As we learned last week, confession without humility is an exercise in futility. Confession admits that we are imperfect, that we've failed others, we've failed God, and we've failed ourselves too. Confession is an honest cry for help. We confess our personal failings, and we confess the failures of our community too. The beauty of our Christian faith is that honest confession brings genuine forgiveness. "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". 1 John 1:9
This Sunday we return to our study in the book of Luke, and specifically the passage from last week. Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth. When He spoke during the Sabbath service everyone applauded. They were thrilled He was so well spoken. "Look at Joseph's son, He's all grown up!" But when what Jesus said challenged their comfortable understanding of God and how God was at work in the world, blood pressures started to rise. But by the end of the service they wanted to throw Him out of town and off the hill.
Are we ready for Jesus? Are we ready to have Him disturb us, challenge us, change us? If not, when He speaks our blood pressure will certainly rise. Jesus is not pulling any punches. The stakes are too high. He loves us too much to let us comfortably destroy our lives.
