A lawyer was reading the will of a rich man. All of the people who were mentioned in the will were required to attend:
“To you, my loving wife Rose, who stood by me in rough times, as well as good, I leave her the house and $2 million.”
“To my daughter Jessica, who looked after me in sickness and kept the business going, I leave her the yacht, the business and $1 million.
The Lawyer concluded, “And, to my cousin Dan, who hated me, argued with me, and thought that I would never mention him in my will - well you were wrong. Hi Dan!”
We’re continuing our series “Discovering the Heart of God.” We’re looking at ways that the love of God will flow through us to the people around us. Our theme verse is 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” God isn’t looking for perfection He’s looking for commitment. But if we are really committed to Him, then the love of God is going to flow into us, it’s going to transform us, and then it is going to flow out to other people.
So for six week we’re looking at characteristics that will be in our lives if our hearts are really after God’s heart. Last week we looked at faith. We said that faith is not just the belief in the existence of God, but belief in the ability of God and the promises of God. If you have faith then it is going to show up in your life. Real faith is active. If you have faith then there are going to be things in your life that you are doing, dreams that you are pursuing that can only happen if God helps to make them happen. Because faith is when we believe in God, follow where He is leading and have confidence to see as if the promise has already been fulfilled.
Today we are going to be looking at forgiveness. Our key passage is Luke 7:36-50, “Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is-that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Sion, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, form the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have ben forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Today we are looking at a story that demonstrates not just forgiveness but of people’s response. If you’re familiar with the gospels then this is the story of an unlikely dinner party. Jesus gets invited to have dinner at the home of a Pharisee. Generally when Jesus is dealing with a Pharisee it’s because they are around trying to trip Him up or trying to find fault with Him so that they can accuse Him. But here in this chapter not only is Jesus eating with a Pharisee but they are eating at the home of the Pharisee by the invitation of the Pharisee. This is an unexpected setting and on unusual event. That’s something that I think we need to realize about many of the stories that we see in the Bible, they are there because they are unusual, because they were unexpected.
So today we are looking at an unexpected story. As we look at it I want to ask you this question. Is your life marked by forgiveness or fault finding? See if your life is marked by forgiveness then it is going to impact everything that you do. True sometimes people will take advantage of you, but you are also going to be more like Christ. Christ died to forgive everyone and anyone’s sin if they would just commit to live for Him. Some people choose to ignore that offer, that is their choice and their loss. Our audience is God, and He said to love the people around us, even during hardship, even during persecution, whether by our human standards we think they deserve it or not, our job and mission is to love them.
But you’ll notice that the other part of this question is not whether your life will be marked by forgiveness or unforgiveness. The choice is forgiveness or faultfinding. Because when you don’t forgive there is an attitude behind it, that attitude is that somehow the person doesn’t deserve your forgiveness or isn’t worth forgiving. That attitude is reflected in so much more than unforgiveness, as we’re about to see it bleeds into feeling that you are able to judge everything about someone, an unforgiving heart is eventually a heart that begins to find fault in others and ultimately feels justified in seeking and finding that fault. But as we are going to see in this passage, that is not the heart that Jesus responds to positively.
The Three Main Characters:
As we look at this story I want us to start by looking at the main characters in the story. It all starts with Jesus. The reason for this is simple, because life starts with Jesus. John 17:3 says, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Life starts with Christ for everyone. It doesn’t matter how good you think you are or how bad you think you are Jesus is the source of true life, of eternal life for everyone. During His time on earth Jesus hung out with the disciples, but also the tax collectors, the drunks, the sinners. Here He’s also hanging out with the Pharisee’s. He came here to reach everyone. Here we see Him giving acceptance to this religious leader despite all of the trouble that religious leaders had caused Him. That was Jesus, forgiveness was His mission and it was reflected in an attitude that accepted everyone.
The next character we’re going to look at is the Pharisee. The Pharisee was a man whose life with God should have been marked by obedience and relationship. In this case, for the most part, I’m going to say, “1 outta 2 isn’t bad.” It’s not the this Pharisee was perfectly obedient to God because the only person who ever was was Jesus, it’s that comparatively he would have been doing pretty well otherwise he wouldn’t have been a Pharisee. They prided themselves on keeping the law and they wouldn’t have accepted anyone into their company who wasn’t noted as keeping the law well.
He had the obedience thing working but there is more to a relationship with God then just being obedient. God isn’t just looking for obedience. He is looking for obedience that comes from commitment and commitment that comes from love. This Pharisee had obedience but he didn’t have the relationship. He knew about God but he didn’t really know God. Why do I say that? Real simple I see his attitude. We’re going to look at his attitude towards the woman in a moment but look at the attitude towards Jesus. Jesus was invited in, He was a guest, but look at how he was treated. Jesus notes that the Pharisee did not even give Him water to wash his feet. This man, Simon, invites in a man who it is rumored was the Messiah, a man who was definitely a prophet and a miracle worker, and he doesn’t even provide the hospitality that he should have shown an average guest. What this tells us is that he viewed Jesus as someone who was lucky just to be invited for dinner.
