WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.900 Have your Bibles, turn with me to the Gospel of Luke chapter 7, and we're going to look 00:00:04.900 --> 00:00:08.380 at a passage that's one of my favorite in the New Testament. 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:09.660 Great, great story. 00:00:10.120 --> 00:00:13.780 And I want to preach this morning on the subject of extravagant love. 00:00:14.460 --> 00:00:19.679 Extravagant love, Luke chapter 7, verse 36 through 50. 00:00:20.240 --> 00:00:24.460 So if you have your Bibles, turn there, and we'll begin our reading in just a moment. 00:00:24.460 --> 00:00:31.140 There are a number of times in the Scripture you get a picture of what worship looks like. 00:00:31.740 --> 00:00:37.420 I don't think you'll ever find a picture that is a clearer picture, more graphic picture 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:43.120 of worship than you're going to see this morning as we think about extravagant love. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:47.880 Look with me to Luke chapter 7, and we're going to begin our reading in verse 36. 00:00:48.400 --> 00:00:52.299 Then one of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. 00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:57.000 He entered the Pharisees' house and reclined at the table. 00:00:57.939 --> 00:01:03.959 Now, from the very get-go, this story is just a little bit unusual if you're familiar with 00:01:03.959 --> 00:01:06.179 the life of Jesus in the Gospels. 00:01:06.659 --> 00:01:12.459 We see Jesus often eating with sinners and publicans and folks that were considered the 00:01:12.459 --> 00:01:15.280 lower echelon of those living at the time. 00:01:15.780 --> 00:01:18.159 Jesus often was criticized for that. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:24.359 But you seldom see Jesus going into the home of someone who has a lot of money and someone 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:30.239 who's prestigious and someone who religiously was a Pharisee because the Pharisees often 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:33.640 positioned themselves as the enemies of Jesus. 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:38.439 They were the most critical voice against Jesus throughout his earthly ministry. 00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:44.299 But even as we read that, we see Jesus goes to this home, and we read something that to 00:01:44.299 --> 00:01:46.900 our Western mind seems a little bit unusual. 00:01:47.459 --> 00:01:48.659 They're reclining. 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:51.319 They're lying on the floor at this meal. 00:01:51.659 --> 00:01:54.280 And that was pretty much the custom of the day. 00:01:54.659 --> 00:01:57.659 They didn't have these long farm tables like we have now. 00:01:57.739 --> 00:02:00.280 We can put eight or ten or twelve folk around the table. 00:02:00.280 --> 00:02:06.340 They just simply had a large area, and they would lie down on the ground and would lay 00:02:06.340 --> 00:02:12.520 on one side and eat their food in that fashion, have conversation perhaps in a circle of friends. 00:02:12.759 --> 00:02:15.539 And there's more than just Jesus and Simon here. 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.840 There were some other folks, as you'll read this story, you can tell, who were present at 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:20.759 this engagement. 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:23.819 Well, look at the very next verse, verse 37. 00:02:23.819 --> 00:02:31.620 And a woman in the town who was a sinner, and it seems a little strong, that designation 00:02:31.620 --> 00:02:34.299 that Luke uses, but you'll see why in just a moment. 00:02:34.859 --> 00:02:40.359 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in 00:02:40.359 --> 00:02:41.719 the Pharisee's house. 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:51.379 She brought an albaster flask of fragrant oil, verse 38, and stood behind him at his feet weeping 00:02:51.379 --> 00:02:54.659 and began to wash his feet with her tears. 00:02:55.620 --> 00:03:03.039 She wiped his feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:03.840 oil. 00:03:04.900 --> 00:03:10.719 Now, this woman, as you're going to see in just a moment real clearly, is obviously not 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:14.979 on Simon, who we're later going to find is the name of this Pharisee who has invited Jesus 00:03:14.979 --> 00:03:15.759 to his house. 00:03:16.419 --> 00:03:17.719 She's not on the A list. 00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:23.020 She didn't get an invitation in mail or a verbal invitation, why don't you come to the house 00:03:23.020 --> 00:03:26.939 and Jesus is going to drop by and we'll just have a grand old time of it. 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:29.340 She didn't get an invitation to come. 00:03:30.020 --> 00:03:33.460 She heard Jesus is going to be in the house. 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:39.460 And for Luke to designate her as someone who was a sinner, and then what you're going to 00:03:39.460 --> 00:03:43.460 read in just a moment is even more shocking and more graphic than that. 00:03:43.539 --> 00:03:45.800 I'll just let the cow that back right now. 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:52.880 The commentators all agree, this woman, almost 100% sure they are, that she was a prostitute. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:55.420 She's a lady of the evening, right? 00:03:55.760 --> 00:03:58.140 She's a woman with a sold reputation. 00:03:58.880 --> 00:04:05.760 And because of who Simon was, a Pharisee, because of their outlook on life, it goes without saying, 00:04:05.860 --> 00:04:12.040 if you know anything about the New Testament at all, she knew she wasn't welcome in Simon's 00:04:12.040 --> 00:04:12.320 home. 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:17.680 In fact, as you're going to see the text unfold in just a minute, Simon can't believe she comes 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:18.000 there. 00:04:18.459 --> 00:04:20.360 He thinks it's completely inappropriate. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:24.939 And her actions he deem as completely inappropriate. 00:04:25.540 --> 00:04:29.879 So going there, she takes this alabaster jar of perfume. 00:04:30.539 --> 00:04:33.680 She's got something in mind or she wouldn't have brought that with her. 00:04:34.100 --> 00:04:35.819 She's acting deliberately. 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:37.560 She's acting intentionally. 00:04:37.560 --> 00:04:39.079 She has a plan. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:42.920 We don't know yet until we read this last verse what that plan is. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:45.480 But she has a plan in mind. 00:04:45.579 --> 00:04:51.300 She's going to anoint the feet of the Lord Jesus with this precious perfume in this alabaster 00:04:51.300 --> 00:04:51.920 jar, right? 00:04:52.540 --> 00:04:55.860 She also knows he doesn't want her there. 00:04:56.040 --> 00:04:58.740 She's not welcome in his home. 00:04:59.540 --> 00:05:00.459 Let me just ask you. 00:05:00.459 --> 00:05:05.079 Have you ever gone somewhere you had such a desire to be in a certain place? 00:05:05.620 --> 00:05:09.879 Maybe something was happening to somebody you really loved and you cared about, but you 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:14.439 knew when you got there, there would be folks who wouldn't welcome your presence. 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:17.479 And so you felt a little bit out of touch. 