3. A RELATIONSHIP OF GRACE & FORGIVENESS
Read Matthew 18:15-22
"Peter came to Jesus and asked: "Lord, how often should I FORGIVE SOMEONE WHO SINS AGAINST ME? Seven times?"
"No, not seven times", Jesus said, "but seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21&22 (NLT)
FORGIVENESS IS NOT EASY! It means, even if a person has hurt us, we need be like Jesus, who as MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS. Sometimes it can be EXTREMELY HARD!
"Everyone thinks FORGIVENESS is a lovely idea until they have something to FORGIVE." C.S Lewis
But because of what Jesus did for us on the CROSS. It reminds us how costly and painful forgiveness can be. It doesn't mean we have to "approve of what people do", or "excuse" their behaviour; We definetley may not be able tp pretend that we are not HURT; we too can be willing to FORGIVE OTHERS, and "cultivate a loving relationship towards others", because this is what that Jesus did for us. This is what RECONCILIATION, FORGIVENESS and GRACE means!
"In your personal relationships, lay aside MALICE, REVENGE AND RETRIBUTION, to show MERCY AND GRACE to the person who has hurt you. Lord, help us to use our freedom to LOVE follow the example of JESUS." Nicky Gumble
4. JESUS LOVED THE INVISIBLE
Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 9:9-13
When Jesus came to the town of Jericho that day he did the "unthinkable" - He went to the home of Zaccheaus, a Tax Collector. After meeting with Jesus Zaccheaus was a different person. He gave money to the poor and paid back money he had exhorted. He was now LOVED by the people in town.
"Jesus put his hand on Zaccheaus shoulder and disappeared into his house. This was a radical message of Jesus' love and understanding. He was never elected mayor but he captured the heart of his town. Jesus said: "Today, salvation came to this house." Gary Boyd
Jesus saw something in Zaccheus that no one else had, and this is the same for every outcast that Jesus loves. "Being invisible" means that you are othen "pushed to the edge". In the Gospels, we read that Jesus hung around many fisherman, shepherds, women, and people dealing with "health issues".
"When He saw the crowds He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a Shepherd." Matthew 9:36 (NIV)
He has compassion for the those who FEEL ALONE, with "deep tenderness", and endeavours to relieve their suffering. JESUS MODELS TRUE LOVE AND KINDNESS FOR US!
5. JESUS HAD NO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Read John 4
Jesus walked annd talked with many people from different races. He took his disciples to different towns, where the Samaritans and others were not always accepted by Jews. Many men a women were accepted by Jesus, because of their FAITH, even though they may have been Greek or Roman cultures.
"Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did."...... They said to the woman: "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we heard it for ourselves. Now we know that He indeed is the Saviour of the world." John 4:39&42 (NLT)
Jesus crossed the "racial boundaries" and people trusted this Jewish Rabbi who served them, and met their needs. Jesus invited anyone to come and have a RELATIONSHIP with Him.
6. JESUS MADE FRIENDS WITH HIS EVERYONE
Read 5:43-48
"You have heard that it was said, "You shall LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF and hate your enemy." But I say to you, "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES and bless those who curse you. DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU. DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO SPIRITUALLY USE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU." Matthew 5:43&44 (NKJV)
You can tell a lot about Jesus by His CHOICE OF FRIENDS. He often accepted dinner invitations with tax collectors, social outcasts and people of other races. But the "pious Jewish relifious folks" felt uncomfortable when He associated with these people. The average people liked being with Jesus:
* Prostitutes.
* Fishermen
* Women and Children
* Roman centurions
* Those with leprosy and othher diseases
* Tax Collectors.
* Samaritans
* A few religious leaders - Nicodemus.
He went to dinner in people's homes, He wept at funerals, He invited people to meet with Him and get to know Him, He taught them and he healed them. He encouraged people to have a RELATIONSHIP with Him; as a CLOSE FRIEND!
Jesus always had the same amout of time for everyone. He was NEVER IN A HURRY! He always took notice of PEOPLE'S NEEDS. Jesus reached out to the POOR and those who were "STARVED FOR THE HUMAN TOUCH". It felt good to to be LOVED BY JESUS!
