Starting at verse 36, it's up on the screen.
If you have the Red Church Bibles, it's on 1036.
1036.
Now, one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him.
So he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.
When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house,
she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.
And as she stood behind him 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.
When the Pharisee who had invited him 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.
Jesus answered him,
Simon, I have something to tell you.
Tell me, teacher, he said.
Two men owed money to a certain money lender.
One owed him 500 denarii and the other 50.
Neither of them had the money to pay him back.
So he cancelled the debts of both.
Now which of them will love him more?
Simon replied,
I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled.
You have judged correctly, Jesus said.
Then he turned towards 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.
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.
Therefore I tell you,
her many sins have been forgiven,
for she loved much.
But he who has been forgiven little,
loves little.
Then Jesus said to her,
Your 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.
Thanks, Connor.
I haven't got little notes for you today,
but there are pens,
and I think Sam is going to distribute them.
If you want to take notes,
you can use the back side of your new sheet,
and write things down there if you wish.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Thanks, Sam.
Well, let's pray and ask for God's help to us.
Father, thank you for Luke,
the author of this account of the Lord Jesus.
Thank you that we have it in our language,
and that we have the freedom to meet here today,
and think about it,
reflect on it.
But we want to do more than that.
We want to encounter the Lord Jesus,
just as these people encountered you.
And as we encounter the Lord Jesus,
we want to be changed,
to be the people you have called us to be,
the people that you desire us to be.
So, Father, would you do your work in our lives today?
Do a radical transformation
in only ways that you can do.
We ask it in Jesus' name.
Amen.
The Pharisees,
they really don't like Jesus,
and they really don't like the people,
or the situations Jesus finds himself in.
Remember the people Jesus had met back in chapter 5?
You might want to look back there, chapter 5.
There were the fishermen.
Then there was the man with the skin disease
that no one could touch.
Then there was the paralytic,
left outside,
the unwelcomed ones.
And then it all boils over
in verses, chapter 5, verse 27,
when Jesus meets Levi, the tax collector,
and calls him to follow him.
Let's read verse 29.
Then Levi held a great banquet
for Jesus at his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were eating with them.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law
who belonged to their sect
complained to his disciples,
Why do you eat and drink
with tax collectors and sinners?
And they kept up their complaint.
Verse 33.
They said to him, to Jesus,
that is,
John's disciples often fast and pray,
and so did the disciples of the Pharisees,
but yours go on eating and drinking.
I think it's safe to say
that the Pharisees and Jesus
are not Facebook friends.
So it comes as a surprise
when in chapter 7, verse 36,
we read
that one of the Pharisees
invited Jesus
to have dinner with him.
And perhaps even more of a surprise
that Jesus went to the Pharisees' house
and reclined at the table.
You see, the Pharisees
were good religious folk.
They were highly respected
within their communities.
They were keepers of the religious law.
And the primary way of keeping the law,
well, was to keep away from the sinners,
the outsiders,
those untouchables.
Sinners were like a contagious disease,
something to avoid at all costs.
You see,
their understanding was
if you could keep yourself pure,
uncontaminated,
then the chances are
God is going to welcome you.
God is going to bring the kingdom.
But this Jesus character
has arrived
and upset their thinking.
He's been claiming to be God.
He's breaking all their rules.
And the shocking reality is
Jesus spends all his time
with the untouchable sinners.
Rather than avoid them,
he welcomes them.
Rather than condemn and judge them,
Jesus stops,
it seems,
goes out of his way
to eat and drink with them.
In fact,
Jesus sums up
what he came to do
and what people think of him
in verse 34.
If you just go back a verse
or to chapter 7,
verse 34,
he says,
the Son of Man,
speaking about himself,
came eating and drinking.
And you say,
here is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors
and sinners.
That's how Jesus summarises
his mission.
One who comes eating and drinking,
one who's a friend of tax collectors
and sinners.
Is Jesus really like this?
Have we understood correctly
what he came to do?
Well, Luke recounts this story
to tell us that this is exactly
what Jesus does.
You see,
as Luke tells this story,
as he recounts this event to us,
it's as if Luke is saying,
look,
come on,
come with me.
You're also invited
to this dinner.
I want you to accompany
the Lord Jesus
and I want you to watch
the people.
Listen to how they respond.
Listen to the conversations
that take place.
And as we sit in on this meal,
we will discover
that it's not the religious
respectable who are accepted
and welcomed,
but those who accept
and welcome Jesus.
It's not the religious
respectable who are accepted
and welcomed,
but those who accept
and welcome Jesus.
We're going to look at
three big ideas
from this dinner.
First,
the devotion Jesus deserves.