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:19.659 You felt a little bit at ill ease. 00:05:19.779 --> 00:05:22.299 You just thought, man, this is not going to go good. 00:05:22.539 --> 00:05:25.219 They don't want me there, but I've got such a desire. 00:05:25.379 --> 00:05:26.659 I've just got to go. 00:05:26.660 --> 00:05:29.340 So if you've never had that experience, you've not been a pastor. 00:05:29.620 --> 00:05:30.360 I just want to tell you. 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:35.920 Because if you're a pastor, there have been moments in your life where you knew you're 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:36.520 showing up something. 00:05:36.620 --> 00:05:38.860 You need to be there, but they don't want you there, right? 00:05:39.160 --> 00:05:40.680 You're the last person they want to see. 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:46.040 But you still know I've got to go and I've got to be there and I've got to see what's 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:49.660 going on and I've got to participate in this event, even though you know you're not welcome. 00:05:49.840 --> 00:05:51.720 And that's how it was with this woman. 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:57.820 So when she gets there, she simply stands behind Jesus at his feet. 00:05:58.520 --> 00:06:02.700 Imagine that Jesus is laying on the floor here in front of us and he's facing you. 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:06.280 Simon's over on that side and he's looking at Jesus. 00:06:06.700 --> 00:06:09.040 There's some other guests and they're gathering around in a circle. 00:06:09.700 --> 00:06:13.300 She just walks up behind Jesus and she stands there. 00:06:13.460 --> 00:06:17.400 And as she stands there and looks at Jesus, Simon no doubt is wondering, what in the world 00:06:17.400 --> 00:06:18.120 is she doing here? 00:06:18.660 --> 00:06:19.620 Who let her in? 00:06:19.940 --> 00:06:20.940 Who invited her? 00:06:20.939 --> 00:06:22.459 She's not welcome here. 00:06:23.019 --> 00:06:27.180 And as she looks at Jesus and listens to the conversation, here's what happens. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:28.379 Pretty graphic scene. 00:06:29.219 --> 00:06:33.779 The tears just simply began to roll down her face and onto his feet. 00:06:34.920 --> 00:06:40.500 Have you ever gotten so emotionally choked up about something that you couldn't fight back 00:06:40.500 --> 00:06:41.540 the tears? 00:06:42.420 --> 00:06:47.620 There have been times in preaching or praying where I've just been so overwhelmed with emotion. 00:06:47.620 --> 00:06:50.819 In fact, to be honest, the first time I saw that video in the first service, 00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:53.459 it just broke my heart and I wept. 00:06:53.660 --> 00:06:57.860 I tried to pray in that first service and just couldn't hardly even get the words out. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:01.019 I didn't want to cry because I want to be in control. 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:03.779 And that's how most of us are all the time. 00:07:04.180 --> 00:07:06.240 We want to be in control of our emotions. 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:09.159 We don't want to publicly cry in front of others. 00:07:09.160 --> 00:07:12.720 And this woman, no doubt, is trying to choke back the tears. 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:14.740 But her heart won't let her. 00:07:15.580 --> 00:07:18.060 And her eyes just continue to pour tears. 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:21.220 And as they fall, they fall on Jesus' feet. 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:26.680 Now, you need to understand the bottoms of his feet are covered with sandals. 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:30.600 But the top of his feet are open. 00:07:30.980 --> 00:07:34.259 Probably a strap like sandals that some of us wear today. 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:36.120 And they're strapped to his feet. 00:07:37.259 --> 00:07:40.980 And his feet have walked probably miles that day. 00:07:40.980 --> 00:07:45.680 And he hasn't had the luxury of walking on asphalt or concrete. 00:07:46.420 --> 00:07:48.240 He's just walking dirt roads. 00:07:48.900 --> 00:07:50.259 There are no paved roads anywhere. 00:07:50.460 --> 00:07:51.800 And so he's walking. 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:54.240 And as he walks, the dust settles on his feet. 00:07:54.520 --> 00:07:59.180 And it's no big deal, really, because everyone there is in the same situation. 00:07:59.900 --> 00:08:03.200 They all have, any of these guests who've walked to get to Simon's house, 00:08:03.540 --> 00:08:06.439 they all have dust on their feet, right? 00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:10.759 But this dust is not so apparent because it's spread out. 00:08:10.860 --> 00:08:11.560 It's not wet. 00:08:11.939 --> 00:08:16.120 You don't notice it until the tears begin to fall. 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:19.800 Have you ever seen dust on pavement or dust on something? 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:24.759 And a drop of water from a hose or a drop of water from rain, 00:08:25.379 --> 00:08:27.540 it hits a pavement where there's dust? 00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:29.439 You know what immediately happens? 00:08:29.720 --> 00:08:32.240 It makes those little circles like a dime. 00:08:32.620 --> 00:08:35.320 It's like a small explosion occurs. 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:37.280 And the dust is shaken up. 00:08:37.540 --> 00:08:40.060 And it leaves a spot where now it's clean, 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:42.940 but the dust has been pushed to the side. 00:08:43.660 --> 00:08:47.420 And if enough rain falls, if enough tears fall, it begins to puddle up. 00:08:47.660 --> 00:08:52.100 It begins to make little places where there's mud, visible dirt on the feet. 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:55.000 And so this woman stands there, and she weeps, 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:56.960 and her tears are falling on Jesus' feet. 00:08:57.700 --> 00:09:01.500 And she just naturally, without thought, just drops to her knees. 00:09:01.500 --> 00:09:05.480 And she does something that's pretty unthinkable when you consider it. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:08.519 Her hair must have been long, and she takes her hair, 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:12.940 and she begins to wipe away the dirt and the dust, 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:17.200 now moistened by her tears from Jesus' feet. 00:09:18.059 --> 00:09:20.840 She uses her hair to do that. 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:25.519 I'm going to guess there's not a woman in this room 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:30.560 who would probably normally have thought to take their hair 00:09:30.560 --> 00:09:33.000 and to wipe Jesus' feet. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:39.379 Boy, hair, Paul says of women, is their prize and their glory, right? 00:09:39.379 --> 00:09:42.340 My wife stands in front of the mirror. 00:09:42.439 --> 00:09:45.320 She's not vain by any means, but she stands in front of the mirror every single morning, 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.480 and she wants to make sure every hair is in place. 00:09:48.659 --> 00:09:51.679 She kills the ozone by spraying that hairspray, you know? 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:53.159 Right? 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:56.320 Because we're in particular about their hair. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:09:58.740 I mean, if anything's going to look right, 00:09:58.820 --> 00:10:00.320 they want their hair to look right. 