What happened? He didn’t have a sense of awe or wonder towards the one who was in his presence. There is a warning there for all of us. I think as Christians sometimes we can begin not to take God for granted but somewhere along the way we lose our awe of God. We have a relationship with the God of the universe and somewhere along the way it becomes routine. Think about the privilege of prayer, the author and sustainer of all things listens to us, and sometimes we think we’re too busy to take the time to do it. May we never lose the wonder of who God is and what He has done for us.
Then we come to the final main character in this story, the nameless woman. The woman was most likely a prostitute and definitely had been far from God. We read that this woman was a “sinful woman” this is what indicates that she was a prostitute. But this also indicates that she was far from God. Her lifestyle was sin, it was what she did for a living. I believe that it also showed a sense of desperation, I can’t imagine that anyone would chose the life that she had, I imagine that she must have felt like she had no other choice. She did not have an idea that there was a God that she could depend on, a God that can hear our prayers and answer them. As we talked about faith last week, I don’t think this woman would really have known what we are talking about but that was changing. But somewhere she had heard something about Jesus. Maybe she had heard Him, maybe she had seen Him. But somewhere she heard about this Rabbi who loved everyone, maybe she believed He was the Messiah, maybe she believe He was the Son of God. Luke doesn’t tell us that. But somewhere she knew that Jesus was different, that in Him was forgiveness despite her past and so she comes and acts upon what she has discovered.
Attitudes Towards Forgiveness:
So the Pharisee is throwing a dinner party, I say that because there were guests. He already has one unexpected guest in Jesus. But then a second unexpected guest shows up, this prostitute. You understand that she probably didn’t come into the house, a dinner like this was probably held on a patio outside the house. So hearing that Jesus is there she shows up and in verse 38 we read, “As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” What a picture. How many of us could or would do what she did? It was an unexpected picture at an unexpected party. It was a response to forgiveness, but the actions that had happen or were going to happen would reveal the attitudes of each of our characters.
Let’s start with Jesus, again, He is the beginning. Jesus demonstrates a heart that was ready to accept and forgive. This woman was obviously responding to something about Him. Whether she had heard it second hand or experienced it for herself. But even so, look at how she comes. The wording here seems to imply that she kind of sneaks in. Even when she approaches Jesus she doesn’t face Him directly is says that she is behind Him. It’s like she is afraid to approach. Understand in that culture men and women didn’t necessarily talk a lot unless they were married. When they were strangers and they talked it could cause a scandal. In this case, Jesus is a Rabbi, she is a prostitute, it mostly would cause a scandal. Jesus could have rejected her, He could have sent her away, but instead our savior did for her what He does for each of us, He accepted her as she was and then began to work to change her into who He saw her as. Isn’t it good to know that Jesus didn’t see the prostitute, He saw one of the people He came to die for. It doesn’t matter what mistakes are in your past, present or future. When you commit your life to Christ when you ask for His forgiveness He sees you the same way, through eyes of love. If you’ve never committed your life to Him, if you’ve never asked for His forgiveness, won’t you start right now to think about doing that today. Jesus still is in the business of accepting and forgiving. The best part is that when you accept His forgiveness you also get to live forever. This is the best deal ever!
But we also see the attitude of the Pharisee, here we see not just a lack of forgiveness. The Pharisee shows a judgmental attitude. I love this picture look at verse 39, “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is-that she is a sinner.’ Jesus answered him, (busted) ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’” You ever make one of those sarcastic remarks to yourself and the wrong person heard it. Simon was being sarcastic, he was being inappropriate, but he thought he could get away with it, because he said it to himself so he thought no one would know. But Jesus did and Jesus responded to Simon’s judgmental attitude.
Here’s the thing though, who was Simon judging? It wasn’t just the sinful woman Simon was judging Jesus. This is a bad position to be in and now his real motive is being revealed. He didn’t invite Jesus over as a friend. We know this because the moment something unexpected happened, the moment that Jesus did something Simon didn’t like, Simon had a judgment. Simon invited Jesus over and did what the Pharisees were constantly doing He looked for something to trip Jesus up. He was evaluating whether or not Jesus was worthy, not just of being called the Messiah, but of even being called a prophet. People today still make this mistake. They question Jesus, well if Jesus, this that or the other thing. I found this book, I read this article, there was this guy on the history channel and if Jesus really...stop there. Jesus was and is the savior of the world. He lived, He died, and three days later He stepped out of the grave all on His own. Unless someone else can do the same thing, we better stop questioning Jesus and start listening too Him. Questions about Jesus have been with us since He walked the earth. But the reality of who He is has never changed. The best documented life in history is still the most influential life in history, because Jesus was who He said He was and His followers carried the message even to their own executions because they knew that Jesus ruled not only in this life but beyond the grave.
