Seeing as Jesus Sees (Luke 7, 36-50), January 27, 2008.doc

Seeing as Jesus Sees

Hillcrest Church, January 27, 2008

Text

" 36 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. 37 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, 38 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. 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." 40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. 41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 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?" 43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "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. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." 48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" 50 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." " (Luke 7:36-50 NIV)

Introduction

Healing the centurion's son, raising the widow's daughter had been mighty miracles, the greatest miracle of all was resurrecting this woman's life…! This passage illustrates the principle Jesus just mentioned, "Wisdom is proved right by all her children," i.e., the changed lives of the ones who were following Jesus were proof of His teaching. This is not the same event as his anointing at Bethany and this is not Mary Magdalene. Matthew places it right after Jesus' invitation, "Come unto me … and I will give you rest. (Matt.11:28-30)

The Pharisee did not receive Jesus as a prophet, so he did not receive the reward the prophet brought. a prophet brings…! Imagine that! He had Jesus in the flesh in his home, yet there is no record of any mighty miracle being performed there or any evidence that his life was changed in any way. Jesus confronted his wrong attitude and tried to make Himself real to Simon, but his unbelief hindered his blessing. (Deal with reality of unbelief – existed even in Jesus' day, even in the face of His mighty miracles.) Some people, like Nicodemus, were willing to move beyond their traditions and their history, to move into the fullness of what God was trying to send to them.

 

Luke perhaps includes this passage here to set the stage for what follows, including the description that Jesus was accompanied by women who provided for his material needs, and that this took place in complete purity…!

This story raises many questions, some of them simple, others quite profound, all of them penetrating and important…

·         Why did this Pharisee invite Jesus to dinner? Luke's wording makes it clear that the Pharisees did not consider Jesus to be one of them and His constant contact with sinners would have rendered Him ritually impure. Perhaps deep in his heart there was a yearning to know more about this preacher from Nazareth, this miracle worker that some said was a prophet and others had begun to believe was the Messiah. Maybe his motives were actually less noble than that. It was considered a good thing to invite a rabbi into one's home for a meal after he taught at the synagogue. Simon may have done it out of a sense of obligation, without really wanting Jesus there, as witnessed by his failure to provide even the most basic of hospitality (washed feet, oil on head, kiss on cheek). Simon's invitation may well have been self-centered since it was considered virtuous to invite a godly rabbi over for dinner, especially if they had just taught in the synagogue. Jesus not only accepted hospitality from the publicans, but also from Pharisees, because all of them needed Him.

Simon was proud to be a "son of Abraham," but he was behaving in a very different way toward his guests than his father Abraham, who welcomed angels (Gen. 18)

" Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:1-2 NIV)

Hospitality often sets the stage for ministry.

Simon was also guilty of hypocrisy. It was much easier for him to say, "She is a sinner," than for him to say, "I am a sinner." Jesus proved He was a prophet by His ability to supernaturally know Simon's thoughts…! The woman's sins were open, Simon's sins were hidden; Simon's sins involved the flesh, hers involved the heart. Cf. two sons in parable of the Prodigal. It is often easier for open sin to be confessed and renounced than for hidden sin to be confessed and renounced.

Jesus had the authority to speak of debt-cancellation because only He had the power to make provision for debt.

Simon accused Jesus of the very thing he himself was guilty of – spiritual blindness…! He was blind to his need; she saw her need. Simon saw her past, but Jesus saw her future…!

·         How did this woman know Jesus would be at the Pharisee's house? Did one of her customers tell her? Were they also there, perhaps reclining at the table while she hid in the shadows? Or did her righteous relatives tell her, hoping that an encounter with Him would change her life forever? Sexual hypocrisy is certainly nothing new. (cf. Czech pastor's friend in England who taught on sexuality across England, finding to his astonishment that the worst sexual sins came to the surface as he ministered in the strictest churches.) For special gatherings, low couches were provided for people to lean on. It was accepted practice for outsiders to hover around banquets so they could see and listen to the guests. In that day, women were not invited to banquets. Jewish rabbis did not speak to women in public, nor did they eat with them in public.

·         How could this woman afford such expensive perfume? Did she earn it with her favors? Was it the very one that she wore hung around her neck? This was such a common practice that even the rabbis said this was something a woman could "carry" on the Sabbath.

·         How did Jesus feel when this very sensual woman expressed her very pure love and appreciation for Him in a very physical way? Jewish people did not consider perfume sinful, but because this woman was sinful, its use would have been associated in their minds with her tools of the trade. Adult women covered their hair. For it to hang loose was considered sensuous and a sign of promiscuity. For Jesus to allow her to use her loose hair to wipe his feet was scandalous…! Her act involved a large financial outlay. Was it a means of redeeming her finances?