00:10:00.860 --> 00:10:04.840 But she just naturally, so naturally, just drops to her knees 00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:07.940 and takes her hair and begins to wipe away the feet of Jesus. 00:10:07.940 --> 00:10:10.060 I'm telling you, that's a moving scene. 00:10:10.220 --> 00:10:13.860 If her tears have not brought you to tears already, 00:10:14.820 --> 00:10:16.840 and she takes her hair and wipes his feet, 00:10:17.560 --> 00:10:19.020 man, I'd have been a puddle of tears. 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:21.900 I could not have held out my emotion. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:26.260 I wonder if John was there, the beloved disciple. 00:10:26.400 --> 00:10:27.760 He was a pretty emotional guy. 00:10:28.760 --> 00:10:31.360 I mean, he talks about his deep love for Jesus over and over, 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:35.760 and when he witnessed, if he was there and he witnessed this outpouring of love for Jesus, 00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:40.080 well, I'm just sure that tears are flowing down the apostle John's face. 00:10:40.819 --> 00:10:43.000 I even wonder if Jesus is crying. 00:10:44.460 --> 00:10:48.840 Boy, folk come to him all the time, but they're seldom coming to do for him. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:51.519 And I wonder what he's thinking. 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:52.799 I wonder how he looks. 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:58.240 If tears are flowing down his face, moved over how this woman has reacted. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:00.220 But it doesn't stop there. 00:11:00.740 --> 00:11:04.279 She takes that bottle of perfume she's initially brought, 00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:06.560 and now she gets to the reason for her coming. 00:11:07.220 --> 00:11:11.139 She pours it on his feet, and she begins to probably rub his feet, 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:13.460 to rub that oil into his feet. 00:11:13.560 --> 00:11:15.039 How soothing that must have felt. 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:17.060 But she's still not done. 00:11:17.159 --> 00:11:17.879 Get this now. 00:11:17.879 --> 00:11:23.080 When she's through with that, she cradles his feet in her arms 00:11:23.080 --> 00:11:25.259 and bends low where they are on the ground, 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:31.460 and she just tenderly kisses his feet. 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:36.439 If you've had a baby or grandbaby, you know what that's like. 00:11:37.299 --> 00:11:39.700 Every one of us have held our children in our arms, 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:42.600 and we just smother them with kisses, don't we? 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:45.200 We just hold them so dear to us, 00:11:45.259 --> 00:11:48.120 and we just kiss them on the head and the cheek, 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:50.659 the top of their head, their hair. 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:52.680 Because we just love them. 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.040 And that's the picture you've got of this woman. 00:11:55.180 --> 00:11:56.899 Man, it's a graphic picture, isn't it? 00:11:57.500 --> 00:11:59.519 I hope you never forget that picture. 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:02.120 I've been preaching here about seven, eight months. 00:12:02.460 --> 00:12:03.620 If there's anything I hope you remember, 00:12:03.620 --> 00:12:06.220 I hope you remember the picture that I'm painting for you this morning 00:12:06.220 --> 00:12:09.120 of this woman holding his feet tenderly, kissing his feet. 00:12:09.340 --> 00:12:11.379 Never forget that picture, because I'm going to tell you, 00:12:11.540 --> 00:12:12.440 we'll talk about it later, 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:16.399 that's a picture of what real, genuine worship looks like. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:20.259 You'll never see it clearer on this earth than that, 00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:25.159 than when she cradles his feet and kisses them. 00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:26.279 So what is the reaction? 00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:28.940 Look back to the Scripture, if you will. 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:33.100 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, 00:12:34.060 --> 00:12:36.820 he said to himself, underscore that. 00:12:37.460 --> 00:12:38.820 He's not talking out loud. 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:40.560 You understand that? 00:12:41.060 --> 00:12:42.139 He said it to himself. 00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:44.919 We all have conversations with ourselves from time to time, right? 00:12:45.299 --> 00:12:48.939 He's too polite to say this out loud, 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:50.860 but this is what he's thinking. 00:12:51.659 --> 00:12:56.879 This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and, get this phrase, 00:12:57.439 --> 00:13:02.559 what kind of woman this is who is touching him. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:06.299 And then he concludes, she's a sinner. 00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:10.019 You know what I have to believe he's saying in his mind? 00:13:11.219 --> 00:13:16.279 My 12-year-old boy could look at that woman and tell she's from the streets. 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:21.199 I mean, she's lived hard and fast. 00:13:21.199 --> 00:13:27.500 Well, when you've lived a life of sin, you just don't immediately lose that look, do you? 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:30.500 He looks at her and he knows. 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:32.179 Maybe he's seen her around town. 00:13:32.339 --> 00:13:36.159 He's witnessed her in business dealings. 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:39.279 And he knows who she is and what she is. 00:13:39.419 --> 00:13:42.259 And he's thinking to himself, this guy calls himself a prophet? 00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:45.319 That's what a lot of people are saying about him, that he's of God. 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:50.939 Man, if he had any idea at all who this woman is, here's how he's thinking. 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:53.639 He wouldn't be allowing her to touch it. 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:57.240 You see, if that had happened to Simon, 00:13:57.319 --> 00:13:59.500 if she'd come in and she'd start to put Simon affection, 00:14:00.460 --> 00:14:01.620 well, he'd have pulled back. 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:03.080 He'd say, don't you touch me. 00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:05.659 I mean, don't you dare touch me. 00:14:06.539 --> 00:14:08.039 I don't want to have anything to do. 00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:12.779 I'm not of the same ilk as you, and you just leave me alone. 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:13.879 You just get back. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:15.159 Who invited you here? 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:17.539 That's how he's thinking about Jesus. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:18.559 He's thinking to himself. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:23.440 He can't be a prophet because he's not responding the way he would respond 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:25.259 if he knew who she was. 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:28.279 Jesus knows who she is. 