The Pharisee and the Sinner (3 things)

• 1^st – Dinner at a Pharisee’s house… vs. 36-39
  • One of the Pharisees – Simon – invited Jesus over for dinner…
    • Jesus went the house and ‘sat’ down to eat…
      • In Jesus time there were no chairs – you laid on the ground with you feet behind you…
      • There would be a low table you gathered around with all the food on top…
      • There were also no forks or spoons – you are with yours hands and bread…
    • One of 3 times in the Book of Luke when Jesus ate with a Pharisee – Luke 11:27 / 14:1
      • Jesus was just as willing to sit with a Pharisee as with a sinner…
      • Jesus is willing to ‘have dinner’ with anyone who will invite Him in…
      • * Revelation 3:20 – “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.”
      • Jesus is knocking on the door of the heart – asking for us to have fellowship with Him…
      • If we will open up our door – and let Him in – He calls us friends – John 15:15
  • While Jesus was having dinner with Simon – a woman came in… (6 things)
    • 1^st – She had a bad reputation…
      • Some say she was Mary Magdalene – whom Jesus cast 7 demons out of – Luke 8:2…
      • Others say she was Mary of Bethany – because of Mark 14:3-9
      • Before Jesus crucifixion Mary came to the house of Simon the leper (different Simon)
      • She also broke an alabaster box over Jesus head – anointing him for His burial…
      • But it turns out none of these are the sinful woman of this account (only here in Luke)
      • We do not know her name – only her reputation – a sinner…
      • * Proverbs 22:1 – “Choose a good reputation over great riches…”
      • Reputation is a powerful thing – has the tendency to stick with us wherever we go…
      • Our thoughts guide our actions – our actions define our character…
      • Our character builds our reputation – and a bad reputation is very hard to overcome!
    • 2^nd – She knew where to find Jesus…
      • She was certain (epiginosko) Jesus was inside with Simon the Pharisee…
      • The Jews had a custom – that allowed uninvited guests to come in and join a meal…
      • Not unlike today – if you are having dinner – and someone stops by…
      • It would be rude not to invite them to join in and share the food…
      • She knew where the answer was – and nothing was going to keep her out!
      • There are many today who know they are sinners – know they need Jesus…
      • But they are embarrassed to come to church – afraid they can’t understand the Bible…
    • 3^rd – She knew she was going the wrong way…
      • She stood behind Jesus crying – she was crying because she knew she was a sinner…
      • There are only two paths you can take in life – the broad way / or the narrow…
      • * Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
      • If you are going with the flow – doing what everyone else does – broad path…
      • It might be the easier road to walk down – but the end of it is destruction…
      • Before you can turn your life around – have to realize you are going the wrong way!
      • When you do – you can change course – repent – and take the narrow gate…
      • John 10:9 – “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.”
    • 4^th – She was not afraid of what others thought about her…
      • She began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears – and she did not care who saw her…
      • The footwear of Jesus time was very similar to today – open sandals…
      • The roads were often very dusty – and your feet would become quite dirty…
      • This woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears – wiping them off with her hair!
      • It is much better to look like fool for God – than to be a fool for the world…
      • We cannot live to please the world – and live for Jesus – we can only love one…
      • * James 4:4 – “Don’t you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God… if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can’t be a friend of God.”
    • 5^th – She knew Jesus would accept her…
      • She kissed – literally smothered with kisses (imperfect) – the feet of Jesus’…
        • Also used of the ‘Prodigal Son’ when he returned to the Father – Luke 15:20…
        • A young man who took his Father’s inheritance – and wasted it on the world…
        • When he had spent all the fortune – broken – hungry (consequence of sin)…
        • He thought even my Father’s servants eat better than I do…
        • He returned to His father’s house expecting to be rebuked – mocked…
        • Instead the Father ran to embrace His lost son – and ‘kissed him’ (same word)!
      • The woman had been lost in the sin of the world – wasting away her life…
        • Now that she had come to her senses – she came back to Jesus…
        • God never tell us ‘I told you so’ – when we repent of sin – we only find love…
        • God will never turn away a repentant sinner – God cannot resist a humbled heart!
        • Like a Father who longs for a wayward son – God runs to us when we come home!
    • 6^th – She knew nothing in life was more important than Jesus!
      • She broke the Alabaster box and anointed Jesus’ feet…
        • Alabaster (named after a town in Egypt where it was made)…
        • A glass flask that had to be cracked to open – made to hold expensive oil…
        • The fragrant oil – likely spikenard – was worth 300 days wages…
        • If the average income is P150 a day – the oil was worth P45,000!
        • This was a gift literally meant for a King – it represented a life’s savings!
      • Nothing was more important to her – more valuable – than Jesus…
        • The cost of discipleship – the cost of following Jesus – is everything!
        • If we try to hold onto our life we will loose it – but when we loose our life in Jesus…
        • We truly find life – real life – the Joy and peace that God desires us to have…
        • A seed is no good all by itself – if you take a seed and hold onto it nothing happens…
        • If I let it go – if I bury it – if it dies – then it becomes what God intended it to be!
        • John 12:24-25 – “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
        • Only when we are willing to let our life go – do we truly find life in Jesus!
  • Simon saw all this and thought…
    • If (2^nd class) Jesus were really a prophet – He’d know who it was that was touching Him…
      • The assumption Simon is making is that Jesus is not a prophet…
      • Simon knew all about this woman’s ‘past’ – and she repulsed him…
      • He assumed if Jesus knew it as well – there was not way He would let her near Him…
    • Both of Simon’s assumptions were false – Jesus does know us – and yet He still loves us!
      • The amazing part of God’s Grace is He knows everything about us…
      • Every sin – every flaw – every mistake we have ever or will every make…
      • Yet God does not see us in light of our sin – He sees us as we will one day be…
      • He sees us a beautiful – perfect – spotless – pure – He sees us in the light of Jesus!
      • Song of Solomon 4: 7 – “You are so beautiful, my beloved, so perfect in every part.”
        
