The 11th Sunday After Pentecost:
Scriptures: Psalm 103:1-8; Luke 13:10-17
Key Verse: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits—forgiveness, redemption, satisfaction, vindication, justice, compassion and mercy.” (Psalm 103:1-8)
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Hello, This is Jade.
Welcome to Yi.kigai
A space for all to explore the intersection between faith and daily life
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Last Sunday we heard Jesus say, “You hypocrites!” in Luke 12:26. And he said it again today in Luke 13:15. Ouch! Do Jesus’ words hurt our feelings? Shouldn’t we sympathize with Peter when Jesus kept asking if he loved Jesus after His resurrection in John 21? In this case, it is not so much of being doubted but being called out over and over again. The word ‘hypocrites’ can certainly get to us. What a loud wakeup call from Jesus to all his disciples to live authentically and truthfully. I believe that our feelings get hurt because we do care how God sees us.
In 2009, I decided to have surgery to remove my bunion since it had affected my walking and caused my foot to swell with severe pain. I was blessed to have a wonderful podiatrist, Doctor Nancy A. Jagodzinski. She knew what she was doing and cared for me wonderfully. The moment she told me that I was eligible to apply for the Disabilities Parking Placard, I wasn’t sure how to feel. Obviously, being disabled for at least 6 months was new to me.
Should I feel happy with this privilege of having a special treatment or feel a sense of entitlement? During the first couple of months, I had to admit that I really appreciated the special treatment since I could get to my destination without walking too much. And in the healing process, I noticed that I wasn’t willing to tolerate any pain unless I knew it could enhance and speed up my recovery. For me, the pain caused by doing physical therapy was necessary, but not the pain caused by bumping objects accidently, which should be avoided as much as possible.
This makes me think of how we feel about being called out as hypocrites. Being people of God, we should know that being hypocrites or sinners isn’t our final identity. We are given opportunities to step into a process of changing and becoming each day. It certainly sucks when our feelings and pride get hurt. However, if certain hurting is going to help us to live authentically and truthfully like having physical therapy after a surgery, wouldn’t it be worth it to go through any necessary pain to become a little more like Christ?
In Luke 9:23, Jesus told his disciples to carry their own cross. That’s the same cross we are asked to carry, the same one Simon carried behind Jesus in Luke 23:26. What a privilege we have to walk behind Jesus, carrying the cross that gives eternal life and humbles us.
Didn’t Jesus also say that only those who were not healthy need a doctor in Luke 5:31? If we focus on the wrongs of others, we act like hypocrites by denying our needs for healing. If we live a self-centered life, we are deceiving ourselves that we don’t need to carry the cross like hypocrites do. “Sin no more. Your faith has saved you." These words that Jesus used to say are for us to hear each day so that we may not lose faith to live authentically and truthfully.
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May your coming week be blessed by God’s grace
As together we explore the intersection between faith and daily life
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