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:31.059 He's not fooled at all. 00:14:31.139 --> 00:14:32.959 He knows exactly who she is. 00:14:33.059 --> 00:14:37.500 In fact, I think they had probably, whether they ever had conversation or not, 00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:39.819 she's met Jesus before. 00:14:40.339 --> 00:14:43.639 He may not even be aware of it, but she doesn't act the way she acts 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:46.059 unless she's had a prior relationship with Christ. 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:49.100 She knows exactly who he is. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.039 So Jesus sees this. 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:54.620 Have you ever been somewhere and somebody doesn't say a word to you, 00:14:54.659 --> 00:14:57.720 but you can just tell their body language says they don't like what just happened? 00:14:58.279 --> 00:14:59.679 We've all been there, right? 00:14:59.839 --> 00:15:01.759 Yeah, I mean, you don't have to be God. 00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:04.139 You don't have to have supernatural powers. 00:15:04.579 --> 00:15:07.480 We've all witnessed people who you just know they didn't say a word. 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:08.899 I know they don't like this. 00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:12.019 So watch what Jesus says. 00:15:12.379 --> 00:15:12.939 Verse 40. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:18.100 Jesus replied to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. 00:15:18.620 --> 00:15:19.779 Teacher, he said, say it. 00:15:20.579 --> 00:15:21.459 He's warning you. 00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:23.259 He's hoping he'll address this. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:25.639 He said, make sense of this for me, right? 00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:27.379 I don't get what you've just done. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:30.879 A creditor had two debtors. 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:34.879 One owed 500 denarii and the other 50. 00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:39.460 Since they could not repay it back, could not pay it back, 00:15:39.980 --> 00:15:42.460 he graciously forgave them both. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:45.120 So here's my question for you, Simon. 00:15:45.980 --> 00:15:48.860 Which one of them will love him more? 00:15:48.860 --> 00:15:53.659 Now, we don't deal in denarii, but I'll just tell you this. 00:15:53.779 --> 00:15:56.000 It was, in that day and time, a day's wage. 00:15:57.019 --> 00:16:00.580 Don't even try to think about all the money and all that. 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:01.700 Here's the important thing. 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:02.960 What he's showing is this. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:09.759 This guy, the one guy, has a 500-day debt. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.019 The other has a 50-day debt. 00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:15.279 It's a 10-to-1 ratio, right? 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:20.579 So it translates in any economy, in any money-type arrangement we have. 00:16:21.179 --> 00:16:23.559 Let's suppose a man made $50,000 a year. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:25.779 He owed $75,000. 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:30.740 The other man, one-tenth of that would be $7,500. 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:34.379 And Jesus just says, keeping it real simple, 00:16:35.100 --> 00:16:40.659 hey, this guy who owed $7,500 and this guy who owed $75,000, 00:16:40.659 --> 00:16:43.839 which of the two of them do you think loved the man the most 00:16:43.839 --> 00:16:46.319 was the most appreciative for what had happened? 00:16:47.939 --> 00:16:49.679 And I want you to notice what Simon says. 00:16:49.740 --> 00:16:51.259 He says what any of us would say. 00:16:52.959 --> 00:16:54.219 Simon answered, verse 43, 00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:58.059 I suppose the one, he forgave more. 00:16:58.419 --> 00:17:00.699 You have judged correctly, he told him. 00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:03.120 Now, and watch this. 00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:03.759 I love this. 00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:06.859 Look up here and just let me read and you watch. 00:17:07.659 --> 00:17:09.099 Turning to the woman. 00:17:09.639 --> 00:17:10.539 You're not looking at Simon. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:13.440 Turning here, he looks at the woman who's been doing this. 00:17:14.540 --> 00:17:15.660 He says to Simon, 00:17:16.779 --> 00:17:17.779 You see this woman? 00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:21.920 I entered your house and you gave me no water for my feet, 00:17:22.019 --> 00:17:24.640 but she, with her tears, has washed my feet 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:26.960 and wiped them with her hair. 00:17:27.840 --> 00:17:28.880 You gave me no kiss, 00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:31.860 but she hasn't stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 00:17:32.560 --> 00:17:34.279 You didn't anoint my head with oil, 00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:37.680 but she has anointed my feet with fragrant oil. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:41.080 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:42.700 and that's why she loved much, 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:46.680 but the one who is forgiven little loves little. 00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:49.860 Now, he takes it very politely, 00:17:50.060 --> 00:17:52.779 but very clearly to Simon. 00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:55.779 He says, Simon, you see this woman? 00:17:55.779 --> 00:17:59.660 Have you noticed what she's doing? 00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:01.139 I can tell you don't approve. 00:18:01.460 --> 00:18:02.240 He doesn't say that, 00:18:02.339 --> 00:18:03.799 but I can tell you don't approve. 00:18:04.660 --> 00:18:05.799 But I want to tell you about this woman. 00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:08.359 When I came in your house a while ago as your guest, 00:18:08.420 --> 00:18:09.180 you invited me here. 00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:10.220 I didn't just invite myself. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:12.580 You didn't wash my feet. 00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:14.759 It may seem a little strange to you, 00:18:14.820 --> 00:18:16.000 but the custom of the day was, 00:18:16.080 --> 00:18:17.940 if you invited somebody to your home, 00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:20.160 you either washed their feet 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.039 or you had a servant wash their feet 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:23.820 because they'd been out traveling the road 00:18:23.820 --> 00:18:24.720 if their feet were dirty, 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:28.500 and it was just a polite gesture of hospitality. 00:18:29.019 --> 00:18:30.560 Jesus says, you didn't do that. 00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:32.380 Neither did you come wash my feet, 00:18:32.600 --> 00:18:34.539 nor did you have one of your servants wash my feet. 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:36.080 You have to wonder why you didn't do that. 00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:37.299 You know what my guess is? 00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:38.419 Just a guess on my part. