The Building Blocks of Worship
The seventh chapter of Luke paints one of the most beautiful pictures of worship and adoration found in the Scriptures. If we look closely we find some essential building blocks for a worshipping church.
Simon, the Pharisee, must have been excited and a little nervous that Jesus had accepted his invitation to come to his house for dinner. The fact that someone of Jesus' stature and fame would be visiting with him would not go unnoticed by the religious community. The real payoff, though, would come from the common people who followed the miraculous. Their recognition would insure Simon's influence in the city.
Jesus arrived and all seemed to be going well as dinner and conversation flowed at a leisurely pace-until the arrival of an uninvited guest. A woman "who had lived a sinful life" (7) somehow found her way into the house and stood behind Jesus. At first no one noticed her, but then she crumbled at Jesus feet and began crying-just a little at first, but it grew into weeping and then sobbing.
Suddenly, she broke open a jar of perfume and began pouring it on Jesus' feet and wiping them with her hair. Then she started kissing them. Simon couldn't believe Jesus was allowing this woman to touch him like that. And it almost appeared as if Jesus was enjoying it! Just then, Jesus broke through the uneasiness and said, "Simon, I have something to tell you." Jesus proceeded to tell a story about two men who had debts canceled by a moneylender-one man had a large debt and the other a small one. Jesus finished with a question, "Now which of them will love him more?"
A few in the room thought Jesus was just being polite, you know, trying to make conversation in hopes that no one would notice a crying, sobbing, wet-haired woman of ill-repute smelling up the room with the scent of Nard. But Simon, unnerved by the question, began to sense that Jesus was up to something. Simon tried to sound convinced. "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled," he said.
Jesus looked directly at Simon. "Simon, do you see this woman?" he asked. The room grew tense. The disciples who were with Jesus had heard that tone before. He was about to bring the hard truth to Simon, and suddenly everyone was listening intently.
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This is the debut album by EXW friend Paul Langford. Paul is a Chicago based singer, arranger, keyboardist, producer and conductor. Paul has a career that spans 14 years. Paul's work includes arranging for groups like GLAD, Voices of Liberty, VoiceTrek, The Chicago based "Caroling Party" and Day of Discovery Singers. His arranging has appeared on recordings side by side with greats like Gene Puerling and David Maddux, and he has sung with Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman and Bob Bowker, among others.