Saturday 24 October 2015

Ten words that changed a life

 Every morning Jesus went to the temple to pray
Every morning he did the very same: there He prayed
The Pharisees sought to test Him: test His knowledge
Asked questions of Him: tried to trick Him you see
To search for any weakness: to bring Him down
They brought before Him an adulteress: caught in the act
Questioned Him about the laws of the land: planned
To catch Him out: wanted to make Him condemn himself
He answered not: started writing in the sand: His hand
Wrote their deepest sins: showed them they could not win
He saw absolutely everything: showed He truly was their King
Then slowly he turned to them and very quietly said...
"He that is without sin among you: let him first cast a stone at her"
They skulked away as they had come: first they were loud: then glum
They were silenced: rebuked by the power of God's Son
When Jesus asked her if there were any to accuse her
She looked up and replied that there were none
"Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more!"
Ten amazing words that changed a poor woman's life

Why was Jesus so lenient? Why did He allow her to go free?
It was written in the commandments: "Thou shalt not commit adultery!"

Jesus had healed Simon the Pharisee of leprosy
Simon thought to repay His blessed generosity
Invited God's blessed Son to a wonderful feast
A woman came to the feast: uninvited you see
She washed Jesus' feet with her tears as she cried
Anointed Him with precious oils and kissed his feet
Dried them with her hair: honoured Him for His love
Simon was angry that she should do these things
For she was known as a great sinner all about the place
How could Jesus allow her to anoint even his feet: he cried?
The parable Jesus told was about the two debtors
They owed their master money: one 50 the other 500
They were both forgiven for their debts and Jesus asked
"Which of these loved their master the most?"
"The one who was forgiven the greater debt" Simon replied
The lesson was to teach Simon about his own sins
He who thought himself above the other: holier than her
Was shown that he was wrong: that it was not so
Judge not for in reality: one was in no wise better
No, not at all: each was guilty of sinning: truly!
Jesus told Simon that when he arrived he was...
Not greeted with a kiss of welcome at the door...
Nor was the dust of the road washed from his tired feet...
Anointing oil was not poured out upon his blessed head...
These traditions were accepted everywhere in those days
Yet: all these things were done by the sinful woman
All these things were poured out unto the visitor
Not by the Lord of the household but by the sinful woman

Jesus knew what Simon was thinking: knew his mind
Knew all about the sins he hid inside: in his pride
He looked down upon her for she was a terrible sinner
He was a Pharisee: a Holy man of his people: supposedly

Simon was Mary's uncle: a relative of Lazarus and Martha too
Jesus knew them all from the little town of Bethany
Had been welcomed there by the whole extended family
Had feasted with them all in honour it was true: as was His due
When Martha complained that Mary wasn't helping prepare the food
Jesus knew how much Mary wanted to learn about God: taught her
Told Martha to leave her to her lessons for she was blessed

Simon was Mary's uncle and led her into sin: adultery
Then thought himself holier: better than she: ah the irony
Because of him she lost everything: her good name: her family
She was forced to leave the town: seek her fortune elsewhere
But word travelled fast in the old territory: she was destitute
Had nothing left but her body: so she had to become a prostitute!

Jesus in His mercy had pardoned her sins: in her deep love and sorrow
She knew that he was the messiah: knew that he would die soon
She bought the most expensive oil to anoint Him with
She washed His feet with her tears: anointed Him with that precious oil
Then wiped his feet with her hair: honoured Him with her love
Ah was there a more precious way to bless our Lord from above?

Jesus wanted to pierce Simon's heart: prick his conscience
Thus he allowed him to pronounce his own sentence upon himself
With the parable of the two debtors: Jesus made his point
Simon felt more righteous than Mary: though he was at fault
Finally Simon began to see himself in a new light: as a sinner
Jesus read her heart of love and devotion to him: saw her full story
Simon wanted people to only see his side of everything: unfair
Simon rejected her: after he ruined her life: caused her strife
Yet still he felt he was above her: his holier than thou attitude
Jesus knew from the very start: for Jesus saw into his very heart
He had to show Simon the error of his ways: had to guide him 
Simon became a great disciple of Jesus afterwards: God be praised!

How many of us do this today?
Think we are better than the next person...
When in fact we are all sinners...
Not one is better than the other...
When compared to Jesus: we all fall short...

Ah to hear those blessed words pronounced
"Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more"
Ten wonderful words that changed a woman's life
Allow Jesus to forgive you your sins and...

Go and sin no more...

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