You can picture the scene here.
You've got all the honoured
and privileged guests
that's been invited
and in amongst them all
is Jesus.
He's been invited too.
As was the custom,
in those days,
people would sit on the floor
to eat their food.
You would rest in some ways,
perhaps with your head
on your left elbow,
leaning in like this,
and you would use your right hand
to use bread
and scoop it into the food
that was there
and to drink away.
And your body would be positioned
in such a way
that your feet
pointed away
from the food area.
Everything seems to be going well,
enjoying the food,
enjoying the company.
Verse 37.
When a woman
who had lived
a sinful life
in that town
learned that Jesus
was eating
at the Pharisee's house,
she brought
an alabaster jar
of perfume.
Now let's be clear.
This is not
a respectable woman.
She has lived,
we're told,
a sinful life.
Three times
we're told,
we're not even told
her name.
She's just told
that she's a sinner.
That many times
she has sinned.
The implication is
that she's a woman
who's known
in the town.
She is the town's
prostitute.
An unwelcome intruder,
if ever there was one,
to a meal
with a Pharisee.
Her very presence
contaminated the house.
Those eating
ran the risk
of becoming
impure
and unacceptable.
You can imagine
them all flinching,
moving.
But Jesus
remains unmoved.
Unflinching,
he lets this
sinful woman
touch him.
Verse 38.
And as she
stood behind him
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.
The intrusion
is bad enough.
Now it's
become embarrassing.
This woman
starts crying
and wiping
the dirty dust
off Jesus'
feet with her hair.
Why doesn't
someone do
something?
perhaps they're
all afraid
to touch her.
Who knows
who she was
with last
night?
Maybe they
can't believe
Jesus'
acceptance of her.
But she's
not finished.
This woman
has spared
no expense.
She has
bought a
jar of
alabaster
perfume.
Her life
savings
from her
work.
And she
pours it
on his feet.
Why?
What's she
doing?
Well,
she's obviously
heard about
Jesus.
She knows
that Jesus
has been
invited to
his house.
She knows
that this
Jesus is
the one
who welcomes
sinners.
That's
why she
comes.
And so
this sinful
woman
pours out
her devotion
in the
only way
that she
can.
You see,
her devotion
is an
expression
of her
welcome.
She
treats
Jesus in
such a
way that
Simon the
host
should have
treated
Jesus.
Look at
verse 44.
Then
Jesus
turned
towards
the woman
and said
to Simon,
do you
see this
woman?
Well,
what an
understatement.
She
couldn't be
avoided,
could she?
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.
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.
feet.
You
see,
as the
host,
it was
expected
that you,
or certainly
at least
one of
your
servants,
would wash
the feet
of the
guests and
put a bit
of olive
oil,
a way of
freshening
up.
So,
perhaps this
was an
intentional
slight on
Jesus,
a kind of
social snub.
you're
invited,
Jesus,
to the
house,
but,
you know,
let's be
clear here,
you're not
welcome.
And Jesus
turns it
all on
its head,
as they
all look
at this
woman
weeping.
It's as if
Jesus is
saying to
Simon,
this is
your house.
You
invited me,
you sent
the invitation,
but see
this woman,
well,
she's acted
as the
true host.
She has
welcomed me
because she
knows who
I am.
Simon,
if you
really knew
who I
was,
well,
you would
welcome me
too.
You see,
this sinful
woman bothers
me.
Does she
bother you?
There's no
hiding who
she is.
There's no
masks,
there's no
cover-up,
the clothes
are a dead
giveaway.
She knows
that everybody
knows what
she does.
But it
doesn't stop
her.
In
shameless,
extravagant
devotion,
she welcomes
Jesus.
and it
bothers me
because
that's not
me.
Because when
I come to
Jesus,
I like to
come
presentable,
reminding
myself of
how good
I've been
and how
I've managed
not to
fail or
fall and
proud that
I haven't
slipped up
and,
well,
certainly not
in public
anyway,
and don't
have any
major sins
to confess.
But if I
am to
truly know
Jesus,
well,
then I
need to
learn to
become like
this sinful
woman,
without any
pretense,
shameless,
risking it
all,
entering into
the house
where she
could have
been kicked
out.
I need
to become
like this
sinful woman
because,
well,
you and
I,
we're all
sinful,
and we
all need
Jesus.
Second,
there's the
forgiveness
that Jesus
gives.
Simon the
Pharisee is
disgusted
with Jesus'
lack of
response.
Look at
verse 39.
When the
Pharisee who
had invited
him 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's
a sinner.
It's bad
enough that
this sinful
woman has
gate-crashed
his dinner
and invaded
his privacy.
