Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Read Mark 2:13-22

Jesus used different stories to emphasize the same point. He identifies people in need of salvation and communicate with them, sometimes even sharing meals with them while teaching them and opening their eyes to righteousness. These people, slaves to sin and doomed to eternal damnation, were lost to the glory of God and the laws handed down through Moses. Jesus reached out to them and offer to them salvation through grace. He did not shun them like the organized churches shunned them. He mingled with them and shared with them much to the disapproval of the religious leaders, who were more confused and hard hearted than the sinful masses who thirst for the knowledge of the one true and living God.

Jesus quickly pointed out that his mission was not to be locked away with religious leaders and Jews, but to save as many lost soul who would believe in him and be baptized into a new life. It was the sick (sinner) who needed a physician (Jesus, the I am) not religious scribes and Pharisees, (Mark 2:17). It was not profitable to teach the scribes and Pharisees about God, because they already studied the scripture. However, the sinners who does not know God and did not follow the laws handed down through Moses, needed to be taught. They were the new wineskins receiving new wine (the word of God).

Let us follow Jesus’ example and reach out to non-christians in our community, by sharing the good news and our faith stories with them. Let us become contagious Christians, whereby we can reach our non-christian neighbors in ways that we couldn’t reach them if we tried forcing them into church and preaching to them.

Father in Heaven, thank you for your words in the scriptures and for putting on flesh to the word in Jesus Christ our Lord and savior. His life and stories are lessons well taught and we pray that you give us the courage and the strength to go out and live what we‘ve learnt in Jesus name. Amen

Pamella Miller