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:39.359 I'm speculating. 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:41.740 You just didn't see the need. 00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.599 This is just Jesus. 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:45.440 This is not the chief priest. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:46.700 He'd have done it for him, I bet you. 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:49.039 He's not the local rabbi. 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:50.480 He'd have probably done it for him. 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:52.279 He's not a big shot in town. 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:53.039 He's not a banker. 00:18:53.399 --> 00:18:54.319 He's just an itinerary. 00:18:54.419 --> 00:18:55.119 He's Jesus. 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:57.720 I'm being nice just to invite him to my home. 00:18:58.680 --> 00:18:59.779 Nothing special about him. 00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:02.460 Boy, he's special to this woman. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:07.159 The tears just pour from her face. 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.180 Which is indicative of what's in her heart. 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:16.180 And then Jesus says, and when I came in, you didn't kiss me. 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:20.500 If you watch TV and see pictures of the Eastern world, 00:19:20.879 --> 00:19:22.740 they often kiss each other on each cheek. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:25.619 Custom that carries over until even today. 00:19:26.419 --> 00:19:29.180 Jesus says, you didn't greet me with a kiss. 00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:35.279 Today we'd probably reach out our hand and hug somebody and put our arms around them. 00:19:35.560 --> 00:19:37.200 Somebody's close to you, inviting them into your home. 00:19:37.320 --> 00:19:38.060 Good to see you. 00:19:38.120 --> 00:19:39.000 Pat them on the back. 00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:41.340 Jesus says, you didn't do any of that. 00:19:42.060 --> 00:19:42.820 But I want to tell you something. 00:19:44.140 --> 00:19:48.900 She has not stopped kissing my feet since I got in this house. 00:19:48.900 --> 00:19:52.780 You didn't anoint my head with oil. 00:19:52.780 --> 00:19:54.820 Something else they did on occasion for guests. 00:19:55.840 --> 00:19:58.640 But she has anointed my feet. 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:03.800 Simon, I'm not getting on to you about anything. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:04.700 I just want you to know this. 00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:09.840 The reason she's acted the way she's acted is because she's the one with the bigger debt. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:19.019 She recognizes her huge debt and she's acted accordingly as I have forgiven her sin. 00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:24.019 But you, you don't even know that I can forgive sin. 00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:27.519 And you don't think you have much to be forgiven. 00:20:27.859 --> 00:20:30.579 Now, don't misunderstand as I'm sure Simon did. 00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:34.539 Jesus wasn't saying, you don't have any reason to be grateful. 00:20:34.899 --> 00:20:36.220 You don't have any sin to be forgiven. 00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:44.220 What he's saying is, Simon, you don't recognize you have need for your sins to be forgiven. 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:50.059 So watch what Jesus does then as he brings this to a close. 00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:53.880 But the one who is forgiven little loves little. 00:20:54.100 --> 00:20:56.480 Then he said to her, your sins are forgiven. 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:59.640 Those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, 00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:04.259 who is this man who even forgives sins? 00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:08.660 And he said to the woman, your faith has saved you. 00:21:08.759 --> 00:21:09.519 Underscore that. 00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:12.140 Go in peace. 00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:13.619 Now, I want you to notice something. 00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:16.019 Be clear about this. 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:21.559 It wasn't her act of benevolence and kindness toward Jesus that made Jesus suddenly say, 00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:23.059 your sins are forgiven. 00:21:23.779 --> 00:21:25.259 And he says that himself. 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:26.900 He says, your sins are forgiven. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:30.720 Your faith has saved you. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:33.559 She was saved before she ever walked in the room. 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:37.100 That's why I know she'd had a previous encounter with Jesus. 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:39.579 And Jesus had touched her life. 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:41.319 She'd heard him speak somewhere. 00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:43.620 And she was moved by it. 00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:44.480 And she'd repented. 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:46.640 And she embraced him and loved him. 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:47.620 And he had forgiven her. 00:21:47.880 --> 00:21:51.880 But now she's coming as an act of gratitude for the forgiveness she's already received. 00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:59.460 And Jesus just wants her to know, your sins are forgiven because you have acted toward me in faith. 00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:01.820 Well, I don't know about you. 00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:02.980 I love this story. 00:22:03.360 --> 00:22:03.680 Do you? 00:22:04.040 --> 00:22:04.240 Amen. 00:22:04.340 --> 00:22:05.240 Is that a good story? 00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:06.200 What a story. 00:22:06.760 --> 00:22:10.660 I want to share with you four things about it real quickly and hurriedly. 00:22:10.800 --> 00:22:11.400 And we'll close. 00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:12.140 Here's the first. 00:22:12.580 --> 00:22:20.440 This passage, I love it because it gives us a great picture of what worship and adoration really looks like. 00:22:20.440 --> 00:22:27.680 I pastored Brushy Creek and Greer for 25 years and 15 years in Statesworth, Western Avenue Baptist Church. 00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:30.180 You know something that used to always burden my heart? 00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:34.160 I talked to pastors about it and staff about it and my family about it. 00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:40.100 There were many, many, many Sundays I'd go home and I would wonder this. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:43.080 Did we really worship today? 00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:45.220 Or did we just entertain? 