Luke 7:36-50
“One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into
the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of
the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at
table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of
ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to
wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head
and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the
Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this
man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman
this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus
answering said to him,“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred
denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled
the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon
answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger
debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then
turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?
I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has
wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me
no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my
feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my
feet with ointment.
I tell
you,
her
sins,
which
are many,
are
forgiven—for she loved much.
But he
who is forgiven little, loves little.”
And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Then those who were at table with him began to say
among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved
you; go in peace.”
this is a long piece of scripture to
try and IBS there is so much in it. The emphasis however is verse 47.
and there I shall direct most of my attention, while keeping in mind
the whole story.
I love this story, my heart is moved as
I think of the love this women had for Jesus. She came with a heart
to serve and bless Jesus. I do not by any means think she came with
the intent to do a good work and earn His favor. I think she came
already knowing she had been forgiven. The parable Jesus told
indicates what her heart had already been through. How did she know
Jesus could or would forgive her? What had happened to her previously
that day, week, month, year, or years to make her believe that she
had been forgiven by this Jesus? What kind of sins had she committed?
Here it only labels her sinner. The type of sin didn't matter. Even
as with each of us the type of sin does not matter, the fact remains
we are each a sinner.
Had she during her prayer time heard
God speak to her heart saying that through His servant and son Jesus
she would be forgiven. We don't know what led up to this outpouring
of love events wise. However any of us who have experienced the
forgiveness of God knows what transpired in her heart that day as she
came to worship and give thanks to the new Lord of her life. How deep
her love must have been to walk right into a room full of men who
would gladly stone her. Who despised and looked down on her. How
fierce her love must have been, she knew that in the midst of these
scorners was the One Who loved her, and whom she loved deeply. It
made her forgetful of what surrounded her, forgetful of the shame and
set her free to love without restraint.
When we walk close to Jesus and love
Him we will be surrounded by those who hate and look down on us,
because of our past, or our association with Him.
What kind of love was it that drove her
there? It was not her own. Here we see a truth displayed clearly.
The type of sin does not matter.
The amount of sin doesn't matter.
We all have a debt we are helpless and
unable to pay.
We all have a Help to pay it.
Jesus is our Help.
Jesus has the power to forgive sins.
If we understand the depth of our sin
even if we never did the “big sins” we would understand the Depth
of His love.
If we understand the depth of His love
we will not be able to resist coming closer to Him even if that means
coming into a room of scoffers.
Even if it means coming into a place of
being despised.
It means that no matter where Jesus is
we will follow, because “Your steadfast love is better than life”
Psalm 63:3. Because we cannot bear being away from Him.
Do you love like that? Jesus said “They
shall know that you are my disciples by your love for one another.”
Last night I heard it said that the
love of the LORD makes His bride fierce. Do we have a fierce
unrelenting love? Do I have a fierce unrelenting love, that will
drive me to places I know I will be despised by others? One that does
not care because I need to be near my Savior, to show Him the love
and gratitude I have for Him? One that says “my soul clings to
you;”? Psalm 63:8. The answer is some days yes, and other days I
forget that I am forgiven, forget that in His eyes I am no longer
only a women a sinner. I am His “delight” Psalm 18:19
Application.
Live in an understanding of God's love
for me.
How?
Today if I remember my past forgiven
sins, I will not neglect to remember that God has forgiven me, by
quoting aloud or in my heart Lamentations 3:21-23. If I keep
struggling to let it go, I will ask a trusted friend for prayer and
talk it out with them.
