The Party Crasher

Cornerstone Church July 24, 2005

THE PARTY CRASHER

Luke 7:36-50

The following story is told to Philip Yancey by a friend of his who worked with the downtrodden in Chicago.

“A prostitute came to me in wretched straits, homeless, sick, unable to buy food for her two-year-old daughter. Through sobs and tears, she told me that she had been renting out her daughter– two years old! – to men interested in kinky sex. She made more renting out her daughter for an hour than she could earn on her own for a whole night. She had to do it, she said, to support her drug habit. I could hardly bear hearing her sordid story. For one thing, it made me legally liable – I’m required to report cases of child abuse. I had no idea what to say to this woman.

At last I asked if she ever thought of going to a church for help. I will never forget the look of pure, naïve shock that crossed her face. ‘Church?’ she said. ‘Why would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They’d just make me feel worse.’”

Philip Yancey, pg. 11, WHAT’S SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE?

Dr. Joseph Stowell, Former President of The Moody Bible Institute goes on to say:

“Stories like this shock our grace-protected sensitivities. Yet, even as we recoil from the power of depravity to plunge people to such dark depths, we should be equally struck with this woman’s words about the church. Sadly, her condemning perspective cannot be written off as a distorted view of a down-and-out vagrant. If we look candidly at our churches, we would find too few whose testimony in the community resounds as a place where love prevails, a place known for people who care about each other and about the most despairing in their community.”

Dr. Joseph M . Stowell, pg. 146, LOVING CHRIST: RECAPTURING YOUR PASSION FOR JESUS

This morning we are looking at this Key Question:

HOW GREAT IS YOUR LOVE FOR THE SAVIOR?

As a result of all that God has done for you are you expressing your love back to God in ways that He understands you love HIM? God has a love language!

Are you thankful?

Are you serving HIM?

Are you serving others?

The God of the Bible loves it when the heart of HIS children

are captivated with pure love and praise for HIM.

It is easy for us to lose sight of the fact that He saved us so that we would worship HIM!

He is the Almighty Creator and we are HIS creatures!

The Word of God can help us recalibrate our lives.

This morning We are going to look at one of the powerful sections in the gospel records. It is the account of Jesus’ night at the home of Simon the Pharisee!

I must issue a warning here! This is a penetrating account of what true love and devotion for Christ looks like.

It is convicting!

It should shake us up!

It should wake us up!

WHY IS IT SO CONVICTING?

It is convicting because it points the finger at the Pharisee within all of us! It will expose our hypocrisy and lack of love for the Lord Jesus Christ!

Blood bought, Bible-Believing Christians should be the most thankful people on planet earth!

Neh. 8:10 NIV Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Ps. 47:1-2 NIV Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!

Instead of having a grateful heart, God’s people often manifest an unthankful heart.

Rom. 1:21 NIV For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

A lack of gratitude is the breeding ground for sin! Thanklessness reveals your heart attitude toward God. Do you remember Pastor Jim’s lesson from last week?

He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8 NIV

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FORGET GOD’S SAVING GRACE?

We forget who we are without Christ!

Self-righteousness takes root within our heart!

We think we are better then others around us and yet we do the very same things!

We need to remember that we did NOT get what we deserve! We have received what we do not deserve which is God’s grace and mercy!

THE SETTING

Luke 7:36