Sermon Text Luke 7:36-50

Grace, mercy, peace be unto you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

 

        How many times have you, after hearing about someone, decided that you would find out for yourself if they were really like what all the gossip had said.  Think of the last time you talked about someone and found out something that you just had to see if it was true.  So, you finally get up the nerve and you call or visit or you invite this person over to talk.  Then you kind of under handily or in a round about way ask them questions that will hint at what you want to know.  Or, you do as this Pharisee did, you wait for the right situation to happen to see how that person will respond.

 

        So, we have this situation.  Jesus comes to the Pharisee's home.  The first mistake for the Pharisee is that he doesn't treat Jesus with the proper hospitality that was customary at the time.  Jesus feet had not been bathed when entering the Pharisees' house.  That was unusual.  But all of this plays into the divine plan of God, because as it states in our text, this woman comes in and bathes Jesus feet.  We are told that this woman was known publicly in the town as a sinner.  Then she washes the feet of Jesus!  But, she does this in a truly humble manner and definitely shows contrition.  She does it with her very tears, with the very hair on her head, and then covers his feet not with the customary oil but with very expensive perfume encased in an expensive alabaster bottle. 

 

        I tried to imagine what this would be like today.  I know myself, if I were with Jesus, and if He came to my house, and if, let's say, the actress and singer Madonna came through the door and then washed His feet in the same manner.  I would utterly be appalled.  But that is the kind of person we have to imagine in this situation.

 

        The Pharisee's response to this is pretty obvious.  He feels that since Jesus is not concerned with the character of the woman, that he is letting her wash His feet, he then cannot be a real prophet.  The Pharisee feels that Jesus lacks the intuition, the holiness, the piety that is necessary for a prophet.  The Pharisees is thinking that he would surely stop her if he was really who people say. 

 

        What’s more telling about this humble action of the woman is this fact.  In those times the hair of a woman was usually the pride of a woman.  To unbind and loosen the hair in public before strangers was considered disgraceful and indecent for a woman.  This just makes this all the more ghastly for this Pharisee.  He’s appalled ready to convict Jesus right then and there. 

 

        But, Jesus knows what he is thinking.  Jesus then tells Simon a little story that Simon understands perfectly.  And after the story he relates to Simon that this woman that has washed His feet is deserving of forgiveness as much as anyone.  She has repented of her sins and has faith in Jesus and that He will understand and forgive her.  Verse 47 tells us what Jesus said about her and the Pharisee he is with, "for this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

 

        After this Jesus lays down the law even more on the Pharisee.  He basically tells Simon to, “look at her, don't turn your back on her, see her for what she has done out of kindness that you Simon have failed to do.  You Simon failed to give me any water for my feet failed to offered any kiss of peace which is the proper treatment for a friend; you brought no oil, no perfume for your guest.  Indeed this woman gave tears for water, hair for a towel, kisses for one kiss, and not ordinary oil but expensive perfume...” 

 

        What was missing in the Pharisees was the love that only God can give.  It is the kind of love that would be willing to understand and forgive a woman of her character.  We are not told what this woman did.  All we know is that she was a sinner and was a known sinner throughout the town.  If it were someone today I would imagine them as one who has had their name and picture plastered on the front page of the National Inquirer for some adulterous scandal.  Her sins were very well known and only those people with the love of God in them could possibly truly be able to forgive her.

 

        Now keep in mind, although she washed Jesus feet and cared for Him in a much greater way than Simon, it was not the reason her sins were forgiven.  Her sins were dismissed because of her faith, not because of the works that she performed.   Jesus tells her that her sins "have been forgiven.”  He does not say "are now forgiven,” which means forgiveness came when faith was first kindled in this woman's heart by the Holy Spirit in a previous time before this.   It was because of the love kindled in her heart for Jesus that she did this. So then Jesus lets her go but impresses on her that it is her faith that has saved her.

