Luke 7.36-50
Notes
Transcript
Luke 7:36-50
New? Finishing Luke 7 today… Getting used to seeing Jesus vs. the religious leaders (Pharisees, Scribes, Lawyers)
Gospel writers/show the difference/Jews (see what they had made it)/Everyone else… wrong view of Christianity
Eating with Levi, tax collectors, and sinners (ch 5)… Read Luke 6:11- “Fury… what they might do to Jesus…”
This may explain the occasion of this story- Read Luke 7:36- Perhaps to catch Jesus… to humiliate Him… (Simon, v. 40)
Explain the setting: Low table/Reclining/Feet behind (Door left open/open to public to watch and listen)
Very dramatic scene- Read Luke 7:37-38- “a woman of the city”… “who was a sinner”… Prostitute (“Behold”)
Very emotional scene… She intended to anoint his feet with perfume (“ointment”, not Neosporin)
Could not hold back the tears from flowing… his feet became wet… let her hair down and dried them… (scand.)
This is NOT the first time she had been around Jesus… Perhaps she was at Levi’s house… she had heard Jesus teach before…
She brought an alabaster flask of perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet
Very small… many women of status would wear around neck… sign of status (broke neck to pour, expensive)
This woman was living in such extreme guilt/cultural rejection… (Pedophile/abuser of women… everyone knew)
Being in Jesus’s presence was overwhelming… (The one who offers grace and forgiveness)
Read Luke 7:39- If this man were a prophet… he’d know who this woman is… and wouldn’t let her touch him…
The Pharisees were separatists… Righteous by what they don’t do… and who you don’t associate with
BUT Jesus knew exactly who she is/what she’s done… BUT he also knew who Simon was…
Read Luke 7:40- BAD DECISION….
Jesus tells a parable- Read Luke 7:41-43- Denarius= 1 days wages for the average person (just to survive)
Both 50 and 500 Denarii were extreme debts (V. 42- “When they could not pay…”)
The woman knew she couldn’t pay it back… Simon thought he could.
Paying back the bank with Monopoly money… You are giving them something… but it does nothing…
What the woman realizes (and Simon does not) is that she is dead in her sin… her righteousness is only by grace
Read Ephesians 2:1-3- How dead is dead? (Tim Keller- Spider bite vs Tiger attack)
This woman may have more obvious outward unrighteousness… BUT that led her to understand her need!!!
This actually explains why she did what she did for Jesus…
Read Luke 7:44-46- Customs: Hand on shoulder & kiss/remove sandals & give water/anointed head with olive oil.
BUT THIS WOMAN… Kissed His feet/Washed feet with tears and hair/anointed feet with perfume…
The woman saw her need for Jesus and Simon didn’t
Modern therapeutic Christianity says this is negative… too much sin talk…
Read 1 Timothy 1:15- Only those who see the depth of sin will see the necessity of the cross…
We don’t need help, we need saving/don’t need assistance, we need grace/Not from good to better, dead to alive
In this room, we have those who see the depth of their sin & and those who do not (Christianity vs. Religion)
Jesus explains this to Simon- Read Luke 7:47- Her great forgiveness for her great sin lead to great love
She loved much BECAUSE He loved much… (1 Jn 4)
Pastor’s job= Teach Scripture and show how it connects to our life (culture)
Notice that Jesus doesn’t excuse her sin… HE FORGIVES HER SIN (“Her sins, which are many, are forgiven”)
The temptation we have/Cultural pressure… Excuse sexual sin (doesn’t matter) OR make it the basis of condemnation.
Christians and the LGBT community- Their Biggest need isn’t not being gay or transgender… It’s Jesus!
You are NOT SAVED because you’re NOT GAY, NOT SAVED because you’re NOT TG… SAVED B/C of CHRIST!
Christians…. “God, I thank you that I am not like other men…” (Pharisee praying- Luke 18:11)
YET… Once saved… we turn from our life of sin… Look at this woman… repentant… feels the weight of her sin…
It’s loving to be honest about sin (LGBT is sin)(indoctrination of kids)
Jesus to woman caught in adultery (Jn 8)- Go and sin no more….
Christians don’t believe they are more deserving of salvation… they know they are equally undeserving…
Much of Christianity looks Simon-like… I am saved by what I am not…. Rather than by who Jesus is…
Christians say, “Our sins they are many, His mercy is more…”
Jesus turns to the woman- Read Luke 7:48-50- Your sins are forgiven— Your faith has saved you… go in peace!
This woman/Prostitute was saved by grace alone/Thru faith alone/In Christ alone… Not by ceasing to be a prostitute
Brother or sister in Christ… Your faith has saved you… You can go in peace… Read Isaiah 1:18