Thanks, Pastor Geroge and the congregation for once again granting me the opportunity to come to you this resurrection morning and worship with all of you and preach from God’s word. I am also so grateful and proud of my wife who got to share the message from Psalm 56 earlier today. This is a message she prepared a couple of months ago when Pastor George first assigned her to that task. And since then as we as a couple have been meditating and reflecting on Psalm 56, God has given us many occasions to deeply trust in him in areas of our lives where we clearly don’t have any control. That message has been a blessing to us as a family and I pray it is to you as well.
धन्यवाद् देता हूँ मैं पास्टर जोर्जे और इस कलिस्या को जो मुझे आज आपके साथ प्रभु की आराधना करने और उसके वचन से प्रचार करने का यह सुनहरा अवसर दिया हैं। और मैं बेहत आभारी और गर्व हूँ की मेरी wife आज सुबह बजन संहिता से आप सबसे बात कर पायी। उसने यह वचन करीब दो महीने पहले तैयार किया था जब पास्टर जॉर्ज ने पहले बार यह कर्त्तव्य उसपर सौपा। और तबसे प्रभु हमारे जीवन मैं छप्पनवें बजन संहिता के द्वारा जीवन के कई अनिश्चिताओं मे प्रभु पर अपना आश्रय रखने का सबक सिखा रहा हैं| और मेरी यह प्रार्थना रहेगी की यह भजन आपके जिंदगी मे भी यह कार्य करे।
For our meditation this morning, I want to consider what it means to worship Jesus in Truth. And the reason I bring it up is that Jesus brings it up when he tells us in John chapter 4 verse 23 that the Father is seeking people who will worship Him in truth and spirit. I think often we understand what it means to worship in spirit. It involves a recognition that no true worship can come outside of the indwelling influence of the Holy Spirit. But what we often miss is a good grasp of what it means to worship the Lord in truth.
आज वचन से आपके संग में यह समझने की कोशिश करूंगा की प्रभु येशु मसीह की आराधना सच्चाई मे कैसी करि जाये।और यह जानना आवश्यक इसलिए हैं क्यूंकि प्रभु हमसे यूहन्ना रचीत सुसमाचार चौथी अध्याय के तेइसवे वचन मैं कहता हैं की वह अपने लिए ऐसे आराधको की खोज मे हैं जो उसकी आराधना आत्मा और सच्चाई से करेंगे। हम मैं से कई यह समझते हैं की प्रभु की आराधना आत्मा मैं कैसी करि जाये। पर जब प्रभु की आराधना सच्चाई मे करने की बात आती हैं तो कई बार हम पवित्र वचन की गहराइयों से यह बता नहीं पाते की यह कैसा किया जाये।
But there is a singularly beautiful and amazing story in the Gospels where Jesus shows us what it means to worship him in truth. This story is also unique in that it is mentioned in all four of the Gospels. And two of those times, Jesus is recorded to have said that wherever the Gospel is preached, this story will be told.
परंतु प्रभु के सुसमाचार मे एक ऐसा सुनहरा कहानी हैं जहा येशु महिस हमे सिखाता हैं की उसकी आराधना सच्चाई में किस प्रकार से की जाये। यह कहानी इस कारण भी अनोखा है की इसका उल्लेख चारो सुसमाचारों में किया गया हैं। और उन चार उल्लेखों में से दो बार प्रभु येशु मसीह यह कहता हैं की जहा जहा सुसमाचार सुनाया जाये वहा वहा इस कहानी को भी सुनाया जाये।
Now I know Pastor George, and I know that he is running a Gospel preaching church here. So it is my privilege that I get to obey Jesus’ words today and teach from this story to this congregation. And for this will you turn with me to the Gospel of Luke Chapter 7:36-50
मैं यह जनता हूँ की पास्टर जॉर्ज यहा एक ऐसी कलीसिया चला रहे है जहा सुसमाचार का प्रचार बार बार होता है और इस कारण यह मेरी इच्छा हैं की प्रभु मसीह के जीवन मे घटा यह कहानी मैं आपके सम्मुख प्रस्तुत कर पाऊँ। और जिनके पास बाइबिल हैं वे कृपा करके मेरे साथ लुका रचित सुसमाचार के सातवीं अध्याय के छतीसवे वचन मे आये। मैं पहले अंग्रेजी में पडूंगा।
I will first read in English:
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
[READ IN HINDI]
यह प्रभु का वचन हैं। This is God’s word.
