Sublime

Jesus had to resent deeply the loss of Jewish national independence and the aggression of Rome.… Natural humiliation was hurting and burning. The balm for that burning humiliation was humility. For humility cannot be humiliated.… Thus he asked his people to learn from him, “For I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. F

Worldly Christians look to God primarily for personal fulfillment. They are saved, but self-centered. They love to attend concerts and enrichment seminars, but you would never find them at a missions conference because they aren’t interested. Their prayers focus on their own needs, blessings, and happiness. It’s a “me-first” faith: How can God make

the intervening years, a religion of the powerful and the dominant, used sometimes as an instrument of oppression, must not tempt us into believing that it was thus in the mind and life of Jesus. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” Wherever his spirit appears, the oppressed gather fresh courage; for he announced the good news that

Jesus was unmistakable: “Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life.”

Mercy triumphs over judgment.

You shall not say, “the burden of the LORD,” 39therefore, I will surely lift you up[75] and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your ancestors. 40And I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace and perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

It is a purification offering. 10The

The Call of Matthew* 9 As Jesus passed on from there,+ he saw a man named Matthew* sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10While he was at table in his house,* many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.+ 11The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does

13Whoever conceals their sinsm does not prosper, but the one who confessesn and renounces them finds mercy.o