Luke 7 36-50 eSerm

Simply Simon
Sermon by Alexander H. Wales

I just don't understand the man! I invited him into my home and what do I get? INSULTS! He was a guest in my house. I don't think he understands who he's dealing with! Some people just can't be satisfied with what they've received. Let me explain ... "You see, a few weeks back, I heard that Jesus of Nazareth was going to be in our area. You know, he's that roving preacher who's so popular with the public right now. In fact, I've heard he's done some amazing things during his meetings. And he teaches some good, Bible-based stuff, getting back to the basics, talking about the heart kind of religion rather than the rule bound religion that is so popular with the 'in' group nowadays. I've heard that he tends to step on some sensitive toes every once in a while, but I think that's always going to be true with some of these hard-liners. "Anyway, when I heard he was going to be in town, I sent one of my servants to visit with his disciples to see if I could get him to eat at our house while he was here. Thought it would be good to have someone like him in the house, get to know him personally, hear his perspective on things. And it wouldn't be bad for my image, what with his popularity and all. So he accepted and I invited some of my friends over as well. "Well, he arrived last Thursday night with all of his disciples. Can you imagine! Twelve of the scruffiest men you've ever seen -- fishermen, laborers. Why, he even has a tax collector in that group! Not that I mind, though. I'm open to all kinds of people being part of the temple community. But I didn't know he'd bring all twelve of them. I thought the caterer was going to blow a gasket. "We'd just gotten down to dinner when you would not believe who should walk in. There is a lady in town who has the worst reputation in the area. She has a police blotter as long as your arm. Anyway, she came in, right through the front door, carrying a jar of perfume. She went over to Jesus and began wiping his feet with her hair. In fact, I think she was crying, making this big fuss over him. Then she began pouring the perfume on his feet. "I could not believe that she had the nerve to come into my house, let alone be bold enough to touch Jesus. And Jesus ... why, he never even said a word. It was so obvious what kind of woman she was, and Jesus just sat there letting her make a spectacle of herself. Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it! "I was just about ready to have her thrown out of the house when Jesus spoke to me. He said, 'Simon, tell me: there were two men who owed money to a loan shark. One owed five hundred bucks and the other owed fifty. Neither of the two guys could pay, so the loan shark canceled the debts of both of them. Now, which one will love the loan shark more?' "I had heard that Jesus was always putting people on the spot with his tricky questions, but this one was a no-brainer. 'I suppose the one who owed him the most,' I answered back. "Jesus immediately confirmed my answer. 'Right you are, Simon!' But then he turned to the woman and said, 'Simon, do you see this woman? I came into your house as your guest, but you didn't offer me any water to wash my feet. She washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn't welcome me with a kiss, and all she seems to do is continue kissing my feet. You didn't provide any olive oil for my head after a weary day in the hot sun, but she has bathed my feet with perfume. The great love she has shown proves that her many sins have been forgiven. But whoever has been forgiven a little shows only a little love.' "Now, I think that Jesus may have been taking a shot at me with that little remark, but I'm not sure. But then, Jesus really stepped out of bounds. He said to that woman, 'Your sins have been forgiven.' "I don't care how holy a person claims to be. I don't even care if he can walk on water. There isn't anyone in the world who can claim to forgive sins. That's a matter for God and the high priests. From that moment on, I really had my doubts about this Jesus. "Believe it or not, Jesus then had the gall to say to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.' Can you believe it? "That man comes into my house, as my guest, and starts complaining about how he has been treated. Olive oil and water are expensive. You just don't go around wasting that kind of stuff on strangers. And as for kissing him, why I didn't even know him that well. I mean, what could he expect! No ... I'm not ready for that kind of prophet to be mucking around in my house! No way!" Poor Simon! He was expecting to make a mark on the world by having Jesus visit with him for dinner, and instead, we remember the visit by the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus with her tears and her perfume. If anything, we remember Simon for his lack of courtesy and wisdom by treating the Son of God so shabbily when Jesus was a guest in his home. I guess that should remind us to be gracious to all our guests because you never know who is going to be a guest that will be remembered. But it is more than that. We see and hear the smug words of someone who assumed he had it made in the world, both materially and spiritually, and who was in reality out of touch with both worlds. The material things were too important. The spiritual things were lost in a haze of suppositions and preconceived attitudes that served to blind rather than to clarify. We dare not look at Simon too closely, for if we do, we may discover a mirror reflection of ourselves. He was ready to judge the woman who came to minister to Jesus. He assumed that he was all right because he had knowledge and privilege. He was part of the establishment, the right group in the right place. There may have been a few flaws but nothing to be concerned about as far as he could see. Simon could not imagine why Jesus would treat him so badly in front of all his guests. That is where we come in. I don't think that most of us really would imagine Jesus treating us so badly. We would see the pitfalls before they would occur. We are more sensitive, more cultured, more accepting than this Pharisee. We are Christians, after all. We know all about this love and forgiveness business. When we are part of the chosen people, how could we possibly be so insensitive? How could we possibly be so blind? We know we are. It is the sin active in us, the desire to be right as often as possible, the ability to overlook the obvious and center in on our pride. We are used to being simply us, simply the self-centered creatures that Jesus warned us about being. We get to believing our own public relations stuff. We think that if we get a small handle on things everything will be all right. So, when somebody new comes into the sanctuary, we give him or her the once-over and make our decisions. When people look like they won't fit in, we make sure that they don't. If they seem to be bearing pain or hurt, we move away just far enough to keep from making contact. You see, that's the difference between Simon and the woman who comes to anoint Jesus. Simon does all the socially right things. He is an expert in being politically correct. He knows exactly what society expects, and he does it. He only puts himself on the line when he knows he won't have to step over it. He welcomes Jesus, but doesn't offer the usual amenities. He stands in the presence of someone who seems to affect the crowds, but is wise enough to avoid making a commitment lest he should have to change his direction later on. The woman who comes to his house is too outside the loop to worry about that problem. She sees in Jesus someone who has the power to make her different, to provide her with something she needs and desires more earnestly than society's approval. She feels a need to go and offer comfort and care to someone who deserves even more. One might say she was worshiping this itinerant preacher. And the preacher knew that. Jesus was well aware of the woman, knew her need without her having to express it. He could sense her pain, sense her feelings of sinfulness and personal poverty. When she knelt to bathe his feet, he knew how genuine her tears were. He knew the cost of the precious perfume she used to anoint his feet. He knew her guilt and her total repentance. Jesus easily forgave all her sins. But the one who needs to worry is not the woman who knelt before him, not the one who was told, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace." The one who needs to worry is the one who has been forgiven little. To be forgiven a little bit is to be like those who are only a little bit dead. They miss the point. They are so caught up in being good that they fail to respond to the love that has been shown them. They do all the right things without meaning or purpose beyond doing the right things. It is as though their brains get turned off the moment they are needed most. Their hearts grow cold just at the point where they are being given the chance to burn bright with faith. Can we expect all of our sins to be forgiven? Can we hope that Jesus would treat us so gently? Or are we simply Simon, assured of our goodness, blinded by what we think is good enough to get us in? Listen for the voice that says to you: "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace." If there is no comfort to be found in your listening, return again to the feet of Jesus and give back the love that has been given to you. See your sin and repent, for the mercy and grace of God is ready to pour upon you and set you free."