Narrative Summary:
So what is happening in this text that we just read. Jesus has been invited to the house of a prominent Pharisee, a teacher of the law. The passage also tells us that this Pharisee, his name is Simon. And when we read the same story in the other Gospels, we also learn that Simon used to be a leper.
इस वचन में जो हमने पड़ा क्या हो रहा हैं। हम देकते है की प्रभु येशु एक प्रमुख यहूदी धार्मिक नेता के न्योते पर उसके घर खाना खाने जाता हैं। यह वचन हमें यह भी बताता हैं की इस धार्मिक नेता का नाम साइमन हैं। और जब हम एहि कहानी दुसरे सुसमाचारों मे पड़ते है तो हम यह जान पाते हैं की यह साइमन एक कुष्ठ रोगी हुआ करता था।
Now as a leper, despite his high standing in the society because of being a Pharisee, Simon was most likely shunned from the community when he contracted the disease. He couldn’t enter his own house. He couldn’t enter his own town. And as long as he was a leper he had to remain far away from all human contact, even his own family, always staying outside his own town. Church tradition says that Simon the pharisee lived this horrible life due to his leprosy, till one day he was healed by Jesus. It is because of Jesus that Simon is finally able to go back to his house, his family, and his old life of honor and respect as a Pharisee. And this dinner invitation that Jesus received from Simon was in order to honor Jesus for this favor upon Simon and his family.
एक कुष्ट रोगी होने के कारण समाज में एक उचा स्थान होने के बावजूद साइमन का समाज से बहिष्ख़ार हुआ होगा। क्यूंकि इस समय कोड़ी का अपने ही घर, परिवार और शहर में प्रवेश का अधिकार नहीं हुआ करता था। जब थक वह कोड़ी था तब थक वह किसी और मनुष्य के तरफ ना आ सकता था और अपने ही गांव या शहर के बहरी इलाकों मे रहने को मजबूर था। कलीसिया का इतिहास हमें यह सिखाता है की साइमन इस प्रकार की बेइज्जती की जीवन जीने को तब तक मजदूर था जब एक दिन प्रभु येशु मसीह ने उसे कोड से चंगाई दी। इस चंगाई के कारण साइमन अपने परिवार और घर को वापस जा सखा। और अपने पुरानी सम्मान और ठाट वाली जीवन फिर से बिताने लगा। और यह खाने का न्योता जो प्रभु येशु को साइमन से मिला वह उसके कोड से चंगाई करने के कारण मिला।
Then we meet in this story a woman. Luke does not tell what this woman’s name is. He does not tell us where she is from or what her relationship with Jesus is. But he tells us two things about her: 1. She was a woman of the city. And 2. She was a sinner. From this, we can conclude, like Simon probably concluded that this woman was more than likely a prostitute. A woman who sold her body for the pleasure of others in the city. We don’t know how she gained entrance into this house or how she was able to approach Jesus, but as we read she did approach Jesus who was sitting for dinner as an honored guest of Simon’s.
