we are in “the rest.”  We tend to see ourselves as just fine.  We often think that ignorance is bliss but we may be missing some important medical answers that, if we fix them now, we can lead a healthier life down the road.  But sometimes that doesn’t happen; sometimes we don’t even know we are sick.

     That was sort of the case in our verses.  During Jesus’ ministry here on earth, he spent his time with the tax collectors, the sick and the lame, the outcasts of the community.  He came to these people for a couple of reasons.  First, they were in desperate need of His saving grace.  Many had been ostracized from their own communities which were made up of their relatives.  They were shunned and shamed and viewed as “throw-aways.”  Even the religious leaders, the ones whom God had called to bring his love to the world and to be a blessing to that world, treated them with contempt; in many ways worse than the rest of the people.

     The other reason was because these outcasts knew that their relationship with God was not good.  They saw themselves as sinners in need of help and forgiveness.  So when Jesus preached to them; the Holy Spirit moved them to receive the Gospel.  They shared the joy of knowing Jesus as their Savior with everyone, including Jesus.

     However, the Scribes and the Pharisees saw it much differently.  They were always displaying their outward holiness and, if you wanted their acceptance, you had to do the same.  This meant not doing anything which made you “unclean” or unfit to go into the Temple.  They thought they were healthy in their religion but God sees to the heart and in them He saw only corruption.  They needed a doctor but wouldn’t admit it.

     When it comes to sin, it is not 1 out of 50 who are affected; it is 50 out of 50.  We are all sinners in need of Jesus’ healing touch.  We are all in the same boat.  We are all the lame, the blind, the leper, the cripple; all the same before God.  Just as Luther wrote,” we are all beggars before God.”  We all need his salvation; I do, you do, everyone does.  We are all in this together.  God, in His mercy, showers us with His forgiveness, sending His healing touch for our soul.  He wants us to then turn around and help provide that healing touch for our neighbor’s physical and emotional pains.  God calls all of us to repentance and the unburdening of our souls to Him.  So visit the Physician (Jesus), especially, if you think you don’t need to and then listen to His Words of forgiveness.  It will heal your soul.

    Dear Father of all mercies, your holy grace rains down on us like a flood.  You cleanse us with the blood of Jesus to bring us back to you.  Father we are sick at all times and we turn to you our heavenly Physician to heal us and to make us whole.  For this we give you eternal praise.  You speak and we are healed.  You move with your Spirit and we are alive.  Lead us to bring the broken and twisted people to you for your healing touch.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret