Is it possible for your life to be changed by three words? How about three words like “We’re having twins!” or “Sorry, it’s cancer,” or “Kids, we’re moving.”? We could easily spend the next ten minutes coming up with other three-word combinations that would signal a dramatic change to one’s life. But today we want to consider three words that we need to speak, and three words that we need to believe if we want an everlasting change in our lives—a change that will bring freedom, blessings, and finally heaven. We’ll learn about these life-changing words when we look more closely at a dinner Jesus attended. Allow me to describe the events of that dinner through the eyes of one Jesus’ disciples.
Hi, my name is Matthew. I’m the disciple that used to be a tax collector. I think your pastor wanted me to speak to you about this dinner because, well, as a former tax collector I was used to throwing lavish banquets. In fact I threw such a dinner for Jesus once so that all of my friends could meet him. But the dinner that I’m supposed to describe to you today was one that a Pharisee named Simon hosted. Are you surprised to hear that a Pharisee would invite Jesus to dinner? Yeah, we also were surprised to receive the invitation. You see, the Pharisees were generally not friendly towards Jesus. They thought that he ignored the teachings of Moses, and they hated how Jesus was critical of them, accusing them of being hypocrites. Just as you wouldn’t likely invite to dinner the new guy at work who is criticising your work habits, it didn’t seem likely that any Pharisee would want to hang out with Jesus.
And it was quickly clear from the moment we arrived that Jesus wasn’t really welcome at Simon’s house. Simon didn’t greet Jesus with the customary kiss. Nor did he offer Jesus any water with which to wash his feet. For you I suppose that would be like inviting someone over to your house for dinner, but then refusing to shake their hand when they arrived and not bothering to take their coat or offer them something to drink. Wouldn’t that person wonder why you had invited them over in the first place if you were going to treat them so rudely? And maybe that’s what Simon was up to. Maybe he thought he could embarrass Jesus with these insults forcing Jesus to make a few tight-lipped comments about not being welcome before withdrawing. But as always, Jesus surprised us. He just took the insult in stride and made himself at home at one of the banquet tables. You see, in Jesus’ mind, Simon wasn’t the enemy. He was just another victim of sin for whose sake Jesus had come.
But Jesus wasn’t going to let Simon off the hook. His opening to address Simon’s rudeness came in an unusual way. While we were reclined at the dinner table, as was our custom, a woman approached Jesus. She fell at his feet and started crying. With her tears she wet Jesus’ feet, and then wiped them dry with her hair before pouring expensive perfume on them. It took me just a few seconds to describe the scene, but this was an interruption of several minutes—an interruption that made us all uneasy. Isn’t that how you feel when you’re in a room where a stranger is crying?
We wondered why Simon didn’t do anything about this woman since he was the host. But when we looked up we saw that he was smirking. It turns out that he knew this woman, or rather I should say, he knew of this woman. She had a reputation of being a girl with loose morals. She was not the kind of woman that pious Jewish men would hang around. And that’s why Simon was smirking. Later Jesus told us that Simon had been thinking to himself that if Jesus was really a prophet, he would know what kind of person was touching him and he wouldn’t allow it.
Jesus did know of course what kind of woman was touching him. And he also knew what Simon was thinking. He proved that when he addressed Simon’s unspoken thoughts with a little story. Jesus said, “Simon, I have something to tell you. There were two men who owed a debt that neither could repay. One owed 500 denarii (about a year and half wages) and the other owed 50 denarii (about a month and a half wages). Since neither could pay, the master graciously forgave both debts. Now which debtor do you suppose would be the most grateful?” Simon fiddled with the ring on his finger before answering: “I suppose the one who had the larger debt.” Jesus then shifted in his seat and nodded towards the woman, “Simon, do you see this woman? She has done for me what you refused to do. When I arrived, you didn’t greet me with a kiss. You didn’t offer me water with which to wash my feet. You didn’t anoint my head with oil. You didn’t extend to me any of the common courtesies. But this woman, who was not invited to this dinner and is clearly not welcomed by you, has not stopped washing my feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. She has also poured expensive perfume on them. Sure, she has committed many, many sins, but she has been forgiven them all and for that she is very, very grateful.” Then Jesus turned to the woman and said with a smile: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Your pastor began this sermon by saying that you would learn three words today that can have an eternal impact on your life. Have you figured out what those three words are? There are two sets of them. The first set was spoken by the woman through her actions. What was she saying to Jesus with her tears? “I’m a sinner. I am sorry.”
