February 23, 2025 Recap

Reading from the Gospels and watching Jesus interact with those around Him always gives us a glimpse into the character of the Creator.  Seeing Jesus heal and teach reminds us that "the Law was given through Moses but grace and truth come from Jesus Christ." John 1:17  He is love and there is Light and Life in Him.  There is no shadow, darkness, or shifting.  So we can fully accept and believe that when He speaks truth, He does it with love and full of grace!

In Luke 11:37-54, we are told of a Pharisee who invites Jesus to lunch.  Jesus accepts and when the man adresses the fact that Jesus does not ceremonial wash His hands before the meal, Jesus begins to speak "the truth in love".  Jesus is perfect and He can not do anything contrary to His Divine Nature.

Jesus' first statement is that the Pharisees are greedy and full of wickedness.  What?!  Not only did Jesus accuse this Pharisee, but lumped them all together.  He then follows it by pronouncing Woes upon them all.  They are so worried for the outward appearnace and the rules made by man that they neglected the best part, the heart!

Jesus then turns His attention to a lawyer who also feels insulted by the remarks.  Not to be left out Jesus tells him in v. 46 “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you load people with burdens that are hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers.  Jesus is condemning those who oppress and defends the ones who are subject to their heavy loads.  Praise the LORD!  We can know that Jesus does not want us burdened with rules and rituals that are only outward works and do not testify to the condition of the inside.

We must stop and realize that speaking the truth can not only change the behavior of the those who are guilty but it can free those who are being oppressed by it!  It''s a win-win!  BUT, and it's a BIG BUT, the truth is not always well recieved. Jesus waited for the right time and right place for the right message and it was still rejected. Jesus didn't run in red-hot.  The Pharisee invited Jesus to his home and he opened the door when he confronted Jesus about His hand washing.  Many don't want the truth, can't handle the truth, won't accept the truth.  In verses 53-54 it says, "when He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects, plotting against Him to catch Him in something He might say."  They became hostile and their hostility would lead to the crucifiction of Jesus.  

Jesus is brave and confrontational; yet, He is loving and just. He is full of grace and truth.