Begin thinking about what you'd like to put in it.
As we come to the Word of God this morning,
we're going to actually jump a little bit ahead in the Gospel of Luke
! From where we were last Sunday.
Last Sunday, we heard about John the Baptizer's moment of doubt.
And Jesus, on that occasion,
actually takes some time to talk to the crowd about John.
Lord willing, we'll come back and look at those words more closely.
Except for one comment, which Luke makes right in the middle of that,
which we will read, which is in verses 29 and 30.
Luke says this, he says,
All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words,
acknowledged that God's way was right,
because they had been baptized by John.
But the Pharisees and the experts in the law
rejected God's purpose for themselves.
because they had not been baptized by John.
We've heard about the Pharisees
and the experts in the law already in Luke's Gospel.
They opposed Jesus.
They condemned Jesus.
They condemned Him for attending that banquet at Levi's house.
They condemned Him for allowing the disciples to eat wheat
that was ripe in the fields on the Sabbath day.
They condemned Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath day.
They accused Jesus of being a glutton and a drunkard.
They said, He's a friend of tax collectors.
He's a friend of sinners.
Well, this morning we're going to see one of Jesus' encounters
with a Pharisee
and, at the same time, a sinner.
We're in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 7, verse 36.
When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with Him,
He went to the Pharisee's house
and reclined at the table.
A woman in that town,
who lived a sinful life,
learned that Jesus was eating
at the Pharisee's house.
So she came there
with an alabaster jar
of perfume.
So a Pharisee invites Jesus
to come over to His house for dinner.
And we remember that the Pharisees
were a highly influential
religious
party
among the Jews.
They were especially
influential among the common people.
They were known for their strict adherence
to the Scriptures,
at least on the surface.
And they saw themselves
as an authority
when it came to
understanding
and interpreting
and applying
the Scriptures,
the law of Moses
found in the Scriptures.
And Luke tells us
that a woman
who had lived a sinful life
in that town
caught word
that Jesus had been invited
to this Pharisee's house.
Not only did she hear,
but she comes knocking
on the door
and shows up
to this guy's house
with a jar
of perfume.
Already we know
this is going to be interesting.
We've got a highly
religious man
and we've got
a well-known
sinner
in the same room.
And Jesus
is right
in the middle of this.
And then comes
the awkward part.
this woman
is weeping.
As the woman
stood behind Jesus
at his feet
weeping,
she began
to wet his feet
with her tears.
Then she wiped them
with her hair,
kissed them,
and poured
perfume
on them.
Now it's difficult
to picture this
without a few
cultural details.
The tables
that they ate at
in their culture
were very low
to the ground.
Rather than sitting
at them
in a chair,
they actually
laid on their sides
around the table
with their head
and their hands
near the food
and then their feet
stretched out
behind them
away from the table.
And this is where
it gets really awkward.
not only
is the woman
crying
and why
is she crying
but it seems
that she's hiding
her face
behind her hair
over top
of Jesus' feet
and her tears
are dripping
down
onto Jesus' feet.
And she begins
to wash
Jesus' feet
with her tears
and her hair.
This is very strange.
Not only that
but she kisses
Jesus' feet.
And you're not weird
if you think
that's gross.
Feet are often
dirty and smelly
especially by
dinner time
and especially
in this hot
part of the world
in a society
where everybody
walks everywhere
in sandals.
This is not
a hygienic thing
that she's doing.
And then
on top of all that
she begins
to pour
expensive perfume
on Jesus' feet.
Can you imagine
the Pharisee
sitting there
and watching this?
What might he be thinking?
Well we don't have
to guess
because Luke
tells us
in verse 39
when the Pharisee
who had invited
Jesus
saw this
he said to himself
if this man
were a prophet
he would know
who is touching him
and what kind
of woman
she is
that she is
a sinner.
So what's
the Pharisee
thinking?
He's not
wondering at all
why she's crying.
he thinks
that Jesus
if he's a righteous
and holy man
should not be
allowing this
unclean
and immoral woman
to be touching him.
