Sermon 22052005

22nd May 2005 HER MANY SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN Pastor Linton Smith

In my home town there was a woman others labelled a sinner.. sniggered about her.. and shunned her. Today.. in Luke 7.. we meet a woman just like her.. People labelled her a sinner and shunned her in public. She was shunned by just about everyone - except Jesus. We see how Jesus treated her in Luke 7:36-50.

JESUS WELCOMED HER.

In Luke 7:36-38 we read.. 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.

It was quite common.. for a well-to-do person to invite a religious teacher home for a meal.. for people to come uninvited and sit around the walls of the large room, watching and listening as the host entertained his guests.

What wasn’t common was for women like this woman to be among those people.. and when she entered the home of Simon the Pharisee he wasn’t impressed.

He was even less impressed when she came up to the table behind Jesus. Jesus was reclining on a couch.. resting on his left side.. his left arm on the table.. legs bent and feet behind him. The woman stood there.. behind him.. crying.. tears wetting his feet.. she let down her long hair.. something a woman would not do in that society unless she wanted to be thought immoral.. dried them.. kissed them.. poured perfume over them..

Was Jesus embarrassed by what she did? Did He say to Himself, What will these people think of me.. and pull away from her? No. He allowed her to wet His feet with her tears.. wipe them with her hair.. and pour perfume on them.

He welcomed her! If we dare to come to Jesus He will welcome us, too.

JESUS KNEW ALL ABOUT HER.

In Luke 7:39-44,47 we read.. 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 moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?.. I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much."

In effect, Jesus said to Simon.. You think I don’t know who this woman is.. well I do.. for a start I know just what you are thinking.. and besides I know just what is going on in her life..

What she has just done, she has done because she loves me greatly.. and she loves me greatly because she has experienced my forgiveness.

Jesus knew all there was to know about her. He knows all about us, too. In fact, He knows what is going on in our lives better than we do.

JESUS FORGAVE HER.

Somewhere this woman had encountered Jesus.. Perhaps she had heard Him speak.. Perhaps she had seen Him helping people..

She was drawn to Him.. felt accepted by Him as she had never been accepted by anyone before.. and she loved him.. came with a jar of perfume.. intent on pouring it over Him as an act of love.. but as she stood behind him.. the tears welled up and burst forth.. tears of sorrow.. joy.. gratitude..

Jesus knew why.. He says in..

Luke 7:47,48.. 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."

Jesus says quite emphatically.. Her many sins HAVE BEEN forgiven.. and then says to her.. Your sins HAVE BEEN forgiven.

Edersheim the Jewish commentator writes [Life and Times p262]:

When she came to that feast, and stood behind with humble, loving gratefulness.. she was already saved

Jesus put into words what she was feeling deep inside and pronounced her forgiven. With these words He set her free.

Perhaps that is what we need.. someone to put into words what we are feeling deep inside.. perhaps we have encountered Jesus here in this building.. or in some other place.. we know something has happened.. and what we need to hear is something like this.. Jesus died for you.. has paid the price for you.. you believe that, don’t you.. then, you are forgiven!

JESUS CHANGED HER.

The changes began when she first encountered Jesus.. first felt accepted by Him.. first trusted Him.. felt the stirring of love toward Him. Jesus knew that and said..

Luke 7:50.. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

Your faith in Me has led to forgiveness.. to freedom from guilt.. from your past.. now.. go.. live in peace.. peace with God, peace with yourself..

She was saved by her faith.. not because she loved! She trusted Jesus.. then she loved!

And she left that house walking on air.. a free person.. a changed person..

She didn’t need to be told to leave her life as a sinner.

Her love for Jesus impelled her to do so.

That is the path to change. Want to see someone change? Love them.. accept them.. pray for them..

Have we encountered Jesus.. believed.. been forgiven.. have changes begun.. Then hear Jesus say, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

JESUS DELIGHTED IN HER LOVE.

In Luke 7:44-46 we read.. Then he 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. 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.

The Pharisee welcomed him politely but without enthusiasm or affection.

Edersheim comments that the host was not expected to wash his guest’s feet.. kiss him.. anoint his head with olive oil.. but when a host did do these things.. he did so out of affection and respect [Life and Times p261].

Why did they anoint with olive oil? It seems it was used to sooth the dry skin on the head. In Bible Manners and Customs the author describes how one man in the Middle East received a gift of olive oil [p220]..

As soon as [he] received it he lifted his turban and anointed his head, his face, and his beard, at the same time lifting his eyes to heaven and saying, God be thanked.

The Pharisee did not wash His feet.. kiss him.. anoint His head..

His welcome was polite. It seems that He was impressed by Jesus.. and wondering if Jesus was indeed a prophet. Remember he said to himself, If this man were a prophet.. It seems he wanted to know more about Him.

But the woman was not wondering. She trusted Jesus. She loved Him.

She washed His feet with her tears.. dried them with her hair.. kissed His feet.. and poured perfume over them..

And Jesus delighted in her love!

In whom do we see ourselves.. in the Pharisee or in the woman?

It is Okay.. to be searching.. asking questions about Jesus.. keep searching..

But without a doubt.. Jesus longs for us to be like the woman!

In Revelation 2:1-4 the Risen Lord Jesus says to the believers in Ephesus..

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

Is that what He says to us today?

How can we recover our first love.. or begin to love Him for the first time?

One way.. reflect on His great love for you.. how He died.. a cruel death.. to open the way for you to be forgiven.. Reflect on Him.. the cross.. and what it cost.. until it burns into you.. and ignites a loving response.

Many years ago I stood in the back room of a small country church preparing to enter the church to preach.. and just happened to look at a picture on the wall.. a picture of Jesus hanging on the cross. I was overcome by His love for me. After the service that morning, one man asked, What’s happened to you? You were different this morning!

When we love Jesus.. others will notice it.

Let’s be like this woman! Love Jesus!

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