Lynfield Worship Service, 1/27/2019

All right. I'm so glad that you're such a privilege to be here today. My name is Chris Chris Jones. And like I said, I'm a teacher in Bethlehem. My teacher Freedom High School chemistry. So so but he starts with the word of prayer and thank you so much for the time to get into your word that you weren't speaks to us and tell us about you. We might learn from you or I pray that you would touch our hearts and draws closer. So the reason we're doing is on the person of Jesus, which means we're learning about who Jesus is. Gangster story today in Loop 250 but our question in this whole series is who is Jesus and I will tell you that's the most important question that you need to answer in life. Who is he right? I mean, there's more written about him and more. I mean really how long has it been since Jesus was here on Earth 2019 years. How do I know that we date time after him? Okay, there's more building dedicated to his name the book about his life. The Bible is the annual best seller every year Bible still being printed and this is the guy who didn't own anything to speak of right? He didn't he wasn't Rich. He never held a political office. He wasn't powerful like a general or ruler at the Jesus is someone that we still know that we still talk about and worships today. And why is that so we're looking at who he is very important question. You know, we believe that he's the son of God both Son of God and son of man. He's he's both God and man. That's important thing to think about because if you really is who he claims to be. Then that makes a big difference in how we are to respond to him. So that's the question how once we see who Jesus is. What's our response? And once you hear about him, it's not something that you can just turn away and say okay at yeah, whatever if we truly understand who he is, it changes everything and it changes how we live our lives. We're responsible for that response to him. How do we look at him? So I challenge you as we look at Jesus we're going to look at this story. Think about what what do we learn about him? And what's my response? How am I going to react to this? It's never neutral. You have to choose a side. So going to have Maria read for us we're looking at. Luke 7:36 to 50 Yep uni start. I asked him to eat with him and he wouldn't find at the table and behold a woman.

Insanity behind him at his care of her head and kiss to speak with the ornament. Now if this matter how far off is he would have known who and what would a woman's this is with touching him, but she is a sinner and Jesus said to him. I have something to say to you and he answered say it teacher 500 denarii in the other 50 and they could not pay he cancel the death of both love him more. Dimond Center the one I suppose so who's he canceled the larger test and he says to him you have judged rightly then turning for the woman. He said it's time. 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. From the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil but she annoys her sins which are many are forgiven much but he who is Forgiven little loves little and he said those who were at the table with them began to stay among himself. Who is this? And he said to the woman you go in. Peace. Thank you. What a story. I mean, let's look at this little bit of background on this. This is an amazing story if you stop to think about it and kind of put yourself in that place. It's really remarkable thing. If you had someone important Jesus was an important person he was going around preaching and doing Miracles. So you would often invite someone to your home and a meal at this time. You would invite someone back to your house. And the Pharisee would you know, it's kind of a courtesy, you know that the rabbi or the preacher you invite him over for lunch, right? And so I can honor so What is the Pharisee like so Pharisees if this time we're religious leaders. Okay, very extremely moral the kind of person who did everything right. He wanted to please God is really wanted to please God so they did everything. They thought they did everything by the book very strict generous. They would give to the poor they do a lot of things but they were seeking to be that way. They were also didn't like Jesus very much religious people. Why didn't Jesus Jesus didn't follow their rules, right? They had a set of code that they followed and Jesus didn't go by that so he was threatening to that. So many of the Pharisees wouldn't even talk to Jesus. They are only question him. They would be very strict are hard on him. So this

. He wants to find out what is this guy really talking about or he really wants to trip him up. He's looking to catch him in something. Cuz if this point in Jesus ministry the Pharisees were against him ultimately that led to his death they killed him but at this point

How are meals eaten in this day? in this time a meal was eaten reclining just kind of interesting people reclined like this, see how there's a table maybe a U-shaped table around or type of table and they had kind of a cushion around

Sounds good to me. I like that. That's how I watch football, you know 6 and then you can still talk to people and we would go our meals are like eat as fast as you can and then head out this was an event. Okay, so you have a pretty big house or place and people were invited to come. This is like an event invite Jesus over people. Like wow, I want to go watch that and they weren't invited to dinner but they could come in and people could stand around here around the sides of the room. So they weren't actually invited to eat, but they could watch so people would stand around and this was like entertainment, you know, it have Netflix so they would just go and watch the other people eat. Right know, you know fortnite or anything to play with. How do you don't get that for now? What happened in the story? We saw that this this woman and a prostitute. So in the story actually says she was a woman.