एक दुसरे व्यक्ति जिससे हमारी इस कहानी में पहचान होती हैं वह एक बेनाम औरत है। लुका हमें उसका नाम नहीं बताता और ना एह बताता है की उसका मसीह से कया तालूक है। परंतु लुका हमें इस स्त्री के बारे में दो चीज़ बताता है। एक की वह एक बढे शहर से आयी है। और दो की वह एक पापी है। इतने से हम यह निष्कर्ष निकाल सकते है की यह औरत एक वेश्या है। एक ऐसी औरत जो दूसरो को अपना शरीर बेचती हे। साइमन जिसके घर में अभी येशु है और जो येशु के नजदीक ही बैठा था उसको भी इस बात की भनक लग जाती हैं।
And on approaching Jesus, this woman falls at Jesus’ feet, tears coming down her eyes, falling on his feet which she hurriedly wipes away with her hair. And then she goes on to open a very expensive bottle of ointment, and after kissing Jesus’ feet she starts anointing it with this ointment.
मसीह के पास आने पर यह औरत जमीन में गिर कर प्रभु के चरणों को अपने आसुओ से पोछने लगी। और फिर उसने एक बेहत महंगे सुगंदीद तेल को ले कर प्रभु येशु मसीह के चरणों का अभिषेक किया।
Jesus’ issue with Simon:
But on seeing this woman of loose moral values being allowed to anoint Jesus, Simon the Pharisee, the man whom Jesus had healed from leprosy, grumbled under his breath. For he wondered what kind of Prophet would allow a woman of such reputation to touch him in such a public setting. Simon was repulsed on witnessing this action. After all, he would never allow a woman of such reputation to come anywhere near him. And he wondered: What kind of Rabbi Jesus is that he allowed this woman to come near him?
पर जब साइमन ने इस नीच चलन वाली औरत को ऐसे प्रभु मसीह के साथ देखा तो उसने अपने मन ही मन कहा की येशु किस तरह का भविष्यवक्ता है की वह यह भी नहीं समझ पा रहा हैं की यह औरत एक वैश्या है। साइमन खुद तो कभी भी ऐसी एक औरत को अपने आस पास भी नहीं आनी देगा। उसने सोचा होगा किस तरह का प्रचारक है यह येशु जो इस पापी औरत को अपने समीप आने दिया।
And while Simon is thinking this in his heart, Jesus presents Simon with a parable, a story, as we just read, in which a rich man forgives the debt of two people. To one he forgives 500 denarii and to the other he forgives 50. After telling this story Jesus asks which of the two loves the rich man more. To which Simon responds, suppose the one for whom the greater amount was forgiven.
जब साइमन इन बातो पर अपने मन ही मन विचार कर रहा था तब येशु ने उसके मन के विचारो को समज कर एक दृष्टांत सुनाया जिसमे एक अमीर व्यक्ति दो लोगो की कर्जो को माफ़ करता हैं. एक का वह पांच सौ देणारी का कर्जा माफ़ करर्ता हैं और दुसरे व्यक्ति का वह पचास देणारी का कर्जा माफ़ करता हैं। यह दृष्टांत बताने के बात यीशु साइमन से यह पूछता है की इन दो कर्जदारों मे से कौन इस आमिर व्यक्ति से ज्यादा प्रेम करता होगा। साइमन ने तुरंत कहा की जिसका ज्यादा कर्जा माफ़ हुआ होगा वही उससे ज्यादा प्रेम करता होगा।
What is Jesus’ issue with Simon here? What is Jesus trying to show Simon and us here? Why do Simon and Jesus have such a vast difference in opinion about what the woman is doing?
प्रभु येशु मसीह यहाँ साइमन को क्या सीखाना चाह रहा हैं ?
See if you look at it carefully, Simon and the woman are attempting to do the same thing. They are both attempting to honor Jesus. Simon does this by inviting Jesus to his house for a meal, by placing him in an honorable position in his house. Simon is throwing a dinner party in Jesus’ honor. And in doing so Simon is saying, “look at me I am a very reputed Pharisee, and now I am honoring this Rabbi Jesus”. But on the other hand, the woman comes to Jesus crying. She knows she doesn’t deserve to be in the presence of Jesus. But she is there because she is desperate and she has nowhere else to go. And then she opens what is probably the most expensive item she owns, a bottle of expensive ointment, and devotes it to the worship of Jesus. She gives her everything for the worship of Jesus.