Children loved Him, and so did their parents. He was TENDER, MERCIFUL AND PATIENT with them all. He bent down and met them face to face, and would take time to sit with them. No wonder people FOLLOW HIM - HE REALLY LOVED THEM and took TIME to be with them.
7. JESUS WELCOMES WOMEN
Read John 8:1-11;
"When Jesus had raised Himself up; He saw no one but a woman. He said to her: "Where are these accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
She said: "No Lord."
And Jesus said: "Go, and sin no more." John 8:10&11 (NKJV)
To be a woman in Jesus' day it meant you were invisible:
* You had no right or were allowed to be a witness in court.
* You had no inheritance, and you the propety of a husband or a father or brother.
* You didn't have an education - never being taught to read, and your opinions didn't matter.
But Jesus BROKE THE CHAINS that held WOMEN IN BONDAGE. Some of His closest friends were women: Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene, and of course his Mother Mary. He refused to treat them as inferior and he RESPECTED THEIR NEEDS.
Jesus listened to both Jewish and Gentile women - He saw them as beautiful, quiet women of FAITH, praising their WORKS. Women were LOVED BY JESUS, and they meant the world to Him.
a) MARY MAGDALENE
Mary was LONELY, DEPRESSED, ASHAMED AND AFRAID. Her life was a complete wreck, surrounded by trials - prostitution and abuse. Then someone came into her life - JESUS!
Filled with JOY, LIFE and ENCOURAGEMENT, many spent most of her time FOLLOWING HIM.
Mary helped prepared Jesus' body for his burial after his crucifixian, and she was the first woman to come to the grave on the day of his RESURRECTION. John tells Mary's story at His grave - alone and weeping, she meets with Jesus. HER CALLS HER BY NAME!
"Jesus said to her: "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?"
She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you laid Him, and I will takw Him away."
Jesus said to her: "MARY!" John20:15&16 (NKJV)
Mary heard his voice, and her world went from despair to JOY. He came to her, He loved her, amd she knew that He would mever abandon her.
"Jesus is very fond of you and LOVES YOU too. You don't have to earn it, and you will never lose it. He will never stop loving you even if you make bad choices, because of His GRACE AND MERCY. Let God LOVE YOU, even when you are weeping." Max Lucado
"The Lord is MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, slow to anger and ABOUNDING IN LOVE...For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so GREAT IS HIS LOVE for those who fear Him....a father has compassion on His children, SO THE LORD HAS COMPASSION on those who fear Him." Psalm 103:8, 11&13 (NIV)
2. JESUS LOVED HIS MUM, MARY.
In many stories of Jesus, you will always find MARY - HIS MUM! She was always there at the most important times of his life. She was there at His first MIRACLLES, His TEACHINGS and at the CROSS, when most of his disciples, except maybe John had left Him. He had made arrangements with John to take care of her after he was crucified.
"Near the CROSS OF JESUS stood His mother, his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw HIS MOTHER there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, he said to her, "Woman, her is your own son", and to the disciple, "Here is your mother". From that time, this disciple took her into his home." John 19:25-27 (NIV)'
But this wasn't the last time she saw Him. She still met her RESURRECTED SON with the other disciples. NO WONDER JESUS LOVED HER!! No wonder JESUS LOVES US!
"THE HOLY BIBLE - NEW KING JAMES VERSION" - 1982, Thomas Nelson
"THE HOLY BIBLE - NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION" - 2011, Biblica
"THE HOLY BIBLE - NEW LIVING TRANSLATION" - 2015, Tyndale House Foundation
LEWIS, C.S, "Mere Christianity", 2012, William Collins
GUMBEL, Nicky, "Why Does God Allow Suffering?/Searching Issues" - The Bible in One Year, (2009/2026), Alpha International/You Version
BOYD, Gary, "Jesus Loved the Invisible", 2024, He Gets Us/You Tube
LUCADO, Max, "Stand On the Promises of God's Love", 2020, Gateway/You Tube
"Zaccheaus Was a Wee Little Man", 2013, Carol Tornquist (Author)TrikeBabe/YouTube
"Mary Magdalene - "At the Tomb - A ForeShadowing" - 2024, The Chosen, Season 4/ You Tube
"Jesus and His Mother" - 2024, The Chosen - Season 4/You Tube
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