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HER MANY SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN - FOR SHE LOVED MUCH
LUKE 7:36-50
A couple of weeks ago we asked the question, what is the very best thing Jesus has done for you? Our answer: He has forgiven us.
Today we ask this question: What does Jesus most want from us?
In the first century there was a group of believers who thought they were doing quite well. They worked hard. They persevered where others gave up. They endured the ridicule and violent opposition of the enemies of Jesus. They were wise and discerning. They boldly opposed evil and exposed false apostles for what they were.
I have no doubt that they expected a tick of approval from Jesus. But what did He say?
Jesus said..
Revelation 2:1-4
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.
Jesus valued all the good things these people did, but was disappointed with them because their love for Him had grown cold.
Today.. in Luke 7.. we meet a woman who was just the opposite of these people.
Luke tells us she lived a sinful life. But she loved Jesus and loved Him deeply, not in a sexual way, but with the love that God wants us to love Him – with agape love.
We read about her in Luke 7:36-50.
Let’s consider this woman today.. what Jesus did for her.. and how He responded to her love..
The first thing we notice is that..
· 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 began to flush with embarrassment and anger. What is this woman doing here?
His anger and embarrassment grew 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 annoyed or embarrassed by what she did?
Did He say to Himself, How dare this woman do this! 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!
The second thing we notice is that..
· 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.
The third thing we notice is that..
· JESUS TOLD HER PUBLICLY THAT HER SINS WERE FORGIVEN.
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 said to Simon the Pharisee..
Luke 7:47..
I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.
Then He said to the woman..
Luke 7:48,50..
“Your sins are forgiven.” Your faith has saved you; go in peace
Jesus said quite emphatically.. Her many sins HAVE BEEN forgiven.. and then said 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
She was saved by her faith.. not because she loved!
She trusted Jesus.. then she loved!
And she left that house.. with these words like music in her ears.. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.
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.
Jesus will do for you and me just what He did for this woman.
He died for us. Paid the price for us. When we believe.. and receive Him into our lives.. He forgives us.. fills us with love for Him.. and sets us free.. impelled by our love for Him to live a new life.
And now we notice that..
· 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].
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?
Without a doubt.. Jesus longs for us to be like the woman!
And we can be! When we believe Jesus died for us.. receive Him into our lives.. He gives His Spirit to us.. and pours out His love into our hearts..
The Apostle Paul says..
Romans 5:5..
God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
And His love for us.. ignites our love for Him!
The Apostle John says..
1 John 4:19..
We love because he first loved us.
We may feel today that we do not love Jesus as He wants us to love Him..
There could be several reasons for this..
Perhaps we have not yet encountered Jesus as this woman did.. have not been forgiven.. saved.. as she was.. If this is so.. reach out to Him today.. You may say.. I am not ready to do that.. well.. search.. and keep searching..
Perhaps there was a time when we did love Him much more than we do today.. How can we recover that love? Reflect on His love for you.. until you appreciate afresh what He did.. and what it cost.. fan the embers of a dying love into flame!
Perhaps we think something like this. ‘This woman loved much because she had been forgiven much.. and I have been forgiven little.. I was quite a good person.. not like this woman.. so I love little.. If I had been forgiven much.. like this woman.. I would love much.’
If we think like that.. think instead of what it cost Jesus to open the way for even the best of people to be forgiven..
He came from heaven.. died a cruel death.. the Son of God died a cruel death.. that is what it cost!
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!’
Jesus wants us to love Him.. and love Him we will.. when we are moved by His great love for us!
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