अगर आप ध्यान दे तो आप यह पाएंगे की दोनों साइमन और पापी स्त्री एक ही कार्य करने की कोशिश में हैं। दोनों मसीह येशु का सम्मान करने में लगे हुए हैं। इसी कारण साइमन येशु को अपने घर में बुला कर एक सम्मानपूर्ण स्थान दिया और खाना खिलाया। यह करकर साइमन अपना थोड़ा सम्मान उठा कर प्रभु येशु को देता हैं। परंतु इस औरत का खुद का कोई सम्मान नहीं हैं और इस कारण वह येशु के सम्मुख रोते हुए आती हैं। वह जानती हैं की वह येशु के आस पास भी होने के लायक नहीं हैं। पर वह यहाँ इसलिए आयी हुई हैं क्यूंकि उसके पास कोई और उपाय नहीं हैं। वह प्रभु को सम्मान देने हेतु अपना कुध का सम्मान, धन सब कुछ निछावर कर देती हैं।
Simon is honoring Jesus, just like he would have honored any doctor who would have healed him from his leprosy. If you had a disease today, and a doctor healed you completely from it, you would probably throw dinner in his honor at your home. You would cook great food for him. You would seat him at the front of the table. And you would even invite other important people that you know to join him at the table, all in his honor. This is what Simon is doing with Jesus. He is honoring a man who has healed his sickness. His leprosy.
साइमन येशु को उसी रीती सम्मान करता हैं जिस प्रकार वह किसी और चिकित्सक का सम्मान करता जिसने उसको कुष्ठ रोग से चंगाई दी। उससे ज्यादा वह येशु को कुछ नहीं मानता हैं।
But this is not what the sinful woman is doing. Luke doesn’t say that she has come there because of some healing she experienced at the hands of Jesus. Instead seems like she has heard Jesus’ teachings before. Seems like she has heard from Jesus about the coming kingdom of God. And it seems like she has learned from Jesus about the sinful nature of her heart. Why do I say that? Because we see it in her response to Jesus. She has come to Jesus desperate and crying. She has nowhere else to go. She has come to Jesus seeking his forgiveness.
पर यह पापी औरत येशु के पास इसलिए नहीं आयी हैं क्यूंकि येशु ने उसे चंगा किया हैं। वर्ण वह येशु के पास इसलिए आयी हैं की उसने उससे उसके आने वाले राज्य के बारे मैं सुना हैं और उसको यह समज आयी हैं की येशु ही उसके पापो को माफ़ कर सकता हैं।
Simon is only able to honor Jesus as a mere healer and miracle worker. He is never able to worship Jesus, who is due our praises and glory. The woman on the other hand in her attempt to honor Jesus ends up worshiping Him as He so rightly deserves to be worshipped. What is the difference between Simon and this woman? Why is Jesus pleased with how the woman worshipped Him and not so impressed with how Simon attempted to honor Him? I am here to tell you that the reason Jesus was pleased by the worship of the woman and not the way Simon tried to honor him was that the woman worshiped Jesus in truth. And as we saw at the start of this teaching in John 4:23, the Father is seeking people to worship Him and His son in truth. So the little time we have ahead of us I want to meditate on how the woman worshipped Jesus in truth while Simon the Pharisee failed to truly honor Jesus. Because in understanding this we might be able to offer pleasing worship to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
साइमन सिर्फ येशु को सांसारिक आदर दे पाता हैं। पर यह पापी स्त्री येशु की आराधना और महिमा करती हैं, जिसके वह योग्य है। और येशु मसीह खुद कहता हैं की वह इस स्त्री की आदर से ज्यादा प्रसन्न हैं। तो ऐसा क्यों है। जो चंद समय हमारे सम्मुख है उसमे में यह समझाऊंगा की येशु इस पापी स्त्री के आराधना से इसलिए खुश हैं क्यूंकि इस स्त्री ने येशु की सच्चाई में आराधना की। बल्कि साइमन ने ऐसा नहीं किया।
- Worshiping Jesus in the truth of His Forgiveness.