From the way that Simon had treated Jesus it was clear that he had yet to grasp how those words also applied to him. Oh I doubt Simon would claim to be perfect, but he certainly didn’t think he needed saving—not like that woman! How about you? Have you learned to speak those three words? Or are you quick to add to them? “I’m a sinner, but it’s not my fault! I had a crummy childhood. I had parents who drank. I was born with those urges. At least I’m not as bad as…” But friends, God doesn’t want your excuses, he wants your heart because he will fix it with life-changing words of his own. What was it that Jesus said to the woman? “You are forgiven. Go in peace.” Imagine the relief you would feel if someone promised to pay off your car loan, or for your kids’ braces, or for your summer holidays. Well Jesus promised something even greater to that woman, and to you: an eternal life of happiness.
Oh, the dinner crowd at Simon’s wondered what authority Jesus had to promise such forgiveness. I mean if I told you that your car loan has been paid, you would want some proof, wouldn’t you? The proof of payment Jesus would make for your sins and mine was his death and resurrection. And so Jesus has every right to say: “You are forgiven. Go in peace.” And we have every reason to believe those life-changing words.
And I mean it when I say that those words are life changing. Look at the example of that woman again. Do you suppose she grew up wanting to break down in public and then wash some guys’ feet with her hair? Why did she do it? She did it because she was so grateful for the forgiveness she had received. And just so we’re clear about this, that woman’s love for Jesus was not the price of forgiveness it was the proof of forgiveness. She didn’t earn Jesus’ forgiveness by what she did. No, she already knew that Jesus had forgiven her and for that she was thankful—so thankful that she used her hair, her crown and glory, in deepest humiliation and devotion.
So too our highest and best belong in the dust at Jesus’ feet. Grateful faith therefore gives the best in the way of our income to the Lord, not what it is left over at the end of the month. Grateful faith treats others as Jesus treats us. If the woman had run into Simon the next day, would she have whispered to her friends, “There’s that self-righteous punk who thought I was nothing but trash”? How could she say a thing like that when Jesus had freely forgiven her? How can we forgiven sinners do anything less than forgive others even when they have judged or criticized unfairly?
Nor does grateful faith think that anything done for Jesus is a waste. It wasn’t a waste for the woman to anoint Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume even though the moment he hit the dusty roads again the perfume would be ruined. Your pastor tells me how hard you’ve been working at reaching out to this community with God’s Word, but that the returns have been small. Is it worth it to keep trying? Sure it is if those efforts are done to Jesus’ glory. They are always worth it because Jesus is always worth receiving your best!
But didn’t Simon in a way also give Jesus his best? No he didn’t properly greet Jesus when he arrived for dinner, but he at least threw him a banquet and called him “teacher.” That had to count for something, didn’t it? I suspect that’s what a lot of people think about their relationship with Jesus. They think it’s enough to hang out with him every now and then and call him “teacher,” but that’s not saving faith. Before we can do anything that God will acknowledge as pleasing, we need to speak these life-changing words from the heart: “I’m a sinner. I am sorry.” Only then will we fully appreciate the words God has already spoken to us in the person of Jesus: “You are forgiven. Go in peace.” And empowered by those words we now can serve Jesus in God-pleasing ways.
We never saw that woman again, and we never even caught her name. I wonder if that wasn’t by design. That way you can put your name in her place. And while others might look down on your for one reason or another, like that woman you don’t need to be afraid that Jesus will look down on you. He doesn’t. He came to save you. So keep speaking to him those life-changing words: “I’m a sinner. I am sorry.” And keep listening to Jesus say to you, “You are forgiven. Go in peace.” Of course when Jesus says that we can go in peace, he doesn’t mean that we can go off and do whatever we want. No, forgiveness empowers you to leave your life of sin and to let your hair down in service to him. May God bless you as you do that this week. Amen.
SERMON NOTES
Jesus was invited to the house of Simon in today’s text. Who was Simon?
What was Jesus’ reception like at Simon’s house?
(Thought question to do at home) Simon smirked when he saw Jesus allow a sinful woman near him. In what ways do we often act like Simon?
What was the point of the little parable Jesus told about the two debtors?
Agree or disagree? The woman’s sins were forgiven because she loved and served Jesus.
Today’s text described these life-changing words:
“I’m _____ _____________. _____ am _______________.”
“You _____ ______________. ______ in _______________.”
List at least two ways in which Jesus’ words to the woman were life-changing.
Explain: Our highest and best belong in the dust at Jesus’ feet.
Simon too had served Jesus. Why wasn’t his service God-pleasing? What warning is there for us?