00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:48.039 Music was good. 00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:50.839 People said the preaching was okay. 00:22:52.059 --> 00:22:53.420 I did my best. 00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:55.119 But did we just entertain them? 00:22:56.019 --> 00:23:06.200 Was it just an exercise in intellectualism where the Bible is our subject and we just make people more aware of what the Bible is saying? 00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:08.720 And they maybe think, well, that's a cool idea. 00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:11.379 Or maybe they embrace a truth. 00:23:11.879 --> 00:23:14.180 Or maybe they even get convicted about something. 00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:16.980 But did we really worship? 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:18.380 Because that's what we call it. 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:23.180 We don't call it a preaching service or a music service or an entertainment service religiously. 00:23:24.360 --> 00:23:26.039 We say it's a worship service. 00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:32.500 And for worship to take place, there has to be an object of our worship and that's God. 00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:40.880 And for worship to take place, it's not just that I hear something or that I am delighted by it or I clap to it or I respond. 00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:44.779 It's that I love the one that we're worshiping. 00:23:45.420 --> 00:23:47.279 I adore the one we're worshiping. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:55.720 And I'm telling you today, worship, in my opinion, never takes place if all that's involved is an intellectual act. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:02.220 There is that thought of me learning something and using my mind. 00:24:02.379 --> 00:24:03.920 It ought to always be present in worship. 00:24:04.759 --> 00:24:07.480 I need to make sure what I'm doing is true and right. 00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:08.259 But listen to me. 00:24:08.839 --> 00:24:12.539 When we really worship, it involves my emotions. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:16.639 I've got to feel something about that which I just heard. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:17.580 Do you understand that? 00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:23.020 There is never worship, in my opinion, that emotions are not involved. 00:24:23.120 --> 00:24:25.140 That doesn't mean we cry crocodile tears. 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:27.280 It doesn't mean we all swing from a chandelier. 00:24:27.380 --> 00:24:30.100 We speak in tongues or act foolishly. 00:24:31.100 --> 00:24:31.680 But I'll tell you something. 00:24:32.300 --> 00:24:34.600 Worship always engages me emotionally. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:39.960 It's impossible for me to worship and not feel something about that which I'm worshiping. 00:24:40.140 --> 00:24:40.620 Do you understand? 00:24:41.280 --> 00:24:42.840 That's just an impossibility. 00:24:43.780 --> 00:24:45.440 And worship is always heartfelt. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:47.620 It is always sacrificial. 00:24:48.320 --> 00:24:50.920 It cost this woman not just the perfume. 00:24:51.180 --> 00:24:53.960 It cost her in terms of her ego. 00:24:54.140 --> 00:24:56.180 She knew when she went there she wasn't going to be welcome. 00:24:56.860 --> 00:24:59.000 She knew she was going to get the cold shoulder. 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.420 It's sacrificial. 00:25:01.180 --> 00:25:03.519 It always is transparent. 00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:05.720 Boy, she was as transparent as glass. 00:25:05.860 --> 00:25:07.860 What she felt that day, they all saw. 00:25:08.140 --> 00:25:08.420 Right? 00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:09.720 She wasn't ashamed of it. 00:25:09.779 --> 00:25:15.779 She wasn't ashamed to shed tears and to stoop and to wipe his feet because she recognized I'm beneath you. 00:25:16.120 --> 00:25:17.519 You're greater than I am. 00:25:18.120 --> 00:25:20.420 So it wasn't a problem for her to do that. 00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:22.440 She made herself vulnerable. 00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:26.779 And real worship always leaves us vulnerable. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:30.500 We're always at the place where we say, okay, God, it's not what I want. 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:31.660 It's what you want. 00:25:32.140 --> 00:25:33.620 I'm surrendering my will to you. 00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:35.740 I'm making myself vulnerable. 00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:39.559 It's always intentional or deliberate. 00:25:41.059 --> 00:25:42.640 That's one of the things that troubles me. 00:25:43.640 --> 00:25:48.400 I'll just share with you a page out of my personal belief system and philosophy. 00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:51.339 I'm glad we worship every week. 00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:52.559 We should worship every week. 00:25:53.779 --> 00:25:59.759 But I'm fearful that because we do it becomes so routine that we stop being intentional and deliberate about it. 00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:02.180 That's just we get in the car and we go. 00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:04.960 We just sit in the same seat we always sit in. 00:26:05.740 --> 00:26:07.940 We just do the same thing we always did. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:14.599 And this woman, she left home with that bottle of perfume. 00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:17.180 She had a plan in mind. 00:26:18.120 --> 00:26:21.200 I'm going to adore Jesus today. 00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:27.220 I hear Jesus is over there and I'm going to show up and I'm going to spend a few minutes anointing. 00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:30.660 She didn't understand that the tears would come. 00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:33.279 She didn't fake those tears. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.480 It was just on the moment. 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:38.220 It was spontaneous and she cried and her tears hit his feet. 00:26:38.420 --> 00:26:43.200 And then she acted appropriately by reaching down and wiping his feet with her hair. 00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:44.500 But she hadn't intended to do that. 00:26:44.660 --> 00:26:47.400 But she had intended to come with oil. 00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:49.380 That was deliberate. 00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:50.220 That was intentional. 00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:52.839 And I wonder about you this morning. 00:26:52.900 --> 00:26:53.460 Can I be honest? 00:26:53.539 --> 00:26:55.539 Did you come to hear kids sing? 00:26:56.180 --> 00:26:57.380 Or hear a guy preach? 00:26:58.079 --> 00:26:59.400 Or hear a quartet sing? 00:27:00.539 --> 00:27:02.680 Or did you come to worship the Lord this morning? 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:06.100 When you left home with your intention? 00:27:07.100 --> 00:27:07.779 Today is the day. 00:27:07.960 --> 00:27:10.380 Folks, I am so glad that today is Sunday. 00:27:10.860 --> 00:27:13.980 And we can go to church and we can honor our God. 00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:15.519 The one who made us all. 00:27:15.600 --> 00:27:18.420 The one who is saving us if we've trusted him as our Savior. 