Jesus found the woman’s worship pleasing and full of truth because the woman worshiped Jesus out of deep recognition of her sinful life and the forgiveness that one can receive from Him. The woman knew before she came to Jesus that she had completely blown it. She had completely messed up her life. She was not coming to Jesus because she had something to boast about. She was coming to Jesus desperate because she couldn’t go anywhere to find forgiveness for her sins.
येशु पापी स्त्री के आराधना में इसलिये प्रसन्न हुआ क्यूंकि उसने उसकी आराधना सचाई में बरपुर पाया। ऐसा क्यों? क्युकी वह स्त्री येशु के पास अपने पापी जीवन के पुरे बोध से आयी। वह जानती थी की केवल येशु उसके पापो से उसको उधार दिला सकती थी। वह येशु के पास अपने जीवन के सच्ची अवस्था को लेकर आयी थी।
Jesus in fact says that this woman loves Him because she knows that no one can forgive her sins but Jesus. The woman comes to him not because Jesus healed her, made her wealthy, or for any other worldly reasons. The woman comes to Jesus for she loves Him and knows only He can forgive Him.
येशु इस स्त्री के बारे मे यह केहता है की वह उससे प्रेम करती है। क्यूंकि वह येशु के पास चंगाई या धन दौलत पाने नहीं आयी थी। वरन वह येशु के पास अपने जीवन के पापो का प्रायश्चित करने के लिए आयी थी। और हम यह देकते है की प्रभु येशु उसके सारे पापो को माफ़ करता हैं।
So often when we come to worship Jesus our posture is not like that of this woman. So often when we come to worship Jesus, we come to honor someone who has healed our sicknesses, provided for our needs, took care of our children, and kept us safe in this very dangerous world. So often when we come to worship Jesus we come like Simon, obliged to honor Him for the good things he has done in our lives. But in this story, we see that Jesus receives greater honor from the woman. For she has come not merely to honor Jesus for his many blessings on her life. She has come to surrender her life to Jesus knowing the truth that she has sinned against Him and that only He can forgive her. This is why Jesus says to her in verse 47: “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much.”
कई बार जब हम प्रभु येशु की आराधना करने आते हैं तब हम साइमन की तरह आते हैं। पर हम इस वचन से यह समझते ही की प्रभु येशु इस स्त्री की आराधना मैं ज्यादा प्रसन्न हुआ क्यूंकि वह येशु के पास केवल इसलिए नहीं आयी क्यूंकि उसे चंगाई या धन दौलत चाहिए था। परंतु वह येशु के पास इसलिए आयी क्यूंकि येशु ही उसे पापो से मुक्ति और उधर दे सकता था। येशु उसके लिए प्रभु और उधारकर्ता था। न केवल एक चंगा करने वाला। एहि समझने के कारण वह येशु को सच्चाई मे आराधना कर पायी।
The woman worshiped Jesus in truth because she had a deep recognition of the enormity of her sins and the authority of Jesus to forgive them. If you and I merely come to worship Jesus for the good earthly blessings he has showered upon us, we fail to worship in truth. We end up merely honoring him like Simon. Jesus does not need or desire just that kind of honor from us. If you and I desire to worship Jesus in truth, we should come to Him like this poor woman. Knowing the burden of our sins. Knowing that only Jesus can forgive us. Worshiping Jesus in truth requires acknowledging our sins and seeking his forgiveness. Worshiping Jesus in truth means seeking Him as the propitiation of our evil ways. If we don’t come to Jesus as this woman came to Jesus, contritely and with a humble spirit, we can never worship Jesus in truth.
