FREELY GIVEN

FREELY GIVEN




I think
Sometimes we forget


That we cannot
EARN God's FORGIVENESS
It is FREELY GIVEN


“If you
Oh Lord
Kept a record of sins
Oh Lord
Who could stand


But with you
There is forgiveness
Therefore you are feared” Psalm 130:3-4


We still
Get it wrong
At times
Don't we friends


We think
We must somehow
EARN GOD'S FORGIVENESS


WE think
We must earn God's LOVE too


BUT his forgiveness
And his love
ARE FREELY GIVEN


“But now
That you have been
Set free of sin


You have become
Slaves of RIGHTEOUSNESS” Romans 6:18


God's forgiveness
IS FREELY GIVEN


There is a great story
In Luke chapter 7
That illustrates this


ONE of the Pharisees
Has invited Jesus
To have dinner with him
In his home


A “sinful” woman
From the town
Learns of this
And shows up at the dinner


“She stood behind him
At his feet weeping
And she began to wet
His feet
With her tears


Then she wiped them
With her hair
Kissed them
And poured perfume on them” Luke 7:38


The pharisee said to himself:


“IF this man
Were a prophet
He would know
Who is touching him
And that the woman
Was a sinner” Luke 7:39


And Jesus-
As if reading the pharisees' mind
Tells a parable about DEBT
To Simon


And asks Simon
Which one of them
Will LOVE their master more


Simon says:


“I suppose
The one
Who had the bigger debt canceled” Luke 7:43


Then Jesus
Turned to the woman
And said,


“DO you see
This woman


I came
Into your home


You did not
GIVE me any water
For my feet
But she wet
My feet
With her tears
And wiped them
With her hair


You did not
Give me a kiss


But this woman
From the time I entered
Has not stopped
Kissing my feet


You did not put oil
On my head
But she has
Poured perfume on my feet


Therefore I tell you
HER many sins
Have been forgiven-
For she has LOVED MUCH


But he who has been
Forgiven little
LOVES LITTLE” Luke 7:44-47


THE POINT IS:


ALL of our sins
Are FORGIVEN FREELY
By God


We are to do likewise
To our brothers and sisters


LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
Are the ESSENCE of
Jesus' teachings and his actions


WE are to do the SAME
For one another
Because LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
are to be


FREELY GIVEN


Robert P. Wallman
9-30-14