Encountering Jesus – 3. Forgiven

This took place, in Galilee which was 3 days journey from Mary’s home in Bethany. More than likely, since she came prepared, Mary had seen and heard or heard of Jesus before she came to the Pharisee’s house. No reason is given as to why she happened to be in Galilee. She returned to Bethany at some point, and Jesus visited her, Martha and Lazarus on more than one occasion there.

Luke 7.36 (NKJV) Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. (most of us go to places that influence us)
Luke 7.37 (NKJV) And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,

Sinner… reputation is difficult to change. You live under the pressure of what others think of you. She was someone known for what she did wrong rather than what she did right. She had a reputation for being a sinner.

This is who Jesus reaches. Those who know they are in great need of His grace and Mercy.

1Cor. 1.20 (NKJV) Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

1Cor. 1.26 (NKJV) For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
1Cor. 1.27 (NKJV) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
1Cor. 1.28 (NKJV) and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
1Cor. 1.29 (NKJV) that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Luke 7.38 (NKJV) and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

Tears = A response… Where His presence and Her sin met.

Luke 7.39 (NKJV) Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

He judged both Jesus and the women…

If He were good…
If He truly loved me…
If He really knew…
If He understood…
If He were in control…

“She is a sinner” = ones judgment – labelling someone based upon ignorance (of his own heart) and comparison (to others)…

They’re such a… _________________.

Matt. 7.1 (NKJV) “Judge not, that you be not judged. (judgment is not something you do, but a place you stand in your heart)
Matt. 7.2 (NKJV) For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
Matt. 7.3 (NKJV) And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
Matt. 7.4 (NKJV) Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
Matt. 7.5 (NKJV) Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Luke 18.10 (NKJV) “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
Luke 18.11 (NKJV) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
Luke 18.12 (NKJV) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’
Luke 18.13 (NKJV) And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
Luke 18.14 (NKJV) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 7.40 (NKJV) And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
Luke 7.41 (NKJV) “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
Luke 7.42 (NKJV) And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
Luke 7.43 (NKJV) Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”

Forgiven = your debt has been cancelled & clear!

Christ Fulfilled A Law That We Could Never Fulfill And Paid A Debt We Could Never Pay Back…

We are indebted to the Law…

Rom. 6.23 (NKJV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rom. 7.7 (NKJV) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
Rom. 7.8 (NKJV) But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
Rom. 7.9 (NKJV) I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

God Only Accepts Perfection To The Law! Only!

The Law Does Not And Cannot Produce Its Intended Effect. The Law Cannot Produce In Us The Very Goodness That It Demands. Rather, It Only Increases Our Bad Behavior.

Martin Luther Wrote,
“Sin Is Not Canceled By Lawful Living, For No Person Is Able To Live Up To The Law. Nothing Can Take Away Sin Except The Grace & Mercy Of God.”

Luke 7.44 (NKJV) Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
Luke 7.45 (NKJV) You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
Luke 7.46 (NKJV) You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.

Oftentimes we fail to recognize Jesus in our day to day life…

Luke 7.47 (NKJV) Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Our Love great or small is linked to our view of how much grace and mercy we needed.

Luke 7.48 (NKJV) Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

1John 2.12 (NKJV) I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.

Acts 26.18 (NKJV) to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Luke 7.49 (NKJV) And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Luke 7.50 (NKJV) Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Faith is always responsive. Responding to what God said to us and what Jesus has done for us.

Rom. 5.1 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rom. 5.2 (NKJV) through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

FORGIVE… the powerful act of RELEASING another from the wrong they have done, the hurt they produced and the problems they caused…
I am not sure what was done to you…
I am not sure what harsh words were said to you…
I am not sure what lies were spoken about you…
I am not sure what promises were not kept to you…
I am not sure what another’s actions have cost you…
BUT…
I am sure of this… HOLDING onto it will only hinder you… It won’t help you…
FORGIVENESS is powerful… Because it takes the other party out of the equation and allows us to make a decision based upon what God has done FOR us and not what someone did TO us…
FORGIVENESS is releasing a person of owing you anything… from an apology to money… Once you have released them, you no longer look their way for a proper response…
Don’t get me wrong –
FORGIVENESS doesn’t erase what happened yesterday… but it does allow you to act as though it didn’t…
FORGIVENESS doesn’t mean you instantly forget… but it does take away the sting…
FORGIVENESS doesn’t mean you let them hurt you again… but it does allow you to love again…
FORGIVENESS doesn’t mean you move on easily… but it does allow you to move on…
FORGIVENESS doesn’t mean it won’t happen again… but it does prepare you for the next time it does…