This Pharisee
is thinking about
how this woman's
sinfulness
and guilt
might rub off
on Jesus
and in the Pharisee's
mind
he's passing judgment
on Jesus.
everybody's
been talking
about whether
he's someone
special
perhaps a prophet
perhaps even
the Messiah
well if he was
a prophet
he would know
that this woman
is dirty
and unclean
a sinner
he would forbid
her from even
touching him.
You can hear
the pride
you can feel
it
in his thoughts.
Jesus answered
him
Simon
I have
something
to tell you.
Tell me
teacher
he said.
Two people
owed money
to a certain
money lender.
One
owed him
500
denarii
and the other
50.
Now
a denarius
was the usual
daily wage
of a day
laborer.
So
one owed
the money
lender
500
days
wages
that's a lot
and the other
owed him
50 days
wages.
Neither of them
had the money
to pay him
back
so he forgave
the debts
of both.
Now
which of them
will love him
more?
Simon replied
I suppose
the one
who had
the bigger
debt
forgiven.
You have
judged
correctly
Jesus
said.
keep going
then
Jesus
turned
toward
the woman
and said
to Simon
do you
see this
woman
I came
into your
house
you did
not give
me any
water
for my
feet
but she
wet my
feet
with her
tears
and wiped
them
with her
hair.
Back then
it was
customary
to do
a foot
washing
before
reclining
at the
table
for a
meal.
You did
not give
me a
kiss
but this
woman
from the
time I
entered
has not
stopped
kissing
my feet.
In
Jewish
culture
a kiss
!
A kiss
on the
cheek
or the
forehead
was a
common
way of
greeting
or showing
hospitality
to a
friend.
And I
think
we'll just
say it
it's somewhat
implied here
but clearly
the kissing
of the
woman
of Jesus
feet
was not
sexual
in nature.
Remember
she's
crying
and she's
kissing
Jesus
feet.
This is
the kind
of thing
we might
expect to
see between
a guilty
criminal
and a
king
sitting on
his throne
as the
criminal
begs
for
mercy.
You
did not
give me
a kiss
but this
woman
from the
time I
entered
has not
stopped
kissing
my feet.
You
did not
put oil
on my
head
but she
has poured
perfume
on my
feet.
Again
this is a
cultural
thing.
It wasn't
expected
always that
hosts
anoint
the head
of their
guests
with oil
but it
was
sometimes
done
to
special
guests
to
honor
them.
And as
we've
been
hearing
from Luke's
gospel
Jesus
is
the
Messiah.
He is
the
anointed
one.
God's
chosen
king.
And so
it would
be very
fitting
for Simon
to show
Jesus
this honor.
He's
dining
with a
king.
The
king.
You
did not
put oil
on my
head
but she
has poured
perfume
on my
feet.
And there's
several
contrasts
here.
The first
is between
the oil
and the
perfume.
The oil
which Simon
could have
used to
anoint
Jesus'
head
was
relatively
common
and
inexpensive
in Israel.
Perfume
on the
other hand
was very
expensive.
And so
that's the
first contrast
between the
oil and
the perfume.
Jesus is
maybe saying
you didn't
even honor
me with a
few drops
of olive
oil.
She has
honored me
with costly
perfume.
And then
there's the
contrast of
body parts
that we
notice here.
Simon,
you wouldn't
grace my
head with
oil but
she has
poured perfume
on my
feet.
Now
ordinarily
nobody would
put an
expensive
perfume
on their
feet.
You would
use a
cheap bar
of soap
on your
feet.
It's
almost like
the woman
is saying
that even
the
lowest
and
dirtiest
part of
you,
Jesus,
is worthy
of the
best that
I have
to give.
Even
your feet
are worthy
of anointing
with this
costly perfume
I've
brought.
The contrast
is so stark,
isn't it?
Here's Simon,
this Pharisee,
sitting there
in his
self-righteous
pride,
disgusted
that Jesus
would allow
himself to
be touched
by this
woman.
