The Heart of It All

What is knowledge?

Refers to having understanding or familiarity. In the Old Testament, knowledge is primarily related to experience and relationship.

What is intimacy?

A feeling of deep affection. A central theme in Scripture and Christian theology and ethics. Defines our relationship with God and dictates how we should treat others.

Luke 7:36–39 ESV

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

Who invited Jesus to dinner?

Simon

Again the invitation was offered to Jesus after he had finished his teaching much like Nicodemus

Why did Simon invite Jesus to dinner?

Jesus would have been considered a visiting rabbi or teacher and this would be considered an accomplishment or a checkmark off of his religious checklist

Simon invited Jesus out of duty instead of to honor Jesus

Do you know your dinner etiquette?

The etiquette for the dinner would have been to kiss Jesus’ cheek and to wash his feet but Simon did neither for Jesus

A distinguished guest would have also received olive oil for anointing their head

Simon by age 12 would have memorized first 12 books of the Bible and by age 15 would have memorized the entire Old Testament

He would have memorized all the Old Testament prophecies about the messiah and not realize he invited the messiah to his house for dinner

Did Simon have knowledge of Jesus or intimacy with Jesus?

Who is this woman?

A woman of the city, a sinner, a prostitute

What did she bring?

alabaster flask of ointment

likely a pound of perfume

What did her gift represent?

her entire years wages

What were her dinner manners?

tears on feet and wiped clean with hair- cleaning of feet

kissed feet - kiss on check

anointed feet with oil - anoint head with oil

Did this woman have knowledge of Jesus or intimacy with Jesus?

Luke 7:40–50 ESV

And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Do we have knowledge of Jesus or intimacy with Jesus?

Are we focused on following Jesus or following the rules of following Jesus?

I think it’s evident from the story of Simon and the woman that Simon was focused on following the rules whereas the woman was fully sold out on following Jesus

2004 Olympics - Matt Emmons - rifle event - wrong target

Basketball - wrong hoop

Matthew 23 ESV

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”

The religious leaders were considered the “followers”

Masters of Scripture, expert theologians, and strict observance of law

These leaders focused on outside appearance but Jesus was pointing their insides weren’t a reflection of their outsides

Do our outward lives influence our inward lives or does our inward lives influence our outward lives?

Sanhedrin - Pharisees and Sadducees

Pharisees were conservative - based on hard work

Sadducees were liberal - born into role/heritage, chief priest and elder

Is our relationship with Jesus based on our works or based on our heritage?

The answer of course is neither

What then determines our relationship with Jesus?

Taking the focus off of following the rules and more on our personal relationship with Jesus

Focus on the love Jesus chose to show us, and show Him the same love

Focus on the grace we have received and extend that grace onto others instead of guilt others because of their sin

Accountability is important but it’s not about guilt

Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?

Matthew 11:28-30

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language Chapter 11

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Focusing on the rules will burn you out and that’s not why Jesus came

He came to free us and allow us to walk from the guilt of shame

What can you do personally to grow closer with God this week?