00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:20.700 I am here today to honor God. 00:27:20.800 --> 00:27:21.560 To worship him. 00:27:21.640 --> 00:27:22.420 To adore him. 00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:24.460 To tell him how I feel about him. 00:27:25.320 --> 00:27:26.600 Great, great picture of worship. 00:27:27.060 --> 00:27:34.940 Secondly, I love this story because it reminds us that Jesus came to seek and save those who were lost. 00:27:34.940 --> 00:27:40.120 It tells me he came for the likes of this woman. 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:43.799 He came for people who were known sinners. 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:47.059 People who sin out in the open. 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:50.720 Who don't cover up their sin very well. 00:27:50.860 --> 00:27:53.000 They may try to, but they don't do a very good job of it. 00:27:53.860 --> 00:27:55.880 I mean, folk who have a reputation. 00:27:57.000 --> 00:28:01.160 Folk who sin in plain sight as it were. 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:04.120 But it also tells me this. 00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:13.820 He also came to seek and to save people like Simon the Pharisee who don't sin in plain view. 00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:16.799 Can I just be real honest with you? 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:19.580 That's most of us in this room. 00:28:20.840 --> 00:28:30.140 See, most of us in this room, not all of us here today possibly, but most of us here, we're religious enough that we play by a certain set of rules. 00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:34.140 We have established a standard and here's how we act. 00:28:34.940 --> 00:28:38.880 And we don't let folks see us doing those things we might think are wrong. 00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:43.720 We keep that covered from human eyes, right? 00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:45.480 We sin in secret. 00:28:45.480 --> 00:28:52.880 We have just as evil hearts sometimes as those who sin openly in public in plain view. 00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:55.680 We keep it hid from folk. 00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:00.080 But there's one thing, and I don't mean this demeaning of anybody in this room. 00:29:00.140 --> 00:29:00.920 It's just the truth. 00:29:01.840 --> 00:29:02.740 We're all sinners. 00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:06.920 And none of us are as good as we appear on paper. 00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:09.000 Isn't that true? 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:11.680 You as good as folk think you are. 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:13.340 I'm not. 00:29:14.340 --> 00:29:16.460 If you do the scoop on me, I want to tell you something. 00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:19.100 You wouldn't have me in this pulpit this morning. 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:26.100 There are things I'm going to hide from you as best I can because I'm out of work if you know the truth about me. 00:29:26.099 --> 00:29:32.459 I'm just telling you, none of us are as good as we look on paper. 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:35.000 You're not as holy as you appear. 00:29:36.119 --> 00:29:37.539 I hope you try to be holy. 00:29:37.659 --> 00:29:40.059 I hope you do live as holy a life as you can. 00:29:40.599 --> 00:29:42.219 Not demeaning that, but I'm just saying, 00:29:43.139 --> 00:29:47.839 Lord, we've all got things about us that we don't want anybody to see. 00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:50.939 Things that your spouse knows, that your kids may know. 00:29:52.179 --> 00:29:54.859 You try to deny, but you know it's true about yourself. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:59.579 And we all need the same grace that that woman needed. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:05.720 So I'm grateful today when I read this story to know that he came for people like her, 00:30:06.679 --> 00:30:09.379 but he came also to those closet sinners like me. 00:30:10.779 --> 00:30:15.559 He came for those who sin in public view, and he came for those who keep it pretty well hidden. 00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:18.399 And here's the third thing I love about this story. 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:20.740 It reminds me of my indebtedness to Christ. 00:30:22.379 --> 00:30:23.379 I don't know about you. 00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:25.220 The day I got saved, I remember it well. 00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:27.539 I go back and rehearse it in my mind some. 00:30:28.179 --> 00:30:29.319 I was 14 years old. 00:30:29.819 --> 00:30:32.659 Sitting on the next last row of the Marines Heights Baptist Church in Anderson. 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:35.720 And I came for that day and gave my heart and life to Christ. 00:30:36.779 --> 00:30:40.779 And I'll tell you, I felt so indebted to Jesus. 00:30:41.639 --> 00:30:45.379 He died on the cross from my place, and I wanted to do something for him. 00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:47.359 I just wanted to do something for him. 00:30:48.460 --> 00:30:53.599 But all I need to do is to live obedient, to read his word, to find out what he wanted me to do in my life. 00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:55.779 And that's the important thing that we do. 00:30:56.139 --> 00:30:59.579 But we should all have that desire within us all of our lives. 00:30:59.819 --> 00:31:01.159 It should never grow old to us. 00:31:01.879 --> 00:31:02.919 What can I do for Jesus? 00:31:03.879 --> 00:31:08.579 What can I do to just express to him, maybe with my words or my actions, that I love you? 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:10.779 I've got a dear friend right now in Greenville. 00:31:11.179 --> 00:31:12.960 I've known him 30 years, love him to death. 00:31:13.899 --> 00:31:14.919 He's dying of cancer. 00:31:15.559 --> 00:31:26.359 And I was in conversation with him last night, and his wife let it slip out a need he has. 00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:28.639 She wasn't asking for anything. 00:31:28.779 --> 00:31:33.579 She just told me about something that they needed. 00:31:33.579 --> 00:31:37.279 And I've been asking all of them, what can I do? 00:31:37.339 --> 00:31:37.899 How can I help? 00:31:38.899 --> 00:31:41.899 And I'm going to tell you, it so thrilled me to hear this. 00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:48.519 I'm sorry he doesn't have it right now, but I'm so thrilled to hear about that need because I've wanted to do for him, but I haven't been able to do. 00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:58.160 And I'm going to tell you, if God will let me live till tomorrow morning, I'm going to meet that need because I want to. 00:31:58.619 --> 00:31:59.960 I want him to know. 00:32:00.819 --> 00:32:01.639 Excuse me. 00:32:02.639 --> 00:32:04.099 I want him to know I love him. 00:32:05.379 --> 00:32:07.819 I want him to know he's important in my life. 00:32:07.819 --> 00:32:18.399 And so this story, it reminds me of my indebtedness to Jesus. 00:32:20.119 --> 00:32:21.539 Do you feel indebted to him today? 00:32:22.579 --> 00:32:24.079 Something you want to do for him today? 00:32:24.819 --> 00:32:26.119 Last thing, and I'll close. 00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:31.619 It gives me an unforgettable picture of what extravagant love is. 00:32:31.619 --> 00:32:34.619 What really extravagant love is. 00:32:35.079 --> 00:32:37.119 I'm not talking about run-of-the-mill love. 00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:39.399 I'm not talking about puppy love. 00:32:39.459 --> 00:32:41.279 I'm talking about extravagant love. 00:32:42.639 --> 00:32:44.019 Do you know the difference in the two? 00:32:46.159 --> 00:32:48.500 Love just says, I want to do something nice for you. 00:32:50.179 --> 00:32:53.599 But extravagant love says, I'm pulling out all the stops. 