Pharisee or Grateful Sinner

Reading Luke 7:36-50 this morning.

36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When 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, 38and 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.

39When 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."

40Jesus 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. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

44Then 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. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

48Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

50Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

So what was all the hub-bub about?

Simon, a Pharisee was hosting Jesus - a prophet in his eyes - for dinner. I suspect he was working on getting a few more religious brownie points under his name. For some reason I'm thinking that in the back of his mind he was thinking, "Wait 'till the guys down at the synagogue hears about this! Jesus, in my home!" We are so like that aren't we? Let's make sure the pastor sees me, recognizes me. Let's make sure the boss pats me on the back. Got to be sure to make a good impression for the boys down the hall or the girls down the street.

Anyway. . .it's during this dinner that a woman comes in. . .weeping. And with her tears she begins washing the feet of Jesus. With her hair she wipes them. With her lips she kisses them. With her perfume she "anoints" His feet. Her actions and the fact that Jesus didn't do anything to stop her causes Simon to question whether Jesus was really a prophet - "If this man were a prophet. . " I love his statement, "He would know what kind of woman was touching him - a woman like her is a sinner."

Oh, but but don't be too hard on Simon. Don't be so quick to condemn him. We, too, sometimes wonder about the people who come weeping, convicted, needing Jesus' forgiveness. Don't we? What about the young lady who's pregnant and unmarried? How about the man who's broken over the loss of his wife and children? Or, how do we respond to the pastor who's hurting because of moral lapse? I've seen it all too many times. One mistake and we look down our religious noses at them. "How dare they come here?" Where else should they go, but to Jesus. We say things like, "I can't believe", "I would have never guessed", "Would you look at him/her."

Of course Jesus knew who she was. Everyone - Simon, Jesus, even the woman knew she was a sinner. Her very actions were the result that she recognized and was convicted of here sins.

What about me? How do I come to Jesus? Do I recognize I'm a sinner saved by God's glorious grace? Or, do I act more like Simon - I don't see my sins or I think I 'm better than others because of their sin?

What about you? Who are you, Pharisee or Grateful Sinner? Do you worship Jesus from a heart that's been cleansed by the shedding of His very own blood or has worship - daily worship - become routine and about making sure someone sees me; making sure you get those religious brownie points? Do you worry more about stupid stuff like the style of music or how loud it is rather than focusing on what Jesus did for you on the cross? Don't know about you, but I have? Today's passage has really made me think about my worship. Hope it does for you as well.

Mike