September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12
To sum up this week’s tale of two sinners: If you identify with the sinful woman in Luke 7, just know that you can’t out-sin God’s grace. You can be forgiven. Just come to Him. And if you’re more like Mary, living in close proximity to Christ, never forget that it cost just as much of the blood of Jesus to save you as it would the worst person you know. Furthermore, watch out for the tendency we see in Simon the Pharisee to categorize some people as beyond redemption. The best way to honor our Savior is to love people like He did.
We live in a world of extreme injustice, where some people are simply born behind the eight ball. Jesus encountered two women, one of whom was spiritually privileged while the other was an outcast. Yet both came to Him the same way. At the cross of Jesus, the ground is absolutely level. I’m a pastor, but I come to Him the same way as the prisoner or the prostitute. The Gospel humbles us until we can’t see things in terms of “first class” and “coach.”
In Revelation 7, John sees into the future, and here is what it looks like:
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Imagine what that will be like. No divisions, no petty disputes, no “first class” or “economy.” And no more shame over our sins, either. Just grateful people rejoicing with the One who has redeemed us. You know what? We don’t have to wait. We can start living like that now…in fact, here’s a chance to practice: Holy, Holy, Holy.
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
