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The Wrong Way!
Hi Everyone,
I believe the title of the devotion below speaks for itself.
Sincerely, Spying
I believe the title of the devotion below speaks for itself.
Sincerely, Spying
"Wrong Way"
August 2, 2001
Matthew 9:9-13 "Jesus...saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow Me,' He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' came and ate with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and "sinners"'? On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'"
"Wrong way! Do not enter!" We know what this warning means on the highway, but what does it mean in our relationship with God? To go the wrong way may be fatal. The most common wrong way people follow is believing they must do good deeds so God will reward them with eternal life. God says exactly the opposite. He forgives us because of Jesus' atonement for our sins. Because we have been made righteous through faith in Jesus, we serve God with good works. It is a human factor that sees God paying attention only to good and virtuous people. But the Bible plainly teaches the opposite. Jesus didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He came to seek and to save the lost.
Jesus' enemies tried to discredit Him by saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." Yes, thank God, Jesus does receive sinners. Publicans and outcasts, criminals and immoral people found Him to be the compassionate Savior. He accepts all who come to Him in sincere repentance and faith. This is the wonder and the glory of Jesus: He is the Friend of sinners. If you are going to delay coming to Jesus until you have qualified yourself by your good life and conduct, you will never get there. Nobody can make himself worthy before God through his own efforts. Only when God looks at us through the sacrificial work of Jesus does He declare us righteous in His sight.
How shall I come to Jesus? The answer is: Just as you are.
PRAYER: O Lord God, open my heart to receive the full measure of your grace in Jesus. Amen.
(Taken from "Words of Promise," copyright 1996 Concordia Publishing House.
For more information on this and other devotional materials, call 1-800-325-3040.)
Past devotions can be accessed at http://www.lhm.org/calendar.htm
-- Daily Bible Reading --
5 minutes a day... a lifetime of growth
Today read 2 Corinthians 9
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Daily devotions by e-mail is a service provided by
Lutheran Hour Ministries (http://www.lhm.org)
August 2, 2001
Matthew 9:9-13 "Jesus...saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow Me,' He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' came and ate with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and "sinners"'? On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'"
"Wrong way! Do not enter!" We know what this warning means on the highway, but what does it mean in our relationship with God? To go the wrong way may be fatal. The most common wrong way people follow is believing they must do good deeds so God will reward them with eternal life. God says exactly the opposite. He forgives us because of Jesus' atonement for our sins. Because we have been made righteous through faith in Jesus, we serve God with good works. It is a human factor that sees God paying attention only to good and virtuous people. But the Bible plainly teaches the opposite. Jesus didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He came to seek and to save the lost.
Jesus' enemies tried to discredit Him by saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." Yes, thank God, Jesus does receive sinners. Publicans and outcasts, criminals and immoral people found Him to be the compassionate Savior. He accepts all who come to Him in sincere repentance and faith. This is the wonder and the glory of Jesus: He is the Friend of sinners. If you are going to delay coming to Jesus until you have qualified yourself by your good life and conduct, you will never get there. Nobody can make himself worthy before God through his own efforts. Only when God looks at us through the sacrificial work of Jesus does He declare us righteous in His sight.
How shall I come to Jesus? The answer is: Just as you are.
PRAYER: O Lord God, open my heart to receive the full measure of your grace in Jesus. Amen.
(Taken from "Words of Promise," copyright 1996 Concordia Publishing House.
For more information on this and other devotional materials, call 1-800-325-3040.)
Past devotions can be accessed at http://www.lhm.org/calendar.htm
-- Daily Bible Reading --
5 minutes a day... a lifetime of growth
Today read 2 Corinthians 9
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily devotions by e-mail is a service provided by
Lutheran Hour Ministries (http://www.lhm.org)
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