The New life In Christ: I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse. Deuteronomy 11:26.

For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe. Deuteronomy 10:17.

These things you have done and I have been silent; you thought that I was one just like yourself.

But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you. Psalm 50:21.

“I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. Revelation 22:12. Amen.

The New life In Christ: You serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Isaiah 58:3.

Is not this fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

Then…the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. 

If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. Isaiah 58:6-10.Amen.

The New life In Christ: Listen to me…for a teaching will go out from me. Isaiah 51:4.

Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many. Isaiah 51:2.

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11.

I am the LORD; in its time I will accomplish it quickly. Isaiah 60:22. Amen.

The New life In Christ: Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” Job 2:10.

“How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of Almighty.

For he wounds, but he binds up;

He strikes, but his hands heal. Job 5:17-18.

We have searched this out; it is true. Job 5:27. Amen.

The New Life In Christ: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Acts 9:5.

Because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money!     

For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness. You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. Acts 8:20-23.

Amen.

The New life In Christ: “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him-that she is a sinner.” Luke 7:39.

Jesus spoke up…”A certain creditor had two debtors; the owed five hundred denarii, the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.”

And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

“Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love.

But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And said…”Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:40-50.

Jesus compares Simon's acts as a host to the sinful woman's acts of love.

Simon's Acts	The Sinful Woman's Acts
No water to wash feet	Washed feet with tears, wiped with hair
No kiss of welcome	Kissed feet continually
No scented olive oil for his guest's hair	Poured perfume on his feet

Amen.

The New life In Christ: Faith without Works Is Dead.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? …And if you greed only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:46-48.

 He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14: 12-14.

What good is it…if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. James 2:14-17. Amen.