. Glorifying God In Modern Times Amanda Carol
When we think about becoming the Bride of Christ, my question to you is what should our attitude be when we want to become that person? There is a proper attitude and really there is even a proper action.
Before diving into that let us open with prayer and then let the word of God teach us all something new.
Lord, I pray that the words being read now will reach even the hardest heart so that you will be able to be welcomed into everyone's life. Please, use us so that we will become the Bride of Christ that we so desire to be. All to your glory. In Jesus name we pray, Amen!
The scripture comes from Luke 7:36-50
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to come to his home for a meal, so Jesus accepted the invitation and sat down to eat. A certain immoral woman heard he was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
What is this beautiful jar that the woman broke at the feet of Jesus? What does it have to do with the picture of being the Bride of Christ?
Well, I'll tell you. That beautiful jar is called an alabaster box. Do you see how it relates to being the Bride of Christ? This woman is very much like we are. We are as sinful as she is harshly described as. We are just as immoral. Many times we come to Jesus' feet sobbing and weeping because of the sins that we have committed. But, Jesus accepts us as we are and brings us into his chambers lovingly. He "cancels our debts" just as the man did in the story He told to Simon. When we lay down at his feet, being humble, knowing that we have sinned against Him and only Him, when we break out box at his feet and realize that there is no man, no woman, no thing on this earth that is more worthy of our time and our thoughts than Christ, then and only then are we on our way to having the right attitude to be the Bride of Christ. Are you ready to make this type of commitment? It takes being recklessly abandoned to Christ. This means that you have a commitment to Him that has private and public evidence that you are His child and desire nothing less than to please Him at all times. It means that it is not a token relationship that we only have to get something out of God or to make ourselves look good. We are worshiping God because we love him and desire to please him more than anything else.
I leave you with this question:
Is your alabaster box broken at the feet of Christ or at the feet of someone or something else? What are you recklessly abandoned to?
Let us pray.
Lord, Please help us all have a desire to please you above all others and above all else. Please help us to become recklessly abandoned to you. Allow your word to always touch our hearts and teach us something new every time we open our hearts to you. Please allow us to have an ever growing thirst for you. All for your glory. In Christ's name we pray. Amen!
WHAT
IS THE HOLY CITY GOING TO BE LIKE ?Watch for a future study.
When the Pharisee who was the host saw what was happening and who the woman was, he said to himself, "This proves that Jesus is no prophet. If God had really sent him, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!"
Then Jesus spoke up and answered his thoughts. "Simon," he said to the Pharisee, "I have something to say to you."
"All right, Teacher," Simon replied, "go ahead."
Then Jesus told him a story: "A man loaned money to two people--five hundred pieces of silver to one and fifty pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?"
Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt."
"That's right," Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't give me a kiss of greeting, but she has kissed my feet again and again from the time I first came in. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."
Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven."
The men at the table said among themselves, "Who does this man think he is, going around forgiving sins?"
And Jesus said the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
In New Testament times, this was part of the culture. An alabaster box is a beautiful handmade and hand carved box that the families of single women would be for her. Depending on the wealth of the family, the box could be very elaborate and expensive or somewhat simple. Inside the box, there was always some type of perfume. Again, depending on the wealth of the family, it could be very expensive. When the single woman would find a man she was even remotely interested in marrying, she would take her box and break it at his feet and anoint his feet with perfume. It was symbolizing that she wanted to marry this man. The man of course, could easily no accept the offer. It was a way of saying that there was only one time that a woman could break her alabaster box. She had to pick the right man. Well, this woman had not found a man worthy enough until she found Christ.