Says here the whole the woman of the city who was a sinner and that's kind of a euphemism for prostitute. That's what they meant by a woman of the city who was a sinner so that's why I said prostitute so she comes in to come in and stand around the side. They might have pushed her away. But Jesus knew she was coming as part of his plan. She came in and came behind him. And she was weeping wedding his feet with her tears wiping them with the hair on her head. Just imagine this situation right? It's really scandalous to think about right if you were out at breakfast somewhere are munchos thing. So you were out to eat. It's a Perkins or restaurant someplace and a woman comes in hair down. All the sheveled comes in gets goes to a table starts kissing some man crying wiping his hair his feet with her hair. What would you do? What what's going on this time either shot?

And you had to open doors in this person comes in and they're doing this. This is crazy. So another thing to know is it this time for a woman to let her hair down and to let your hair down in public was considered grounds for divorce. It was like you don't do that. Dial picture with very different culture was very different.

What year did she have? This was a tool of the trade for prostitution? They would Austin wear it around their neck and it was like an alabaster is expensive. So that means telling us his Alabaster was his fence vial of perfume that you wear around your neck. And it was alluring, you know was like, oh, look, she's got the perfume. So people would know when she brings it in it even says in the story that when she heard Jesus was there she got her perfume and went on purpose to see it.

So how would you respond like I said often times? What would you do if you were out of place in this person look like they were really down on their luck may be drug addict who knows comes. Wiping someone's feet crying. I mean, how would you respond would you like Paul the waiter? Can you get this person out of here? It's ruining my meal if I'm upset. If I don't like this would you go over Health they have what's what's wrong Miss? I mean, it's very you don't know what you do, right? It's like it's one of those situations. I don't know what to do. So, let's see how the Pharisee response. So what does he say? So we look at the passage it says He says to himself that he doesn't say this out loud. This is the interesting part. He doesn't say it out loud. He said he would know who and what sort of woman this is touching him. She is a sinner. Okay, so we see a couple things about him here right? First of all, he judges Jesus. He's right away thinking this guy can't be a prophet. If he was a prophet he would know what kind of woman this is. He wouldn't let her touch him right in his heart. He didn't actually say it. And he also looks on the woman with the stain. He's looking at her like get her out of here who let her in get rid of her, okay. How does Jesus look at it? Jesus is different. Right? First of all was he do with the woman? Interesting Wowzer, right which is kind of weird because you know, I don't know if I would allow someone to do that to be but he's not a normal man. He is God In the Flesh. So now she's there doing this. He knows what's going on and he allows it to happen. So he responds to that he's loving towards her in fact, we'll see later. He says some things to say about her but he answers the Pharisees thoughts showing them. He really was a prophet byronic the Pharisee saying in his mind this guy can't be a prophet and Jesus says, you know answers Simon's like he answers his thoughts. Basically you heard the thought and he answers them showing a profit and how did the answer them? So if Jesus if you ever eat meeting with Jesus and he says I have something to say to you you should be you should run, you know because usually stay until the parable. Parable was a way of telling a story that illustrates the point and usually the parable illustrates the point maybe more powerfully than just saying it right cuz it's one of those. Oh, yeah, I get it. So Jesus tells this parable. So the moneylender and there's two debtors meaning they owe money 100-500 the nari nari is a day's wage. Go 500 is a year-and-a-half money. They took what you earned in a year-and-a-half. That's how much he owed and the other one owed 50, which is probably about a month's worth of pay need a little more than a month was still pretty much money. The moneylender cancel the dead of both of them.

Don't think about that for a minute. Right? Let's say you you're late on your rent or late on your car payment and you call him a low please. Can you can you give me an extension so you know what? Don't worry about it. I got you covered and they say you know, what is matter fact don't pay the rest of the year. What would you do? I mean that's extravagant right? So, you know how much you going to be rejoicing that they don't make you pay ten bucks, you know. Okay. Thanks. I love them.

So the man answers Name of the Pharisee.

So in the parable. Who is the lender the lender is Jesus? So Parables illustrating something spiritual. So Jesus is the one who's blind in the money. And what is that mean? He gives us our whole life. You're on loan everything you have and everything you do is on loan from Jesus from God.