But what's
worse is
that Jesus
has done
nothing about
it.
He's been
walking around
claiming to
be God.
He should
have rebuked
her,
condemned
her,
pushed her
away.
Instead,
Jesus lets
her filthy,
dirty hands
touch him.
How dare
he?
be.
You see,
Simon is
not interested
in welcoming
Jesus.
He's more
interested in
setting a
standard that
Jesus might
take note
of.
We're
beginning to
get the
impression that
the dinner
has been
orchestrated in
such a way
to, well,
maybe teach
Jesus a
thing or
two about
how he
should behave.
If Jesus
is who he
claims to
be, well,
then he
would have
kicked her
out.
But that's
not why
Jesus has
come.
Jesus came,
remember,
to eat and
drink with
sinners because
people like
you and me
desperately
need Jesus.
So often
we can be
busy seeking
approval,
can't we?
keeping a
mental account
of how
often we've
served through
the week,
just totting it
up and all
the different
people that
we've helped
and the
money that
we've given
and the
organisations
that we've
supported and
just to make
sure we don't
forget, well,
we just kind of
accidentally let
it slip.
I've been so
busy this week,
as if busyness
equated with
holiness.
If only
others were
like me.
Well,
Jesus comes
not for that
kind of
person,
but for
those who
live messy
and broken
lives.
For those
who fall
and can't
seem to
break their
sinful habits,
who try
harder only
to fail
again and
again.
He's not
impressed by
our approval
seeking.
He's not
impressed by
the cover-ups,
the masks
that we put
on as we
gather together
and sing our
worship songs
and the fake
smile we put
on as we
answer people's
questions.
I'm fine.
He longs to
come with
people who
come as
they are.
people who
need
forgiveness.
You see,
Jesus knows
our hearts
better than
we know
ourselves.
Look at
verse 40.
Jesus
answered him.
Well,
how did
Jesus know?
Remember,
he said it
to himself,
didn't he,
in verse 39.
Poor Simon,
he's really
on edge now,
isn't he?
Because Jesus
knows what
he's thinking.
Simon,
I have
something to
tell you.
Oh,
tell me,
teacher,
he said,
as if he
could teach
me anything.
Two men
owed money
to a certain
money lender.
One owed him
500 denarii,
about 18
months'
wages,
so a
significant
amount of
money,
and the
other 50,
about six
weeks.
Significant,
but certainly
not as much.
Neither of
them had the
money to pay
him back,
so he
cancelled the
debts of
both.
Now,
which of
them will
love him
more?
Simon replied,
well,
I suppose the
one who had
the bigger debt
cancelled.
You have
judged
correctly,
Jesus said.
it's a
simple,
simple story,
but deeply
challenging.
If someone
forgives you,
you love
them.
If someone
forgives you
a lot,
you love
them a lot.
And the
point is,
this sinful
woman loves
Jesus,
because she
has received
forgiveness.
She loves
Jesus a lot,
that explains
her devotion,
because he
has forgiven
her a lot.
Verse 47,
therefore,
I tell you,
her many
sins have
been forgiven,
for she
loved much.
But he
who has
been forgiven
little,
loves little.
Then Jesus
said to her,
your sins
are forgiven.
The other
guests began
to say
amongst
themselves,
who is
this,
who even
forgives
sins?
And Jesus
said to the
woman,
your faith
has saved
you,
go in
peace.
You see,
it's not her
devotion
that saves.
It's not her
extravagance
that saves,
as she
pours out
all that she
has for
Jesus.
It's not,
it's not just
her love
that saves.
In her
faith,
it's her
faith,
verse 50,
that Jesus
alone can
forgive
sins.
This sinful
woman knows
that Jesus
is the true
friend of
sinners.
She comes
to him
because he
is the one
who will
forgive her.
He won't
misuse her
or abuse
her.
He will
forgive her.
He won't
refuse her
or reject
her.
Jesus
will
welcome
her.
Her
love,
her
devotion,
her
extravagance
is because
she has
been forgiven.
She has
received
forgiveness
from Jesus.
Jesus.
Third,
the change
that Jesus
makes.
The story
is here
to tell us
that just
as the
woman
received
forgiveness,
we too
can all
be forgiven
of our
many sins.
The known
sins
and the
secret
sins.
The ones
we don't
want anybody
to know.
You see,
this little
story that
Jesus tells
in verses
41 to
42
about the
debts
being
cancelled.
Well,
it's a much
bigger story,
a much
bigger picture,
isn't it?
Of what
would happen
when Jesus
went to
the cross.
When Jesus
would pay
the debt
of my
sin and
your sin.
He would
take the
punishment
that you
and I
deserve.
