A Note From Rob ...

     The Gospel lesson this week is one most have heard before. It is the story of something that happened at the temple. Two men were present.

     One seemed to be the kind of man most churches would want as a member. After all, he fasted, he gave ten percent of his earnings, he prayed as seen by his presence in the temple. Logic concludes he was faithful in other areas as well.

     The other was a tax collector. Not to be mistaken for a government employee we know as an IRS agent. He was different. He was on commission, sort of. He had a quota to turn in to Rome. Anything he collected over that quota he was free to keep. Corruption ran as high as disdain for a man in his profession.

     Jesus tells us one left the Temple in a right relationship with God. He turns the tables and announces that the Tax Collector was the one praised as the most holy.

     Those who thought they were too sick for redemption heard good news. If a Tax Collector could be in a right relationship with God then there was hope for them. The malady was curable.

     Those who thought they were too good to need salvation heard good news as well. Like someone in a Doctor’s office getting the results of a test that showed a life threatening malady but with a change in attitude and action could be reversed, the malady did not need to be fatal.

     The common denominator was both went to the Doctor’s office, aka the Temple.

     This Sunday the Great Physician will be in. Pseudo Saints, Professional Sinners and all in between will be there to receive healing for sin sick souls. Won’t you join us?

RETURN