Poured Out
Have you ever given all you have to go after something that has value to you? If so, you know the feeling of being satisfied that you didn’t hold anything back in pursuit of your goal. In this week’s lesson (Luke 7:36-39; 44-50) an unnamed woman with a sinful past, comes uninvited to a dinner that she had heard Jesus would attend. She had faith that Jesus would not reject her, but would see her and forgive her. She lovingly washed His feet with her tears and her hair. Then she anointed His feet with a perfumed oil. She poured herself out completely in love and gratitude to Jesus and received forgiveness of her sins and salvation to eternity. I pray that this week, you will find occasion to pour yourself out completely to Jesus and receive the healing of forgiveness that only He can provide. Amen
Click here, Listen and Worship as CeCe Winans sings “Alabaster Box”
When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 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. 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. 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.” (Luke 7:36-39) A Pharisee named Simon, invited Jesus to have dinner at his house. A sinful woman who heard Jesus would be there, came uninvited. This story emphasizes the contrasts between the Pharisee and the sinful woman. The Pharisee was someone of means and was host of the dinner. But he didn’t believe in Jesus' divine authority and his own need for forgiveness of his sins. The woman was an uninvited outsider, who was poor and well aware of her sins. She recognized Jesus as the only one who could provide the forgiveness and spiritual restoration that she needed. The Pharisee thought himself superior to Jesus. The woman saw herself as unworthy of Jesus. She had expensive oil that would normally be used to anoint a person’s head, But with her tears, and her hair, she cleaned Jesus feet and anointed them.
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. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:44-47) Jesus called out the hypocrisy, disdain and unbelief of the Pharisee and He praised the humility, faith, and love demonstrated by the sinful woman. As a result of her love for and faith in Jesus, He proclaimed to the Pharisee that the woman’s sins were forgiven. Her great love for Jesus was greatly rewarded with her salvation!
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:48-50) Jesus repeated to the woman what He had just said to Simon the Pharisee. Her sins were forgiven. The other guests began questioning who Jesus was that He would claim to be able to forgive sins. They failed to acknowledge Him as the Son of God. In a room full of skeptics and unbelievers, Jesus identified her faith in Him as the reason for her salvation. Finally, He bade her to “go in peace”, meaning that she was no longer in rebellion to God. Now, she was a child of God!
Only when you recognize the depth of your need for a savior, will you come to the Lord in faith, seeking to be saved. On the surface, one might believe that the Pharisee (Simon), a religious leader, was the one who pleased God and would be blessed with His favor (grace). But God is looking for those who have faith in His Son, Jesus, to receive His grace and salvation. The religious leader, Simon, invited Jesus to come into his house but refused to invite Jesus into his heart. By contrast, this unnamed and sinful woman sought out Jesus, believed in Him and gave Him her heart. Of the two, only she was forgiven her sins by Jesus and saved. Have you you dropped your pretense of status, position, financial security and ego? Have you wept in repentance at the feet of Jesus recently? When did you last demonstrate your love and gratitude for His forgiveness of your sins and the salvation He gave you? Know this…. Jesus always offers a forgiving and saving response to a heart that has been poured out in faith toward Him!
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