The one only $500 500 denarii is the woman. Write the 150 is the man Pharisee. Right. So what's the point year? The basic principle that Jesus says at the end the one who is Forgiven more loves more that make sense, right? If you realize how great you've been forgiven, you're like very appreciative. If you don't think it's been much the minor thing you not that appreciative write. Someone says don't worry about the $10 debt you like? Okay forget about it, but someone gives you a big you remember it and you're going to listen to some general principle. So what's Jesus trying to show the Pharisee? So you think about the parable now, this is directed to the Pharisee the interesting thing. We often focus on the woman, but she's just part of the story really Jesus went to the Pharisees house. And this whole terrible is about him. He's trying to reach the Pharisee and since he's evangelize and he's trying to get the Pharisee to see his error to see the right way. So that's the loving the Pharisee even though the Pharisee is wrong here. So think about this he comes to me says you see the woman so now you looked at the woman ever was looking at her and she still doing this right? She's still crying wiping his feet and putting ointment on them. So she said you see this woman. I am at your house gave me no water for my feet in this culture. It was common when someone had the guests over just like if you have a guess your house, you might say can I take your coat here? Let's sit down eating all those things. I can I get you a glass of water. You didn't do any of those common courtesies in this day you wash feet because they were sandals. It was dirty Dusty. So it was a common practice when you get to someone's house. Here's some feet water to wash your feet. If you're wealthy, they might even have a servant to do that the servant wash your feet. So he says you didn't do that for me. And then he says she wet my feet with her tears rise of the woman did it that the guy didn't do it with the woman did it you gave me no kiss. Now we shake hands not a big thing for a man to kiss a man in our culture right you and do that when this culture they would go up kiss this cheek. Just the other cheek. That was the way they did it so was normal so he didn't give him a kiss, but she has not ceased to kiss my feet and thirdly this is the weird one for me cuz I would not want anyone putting oil on my head. But this was oil olive oil sometimes with with perfume or spices in it. They would put you on your head now, they didn't shower like we do every day. So this was a courtesy to someone to do that. It was like a sign of respect. So he says you didn't do that, but she's annoying my feet. So therefore I tell you her sins, which are many are forgiven.

Skip this called out Simon big time. You say you love little you forget little so he's done. I mean he's thinking, you know. You should be talking to the woman. I can his mind. He's thinking how come I'm the one getting flabbergasted cuz he's not here and he's rebuking me. So imagine his shock. In the story is the greater sinner. So it it's a it's a conundrum. Is it really a good answer? There is a trick question. Really, right? Who's the bigger Center? also second week with the greatest need for forgiveness. Right. Is there a good answer to that one? No, I would say.

Right, both of them are sinners both need forgiveness, but in our culture and in their culture to you would look at the woman and say she said more easily this guy he's a religious guy. He doesn't do anything wrong and he follows the ten commandments. So if you looked at his life with scrutiny, you kicked it apart. You would not find anything that he did that was wrong, right? But there is something wrong that the woman she's got tons of things wrong.

Right the one who does all these terrible things and everybody knows about it or the guy who you know, he looks like on the surface doesn't need it and sometimes people might feel that way now they look at other people right, but I will tell you the Pharisee is worse now, why is he worse? It's not because he's still more necessarily but the problem with him. So why is he the problem? It's because he doesn't see it. Right. He's self-righteous. He sees no need for forgiveness. The woman was a big sinner, but she saw the need she knew it and she went for help. He's got Jesus the son of God in his house. He didn't even give him any water for his feet. He doesn't think it's important and he he would never say I have any since he doesn't think he has any maybe people are like that you look at there's other people right eye. I look at myself. And I said, well, I'm pretty good that guy he's got problems. But me, you know, I got it together as long as I'm not like that that that's not the right way to look at it. Right? So we all need forgiveness right the worst center. Is the one who thinks he is without sin. And the reason I say worse is not really worth anything is terrible. Any sin separates us from God. God cannot have Simmons presents. He is Holy Holy Holy. He can't have it. So anything is terrible, but the reason I say it's worse is because those who don't seek forgiveness. They don't even think they need it there. You can't they can't be say they can't be redeemed because they won't come they won't come to Jesus.

So there's two different responses here, right? So, what is this about? You know, we think about we hear scripture was it mean to me? So there's two different responses to Jesus hear. The first one is the Pharisee. Write his response. He's cold and detached right? He doesn't really there's no warmth there. He doesn't give anything to Jesus he respond academically. Right. He's asking him questions. He's intellectually. It's not from his heart. Right. He's just staying aloof and maybe maybe you're like this, you know, it's almost like he's giving Jesus an interview to see if they know maybe I could include Jesus on my life, you know, maybe I'll let you into my life and you can help me out make me a better person kind of help me out with things when I use something right? That's his attitude toward Jesus, right? It's very cold attached. The woman she gives her whole heart She lays it all out there. I mean, there's nothing she's leaving out of this right? She's crying and feet with her hair. Putting the perfume that perfume was not cheap. So she's broken by your sin. She sees it. She's knows I am a sinner and she learn from it that was not cheap was very valuable. So by pouring that out her willingness to get rid of the ointment shows up on the old life in a sense. She's getting rid of ointment used to be used for prostitution a she saying she's pointing that out. She's putting it on his feet. You know, if you think of yourself, you know, what is that for you? What Whitman do you wear around your neck? What's what's the thing that that you prize that you treasure your something that's valuable to you. Would you be willing to lay it at Jesus feet or do you think that's mine. You know, I want Jesus maybe but not if he's going to make me give this up I need the right. She's thinking everything everything at his says her whole heart. She says she knows the great depth of purse in the cost of forgiveness. Now you think about that? How much did it cost? You know if someone forgives your debt? Therefore she has great love for the one who forgave so she loves Jesus because he forgave she knew how great of the Dead it was. If you don't know the Pharisees like so what you made me do people like that. Jesus saves Jesus forgives sin people like yeah. I know I'm glad he does but the woman's response is everything this is this is the best price I could ever have.