And here's
this woman
bawling her
eyes out
and humbling
herself to
the lowest
of lows
before Jesus,
paying him
the highest
of honors,
showing him
the love
that you
would show
to a
king.
How could
it be
that there's
such a
difference in
the way
these two
treat Jesus?
The answer,
I think,
is found in
that little
parable that
Jesus tells,
which we read
in verse 41.
I'll just read
it again
quickly.
Two people
owed money
to a certain
moneylender.
One owed him
500 denarii
and the other
50.
Neither of
them had the
money to pay
him back,
so he forgave
the debts
of both.
Now,
which of
them will
love him
more?
Jesus actually
explains how
the parable
relates down
in verse 47.
He says,
I tell you,
her many
sins have
been forgiven
as her
great love
has shown.
But whoever
has been
forgiven little
loves little.
Then Jesus
said to her,
her sins
are forgiven.
The other
guests began
to say among
themselves,
who is this
who even
forgives
sins?
Jesus said
to the woman,
your faith
has saved
you.
Go
in peace.
God
will
be
first of all,
notice
that Jesus
doesn't deny
she's a
sinner.
In fact,
he agrees
with Simon
about her
past.
He says,
I tell you
that her
many sins
have been
forgiven.
She was a
person who
had sinned
much.
And Jesus
didn't deny
that.
He didn't
minimize it.
She really
was a person
with a
past full of
doing things
that in
God's sight
were wrong.
But here's
the massive
difference
between
Simon the
Pharisee
and Jesus.
When Simon
looks at
this woman,
he sees a
despicable
sinner and
nothing more.
When Jesus
looks at
her,
he sees a
woman of
faith who
is right
now repenting
of her
sins.
He sees
that she is
truly sorry.
for the
wrong things
that she
has done.
Jesus
sees a
person who
is right
now acknowledging
her unworthiness
to be in
his presence.
Jesus
sees a
woman who
believes his
good news
that God
will
forgive
those who
come to
the man
God has
sent.
God
and it's
like these
tears of
guilt
and shame,
tears of a
broken heart
over all the
wrongs that
she has
done become
the gift
that she
brings as
she washes
Jesus' feet
with them
and anoints
his feet
with her
best perfume.
in this
moment as
she sees
that Jesus
does not
reject her
or push
her away
or tell
her to
leave as
Simon would
have done,
she knows
that Jesus'
message is
true.
That God's
forgiveness
really has
come to
her in
this moment
and she
pours out
her pure
and thankful
love for
Jesus with
this beautiful
act of
service and
honor.
She knows
that she
is forgiven
by Jesus
and so
she loves
Jesus much
by doing
what she's
doing.
That's what
Jesus is
saying by the
parable is
going on
with her.
But what
does Jesus
point to
Simon?
Well a few
things.
First,
how much
or how
little we
have
sinned
matters
nothing to
whether we
can be
forgiven.
No matter
how many
sins that
we've
committed,
we are
not beyond
God's
mercy and
his ability
to forgive.
This woman
is the proof
of that.
Her sins
are many
and yet
Jesus
says to
her,
looks her
in the eye
and says
to her,
your sins
are forgiven.
second,
the more
we realize
and understand
how much
we have
sinned
against
God,
the deeper
our love
for him
will be
if we
receive his
forgiveness.
I don't
think Jesus
means to
say that
Simon hasn't
sinned that
much and
that he's
a pretty
good guy.
rather,
until we
understand
just how
much we
have sinned
and are
in need
of God's
forgiveness,
we just
will not
love or
appreciate
Jesus as
we ought
to.
Let me
ask you
this question.
Do you
love Jesus?
Do you
treasure
Jesus?
If not,
could it
be that
you are
like
Simon,
thinking
you're
pretty
good,
only in
need of
a little
bit of
forgiveness?
We will
not treasure
Jesus and
the forgiving
love that
he has
until we
humbly
acknowledge how
great is
the debt
that we
owe.
