Loving Jesus

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This message is part of a short series of sermons during the Lenten Season. This sermon uses the story of the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus as an example of showing extravagant love to the Lord.

Loving Jesus

Luke 7:36-50

Introduction:

What would you do to let someone know that you loved them very deeply; beyond what you could adequately express in words. I’m speaking primarily about love for someone other than your spouse – love that doesn’t involve physical intimacy, but is none-the-less the deepest heart-felt affection you can imagine. Maybe it is a life-long friend that has been loyal to you through all kinds of adversity. Maybe it is someone who has risked their own life in order to save yours. How would you let them know how much they are loved?

If you had financial means, you might consider a monetary gift, but it certainly would be a large enough amount that it would convey the greatest level of affection. Perhaps money isn’t an option. You might consider some deed or service, or a gift that is personally crafted, requiring a large amount of time and effort. What would you do?

A couple of months ago or more, I read this account in Luke 7 and began to ask myself, “Have I ever given a sacrificial gift to the Lord, just to let Him know how much I love Him and how indebted I am for His forgiveness and grace?” How about you?

So now I want to review this story in Luke 7 and try to discover some characteristics that would be true of someone who offers an extravagant love gift to Jesus.

I. First, let us describe the scene.

Jesus has been invited by a Pharisee to come for a meal at his home. Some writers believe that the invitation was merely for the purpose of critically examining the “prophet” in order determine if he was “true” or “false.”

We notice in the story that there a woman to the house and proceeded to engage in this extravagant display of love and appreciation to Jesus. How did this woman happen to be present at the house of the Pharisee? We are told that it was common in the eastern cultures for uninvited guests to enter the home and observe the occasion, especially if a rabbi was teaching there.

(v. 37 “…when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house….”)

It was also appropriate for the uninvited guests to become involved in conversation with the host, the guest or other visitors if they desired.

The sources I consulted about eastern cultures and customs describe the customary courtesies when a guest enters the home.

Bowing (may be just upper body or if greeting royalty or expressing deep gratitude, bowing down on knees and kissing the feet).

Greeting (Words of peace offered to visiting guest).

Kiss (right hand on the left shoulder of the guest/friend, and kiss his right cheek, then place left hand on right shoulder and kiss his left cheek). This is the equivalent of a vigorous, sincere handshake in western cultures.

(Note: The Apostle Paul tells the Christians in Rome, Corinth, and Thessalonica to: “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” He is addressing a custom that they all undoubtedly were already doing, so he just seems to be urging them to maintain warm, sincere, greetings when they come together. By adding the adjective “holy” Paul emphasizes the fact that this is more than mere cultural courtesy, but a display of Christian, i.e. holy, affection for fellow believers, minus any sensual overtones. One writer says, it’s hard to persist in strife and conflict with people you are frequently greeting in a holy manner.)

Washing of feet (because feet will be dusty/muddy/smelly from walking in sandals)

Anointing the head with oil (usually olive oil, sometimes mixed with spices)

All of these things I’ve just mentioned as a normal part of welcoming a guest were not done for Jesus by this Pharisee. (Reminded by Jesus in verses 44-46)

“Sat at meat” (KJV) or (Reclining at table, recent trans.)

Perhaps you’re wondering how it is possible for the woman to “come behind him” and be close to his feet. It was due to the normal customs regarding meals.

Tables were normally made with short legs, or in some cases the “table” was nothing more than a mat on the floor. It was customary for the people to “recline” around the table.

Two possible descriptions of how the reclining was accomplished:

      a. Cushions were placed parallel with the sides of the table, with the person reclining on left side propped up on left elbow, facing the table and eating with right hand. The legs could be slightly bent which would put the feet slightly behind the rest of the body.

      b. Cushions were perpendicular with the table, with the person reclining again on the left side propped up on left elbow, but legs and feet would be more or less straight back away from the table.

I have tried to describe some of the customs and details of the culture to make the story more meaningful. Now, let’s turn our attention to the event that unfolds before the eyes of the host and any other guests that might have been there.

II. Characteristics of the critic.

I want to take just a few minutes to talk about the Pharisee, because he represents the obstacles we will have to overcome if we are going to show Christ the kind of devotion and love that this woman did. Pharisees were considered to be experts in regards to the OT Law of Moses. They knew every minute detail of the Law, but they were only interested in outward appearance, not true heart-felt devotion to God. They were noted for their self-righteous pride and prejudices, which shows vividly in this account we are studying today.

He was judgmental.

“He spoke to himself…” – He was misjudging Jesus; thinking that He didn’t know much about this woman. (However, Jesus immediately demonstrated that he surely knew about the woman, because he even knew what the Pharisee was thinking.)

He also judged the woman – a sinner. (Only 1 writer, Adam Clarke, thought the word sinner merely meant she was a “heathen” or unbeliever.) Most scholars believe that the wording used here would probably indicate that this woman was a noted sinner; most of them agreeing that she was probably a prostitute.

