In Luke 7:31-34, Jesus likened His generation to children playing songs: a flute song and a dirge. At the sound of the flute, the children expected dancing, and with the dirge, weeping. When the expected response was not given, the children became indignant. The people around John and Jesus were just like those children. Neither John nor Jesus met the expectations of those who came to them (cf. Lk. 3:7; Lk. 5:30).
After Jesus gave His blunt assessment, He was invited into a Pharisee’s house to eat. During the meal, an unwelcome sinful woman entered. Luke continues in Luke 7:37:
“…she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind [Jesus] at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.’”
The Pharisee’s response only emphasizes the accuracy of Jesus’ assessment of His generation. Once again, Jesus was not meeting their expectations. Instead, Jesus far exceeded them. He treated this outcast woman with compassion and forgave her sins (Lk. 7:48). Jesus refused to lower Himself to the standards the world had set for Him.
If you are like this outcast woman who only wanted to come and show her love for Jesus, know that the members of this congregation rise above the expectations of the world, just as Jesus did. We refuse to lower ourselves beneath the teachings and example of Jesus. We will treat you with the same compassion and care that Jesus gave to this outcast woman. We all have been the outcast woman. God welcomes us if we come to Him. Come to Him, enjoy His blessings!
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