06/30 – Galatians 2:15-21 – 3:10-14 – Two Kinds of Righteousness

Old Testament: 1 Kings 19:9-18

Elijah went into a cave and spent the night. Then the Lord came to him and spoke. He asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He answered, “Lord God of Armies I have eagerly served you. The Israelites have abandoned your promises, torn down your altars, and executed your prophets. I am the only one left and they’re trying to take my life.”

God said, “Go out and stand in front of the Lord on the mountain.” As the Lord was passing by a fierce wind tore mountains and shattered rocks ahead of the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a quiet whispering voice. When Elijah heard it he wrapped his face in his coat went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then the voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He answered, “Lord God of Armies I have eagerly served you. The Israelites have abandoned your promises, torn down your altars, and executed your prophets. I am the only one left and they’re trying to take my life.”

The Lord told him, “Go back to the wilderness near Damascus, the same way you came. When you get there, anoint Hazael {haz-AY-el} as king of Aram. Anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi {NIM-she}, as king of Israel. And anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat {SHAY-fat}, from Abel Meholah {MA-ho-la} as prophet to take your place. If anyone escapes from Hazael’s sword, Jehu will kill him. If anyone escapes from Jehu’s sword, Elisha will kill him. But I still have 7,000 people in Israel whose knees have not knelt to worship Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Epistle Reading: Galatians 2:16-21; 3:10-14

We know that people don’t receive God’s approval by any effort to follow the Law in the Scriptures, but only by believing in Jesus Christ. So we also believed in Jesus Christ in order to receive God’s approval by faith in Christ and not by our own efforts. People won’t receive God’s approval by their own efforts.

If we, the same people who are searching for God’s approval in Christ, are still sinners does that mean that Christ serves sinners? That is unthinkable! If I rebuild something that I’ve torn down, I admit that I was wrong to tear it down. When I tried to obey the Law in the Scriptures those laws killed me. As a result I live in a relationship with God. I have been crucified with Christ. I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I now live I live by believing in God’s Son, who loved me and took the punishment for my sins. I don’t reject God’s kindness. If we receive God’s approval by obeying the laws in the Scriptures, then Christ’s death was pointless.

Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts because Scripture says, “The one who does not obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.” No one receives God’s approval by obeying the laws in Moses’ Teachings since, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.” These laws have nothing to do with faith but, “Whoever obeys laws will live because he obeys them.”

Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that the Law in Moses’ Teachings bring, by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.” Christ paid the price so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Jesus Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Gospel Reading: Luke 7:36-49

One of the Pharisees [named Simon] invited Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went to the Pharisee’s house and was eating at the table. A woman who lived a sinful life in that city found out that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she took a bottle of perfume and knelt at his feet. She was crying and washed his feet with her tears. Then she dried his feet with her hair, kissed them over and over again, and poured the perfume on them.

The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and thought, “If this man really were a prophet he would know what sort of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner.”

Jesus spoke up, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

Simon replied, “Teacher, you’re free to speak.”

Jesus said, “Two men owed a moneylender some money. One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. When they could not pay it back, he was kind enough to cancel their debts. Now, who do you think will love him the most?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the largest debt canceled.”

Jesus said to him, “You are right!” Then, turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “You see this woman, don’t you? I came into your house. Gave me no water to wash my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn’t give me a kiss, but ever since I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put any olive oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. That is why I am telling you that her many sins have been forgiven. Her great love proves that, but whoever receives little forgiveness loves very little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

The other guests thought, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace!”