Saturday, October 11, 2014

"Could have been" - 10/11/14 - Matthew 8:1-13, Luke 7

"Jesus came down the mountain with the cheers of the crowd still ringing in His ears."(Matt 8:1)


He could have been, you know, the kind of King who is big-headed.  Too good for the lowly, those who are beneath Him.  He could have mingled only with the affluent, living on the mountaintop.  He has the world at His fingertips.


He has every reason to be.  He is the Son of God.


Instead -           
"Then a leper appeared and went to his knees before Jesus, praying, "Master, if you want to, you can heal my body."  Jesus reached out and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there, all signs of the leprosy were gone.(Matt 8:2-3)    


He bent down low and touched the unlovely.  the unwanted.  the outcast.  the untouchable.


His Love for those lost, surpassed love for the superficial.  His Love for His Father, surpassed love for Himself. 


"Jesus said, "Don't talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed body to the priest, along with the appropriate expressions of thanks to God. Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done."(Matt 8:4)


Holy Love.  It is all He is about.  Gut wrenching, crucifying, death defying, Holy Love.  For us.


"The wretched of the earth have God's salvation hospitality extended to them."(Luke 7:22)


That is exactly what I was outside of Him.  Our Savior.  Wretched and of the earth. 


And through His Blood He has given me words to live by.


"Impressive, isn't it? I was forgiven many, many sins, and so I am very, very grateful."(Luke 7:47)


and  to all who are His.


"He spoke to her: "I forgive your sins."(Luke 7:48)
"and said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."(Luke 7:50)


He bent down to touch each of us. 















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