• 2^nd – Parable of the two debtors… vs. 40-43
  • Jesus answered – ‘Simon I have something to say to you’…
    • I love that Jesus answered the ‘thought’ that was in Simon’s head!
    • Proving already that Simeon was mistaken about his assumption of Jesus…
    • If He could read Simon’s thoughts – He certainly knew all about the woman’s sins!
    • Nothing is hidden before our Lord – He knows our actions and our thoughts…
  • There were two debtors…
    • One owed 75,000 Pesos – the other owed 7,500 Pesos – neither had the money to repay…
    • Instead the one who lent them the money simply forgave both their debts…
    • Jesus asked Simon – ‘which one will love (agape) the lender more?’
    • Simon answered – ‘the one who was forgiven more’
    • You have rightly judged – Simon got the right answer – though he missed the point…

• 3^rd – Forgiven much… vs. 44-50
  • Jesus for the first time turned to the woman – and said to Simon…
    • Simon you did not even show the LEAST bit of hospitality…
      • When I entered – you gave me no water to wash my feet – a sign of respect…
      • You gave me no kiss – there was no warm greeting when Jesus arrived…
      • You did not anoint my head with fragrant oil – a sign of friendship…
    • Yet this woman has shown GREAT love…
      • She has washed My feet with her tears – and wiped them with her hair!
      • She has not stopped kissing My feet since she came in!
      • She anointed my feet with fragrant oil!
  • The one who is forgiven much…
    • Because this woman was forgiven much – she has showed the greater love!
      • The one whom is forgiven only a little (Simon) – showed little love…
      • Jesus was not saying Simon was perfect – he was still a sinner – Romans 3:23…
      • But this woman had a reputation for her sin – she obviously had the greater ‘debt’…
      • There is no difference in the heaven – there are no greater or lesser sinners…
      • The person who only told a white lie – needs Jesus as much as the murderer!
      • But the one who has the greater sins is more likely to see their need for help…
      • The easiest place to share the Gospel – is in prison – they all know they are sinners!
    • Sinner or saint…
      • If we think we were pretty good people before Jesus – forgiven little – love a little…
        • If you feel like Jesus is just a small part of your life – take it or leave it…
        • If you wonder why you are not more sold out for the Lord…
        • Likely it is because you do not think you desperately need Jesus…
        • You think you are a pretty good person – even without Him…
      • If we realize we’re sinners/ desperately needing Jesus – forgiven much – love a LOT…
        • Some of us have more ‘colorful’ pasts that remove any doubt we were sinners…
        • Though in truth were all hopelessly lost in sin – all of us desperately needed Jesus!
        • The more realize/embrace that – the more we will love/follow Jesus!
    • Jesus said to the woman – ‘your sins are forgiven’ (Perfect/Passive/Indicative)…
      • Not just the sins she had committed – but every sin she ever would commit!
        • Not because of anything she had done (passive) – but because of the cross of Jesus!
        • When Jesus forgives our sin – it is a complete work – not one is left out!
      • Your faith has saved you – go in peace!
        • The way to get access to this amazing forgiveness – simply believe – have faith…
        • * Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…”
      • The religious leaders murmured – who is this who thinks He can forgiven sins…
        • The only one who can forgive sins is God – all sin is against God – Psalm 51:4
        • But Jesus is God – and He has the power to take away all of our sin!