अगर आप इस स्त्री की तरह मसीह को सच्चाई में आराधना करना चाहते हो तो फिर यह अनिवार्य हैं की उसकी तरह जब आप प्रभु येशु के सम्मुख आये तो आप अपने पापो को उसके पावों तले समर्पित करने आये। वही से सच्ची आराधना का प्रारम्भ होता हैं।
2. Worshiping Jesus in the truth of His Identity
However, there is a more fundamental reason why there was such a stark difference between how Simon worshiped Jesus and how the woman worshiped Him. And this was due to how the two saw Jesus. Simon merely saw Jesus as a teacher, a Rabbi, a miracle worker, a healer. But that isn’t how the woman saw Jesus. In Jesus’ own words she loved Him and she had put her faith in Him. She loves Jesus because Jesus is her savior and she believes that Jesus can remove her sins from her as far as the east is from the west.
Simon on the other hand honors Jesus merely because he is a teacher and healer. A miracle worker. A doer of good deeds. Like we read in verse 49, for people like Simon even the thought that Jesus can forgive sins is a bit too much.
When we come to worship Jesus, which Jesus do we come to worship? Do we come to worship Jesus who is a great teacher? Do we come to worship Jesus who is a healer? Or do we come to worship Jesus who is our Lord and Savior?
एक कारण जो साइमन येशु मसीह की सच्चाई में आराधना नहीं कर पाया वह यह था की उसने कभी भी मसीह को अपना कुधावन्त परमेश्वर नहीं माना। उसके लिए येशु केवल एक चंगा करता रहा। पर यह पापी स्त्री येशु को अपना प्रभु और उधारकर्ता मांथी थी। और इसी कारण से वह येशु की सचाई में आराधना कर पायी।
Jesus says in this passage that those who merely worship him for his healings and his blessings don’t worship him in truth. Jesus wants us to worship Him in the truth of His identity. The truth is that he is our only Lord and Savior. And there is no other God like Him. Do you and I worship Jesus for who he truly is? Or just parts of it?
येशु यहाँ हमें यह दिखाता है की वह हमें अपनी आराधना करने की लिए केवल इस कारण नहीं बुलाता क्यूंकि उसने हमें चंगाई दी या हमें धन दौलत दी। प्रभु येशु मसीह की सच्ची आराधना तभी होगी जब हम उसके सम्मुख अपने पापो के साथ आये और उनसे उधार के लिए गड गड़ाए। प्रभु यीशु की सच्ची आराधना तभी होगी जब हम उसको एकाएक प्रभु और उधारकर्ता के रूप मे आदर करे।
Do we worship Jesus in truth?
As we wrap up, I want us to meditate on this question? Do we worship Jesus in truth like the Father calls and seeks us to do? Do we worship Jesus in truth like the woman of the city did? Or do we worship Jesus as Simon did?
Simon worships Jesus merely as a doctor, a healer, and a teacher. But the woman of the city worshiped Jesus because she knew she couldn’t go to anyone else with the burden of her sins. She knew that Jesus was her Lord and Savior. And She knew that Jesus could forgive all her sins. Only Jesus could forgive all her sins. So she came to Jesus with much love for her savior and much faith in his power to forgive her sins.
Why do we come to worship Jesus? If we are coming to worship Jesus in truth - We should come to him with full recognition of our sins and full recognition of who Jesus is. Instead, if we come to him as Simon did, we would not worship him in truth. And this is my prayer for you and me that we may worship Jesus in truth and enjoy the forgiveness and blessings that flow from such worship.
क्या आप केवल येशु का साइमन जैसे बाहर का सम्मान करते है ? याह इस पापी स्त्री की तरह उसकी सचाई में आराधना करते हैं। मेरी यही प्रार्थना हैं की हम सभ येशु के पास अपने पापो के भोज साथ आये ताकि हम येशु मैं अपना उधारकर्ता पाए। क्या आप मेरे साथ अपने आँखे बंद्ध कर मेरी प्रार्थना मे जुड़ेंगे।
Let’s Pray