He would
take the
hit for
you and
for me.
He would
cancel the
debt,
wipe the
slate clean
and no
longer hold
it against
us.
And in
case we're
struggling to
grasp the
enormity of
that,
let me
read to
you something
from Psalm
103.
Familiar
words.
He does
not treat
us as
our sins
deserve,
or repay
us according
to our
iniquities.
For as
high as
the heavens
are above
the earth,
so great
is his
love for
those who
fear him.
As far
as the
east is
from the
west,
an eternity
of space,
so far
as he
removed
our
transgressions
from us.
He wipes
it away,
every
deep and
secret sin,
everything
that we
think,
no,
Jesus
couldn't
deal with
that,
he deals
with at
the cross.
Now the
thing is,
if we
have received
and experienced
this forgiveness,
it will
radically
change your
life.
It will
transform you.
In some
ways it's
the tester
to know
that we
have been
forgiven.
If we've
received
forgiveness,
it will
affect us
in two
ways.
First,
you will
have a
deep
love
for others.
You will
have a
deep
love
for others.
Look at
verse 47.
Jesus
says,
Therefore I
tell you,
her many
sins have
been forgiven
for she
loved much.
But he
who has
been forgiven
little,
loves
little.
That's
the problem
with Simon,
isn't it?
He loves
little because
he's been
forgiven
little.
Not that
he just
has little
sins and
there's no
big sins
to confess.
It's because
he can't
see how
great his
sin is.
That's his
problem.
And as a
result he
has no
love for
this sinful
woman who's
come bursting
into his
house.
She's to
be avoided,
ignored,
removed,
pushed out,
given a
kick.
You see,
sinful lives
like this
sinful woman
are broken
and messy.
They're
complicated.
And when we
look out
sometimes we
think,
well,
they're the
very kind
of people
we just
want to
avoid.
because it's
messy.
And it's
going to
cost us
our time
and our
personal space
if we get
involved.
It's going
to interrupt
my plans
and the
things that
I want
to do.
But when
we have
received
forgiveness,
when we
look at the
cross and
we see
Christ
who is
hanging there
for me
and see
how God
has cancelled
my sin
debt
and I
see
the cost
of it
all,
then I
will love
much
because I
have been
forgiven
much.
We will
care
and we
will invest
our lives
intentionally
into people.
We will
give our
time and
we'll open
our homes
and we'll
welcome and
there will
be nobody
who we
will ever
refuse and
we'll never
look at
anybody and
say,
sorry,
I haven't
got the
time because
well,
it's too
messy.
Forgiven
lots
and we
will love
lots.
But there's
another way in
which it will
change us.
Not just
love for
others,
but peace
for life.
Did you
get Jesus'
words at
the end,
that final
departing
word?
It's
amazing.
Jesus said
to the
woman,
your face
has saved
you.
Go in
peace.
Think about
this woman
for a minute.
She's lived
a life of
personal guilt
and public
shame.
Guilt is
when you
live with
your own
sin.
But shame
is when
everybody else
knows about
that sin.
She
couldn't walk
down the
street in
her town
without people
passing comment.
Her life
was ruled
by what
others said
and what
others thought
of her.
God
was
forgiven.
But now
she meets
Jesus
and that
changed
everything.
Go
in peace.
No longer
burdened by
her past.
No longer
having to
sneak out
at night.
No longer
afraid of
what others
would think
or say.
Well,
she was
now forgiven.
She was a
daughter of
God,
accepted and
welcomed.
how many
of us
continue to
live with
the shame
of the
past?
Avoiding
eye contact
in case
people ask
that question?
Keeping
busy so
that we
don't have
to talk?
Afraid
to step
out and
get involved?
Always
thinking,
what if?
what if
they find
out?
You see,
when we
face up
to our
sin,
like this
woman,
when we
run to
Jesus in
extravagant
devotion,
when we
receive and
experience
his
forgiveness,
hear the
words of
Jesus,
go in
peace.
No
longer
held back
by what
others
think or
say.
No
longer
controlled
by the
sins of
past,
but now
set free
to go
and love
and care
and welcome
others.
to
peace.
This
woman
really
bothers
me
because
she does
what I
should do
and I
don't do
it.
Too
busy
hiding,
too
busy
covering
up,
afraid of
what others
will think
if I
express my
love for
Jesus in
public
and talk
about him.
I need
to look at
the cross
again and
maybe that's
where we all
need to come
and see
Christ and
see the
forgiveness
that we
have received.
For those
who are
forgiven
lots,
love
lots
and can
go in
peace
set free
from their
past,
given a
future
to go
and love
and care
and welcome.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Thank you.