Proper 6
Luke 7:36-8; 3
16 June 2013
Almighty and
everlasting God, increase in us Your gifts of faith, hope, and love that we may
receive the forgiveness You have promised and love what You have commanded;
through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
An invited guest speaks…
Two sinners have a personal audience with the Savior. How do
they fare?
- Simon opens his house but
is far from hospitable. Despite his invitation, Simon has shown Jesus none
of the hospitality one might expect to be granted as a guest in one’s home.
No water. No foot -washing. No embrace. Search the story. For any token of love
on the part of Simon. There is none. He treats Jesus with dishonor. He
discredits Jesus. He is a disgrace.
A.
Simon, he is impenitent. Why waste time admitting
sin if there are none to confess? He is comfortable with his own righteousness.
He will stand before God on his own merits. He’s perfectly capable of living
his own life. He has no need of Jesus. His life is fine. He’ll do things his
way.
B.
Simon, he is impudent. He calls Jesus “teacher.” His lips dripping with sarcasm.
C.
Simon, he is loveless. Jesus is the friend of
sinners. Jesus associates with “her kind”. He should have known what
sort of woman she was. That’s all he has to know about this Jesus. There are
simply certain kinds of people with whom good people in a polite society do not
associate. Everyone knows that! She’s
untouchable…a reject…unwashed…a “dirty!”
- This woman, by contrast,
is an interloper. She was not invited into Simon’s house. It’s simple. Her
kind is not welcome. And, she is forgiven.
A.
Her sins were many. And, it seems that people know
of them. It’s one thing to live a private life. We all have secret sins. It’s
quite another to be out there, in the open, in public. Had she no dignity? Doesn’t
she know how to be discreet?
B.
Her sins dismiss her. She’s
rejected. With much scorn and disdain. She’s been shelved by Simon, by those who worship at the temple, by her own
people. No one wants her. She’s worthless!
C.
In humbleness, she approaches the Savior. From
behind. She dare not look Jesus in the face. Rather she throws herself at Jesus’
feet. Her body language alone preaches the most powerful of sermons. Kyrie Eleison! Lord! Have Mercy!
D.
She receives absolution. Total remission of all
her sin. And she is free! This woman loves greatly because her sins have already been
forgiven of Him who loved her.
- Jesus asks the question, “Now which of them will love him more?”
“Simon replied, “I suppose the one
who had the bigger debt canceled.”
A.
The current national debt according to the US
National Debt Clock is over $16 trillion. That’s the number 16 with twelve
zeroes. The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $2.70
billion per day since September 30, 2012! The estimated population of
the United States is 317,000,000 so each citizen's share of this
debt is $53,000.00. [1]
The debt of your sin is greater – a debt you cannot pay.
B.
In mercy, the Father canceled the debt. Faith
always respond in love – “Your faith as
saved you; go in peace.” Her love was the result, and never the cause, of
her forgiveness. So get over yourself! Your
sins are not forgiven because you love God. You love God…because you are forgiven! You love…because He first loved you. (1John
4:19). Such is the inference of the parable.
And such is the teaching of the entire New Testament.
C.
Your reaction to all this? Not like the other
dinner guests who began to say among themselves, “Who is this…who even forgives sins?” Rather, with repentant and
grateful hearts we say, “Thank you Jesus…”,
then show, and reflect that love with your life.
No comments:
Post a Comment