00:32:54.719 --> 00:32:56.699 Because I really want you to know how I feel. 00:32:57.919 --> 00:33:00.279 I went to pastor at Western Avenue Baptist Church. 00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:02.639 Seems like 100 years ago now when I was 25. 00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:05.899 And there was a guy who had left that church. 00:33:06.899 --> 00:33:08.539 Who I became fast friends with. 00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:09.579 He was there 15 years. 00:33:09.940 --> 00:33:11.180 Great, great, great pastor. 00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:14.799 Big, tall guy, about 6'7", skinny as a beanpole. 00:33:15.319 --> 00:33:16.420 Had a wife named Bobby. 00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:17.720 He loved her so dear. 00:33:17.839 --> 00:33:19.519 Everybody in town knew how he loved Bobby. 00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:22.160 He would joke about the fact he wasn't very handsome. 00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:26.519 And he'd say, how in the world did I get Bobby to marry me? 00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:28.379 He was a little on the gangly side. 00:33:28.380 --> 00:33:35.360 And so he'd already left States when he moved to Salisbury, North Carolina, Faith Baptist Church. 00:33:36.040 --> 00:33:39.880 And when his 25th anniversary came around, I'll never forget it. 00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:41.160 He told me what he was going to do. 00:33:41.240 --> 00:33:42.400 And then he told me what he did. 00:33:42.560 --> 00:33:43.700 And then I heard about it after. 00:33:43.780 --> 00:33:44.640 It was the neatest thing. 00:33:45.580 --> 00:33:47.100 His wife worked at this school. 00:33:47.099 --> 00:33:53.719 And he decided he would have a courier bring a gift to her every day on the hour. 00:33:54.319 --> 00:33:57.079 I mean, excuse me, that day, every hour on the hour. 00:33:57.859 --> 00:34:00.079 So it started about 8.30 that morning. 00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:05.519 And, boy, teachers were talking about, did you see those roses that Jake sent Bobby? 00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:08.480 And then at 9.30, everybody's amazed. 00:34:08.759 --> 00:34:10.940 The courier came back, and he had another nice gift. 00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:13.920 And at 10.30, another nice gift. 00:34:14.759 --> 00:34:18.780 And by then, all the teachers were congregating down to that room to see what Bobby was going to get. 00:34:18.860 --> 00:34:20.800 And the kids were saying, Ms. Honeycutt, what you got? 00:34:20.860 --> 00:34:21.300 What you got? 00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:21.820 What you got? 00:34:22.739 --> 00:34:24.639 And somebody thought, we're going to call the paper. 00:34:24.679 --> 00:34:25.500 And they called the paper. 00:34:25.639 --> 00:34:28.119 And the little local paper came out and did a story about it and made their pictures. 00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:36.759 Every hour on the hour and every hour after that, after she got home, she got a gift from Jake for the rest of that. 00:34:36.859 --> 00:34:39.019 That's extravagant love, isn't it? 00:34:40.839 --> 00:34:41.719 And I'm going to tell you something. 00:34:41.759 --> 00:34:42.940 That's how we all love. 00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:46.779 Don't you hate it when we just love enough? 00:34:47.940 --> 00:34:48.579 Just enough. 00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:49.859 It's enough. 00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:55.539 As a pastor, I used to get 100, not literally, but a lot of them, 00:34:55.539 --> 00:34:58.779 invitations to high school graduations. 00:34:59.500 --> 00:35:01.559 Some kids, I knew some kids I didn't even know. 00:35:02.820 --> 00:35:06.239 And so I would sit down with Gene and say, what can we do on this thing? 00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:07.900 I want to be nice to them. 00:35:08.539 --> 00:35:09.800 But, man, we got a bunch of these invitations. 00:35:09.880 --> 00:35:10.480 What are we going to do? 00:35:10.659 --> 00:35:11.880 And you know what we do? 00:35:11.900 --> 00:35:12.719 We do enough. 00:35:14.019 --> 00:35:14.380 Enough. 00:35:15.619 --> 00:35:17.820 Enough that it was okay to give it. 00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:19.300 It wasn't too cheap to give it to them. 00:35:19.759 --> 00:35:21.480 But not so much that it was going to break the bank. 00:35:22.579 --> 00:35:24.380 Now, I know y'all don't know anything about that. 00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:25.340 You don't do that kind of thing. 00:35:25.539 --> 00:35:27.920 Showers and weddings. 00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:28.940 What's enough? 00:35:31.000 --> 00:35:33.800 That's a lousy way to live and a lousy way to love, isn't it? 00:35:34.380 --> 00:35:36.860 You can't love everybody extravagantly, but I want to tell you something. 00:35:37.380 --> 00:35:39.639 You better love some people extravagantly. 00:35:41.779 --> 00:35:44.119 I've sat by the bedside of a lot of dying people. 00:35:44.300 --> 00:35:48.300 I've never heard anybody say, man, I wish I hadn't been so extravagant. 00:35:49.539 --> 00:35:51.139 I wish I'd been just a little cheaper. 00:35:52.759 --> 00:35:54.679 I wish I got her a smaller ring. 00:35:54.679 --> 00:36:00.899 I wish I had gone, you know, over to, you know, Traveler's Rest instead of Hawaii. 00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:01.039 Really? 00:36:04.039 --> 00:36:04.320 Really? 00:36:06.360 --> 00:36:07.700 Do you love extravagantly? 00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:10.599 Do you love your spouse extravagantly? 00:36:10.880 --> 00:36:12.660 Do you love Jesus extravagantly? 00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:16.500 Now, I haven't been here a long time, but I've been here long enough, eight months to know this. 00:36:16.700 --> 00:36:21.320 You're not the kind of people who just step out in every invitation and come and kneel at the front and pray. 00:36:21.320 --> 00:36:23.120 But I want to tell you something. 00:36:23.240 --> 00:36:30.680 There ought to be moments in your life where you just say, Jesus, today I have a real need to love you extravagantly. 00:36:31.980 --> 00:36:33.880 I want the world to know that I love you. 00:36:34.180 --> 00:36:36.680 Maybe it's just right there in your chair while others are standing. 00:36:36.760 --> 00:36:37.580 You just sit and pray. 00:36:37.579 --> 00:36:41.259 Or maybe it's to fall out on the floor and kneel right there beside your chair. 00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:45.719 Or maybe it's to come here and all around this altar just to kneel and take just a minute and say, God, 00:36:46.340 --> 00:36:52.559 I just want everybody in this room to know how pleased I am that you saved me, that you have come and died for me, 00:36:52.599 --> 00:36:54.019 and that you live in my heart. 00:36:54.139 --> 00:36:57.000 You've given me eternal life, and I'm just indebted to you. 00:36:57.539 --> 00:37:01.099 And I just want to leave today without somehow worshiping you. 00:37:01.099 --> 00:37:05.079 Would you do that as we stand and as we sing? 00:37:05.360 --> 00:37:09.619 However God moves in your heart, you let Him know you love Him today. 00:37:09.699 --> 00:37:10.239 Would you do that? 00:37:10.299 --> 00:37:11.420 Don't leave without worshiping. 00:37:11.860 --> 00:37:12.199 Let's do that.