Faith Presbyterian Church - Birmingham
At Faith Presbyterian Church we are seeking to exalt Jesus Christ the King and to exhibit and extend his Kingdom through worship, community, and mission.
Faith Presbyterian Church - Birmingham
Luke 7:33-50; Dinner at Simon's House
Jason Sterling January 12, 2025 Faith Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL
Bulletin
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The following message is from Faith Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Join us on Sundays for our 8, 15, and 11 am worship services. For more information, visit us online at faith-pcaorg or download the Faith PCA app. Thank you for tuning in to Faith's podcast ministry.
Speaker 2:Let's look at the Bible together. This morning we're going to look at Luke, chapter 7. So if you have your Bible, a copy of God's Word, turn with me to Luke, chapter 7. It'll be in your bulletin. It'll also be on the screen behind me this morning. We started a new series last week called Meals with Jesus in the Gospel of Luke.
Speaker 2:Every gospel has different angles and themes, and one of the elements that is emphasized and distinctive about the Gospel of Luke is the emphasis on the table. There's lots of meals happening in the Gospel of Luke. One commentator and I love this says in Luke's Gospel, jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal, and so over the next several weeks we're going to look at these meals in the gospel of Luke. Why are we doing this? Well, we learned last week, because these meals teach us about who Jesus is. They teach us about how Jesus went around and went about accomplishing his mission, and they also teach us something about the reality of grace. Last week, in Luke 5, we saw that Jesus was accused by the religious leaders of being a friend to tax collectors and sinners. If you look at Luke 7, this is in your bulletin, verse 34, he's being accused of that again. And not only that, he's being accused look at verse 34, of being a drunkard and a glutton. And so the question then is how is Luke going to defend Jesus against these accusations? Well, he doesn't. Instead, he follows it with another meal and another party perhaps an even more powerful dinner party than the one that we saw in Luke, chapter 5, because Luke is trying to show us that it is indeed true that Jesus is the friend of tax collectors and sinners.
Speaker 2:This morning we are introduced to one of the bravest women in all of Scripture. I think you'll see what I mean as we read Luke 7, verse 36 through 50 this morning. This is God's Word. One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment and, standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now, when the Pharisee who had invited him, saw this. He said to himself If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner. And Jesus, answering, said to him Simon, I have something to say to you. And he answered say it, teacher.
Speaker 2:A certain money lender had two debtors one owed 500 denarii and the other 50. When they could not pay, he canceled the debt of both. Now, which of them will love him more? And Simon answered the one, I suppose, for whom he canceled the larger debt. And he said to him you have judged rightly. And then, turning to the woman, he said to Simon do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss and from the time I came in, she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little. And he said to her your sins are forgiven. Then, those who were at table with him began to say among themselves who is this? Who even forgives sins? And he said to the woman your faith has saved you. Go in peace, let's pray and let's ask the Holy Spirit to help us with this passage this morning. Please bow with me, lord. It is no accident we're here. You have brought every person here this morning to hear this word. And so speak, o Lord. Speak, your servants are listening. In Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2:In 2004, there was an artist by the name of Michael Goff. He created an exhibit, an art exhibit titled Igonography, and an actor dressed up as the classic 1950s illustrated version of Jesus and walked around London and he would raise his hands and he would bless people on busy streets. And Goff, as part of the exhibit, was discreetly taking pictures of this interaction. And this is what he said no one engaged him in conversation. People in the city don't have time for Jesus. They make appointments and they have appointments that they need to honor and meetings to attend and deals to make and lunches to buy. The only person that had time for Jesus was the hostess of the local strip joint, and I begin with that story because that's really a picture of Luke, chapter 7. That's what's happening in this meal.
Speaker 2:We see two people with two different responses to Jesus. A religious man named Simon, who is way too important or so he thinks and way too busy making connections and doing deals, and he completely misses Jesus. And then we have this woman. We don't even know her name, but we know that she's not one of us and, although it's not explicitly said, she's a prostitute. That's what's implied here. She's an outcast, she's running in all the wrong social circles, but she sees her need and therefore she has time for Jesus.
Speaker 2:I want us to look at this passage under three headings, if you're a note taker. First, the people the point, the process. The people of the story, the point of the story and the process of loving the way this woman loves in this passage. So let's look at our first heading, the people. Look at verse 36. One of the Pharisees the Pharisees, they were the religious leaders of the day and again his name's Simon and he invites Jesus over to his house for this dinner, not to get to know Jesus, not because he loves Jesus. He invites Jesus over to cross-examine him and to investigate him and discover if he's really a prophet, and also to chastise him for dining and accepting sinners. And so, right from the very beginning, there's this tension in the story that's hard for us to see, it's easy to miss. Think about this Simon is the host of this dinner and he has failed miserably.