Which brings us to the woman. I put on your note taking guide that she had an attitude of desperation, but I also think she had an attitude of hope. There was no logical reason that Jesus should acknowledge her, no reason that He should accept her, but she came anyway. She gave a gift that was the equivalent of a years wages for Him. It was probably the most and maybe only valuable thing that she owned. But I believe that she saw something in Him and what she saw made it worth it. So she comes, I believe at hearing of even the possibility of forgiveness, at the thought that hear is a Rabbi who teaches that God can love even me, and she pours out this perfume on His feet, she washes them with her hair, but she’s not even willing to do it face to face, she does it from behind. This is hope, this is desperation, but this is love. Do you see the commitment level that she has even at the possibility of what God has promised He will do? How much more commitment should we have when we know God, and know what He has done, and what He continues to do.
I love what we see Jesus do, Simon and the rest of the crowd act properly scandalized. They probably didn’t think this woman was worthy to be in their presence in public. Simon’s statement was under his breath but I bet most of them agreed with it. But then Jesus answers him. He says, “Two men owed money to a certain money lender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which one of them will love him more?’ Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.’ ‘You have judged correctly.’ Jesus said.” Then Jesus goes on to point out how Simon, in his attitude of superiority had failed as a host, Jesus compares it to the humility of this woman. Then He says these wonderful words, Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.’ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” What a beautiful picture. The problem is that so many people at the party didn’t get what Jesus did and people still don’t get it. Verse 49, “The other guests began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’” Look at that last word, “peace.” That is what Jesus gives us when we put our faith in Him, peace that He will be with us in our circumstance, peace that He will be with us and love us and accept us and forgive us. When we live in that peace, in faith that He has done what He said He would do, then His attitude will mark us and one of the ways that it will so is that we will forgive just has He has forgiven us. That’s why Paul tells us in Ephesians, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
The Rewards of Forgiveness:
Jesus was the unexpected guest, at an unexpected dinner party when and even more unexpected guest came and an even more unexpected thing happened, Jesus forgave. Let me ask you this question again, is your life marked by forgiveness like Jesus was, or are you a fault finder like Simon was? Hopefully you’re following Christ, because then you are not only showing a heart that is committed to Him but there are some added benefits. First, When you forgive it improves your emotional and physical health. Don’t take my word for it, the Mayo Clinic says this. According to Mayo forgiveness doesn’t just allow you to have healthier relationships, but also less anxiety, stress, and hostility. It leads to lower blood pressure, fewer symptoms of depression and a lower risk of alcohol and substance abuse. When Jesus told us to forgive and then modeled it for us it was one of the best things we can do.Living a life of forgiveness is one of the most important ways that we show our faith in God. Because if we believe that we have been forgiven then we will forgive others.
Second thing, and this one is very important, forgiveness allows us to go from being a victim to being in control. Can you think of someone who has wronged you in the past? Someone who has stopped you from doing something or getting something that you deserve. You know what the first step towards overcoming the obstacle that they have become and starting to get whatever it was that you think you lost is? Forgive that person. See when you don’t forgive them, then they are what you think about. But when you forgive them, then you can put the thought of what they did behind you and start making plans to get where you wanted to go. As long as you don’t forgive them, then you hold on to what they did and you are a victim. But when you let it go, you’re not a victim anymore. When you begin to plan for the future with God, then you are in control and you are free to become the person that God made you to be.
Final thought, a healthy relationship with God requires accepting and giving forgiveness. It starts when we realize like this woman did that we’ve missed God’s standard. Oh maybe we didn’t miss as bad as she did, but we’ve all missed. With God it doesn’t matter if you missed a little or a lot, the result is separation from Him. But when we ask for His forgiveness, we get it. He already paid the price for what we did. So we need to ask for His forgiveness and then live as if we already have it, because God promised us when we ask He will forgive and God doesn’t lie. The second thing is that we then need to give forgiveness. Whatever someone may have done to you you can forgive because God forgave you. God is the only one who has been perfect, holy and true, the rest of us have all done something wrong to someone at some point. But God, the One who did no wrong forgave us. When we accept His truly accept His forgiveness, when we commit our hearts and our lives to follow Him, then we will forgive others like He has forgiven us. How we forgive other reflects the true status of our relationship with Him.
Message Notes – Sunday February 26th, 2012
“Complete Forgiveness”
Luke 7:36-50
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
Is your life marked by forgiveness or fault finding?
The Three Main Characters:
It all starts with Jesus.
The Pharisee was a man whose life with God should have been marked by obedience and relationship.
The woman was mot likely a a prostitute and definitely had been far from God.
Attitudes Towards Forgiveness:
Jesus demonstrates a heart that was ready to accept and forgive.
The Pharisee shows a judgmental attitude.
The woman had an attitude of desperation.
The Rewards of Forgiveness:
When you forgive it improves your emotional and physical health.
Forgiveness allows us to go from being a victim to being in control.
A healthy relationship with God requires accepting and giving forgiveness.