One of the most important parts of this passage is when Jesus confronts the Pharisee with his faulty "vision," as He did His disciples while in Samaria in John chapter 4 and the church at Laodicea in Revelation chapter three. In the same way, Jesus wants to help each one of us see others as He sees them!

Encountering Jesus opens our eyes to many things, changes the way we see them…!

Simon, do you see this woman? God sometimes uses the obvious to speak to us about the hidden.

Literally, her tears she "rained" on me…!

You did not anoint my head, but she anointed my feet (Extremely unusual to put something so valuable on the feet…!)

You did not even wash my feet with water, but she washed my feet with costly perfume…!

You gave me nothing, she gave me everything…!

Jesus knows the answers to our questions even before we ask them…!

Jesus is far more concerned with meeting human need than with satisfying human prejudice.

 

Let's look together at Jesus' response to this encounter. It tells us a lot about Him and a lot about what He wants every one of us to be…

1.    Jesus looked beyond her body and saw her soul.

·         He saw her in a way no other man had.

Jesus calls her, "Daugher." His relationship with her was pure. Somehow, this woman who had so long been a mere sexual toy in so many men's eyes sensed that. Ladies, in Jesus – and in men who are truly full of Jesus – you will find a value beyond anything you have ever known. This is the heritage of Christianity. In today's world, because Bible-believing Christians teach what the Bible says about divine order in the home and in marriage, some women have come to believe that Christianity oppresses them. Don't you believe it…! You can go into any culture around the world, whether it be Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or whatever else you may choose, and Christianity elevates the status of women…!

Her life was centered around the erotic caress, but now, her heart being changed, she responded with a pure humility.

2.    Jesus looked beyond her act and saw her intent.

·         Repentance

·         True gratitude and worship.

By failing to provide for someone to wash Jesus' feet, Simon was actually soiling his own house…! (Jesus was walking on his floors with unwashed feet…!) Some sins are like that, including bitterness. They not only affect others, but they affect us, too.

Normally, to show someone special honor, you anointed their head. Perhaps this woman felt too unworthy to do that, so she anointed his feet. Her tears are indicative of her emotion. Jesus was concerned enough about her condition to not be offended by her emotion.

3.    Jesus looked beyond her sin and saw her faith.

·         Repentance and faith bring salvation…!

It was her faith that saved her, not her love…! When it comes to Christian virtues, love is premier, the greatest sign of true conversion, but there are loving people who will spend an eternity in hell…!

"4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7 NIV)

"8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)

"6 … in Christ Jesus … The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (Galatians 5:6 NIV)

We are not saved by works, but by a faith that leads to / results in works.

4.    Jesus looked beyond her past and saw her future.

Literally, "go into peace…"

Debts were to be forgiven every seventh year, but experts in the law had found a way around that. Priests could pronounce forgiveness at the Temple after a sin offering, but Jesus pronounced forgiveness without a sin offering. Only God could do that…!

Jesus receives sinners…!

"2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." (Luke 15:2 KJV)

 

Notes:

Luke 7:37

A woman which was in the city, a sinner (γυνη ἡτις ἐν τῃ πολει ἁμαρτωλος [gunē hētis en tēi polei hamartōlos]). Probably in Capernaum. The use of ἡτις [hētis] means "Who was of such a character as to be" (cf. 8:3) and so more than merely the relative ἡ [hē], who, that is, "who was a sinner in the city," a woman of the town, in other words, and known to be such. ἁμαρτωλος [Hamartōlos], from ἁμαρτανω [hamartanō], to sin, means devoted to sin and uses the same form for feminine and masculine. It is false and unjust to Mary Magdalene, introduced as a new character in Luke 8:2, to identify this woman with her. Luke would have no motive in concealing her name here and the life of a courtesan would be incompatible with the sevenfold possession of demons. Still worse is it to identify this courtesan not only with Mary Magdalene, but also with Mary of Bethany simply because it is a Simon who gives there a feast to Jesus when Mary of Bethany does a beautiful deed somewhat like this one here (Mark 14:3–9=Matt. 26:6–13=John 12:2–8). Certainly Luke knew full well the real character of Mary of Bethany (10:38–42) so beautifully pictured by him. But a falsehood, once started, seems to have more lives than the cat's proverbial nine. The very name Magdalene has come to mean a repentant courtesan. But we can at least refuse to countenance such a slander on Mary Magdalene and on Mary of Bethany. This sinful woman had undoubtedly repented and changed her life and wished to show her gratitude to Jesus who had rescued her. Her bad reputation as a harlot clung to her and made her an unwelcome visitor in the Pharisee's house. When she knew (ἐπιγνουσα [epignousa]). Second aorist active participle from ἐπιγινωσκω [epiginōskō], to know fully, to recognize. She came in by a curious custom of the time that allowed strangers to enter a house uninvited at a feast, especially beggars seeking a gift. This woman was an intruder whereas Mary of Bethany was an invited guest. "Many came in and took their places on the side seats, uninvited and yet unchallenged. They spoke to those at table on business or the news of the day, and our host spoke freely to them" (Trench in his Parables, describing a dinner at a Consul's house at Damietta). He was sitting at meat (κατακειται ^[1]

 

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^[1]A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol.V c1932, Vol.VI c1933 by Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Lk 7:37.