Speaker 2:Think about our culture. If you were to have someone over for dinner, when they came to the door, you would get up from whatever you're doing. You would turn the TV off. You would walk to the door. Perhaps you would greet them with a handshake or maybe a hug. You would take their coat. You would offer them something to drink. You would offer them an appetizer. If you walked over to someone's house and they never left the couch and they never looked up from their phone or kept the TV on and were glued to it and never said a word to you, what would you conclude? You would conclude I'm not welcomed here. And it's exactly the same thing in this culture. You see, it was customary, when a guest came over, to offer water for their feet. They wore open-toed sandals, and so they were traveling around in dirty streets all of the time. You washed your feet before a meal. It was also customary to greet someone with a kiss on the cheek. And then, finally, if you really wanted to honor your guests, you came up to them and you poured oil on their head. Simon is the host and he does none of those things. He doesn't welcome Jesus. He is completely disrespecting Jesus. He doesn't get out of his chair. Jesus is being snubbed.
Speaker 2:In this passage Verse 37, we see another person in the story. We're introduced to the woman. Behold, that's how it starts. And so pay attention, look, be sure you see this. That's what Luke is saying.
Speaker 2:A woman in the city learned that Jesus was eating at Simon's house and she shows up at this party. You see it in the passage. She's a notorious sinner. Shame marks her present, shame marks her past. This woman evidently had heard Jesus teaching on forgiveness of sins and had interacted with him at some point. She knew that Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners. She hears he's at Simon's house, she shows up to this dinner. And you're thinking what? She just shows up uninvited. Yes, that was not uncommon back then.
Speaker 2:Back then, if the weather permitted, you had a dinner party out in the courtyard and people would walk up. Visitors would walk up, they would participate in the conversation, they would honor the guest at the home, they would even transact business. And so this woman slips into this party and she sees Jesus reclining and eating at this table. Back then you reclined on one arm, you ate at a low table and your feet were out behind you. And so that's the scene.
Speaker 2:And this woman walks in and she's standing at Jesus' feet verse 38, and she's so overcome with emotion she falls down and her eyes fill with tears and she begins to weep. Simon offers no water. She offers her tears. Simon didn't offer a towel, and so this woman lets down her hair and begins to wipe Jesus' feet with her hair. Friends, at this point the air would have left the room. This was a showstopper Because, culturally speaking, back then it was very inappropriate, scandalous and indecent for a woman to let down her hair in mixed company. But she does something even more outlandish than that. She starts to kiss his feet and then she takes out this oil an expensive, very costly perfume that she'd most likely earned working the streets and she pours it on Jesus' feet. Friends, this is over the top, it's radical, honoring Everything Simon should have done, as the host she did. You see, they were in Simon's house, but it was the sinful woman who was actually the host, not Simon. And so you have this moment of examination comes front and center.
Speaker 2:Jesus is on the stand in this courtroom of judgment. Verse 39, notice Simon says to himself. And so he's muttering to himself, and he says if this woman or if this man were a real prophet, he would know what sort of woman this is who's touching him, for she is a sinner. And so the thought is, jesus says he's God, but if he's God and holy, like he says he is, then he wouldn't let this woman touch him, because holy people in their mind don't associate with people like her. And so, do you see it? This man named Simon is not only judging the woman, but he's also judging Jesus. What's the application for us this morning, friends? The application is actually a question from Jesus. What's the application for us this morning, friends? The application is actually a question from Jesus. Verse 44, do you see this woman? That's the question, that is the takeaway. If you don't remember or take anything else from this morning, take that question.
Speaker 2:Do you see this woman, her need and her generosity and her posture and her humility? She is the point of the passage. You see, simon drives a nice car, he's got a great job, he lives in the best neighborhood, he's very nice and polite, he goes to church every single week, he runs in the right circles, but he's self-righteous, he's smug, he's judgmental and he thinks he's better than this woman, and he completely misses Jesus. This woman, on the other hand, is a prostitute. She doesn't have a husband, she's probably uneducated. She will always live below the poverty line. She has nothing, and yet she has everything. Simon's moving away from Jesus. The woman is moving toward Jesus.
Speaker 2:When you read the Bible, one of the questions you should ask and, by the way, you're never Jesus. You should ask, though and that's part of this passage is who are you in this story? Are you Simon, or do you respond to Jesus like the woman? Are you moving away from Jesus or towards Jesus? Which way are you moving?