So in order to forgive someone the one for giving has to take on the debt to self like if someone said if I owed money my mortgage and I couldn't pay it. The bank would have to take it if I wouldn't pay someone would have to pay for that. It has to come from somewhere. Right? So in this case, Jesus is taking on the deck. He has to pay it. Look at this. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree. That's the cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness by his wounds. You have been healed. It's not cheap for our Salvation. Jesus Paid the ultimate price and not only as a man, he was the son of God. He humbled himself from Heaven down to earth live. This life finless didn't deserve it at all died on the cross for our sin. It's huge what he paid the cost if you understand the tremendous cost. It changes your heart about what you think about it. So the woman was rejoicing she was joyful. I mean the tear she had were not from sadness. I mean she was sad about her sin. But really her tears were tears of joy. She was rubbing Jesus feet because she loved him that's the response that we ought to have when we see the death of our sin what he's forgiven us from and the great love he has for us and so now what do we learn about Jesus since we're saying this whole story is about Jesus. What do we learn about him? So he loves slowly downcast Sinners Like The Woman. You know, how many times have you heard? Someone say I've heard people say I'm too far gone. God can't save me. Is there anyone that God can't save now he reaches to this woman who many of us would say, you know, call the police. Let's get her out of here. He doesn't do that. He loves you loves the Loli and the Down cast. He loves even the self-righteous ungrateful, Pharisee. Right, he he he was not even looking for it. But Jesus goes there with the intention of reaching his heart. He shows he the prophet you understand things that others don't see.

He has the power to forgive sins. He can forgive your sins. He has the power and the desire to do it for you. He's worthy of our worship. He allows his woman to kiss his feet and love on him in a way. That is radical. Keep them in our whole heart. Jesus will not just take part. You can't just say well, I'm going to add Jesus on to my many other things that I do. He's going to be a little part of me. He wants everything even if not, just what we choose to give him but everything. Now you should one of us response to Jesus in one of two ways. This is where it becomes real. This is you Jesus wants you to respond to him. You can either be like the Pharisee and the cold and personal critical what's in it for me attitude. or Christian you're not off the hook. If you're Christian, you say well, I'm already worried about this. You can act like the Pharisee in your life. You can forget the price the crisis pay for you. In a daily basis I myself fall into sin patterns where I forget how much Jesus loves me. I'm crabby and I'm grumpy and on, you know not kind to my family. Whatever III mad at somebody whatever it's because I'm forgetting what the cost of Salvation was and the fact that he died for me. I should have joy I should be jumping up and down and when I forget that I need to preach the gospel to myself remind myself. This is what Jesus did so you're not off the hook as a Christian you can still send like that. We need to be more like the woman am I willing to give him everything lay it all at his feet. so or we can respond like the woman wholehearted sacrificial grateful loving You know if you want to take a litmus test of your life, where is Your Love at? Are you the person who sees someone in need with love or is everyone annoying to you? You know, I can't believe that everything is terrible when you get that attitude you need to think about it. It's a way to test is our love there. So my question is which one are you?

Do you identify more with the Pharisee? Call Duluth what's in it for me, and I can't I can't give this up or I'll take on Jesus as long as he does this nor I will follow him because you know, I haven't have a life and heat he didn't provide for me. I wanted this and I didn't get it. So I'm not going to follow Jesus. A conditional are you person who says you know, what what he has to offer is so valuable. I'm willing to give up everything for it. I'll give everything I'll put it all down in his feet. And that's what the woman did and that's what we're called to do.

Let me close in prayer. Thank you. Emily father thank you that you love us this much. That is extravagant. But you love us when we are sinners, you know what we're like and you love us anyway, but I thank you for that. I pray that we would see the great depths of our sin and it would see the great depth of your forgiveness that you have the power and the desire to forgive us of our sins and I should give us great joy, but I thank you again for what you teach us pray that as you work on people's hearts that someone here today might choose to follow you that they would see the great depth of their sin and the wonderful love you provide and if they can have that today. Play all this in Jesus name.