A Modern spin on an Old Story – 2nd Example

(Luke 7:41-43 NLT)  Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other.  But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”  Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.”  I received great feedback from the story I shared with you, from Phillip Yancey’s book, “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”  This morning I feel led to share with you another, a story of forgiveness by grace.  But first let me get your heart ready to receive.  In Luke 7 Jesus had dinner with a Pharisee.  While resting in the Pharisee’s home an immoral woman from that city entered with a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.  She knelt at Jesus’ feet, weeping.  Her tears fell on his feet and she wiped them off with her hair.  She then kissed Jesus’ feet and anointed them with the perfume.  When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”  Jesus, knowing his thoughts, went on to teach the lesson I shared with you in the passage provided.  Jesus’ point was that those of us who have been forgiven of much, simply by grace, should be overwhelmingly thankful.  Now let’s get to Yancey’s story.

“An entrepreneur in Los Angeles decides to cash in on the boom in adventure travel. Not all Americans sleep in Holiday Inns and eat at McDonald’s when traveling overseas; some prefer to stray from the beaten path. He gets the idea of touring the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Most of the ancient wonders, he finds, have left no trace. But there is a move underway to restore the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and after a lot of legwork the entrepreneur lines up a charter plane, a bus, accommodations, and a guide who promises to let tourists work alongside the professional archeologists. Just the kind of thing adventure tourists love. He orders up an expensive series of television ads and schedules them during golf tournaments, when well-heeled tourists might be watching.  To finance his dream the entrepreneur has arranged a million-dollar loan from a venture capitalist, calculating that after the fourth trip he can cover operating expenses and start paying back the loan. One thing he has not calculated, however: two weeks before his inaugural trip, Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait and the State Department bans all travel to Iraq, which happens to be the site of the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon. He agonizes for three weeks over how to break the news to the venture capitalist. He visits banks and gets nowhere. He investigates a home-equity loan, which would net him only two hundred thousand dollars, one-fifth of what he needs. Finally, he puts together a plan that commits him to repay five thousand dollars a month the rest of his life. He draws up a contract, and even as he does so, the folly sinks in. Five thousand a month will not even cover the interest on a million-dollar loan. Besides, where will he get the five thousand a month? But the alternative, bankruptcy, would ruin his credit. He visits his backer’s office on Sunset Boulevard, nervously fumbles through an apology, and then pulls out the paperwork for his ridiculous repayment plan. He breaks out in sweat in the air-conditioned office. The venture capitalist holds up a hand to interrupt him. “Wait. What nonsense are you talking about? Repayment?” He laughs. “Don’t be silly. I’m a speculator. I win some, I lose some. I knew your plan had risks. It was a good idea, though, and it’s hardly your fault that a war broke out. Just forget it.” He takes the contract, rips it in two, and tosses it in the paper shredder.”  That’s what God did for us!

So what does this mean to you today?  A few quick things:

1.  You could never get out of the mess Adam got you into (sin and death).

2.  You could never repay God for your sins.  Even if you came up with a plan, it would never work.

3.  God forgave you of your debt by grace and grace alone.  You did not (nor could you) ever earn it.

4.  The more you have been forgiven of, the more thankful you should be!

Closing Confession:  Father, I should be like the woman at Jesus’ feet – because I know how much You have forgiven me of – and I declare that I will.  There is no way I could repay You for my sin and the debt my sin created hung over my head until I received Your Son as Lord and it was forgiven by Your grace.  I did not earn it and I realize I never could.  So now I don’t live my life attempting to earn Your salvation, as if I could somehow work for it.  But I do live my life as a forgiven child, extremely thankful, grateful, and dedicated to honoring You in all I do.  Thank You Father for loving me when I did not deserve it and for forgiving me of a debt I could never repay.  I speak this with sincere gratitude.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!