 

        But Simon doesn't get it.  Simon needed to realize that because he has such little love for the woman, he will have little or no forgiveness from God let alone from Jesus.  This love from God translates into the fact that he did not believe that Christ was the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

 

        Here we have two different people wanting two different things, even though both of them most likely had heard the same message about Jesus.  Simon wants proof to condemn.  The woman wanted assurance of forgiveness.

 

        For us we need to put ourselves in both of these people's positions.  We need to realize that when we are judgmental, as Simon, we need to be careful.  When we bring to attention someone’s wrong doing (or what we think is wrong doing), it needs to be done with a motive and with words spoken in Christian love. That can be a very difficult task.  If we can’t do that, we would do better to keep our mouths shut. 

 

And when a sin has been committed by a fellow believer we need to approach them one on one and not gossip about the problem to other people.  We need to forgive as Christ has forgiven us and then talk to them about it. 

 

        I could tell you of many examples between fellow believers where arguments have lead to situations that are in need of repair.  There are times when we are looking much like the Pharisee in the text.  I am sure that you can think of fellow congregation members who you have made comments to or had arguments with in the past that repentance and forgiveness was or is necessary.  The same applies for married couples, and for brothers and sisters, parents and children, for all believers. 

 

        Maybe presently you are in disagreement with someone and have been hurt by that person.  This is a typical situation in any church.  It is caused by our sinful nature.  When this happens only repentance and forgiveness through the love of God will cure the situation.  Don't let your hurt feelings or pride or anger because of what that person has done to you get in the way of God's love and forgiveness.  Let the Holy Spirit work in you as an instrument of God's love. 

 

I know it is not an easy task.  I myself find it much easier to talk and complain about what someone has done to me instead of talking to that person and getting the situation cleared up right away.   It is still hard work but through the strength given to us through the Holy Spirit it is not impossible. 

 

        Many times we are on the other side of the fence.  We have offended someone and we feel such a need to repent and apologize for what we have done.  With fellow believers we should not be afraid that we will be turned away.  Our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ have the love of God working in them.  This love of God in us helps us to forgive all people remembering that Christ himself has forgiven us.

 

         And it is important that this forgiveness and repentance is done because we do not always have the chance to forgive or to repent to everyone who has wronged us or visa versa.  We will not live forever on this world.  Soon as you know it some one is gone before you have ever had a chance to clear it up the disagreement that you had with them.  I know in my past I can look back to the people I hurt deeply or those people who deeply hurt me.  I now wish I could go back to them and tell them I'm sorry, or that I forgive them.  But, life does not always work out that way.

 

        Here is where I praise the Lord, and thank Him that His forgiveness is all encompassing and he has forgiven all my wrong doings.  Even those to people I have not seen for a long time and will probably never see again till I am in heaven.  But, we still have His forgiveness.  That is the comfort that Jesus gives this woman in our text for today, and it is the kind of forgiveness and faith that he instructs to the Pharisee. 

 

        Of course, we do not physically see Jesus today as did the Pharisee and the woman back then and see Him personally pronounce that our sins are forgiven.  But, we still receive the forgiveness of sins today.  You first received it at your baptism.  You are assured of it through the word of God.  You are assured of the forgiveness of sins through the holy absolution that is given to you for each and every worship service.  And you receive the body and blood, renewed of faith, and the forgiveness of sins through Holy Communion.  By the faith worked into you through the Holy Spirit you have forgiveness of sins and life and salvation. 

 

        In closing, I want you to remember the love that Christ had for this repentant sinner.  I pray that you and I remember this love and through the strength of the Holy Spirit we will share this love of forgiveness to those who have wronged us.  And especially when we have done wrong, may we always be assured that Christ Jesus our Lord has not turn us away.  Instead he says to us, “Your faith has saved you, go in peace!”  Amen.

 

        May this peace of forgiveness never leave our hearts and minds which is given through the work of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.