And then
third,
how do we
receive this
forgiveness
from Jesus?
Notice
Jesus parting
words with
the woman.
He says,
your faith
has saved
you.
Go in
peace.
The answer
is simple.
Come to
Jesus Christ
in faith.
Believe
that he
can and
does
forgive.
when we
come to
him in
earnest
repentance
like this
woman did.
This is
the good
news of
Jesus.
We can
have
peace
despite
our
many
sins
in the
past.
Have
you done
that?
Have
you put
your faith
in Jesus?
have
you
experienced
like this
woman did
his
forgiveness?
In
just a
moment
we're
going to
partake
together
of the
Lord's
table.
And we
do this
every
month
to
remember
Jesus
our
Savior.
This
woman
knew
that she
was
utterly
unworthy
and a
sinner.
in
faith
she
saw
that
Jesus
was
truly
worthy
of the
best
and
highest
honor
she
could
give.
She
wept
over
her
sins
and
washed
Jesus'
feet
with
her
tears
and
poured
out
that
perfume
on
his
feet
and
kissed
them.
She
knew
just
how
much
she
had
been
forgiven.
She
was
so
deeply
stirred
with
love
for
the
one
who
had
forgiven
her.
This
woman
really
stands
out,
doesn't
she?
maybe
almost
a little
bit
like
the
centurion
that we
heard about
a couple
weeks ago.
One of
the few
who through
eyes of
faith saw
Jesus as
he really
is
and
herself
as
she really
was before
him.
He
a wonderful
and
merciful
king
and
she
a sinner
in need
of mercy.
As
the story
goes on
we'll see
even more
of how
wonderful
and worthy
and merciful
Jesus is.
He is
truly
the
anointed
one
of
God
and yet
he will
willingly
choose
to
suffer
and
die
on a
cross
to
atone
for
our
many
sins.
Let's
just
fast
forward
to that
moment
a little
bit
and hear
it again.
On the
night
before
Jesus
died
he
reclined
with
his
disciples
around
the
table
to
mark
the
Passover
and
he
took
bread
and
he
broke
it
and
he
gave
it
out
around
the
table
he
said
in that
moment
this
is
my
body
given
for
you
do
this
in
remembrance
of
me
and
he
took
a
cup
and
he
passed
it
around
saying
to
them
drink
from
it
all
of
you
this
is
my
blood
of
the
covenant
which
is
poured
out
for
many
for
the
forgiveness
of
sins
this
was
a
symbolic
thing
that
Jesus
did
and
it
was
all
intended
to
explain
what
would
happen
the
next
day
he
would
be
crucified
on a
Roman
cross
though
innocent
his
body
would
be
broken
and
his
blood
poured
out
he
would
die
and
yet
through
his
death
would
come
the
forgiveness
of
sins
for
many
a
new
restored
relationship
with
God
what
Jesus
said
to
the
woman
your
sins
are
forgiven
would
depend
on
this
act
love
his
death
for
us
on
the
cross
what
a
deal
the
worthy
and
sinless
king
seeing
that
we
do
not
have
the
means
to
pay
the
debt
we
owe
would
pay
the
debt
we
owe
!
himself
he
would
take
the
punishment
we
deserve
for
our
many
sins
on
himself
so
that
we
could
be
forgiven
and
live
in
peace
let's
take
a few
minutes
now
to
reflect
on
this
and
to
pray
silently
once
we've
done
this
for
a few
minutes
the
elders
will
come
and
pass
out
the
elements
if
you
believe
in
Jesus
as
your
savior
and
as
your
king
please
join
with
us
eat
and
drink
with
us
and
celebrate
and
remember
Jesus
with
us
and
if
not
please
just
let
the
elements
pass
you
by
we're
going
to
wait
until
everybody
has
been
served
and
then
we'll
partake
together
in
unison
but
let's
take
a few
minutes
now
to
reflect
and
to
pray
!
how
many
are
your
sins
how
much
have
you
been
forgiven?