Faith Which Brings Healing

Luke 7:36-50

If you were not with us Sunday night or last night we’ve been talking through some stories in the Bible that center on God’s love, His compassion and His merciful grace towards us. The whole theme of this week, which we’ve called “Love-No Strings,” is designed to present the truth about God’s love towards us—it’s a love which is unrivaled, unconditional, and demonstrative. It’s a love which sent His Son to die on cross for our sins, in order that we might be saved and have abundant and eternal life with Him.

There are obstacles a person faces when confronted with the truth of the Gospel, and the previous two nights covered two of three different obstacles. Sunday dealt with the obstacle of fear and Monday dealt with the obstacles we face, the distracting noises, and the pull of this world the enemy uses to draw us away from the cross.

Tonight we focus on a third obstacle—the shame/guilt of our sin and how in hearing the gospel—having the faith to trust He has the ability to heal us

(TAKE YOUR BIBLE and OPEN TO THE BOOK OF LUKE 7:36-50)

There’s a common thread among every person on this earth—brokenness. Brokenness has touched each and every person. Each of us knows what brokenness feels like. Brokenness has a root and the root is sin:

We experience brokenness when others hurt/wrong us is some way—when they speak or act harshly towards us

We experience brokenness, sadly, because it’s the sinful nature of the world—the loss of a loved one/the cancer diagnosis or sickness that’s unexpected

We experience brokenness, however, primarily because of ourselves—personal sin causes brokenness in our lives and leaves a gaping hole/void in our hearts which only God can fill

Sin brings misery and guilt upon our lives. The misery and guilt that sin brings can sometimes feel weighty and overbearing, so much so that a person can feel there’s no way out, or they’re too far gone for Jesus to save us, let alone love us they way the Bible says. In believing these and other lies, a person will inevitably find themselves living deeper and deeper in their sin.

An example of this is found in our Scripture tonight. A woman stuck in addictive sin, more than likely the majority of her adult life, is found weeping at Jesus’ feet in the middle of house full of Pharisees. As we talk through this, we will see the faith this woman possessed to believe that Jesus could heal and restore her—a bold and courageous faith—which is what a person needs in coming to the end of themselves and coming to Jesus:

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I. (v.36) Setting and Setup

Luke 7:36 “Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.”

What was the purpose of the invite? Scripture does not say only that

He was rude to Jesus (7:44-46)

He was suspect of Jesus (7:39)

What this teaches us about Jesus?

No one was excluded from His love or attention—even when they lacked everyday courtesies and respect

Jesus sought (and seeks) after every man

(WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS?) Our application for this verse sets the stage for the rest of these verses:

(FIRST) Salvation, the free gift—available to any person, Regardless of

Who they are

Where they are from or how far they’ve run

Whether they are rich or poor

What family background they have

1 Timothy 2:3–4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2 Peter 3:8–9 “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,”

II. (v.37-38) An Attitude of Repentance

Luke 7:37–38“And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.”

(CONTEXT)

The Bible says this woman was a sinner; the NLT says she was an immoral woman (NLT) and the NIV says she lived a sinful life (NIV)

From all accounts this woman in living in sexual addiction (prostitute) most of her adult life

Note the Bible tells us “knew” or “heard” about Jesus being at the Pharisee’s (Simon’s house): What does this show?

She had come to the end of herself, sensing her deep need of healing/restoration

For so long she had surrendered and compromised herself with immorality and addiction—so broken from clinging to passing pleasures of sin trying to find her worth & value, her identity became synonomous with profession

She came to realize she was a sinner, lost and condemned, and in need of a Savior

She had remembered what Jesus had been doing up to this point

The healing & miracles

The sermons & teachings

The promises, love, and mercy He was preaching

She began to feel hope—real hope for probably the 1st time in her life

The Bible says she went to where Jesus was (she put herself in a place to be healed)

She approached Jesus in desperation

The public perception and gossip—what others gossiped and said about her

The stigma her sinful lifestyle had created

The culture’s ostracizing of her (she would have considered unclean & unwanted, a cast-out & a no-account)

The environment she was walking into was a lions den of men who would have hissed at her, judged her, thought better of themselves, and would have stoned her if given the chance

She approached Jesus with all she had

The Bible says she stood at Jesus’ feet, “weeping”

What does it mean to weep?

Why was this woman weeping?

The Bible teaches us that the actions of this woman were a sign of repentance and worship

(WHAT CAN THIS TEACH US?)

The unrivaled, unconditional, demonstrative love of God—is extended to EVERY one—but it’s only experienced by the person who would repents of their sins and confesses Christ as their Lord and Savior

III. (v.39) An Attitude of Self-Righteousness

Luke 7:39 “Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.””

IV. (v.40-43) A person must know that God’s grace is freely given

Luke 7:40–43“And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.””

V. (v.44-50) A person must see their need of repentance

Luke 7:44–50 “Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.””