Speaker 2:Secondly, let's look at the point of the story. Look at verse 40. Jesus overhears Simon's self-righteous muttering, and you never want Jesus to say this to you. By the way, simon, I have something to say to you. I have something to say to you. You see, in that culture, that was a way of introducing blunt speech to the listener and letting them know you were about to say things that they might not want to hear. And Simon was about to find out how much of a prophet Jesus really was, because not only did Jesus know the woman's heart, but he also knew Simon's heart. And then notice Simon's reply. He arrogantly responds and it's arrogance, say it, teacher. And then Jesus responds by telling the story. Look at verse 41.
Speaker 2:Two men owed a debt to a certain money lender and he canceled the debt of both. Who loved him more? And notice Simon again a hint of arrogance. Well, it's obvious, isn't it? Who would love him more? And he says well, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled. And after rebuking Simon in his own house, think about how strong that is. Be like somebody walking up to you and you just serve them dinner and they say hey, next time won't you cook something better? That's basically what Jesus does in verses 44 through 46. He says let me tell you about your failed hospitality.
Speaker 2:And then, verse 47, he states his main point. Therefore, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven for she has loved much. Let me clarify something. There is a way you can read this and think that she is forgiven because she's loved so much. There is a way to read this and think that her love and devotion is the basis for her forgiveness. That's not what Jesus is saying. That's religion. That's not what Jesus is saying. That's religion. That's not the gospel. No, the point of the parable is to say that love is a byproduct of forgiveness. A more helpful translation might be something like this For this reason, I tell you, her sins, which are many, must have been forgiven, or she would not have shown such great love. You see, love and devotion towards Jesus is always a direct result of having been forgiven and loved by Jesus.
Speaker 2:Again, question of the morning. Do you see this woman Jesus is trying to show us. This is what forgiven people act like and the way they respond. To say it another way, forgiven people don't act like Simon. Forgiven people don't embody self-righteousness and arrogance and snobbery. He who is forgiven little loves little.
Speaker 2:Verse 48. This is the thing that probably ministered to me the most this week, verse 48. Jesus looks at her and says your sins are forgiven. And here's what's interesting about that phrase. That phrase are forgiven is in the perfect tense, which indicates that it's something that has already happened. Again, this woman had interacted with Jesus before she had experienced his forgiveness, and her actions proved she had experienced His forgiveness and her actions proved that she had experienced His forgiveness. And so then the question is like okay, well then, why does he tell her again that she's been forgiven? Well, don't you need to hear it again that you've been forgiven of your sins? I know I do, because, like this woman, we struggle, don't we, to really believe that we've been forgiven.
Speaker 2:Friends, jesus is so kind, jesus is so gentle, jesus is so gentle, jesus is so patient. He doesn't throw up his hands in frustration and say I can't believe. You are so insecure and you need me to remind you that this is true. Where is your faith? No, jesus does none of that. He gently reassures and he comforts. Your sins are forgiven, and that's what Jesus is saying to us every single week. That's all we're doing in this worship service. Jesus is just reminding us over and over, through the confession, through the singing, through the table, through the preaching. He's reminding us it's true, believe it, your sins, which are many, are forgiven through faith in Christ.
Speaker 2:And after reminding the woman, look at verse 50. He says your faith has saved you. Go in peace. That doesn't make any sense, does it? I mean, think about it, simon. He's doing all the right things that seem to flow from faith. He prays, he gives, he reads his Bible, he never misses church, he stays away from the really big sins. And this woman, on the other hand, has done everything wrong. She's never, probably couldn't read, will never have a quiet time or devotional, and yet he says your faith has saved you. How is that possible? Well, it's possible because Christianity and this is important it's not about the quality of your faith. That's not what saves you, thank goodness. Christianity is about the object of your faith. That's not what saves you, thank goodness. Christianity is about the object of your faith. Jesus. To quote Martin again, it's not about what you look like, it's about who you're looking at. That saves you, and it's Jesus who makes you beautiful and acceptable. Simon was looking at himself. He had a strong faith in the wrong thing himself. The woman had a very weak faith in the right thing because she was looking at Jesus.
Speaker 2:Lastly, the process. You ever wonder what God wants from you, what Jesus wants for your life, what Jesus wants for your life, what Jesus wants for our church. He wants this, what we see in Luke, chapter 7. He wants us to love, like this. And then the question again how do we get there? What's the process of getting there? We need two things, and the first thing we need is we need to see our need, our desperate need for Jesus.
Speaker 2:You see the woman. She knew she was in over her head, she knew her debt was great and she could not pay the debt. Simon doesn't have a clue. He has no self-awareness whatsoever. He thinks he owes no debt to God. Why does he think that? Well, remember, he was a Pharisee. He was a religious leader, he cared about the Bible, he cared about morality, he cared about doing the right things. He was a really good guy.
