We All Fall Short Of he Glory of God!

Point of Clarity! The Gospel, I am referring to this morning, refers to “sinners.”  I want to clarify my issue with the term. “Sinners” is a very misunderstood term; and over used term among the human race.  So I decided to looked up its synonyms!  “Malefactor” came up as one more to the point of what scripture might mean by the term.

According to Biblical Scholars, a sinner is “one that misses the mark” when it comes to living up to the image of God.  

A malefactor is “one who commits an offense against the law.”

1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." 3 So he told them this parable:

Scandal of Scandals!  Jesus associates with those who don’t meet the standards of the high-and-mighty!  

So the “righteous””grumbled, in discussed, at the likes of tax collectors and sinners being in Jesus' presence.

I wonder, who is it that we would grumble about, that Jesus would dare to share a meal?  Who are those, in our culture today, that pop into our minds a “sinner?”  Unworthy of being accepted in Jesus’ presence?

Jesus gives us this pointed example of God.  God is like the Shepherd who knows his sheep so well that he knows how afraid and alone a lost sheep is. And how that sheep would act when separated from the flock.   Within the safety of the flock, he might bleat, yell out, when in destress.  However, when outside the safety of the flock, in a strange environment he, might instead, lay down and hide in the surrounding brush.  In fear of the strange dangers that could harm him.  Immobilized by fear.  However a faithful  shepherd is the sheeps hope.  One who will search and search to bring him back to the flock.  

That is how God cares for those who are lost and afraid , even in todays large world.  That is the God  Jesus came to bring to this earth. A world so full of people, all to willing to place labels those that are lost and alone. Jesus says a resounding no to such judgment.  

The God Jesus came to bring is a God willing and able to go the full distance to find the lost and hurting.   Going to the ends of the universe to help them understand his compassion and mercy.

Unfortunately, that precious point seemed lost on the egos of some.  There are still those, who want us to believe, that God only loves us -- accepts us -- when we follow all the rules.  Dotting every i and crossing every t!  Otherwise we fail!  And God just washes his hand of us!

Well, think about this!  Neither the sheep nor the coin can repent.  

The issue is, as usual, much more complicated than the so called righteous minds want to deal with.  The parable, a multi-pointed story, is not to call sinners to repentance.  But to invite the so-called-“righteous,” who find God’s mercy offensive, to change their misconception of the label sinner.  And more to the point, their misguide interpretation of God’s Grace. 

What we are hearing, in these two little parables, is about God’s true nature.  And how God deals with each and every one of us.

It is not about who is malefactor.  Nor about repentance! It is about a God who created a human being that cannot possibly live up to the image of God.  And yet, who has for centuries pretended to do so!

Luther’s interpretation of the “depth of human sin-fullness:” is eye opening:  

“Human arrogance that attempts to justify oneself before God.”

Luther is clear about the impossibility of “living up to”  God.  He is also clear about this thing call “grace.”  That is he is clear about the fact that  our only hope before God was, indeed is,  not following a set of well defined rules for our behavior and our living.  

But that our hope, our blessing, was/is through faith.  Faith that God loves each of us in ways that go fare beyond our limited imaginations. Or all of our ageless traditions! 

I will suggest here that the questions is not who is the malefactor.  Or who is lost!   But how we believe God handles the offense.  That is, How God responds to prideful, and arrogant, assessment of others as “less”, or “unworthy.”  Putting oneself in the place of judgement and/or the realm of self righteousness!   As if!  As if we could dare to justify ourselves, before our all-knowing God, as anything but malefactors.  Never quite living up to what God created us to be.  His image!

We, you and I, live right along side of the tax collectors. And, as a matter of fact, all the other so-called-low-life of the world. Altogether, standing or sitting, striped naked before God’s gracious mercy. 

So, I am thinking that the question is:  Where do we go from here?  

Answer: 

When we can place our ego-filled-pride, and arrogance, along side any of those we name as malefactors.

When we can say what Paul writes in his letter to young Timothy:

12 I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost.(1 Tim. 1)

That is one extraordinary, very personal, admission of a malefactor, from one who knew first hand the grace and forgiveness offered to each of us no matter our malefactor-fulness.  

               Absolutely no buts!

    None!

Because!  Because those who find God’s mercy, to another, offensive may well exclude themselves from God’s grace.

Did you Get that?

I quote:  “The Scribes and Pharisees who claim righteousness (Luther would call it arrogance).  Put themselves outside the circle of divine grace; by the way they grumble at Jesus’ fellowship with sinners.” (Charles Cousar Feasting On The Word) 

That surely invites us to stop and think!

The attitude, the claim, that God’s/Jesus’ mercy is offensive, put those who think so outside the circle of God’s grace. 

That, my friends — or naysayers — is a most powerful word!!!

Who am I?  Who are you? To deny the mercy of God to anyone?

For the saying is absolutely true:  “We all  sin and fall short of the glory of God!”

21 But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 

23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 

24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,(Rom. 3)

The grace is!  God is understanding, loving and forgiving!

God rejoices in our mustard-seed-faith!

      

         Our mustard-seed strength to follow in his ways!

1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." 3 So he told them this parable: 4 "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 "Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”(Lk. 15)