Luke 7:36-50 — You OWE me

READ THIS: Luke 7:36-50

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 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 people 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 forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “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—as her great love has shown. But whoever 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.”

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

Today's story is all about humility! While Jesus is having dinner at a Pharisee's home (the man was named Simon), their meal is suddenly interrupted by a woman who was known across town as a sinner. We don't know much about her, but the way Simon describes her ("what kind of woman she is") certainly doesn't make it seem like she made great choices. 

But then, Jesus tells a parable! Essentially, what Jesus said was this... if you had a friend who owed you $20 and a another friend who owed you $20,000, and you suddenly decided to forgive them both and let go of their debts, who would be more grateful and love the person who forgave them? Simon answers correctly and says, "well... probably the person who had more debt to be forgiven!" Jesus then explains how this woman models the person with the large debt. Despite all her sin, she humbled herself at Jesus's feet! So ultimately, Jesus forgives her sins and sends her out into the world as a brand new person!
 
But here's the thing: we are ALL the person with the bigger debt! The Pharisee, the woman, and us too! Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death... all sin has one price and one price only: death. But Jesus looked at that lofty price and forgave it all by offering Himself up to take the punishment instead.

Humans LOVE to compare sins with one another. We say, "well you're WAY worse because" or "well, that isn't as bad as that sin." What Jesus was trying to help Simon (and US) recognize is that we all should be responding the way that the woman here did: laying at Jesus's feet, worshiping and serving Him, and then living out the rest of our lives like we have been forgiven!

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Have you ever compared sins on a personal scale? Do you really think that all sins are equal?

2. What does it look like to go out and live like you've been forgiven?

TRY THIS:

One great way that we can model Jesus's forgiveness is by sharing it! If you have a chance to forgive someone of a debt they owe you, whether physical or not, do it!

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