Speaker 2:And the problem with being a good guy and doing nice things is other people start to think you're nice and wonderful. And then you start to believe your own press and you start to think that you're nice and wonderful and it actually blinds you from seeing who you really are and seeing your desperate need for a Savior and going underneath the surface and seeing what's really in your heart. It keeps you from seeing things like greed and lust and control and selfishness and manipulation and bitterness and entitlement. You see, when you read the story, or perhaps if you were at the party, you would think. Man, this Simon guy is awesome. I mean, he's hosting all these parties. All the time. He's picking up the tab on this dinner party. He does that a lot. He's very generous and yet, underneath the niceness, he hates people and he thinks he's better than everyone else, especially this woman.
Speaker 2:This teaches us something very important about Christianity. In Christianity, a Christian is someone who repents of the ugly, bad things that you can think of and you could list a bunch of things that you think are bad and ugly and dark. Yes, repent of those things. But a Christian is also someone who repents of their goodness, repents of the things that you like most about yourself, because it's those things that often keep you from seeing Jesus. Repent of the things that you're trusting in rather than trusting in Jesus, the things that make you look down on other people. You want to be a someone who starts to see their need and get in touch with your need. You got to get to need. You've got to get to the heart. You've got to get to the motivations of the heart and what's going on there. And when you do, you will find, as one person once said, that even your tears of repentance need the blood of Jesus, that even your tears of repentance need to be repented of. Now we could stop there. I could raise my hand for the benediction and we would all go home depressed and Presbyterians are really good at stopping there telling you how bad you are. But if we stop there, then you'll never change. We'll never love like this woman, because not only do you need to see your great need it's great but you also need to see Jesus, who is the Savior, who meets you in that great need.
Speaker 2:You see, to offer forgiveness, someone has to absorb the debt. That's how forgiveness works. When the moneylender cancels the debt with these people in the story, he absorbs the cost. He's saving these people at his own expense. And so when Jesus looks at this woman and says your sins are forgiven, the only reason he can say that is because he knows deep down that one day he's going to absorb the cost. He's going to absorb the cost for her sins. And that's exactly what he does. He goes to a cross and he bears the sin debt that you and I owe.
Speaker 2:This woman knew she had an enormous debt and what she didn't need was judgment. You know what she needed. She needed someone to look at her and her eyes not fall. And that's what she got in Jesus. Jesus looked at her and loved her and forgave her and it changed her life and it transformed her into a person who radically loved Jesus and loved the people around her. Our need is great. Yes, jesus is greater. Your Savior is greater.
Speaker 2:I'll close with a couple of speaking to a couple of different folks in the room. This might be where you are. It may not be where you are, but some of you are in this room and might be where you are. It may not be where you are, but some of you are in this room and you've done terrible things and you don't believe you can ever be forgiven. Jesus paid the debt for those things on the cross. Believe it, it's true.
Speaker 2:Others of you, perhaps you've been a Christian all your life, but you struggle with assurance and you need to hear it again. Hear it again Because you go up and down and these voices come into your head and you struggle to believe in forgiveness. Hear Jesus saying to you through this passage your sins are forgiven, your faith has saved you, go in peace. Or maybe you're Simon and you've been pretty good. You've never done really anything awful and horrible. You're a rule follower, you do all the right things, but maybe you're starting to understand what's underneath the surface and just how deep your resentment goes, how deep your anger and judgmental spirit and entitlement and jealousy. How deep it goes. Well, you need to hear this morning that Jesus died for those things too.
Speaker 2:The gospel is for you too. You see, that's the glory of the gospel, isn't it? It's the glory of Jesus. It's the message of this passage. Jesus is big enough and he's good enough to deal with all of our sin, no matter how enormous the debt might be. Dane Ortlund says this. Only the gospel tells us to be free by acknowledging our failure. Christianity is the unreligion, because it is the one faith whose founder.
Speaker 2:Jesus says to bring, not our doing, but to bring our need. That's what this woman did. She brought to Jesus her need. Jesus forgave her. It changed her life, and the question for us this morning is will we do the same? Come to Jesus whatever your need is, bring it to him, receive forgiveness of sins and have your life transformed by grace. Amen. Let's pray. Father, thank you for delighting in people who are not good, but people who have an enormous debt that we once owed you. You had every reason to punish us and to reject us, but you didn't. You forgave, and I pray that is such good news, and I pray that you would overwhelm us with your forgiveness, with your grace and with your love, so that it might change us from the inside out, so that we become people who love. Well, would you do that in Jesus' name? Amen.