A Woman A Godly Man Wants to Love, June 24, 2007

The Kind of Woman A Good Man Wants to Love

Hillcrest Church, June 24, 2007

Text

" ¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. ¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. ¹² She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. ¹³ She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. ¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. ¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. ¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. ¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. ¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. ²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. ²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. ²² She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. ²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. ²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. ²⁶ She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. ²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. ²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ²⁹ “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” ³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. ³¹ Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." (Proverbs 31:10-31, NIV)

Introduction

Last week I brought a Father’s Day sermon entitled, “How to Be the Kind of Man A Woman Wants to Love.” In four and one half years here at Hillcrest, I don’t think I have ever had such overwhelmingly positive response from people about a single sermon, especially from the women.

Today, I want to turn that topic around and talk about the kind of woman a good man wants to love. And so we turn in the Bible to the most famous of all texts describing womanhood, a psalm of praise written by the mother of King Lemuel for her son to help him know what kind of wife he should look for. She realized, I am sure, that because of his position, he would attract all kinds of women with all kinds of motives. And so she wrote these words to save him from the wrong kind of women and to help him find the right kind of woman, a wife fit for a king…!

Instead of going through this rather lengthy passage verse by verse, I want to share six suggestions with every woman here based on these and other Scriptures.

1. Be pure.

Set your standards very high and do not lower them at any time, in any place, or for anyone…!

" ¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." (Proverbs 31:10, NIV)

"³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. ³¹ Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." (Proverbs 31:30-31, NIV)

A godly wife is a godly influence upon her husband.

"¹² To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace." (1 Corinthians 7:12-15, NIV)

In God’s eyes, by the way, there is no such thing as a double standard…!

2. Be personable.

A man falls in love with your personality.

"¹³ A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping. ¹⁴ Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord." (Proverbs 19:13-14, NIV)

"¹⁵ A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; ¹⁶ restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand." (Proverbs 27:15-16, NIV)

"⁹ Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." (Proverbs 21:9, NIV)

"²⁴ Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." (Proverbs 25:24, NIV)

The woman is the “Holy Spirit” of the home. More than anything else, she sets the atmosphere!

I have often been amazed on the kind of woman men run off with…! Often, the most outstanding trait they have is that they are good conversationalists – and an important part of that art is learning to be a good listener…!

Wives, are you so interested in making sure he hears what you have to say that you fail to really listen to what he has to say?

Teresa excels in this regard, and it has not been easy because I can be quite a talker, but she has learned that I process verbally, that is to say, I think out loud, and by engaging with me in conversation, even about things that do not matter much to her

I believe every man talks to someone or something, whether to his friends or into his glass of beer down at the bar. Is he talking to you? Do you make it easy for him to? Do you really want him to talk to you or do you just want him to listen to you? Obviously, both are important!

3. Be productive.

Proverbs 31 woman led a very active life, with some measure of independence over her money and her decisions, making a significant contribution to her home and to her city.

"¹³ She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. ¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. ¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. ¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. ¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. ¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. ²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. ²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. ²² She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. ²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. ²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. ²⁶ She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. ²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." (Proverbs 31:13-27, NIV)

Engage in meaningful pursuits with your life. If you have children, pour yourself into them. Better yourself. If you like gardening, learn more about flowers, etc.

The best way not to be boring is to be growing. A woman who is growing is usually a woman who is glowing…!

Make a financial contribution to the welfare of your family, whether through thrift, investments, or generating income (centered around the home, able to do all this because of servants (vs.. 15)

Homemaker? Be creative and innovative..!

The Proverbs 31 woman had tremendous influence in her home but also in larger society…!

4. Be patient.

Your husband is not perfect yet…and neither are you…!

“It is better to be lonely than to wish you were…!”

5. Be passionate.

Be playful – a woman’s laughter adds much to a home…!

Read the Song of Solomon…!

Joe Slaughter’s book recommendation, “Sheet Music.”

6. Be prayerful.

Hell trembles when it hears a godly woman pray…!

Recommend “A woman’s guide to spiritual warfare…” by Ruthanne Garlock

Nothing builds a long-term partnership in a godly marriage like a man knowing his wife walks with God and hears from God…!

Charles Blair- ignored wife’s advice…! (Read, “The Man Who Could Do No Wrong,” which tells his story.)

Jamie Buckingham – hardest way to hear voice of Spirit is through wife’s voice…!

Conclusion

Invitation

1. Would you like to begin that kind of relationship with God today?

2. Would you like to ask God to help you be this kind of woman…wife, mother, friend?