The Pharisee had no compassion or desire to see her life turned around, but merely looked on her with disdain, contempt and condescension.

There are a couple of points of application we can make here.

Drawing from the example set by the Pharisee: What do we see when we look at a person who is living a lifestyle of despicable sin? Do we despise them and judge them, or do we see them as an eternal soul whom Jesus loves and for whom Jesus died?

Drawing from the example of the woman: Are we willing to demonstrate our devotion and sincere love to the Lord regardless of the judgmental attitudes of those who would criticize us, or will we let them deter us from it?

He was not hospitable.

After Jesus perceived the thoughts of the Pharisee, he proceeded to remind him of all the normal courtesies that he omitted when Jesus arrived at his home. Some writers believe that this omission was an indication that the Pharisee thought that he was a little better/higher than this itinerant preacher/teacher, who really didn’t deserve these basic courtesies from him.By reminding the host that he had failed to show even the most basic courtesies, Jesus amplifies the drastic difference between the self-righteous host and the humble guest.

He was wrong.

When Jesus finished with His comparison and explanation He had thoroughly proven how wrong the Pharisee was. He was mistaken about Jesus and he was mistaken about the woman. She may have been a notorious sinner, but now she is a follower of Jesus the Messiah – forgiven and on her way to heaven. And, as Jesus so vividly illustrated with his hypothetical story, she loved Him so much more than the Pharisee because she knew she had been forgiven such a large debt of sin.

Now, for the final point I want to focus our attention on the actions of the woman, which is the main point of this message.

III. Characteristics of the gift giver.

She was worshiping.

Earlier I described the customary bow that is given to welcome a guest. I mentioned that in some cases, if the host/greeter wanted to express the deepest kind of gratitude, felt inferior to the guest (e.g. member of royalty) or to request a great favor, they would bow all the way down on knees…

“worship” – to prostrate one's self

I believe that is the case with this woman. She’s falling at the feet of Jesus to worship and express the gratitude she feels toward him. The verb tense Jesus used when he said, “her sins, which are many, are forgiven,” (v. 47) is the perfect tense which indicates that forgiveness was granted in the past, and continues in the present.

She was passionate.

Weeping – At first I thought her tears were due to the remorse she felt over her sin. (Some scholars mentioned this too.) Other writers however, suggested that she was weeping tears of joy over being forgiven. (I came to agree with this view on the basis of the verb tense for “forgiven” indicating that her sins had already been forgiven.)

In any case, she was displaying great emotion and passion. In her passion, she didn’t appear to be deterred by what anyone else might think.

I don’t know about you, dear friends, but using this event as an example, I think it is not only appropriate, but it is even preferable at times for us to get a little emotional about our praise and thanks offered to the Lord. After all, think about what all He has done for us!

Our relationship with Jesus has to involve much more than emotion, but it sure would be awful boring and lifeless if there wasn’t any emotion!

She was extravagant.

We aren’t told by Luke in this account how much the oil or ointment cost. However, there is similar account that took place later in Jesus’ ministry that is recorded by Matthew, Mark, and John, i.e. an “alabaster box of ointment,” and … In the other accounts, it adds the words very precious/ costly. In John’s account, Judas Iscariot says the ointment could have been sold for “300 pence” (KJV); or 300 denarii. (1 denarius was worth a day’s wage. Today, even at minimum wage, that would be $58 for an 8-hour day. So, 300 denarii would be $17,400.)

Now, I know we can’t be sure how much she had or what it was worth, because it doesn’t say. But, we certainly are led to believe that it was expensive and it was precious. She didn’t care. She poured it out on the feet of the One who had shown her such grace and forgiveness.

What does Jesus deserve anyway? (The One who has forgiven my sins; removed guilt and condemnation; offered eternal life in heaven…)

She was undaunted.

She had to have known what people thought of her and how they might have been secretly criticizing her actions. She had to have known the risks of what people would even say about Jesus. (A woman of her reputation, showing such affection to a man right out in public. Some writers suggested that the perfumed oil she poured out may have been previously used in her sinful lifestyle. e.g. Prov. 7) Yet, she persisted and performed her act of devotion regardless.

When we look at our own lives, have we ever displayed these kinds of characteristics in the giving or gifts or displaying our affection for the Son of God?

Conclusion:

As I stated at the beginning, the more that I have meditated on this story, the more I have become convicted about the level of love I have shown to the Lord.

Have I ever been as passionate as this woman?

Have I ever been as extravagant as this woman?

Have I ever been as persistent and undaunted as this woman?

After all that Jesus has done for me, He certainly deserves this amount of devotion and affection.

What shall I do?

Well, I might think of a way to give Him a very large gift.

But there are other ways to show affection…

“If you love me, keep my commands.”

(To Peter) “If you love me, feed my sheep.”

“Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.”

Only God can prompt us about what is appropriate for me and for you.

Let’s purpose to give an extravagant expression of devotion to the Savior Who has loved us, forgiven us, and showered us with so many expressions of His grace!