Recitals and a Verse

This past weekend we held our year end recitals at Brava Music.  They went very well.  I even sang this year.  I don't usually perform because I really don't like performing; however, I decided that it might be fun to sing with some of my students.  Considering we only practiced together once... well, we did all work independently too.  Anyways, considering that, we managed a fairly decent trio.   I apologize to my voice teacher from college.  She always emphasized the 4-week rule.  Allow for 4 weeks when learning new music.  Well, we did have 4 weeks, just not 4 weeks of practicing all together.  Sigh... I really should know better!
This is my last week of teaching.  It's pretty exciting.  Next week all the work starts at my new business.  Just a warning... my blogging may have to take the back burner this summer, so I can work at my business.  Not that I blog regularly anyways, so no one would probably even notice :)

I'm not really thinking of anything else to write here.  Wow... my life must be getting pretty boring.  I think I need a trip to Wonderland to give me some excitement :).  I will share a verse to end today.

Matthew 9:10-13
And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Two things about this passage that jumped out at me.
1.  The publicans and sinners came to Jesus. He did not go to them.  They sought Him out, they were searching.  Some Christians will claim that because Jesus ate with sinners, we can     also go to a place where sinners hang out to try and witness to them (ie. a party with      excessive drinking, or a bar, etc.).  But that's not what Jesus did.  Jesus did not compromise      His testimony or holiness by going to a place that would be wicked.  That's the other thing.  Jesus lived in such a way that the publicans and sinners wanted to now more about Him.  They wanted to be near Him, to speak to Him, to spend time with Him.  He must have been       different.  If Jesus were going to the places sinners hung out, they would not have a desire to know Him.  He would be just like they were.  He would be no different.  Jesus' separation       from sinners was what made them want to know more about Him!  I believe that too many       Christians look just like the world, and that is a huge cause of why more people are not responding to the gospel (I John 2:15-16).

2.   Jesus tells the Pharisees to go and learn what it means to have mercy and not sacrifice.       Well, the Pharisees didn't get it.  Read Matthew 12:7, and you will see why.  Jesus was        actually quoting from Hosea 6:6 when He told the Pharisees this.  So, if He wanted the        Pharisees to learn what it means to have mercy and not sacrifice, I think He wants us to       learn it too!