Have you ever been shocked or disappointed by the behaviour of religious leaders? Someone in this true story was really shocked when he saw the public behaviour of a sinful woman with a religious teacher! We can all learn a lesson here about true love!
Simon, a Pharisee, had invited Jesus to his home for a meal. As was the custom he was most likely reclining on something like couch with his feet up.
"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."
Simon 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."
1*.
Jesus truly was a prophet! He was the Son of God, and He knew what Simon was thinking; and He knew what the sinful woman's kiss really meant.
Jesus said, "Simon, I have something to tell you… Two men owed money to a certain money-lender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 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 answered, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled."
2*.
So it was with this woman. She had found forgiveness and deliverance from her very sinful life by trusting in Jesus.
3*.
Here she was showing her great appreciation and love for Jesus - the One who had set her free and cancelled her great debt of sin that she herself could never have paid.
4*.
Is Jesus that important to YOU? Jesus loved you so much that He paid the awful price of dying for your sins so that He could cancel your debt of sin.
5*.
You cannot possibly pay the debt you owe to God for your sinful life! But you can put your trust in Jesus by asking Him to freely cancel your debt?
6*.
All who really do trust in Jesus as their Saviour should be full of love and gratitude to Him.
7*.
This sinful woman loved Jesus much because she trusted Him as her Saviour. Perhaps the Pharisee's reason for inviting Jesus to his home was just curiosity. If he was not trusting Jesus as his Saviour that would explain why he could not understand the sinner's love for Jesus.
8*.
If your are depending on someone else or something else to forgive your sins then you certainly will not have the love and gratitude for Jesus in your heart that this woman had: nor will your have the peace and joy she experienced! Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven," and said to those around, "her many sins have been forgiven."
9*.
Today many are content to hear some religious person echo those words in their ears - but remember this, No one can forgive sins but God alone. Only Jesus the Son of God can truly forgive your sins.
10*.
Will you have the faith this sinful woman had in Luke's Gospel chapter 7, verses 36-50?
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Footnotes. Bible quotes were from the NIV.
1 Luke 7:37-39.
2 Luke 7:40-43.
3 Acts 26:17-20.
4 Romans 3:21-28.
5 1st John 2:1-2. 2nd Corinthians 5:21.
6 Romans 5:1-11. 6:23.
7 1st John 4:7-21.
8 Luke 7:43-47.
9 Luke 7:47-48.
10 Luke 5:21-26. Acts 4:12.
