Series C   3 Sunday after Pentecost  Proper 6                            Rev. Ron Brauer

Text:  Luke 7:36-8:3                                                         June 17, 2007

“The Forgiven Family of the Father”

The story of Jesus being anointed by the sinful woman is the special gem in the necklace of the Gospel narratives because it illustrates in supreme fashion the work and message of Jesus Christ.  The parable of the money-lender is the central teaching in this narrative that still instructs us today.  We are introduced to two people, and Jesus would love both, Simon the Pharisee who invited Jesus to his house for dinner, and the sinful woman who came uninvited.  Both were in need of Jesus’ forgiving love.   

Simon the Pharisee wanted to check Jesus out to see if He were truly a prophet.  He would ask Jesus to come and join him for dinner. The Pharisees, you remember, were that group of religious leaders who had a high opinion of themselves, priding the way they followed the traditions of their elders and how they kept not only the Ten Commandments, but especially, and even more so, their own additional 600 or so additional commandments to help keep the original Ten Commandments.  They were also quick to judge others’ behaviors and criticize them, much like what Lutherans do in the parking lot after a church meeting.

Simon was quick to get Jesus in the door and have Him recline at the table, but was slow to offer the usual courtesy and hospitality extended to his guests.  Instead, it was an unnamed woman whose name did not appear on the guest list who did offer the kindness of hospitality.  Her identity was quickly noted as one of the city who was labeled as a “sinner.”  When a Pharisee calls someone a ‘sinner,’ it meant that whatever that person did to offend someone or even God was so bad that they believed God would have a hard time forgiving them, even if that guilty person performed all the ritual and sacrifices demanded by the law, including their own standards.  There was always an air of suspicion about those who had done such deeds that those Pharisees would never ‘buddy up’ to them. 

The contrast between Simon’s lack of hospitality and the woman’s emotional outpouring of humility pushes Simon to think that it’s not his problem, but Jesus’ problem.  “If this man was truly a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman is touching him, because she is surely a sinner.” 

The surprising fact is this Prophet DOES know who and what kind of woman she is.  And, Jesus knows even the thoughts of Simon.  The Psalmist tells us, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord” (Ps. 139:1-4).

So it doesn’t surprise us that Jesus then answers Simon, even though Simon hasn’t said a word to Jesus at this point.  But Jesus, honoring the host, politely says, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

Simon, somewhat indignant that this woman has upstaged his hospitality, says in reply, “Say it, Teacher.”  Simon was on the defensive, waiting for Jesus to say anything, then Simon would retort with some ‘We Pharisees are better than that sinful woman” statement.  But to his credit, Simon listens as Jesus tells him a parable.  It is this part of the narrative that is the center. 

The money-lender would demand full payment from these two men.  The amount made no difference.  Both are required to satisfy the debt.  Neither one could pay, be it the one owing 500 denarii or the one owing 50.  It would be the difference between what you would earn in two years versus that of two and a half months.  But in a surprising move, the money-lender canceled both debts.  Jesus poses this question to Simon, “Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon is put on the spot.  He is being tested in front of his peers, and he doesn’t want to lose face if he answers incorrectly.  So he cautiously weighs his words and gives his answer, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“Rightly you have judged,” Jesus replies.  It’s expressed that way in the Greek, contrasting the poor judgment Simon has already exhibited by his comments about the sinful woman and his lack of acknowledging Jesus as the Prophet from God.

That should have given Simon some relief, however, Jesus proceeds to chide him on what has happened in his home that very hour.  He turns to direct attention to the woman, and then says so Simon could distinctly hear, “Do you see this woman?”

Now that’s an obvious question.  Of course Simon saw this woman.  She came in uninvited, started sobbing, and with her tears got Jesus’ feet wet.  She would have unbraided her hair, something not proper for a woman to do in the presence of men, and wiped Jesus’ feet.  Then she breaks open an expensive flask of perfume, and anoints Jesus’ feet.  The aroma must have filled the room.  Of course he would notice her.

But did Simon really SEE this woman?  Did Simon see this woman as one who had been forgiven much?  And in an unspoken question, would Simon see himself as one who had been forgiven little?

Jesus then reviews the score card on how well Simon and this woman showed hospitality and care.  The woman did what Simon failed to do.  For the common politeness of providing water for the feet, the woman gave her tears, the most precious waters of the heart.  Instead of a towel, she uses the glory of her head, her hair.  In showing affection as a friend, the kiss of peace was not offered by Simon, but the woman profusely kissed Jesus’ feet.  And for the treatment of the guest for this festive meal, Simon failed to provide oil for anointing, but the woman would use a far more costly perfume. 

The woman offered tears of repentance and offerings of gratitude.  She had carried that flask of perfume anticipating to pour it on Jesus’ feet, knowing that Jesus would not turn her away.  She knew that the sinner’s head belongs at Jesus’ feet.  She knew that her highest and best belongs in the dust of Jesus’ feet.  She knew that she had been forgiven much.

After the final tally has been given, Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much.”  In other words, it is not her action of love that caused her to be forgiven, but rather that her being forgiven has resulted in such love.  Jesus would then interpret the parable further for Simon’s sake by saying, “But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  Simon would then have to take that parable with its application, and learn of the forgiveness of sins. 

Having heard Jesus’ absolution prior to her coming to this house, Jesus again affirms that forgiveness by telling this woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”  The verb form here indicates completed action.  No further ritual or sacrifice is needed.  Then Jesus blesses her by saying, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”  Her faith in what God has done for her in Christ now sustains her.

Perhaps you would not consider yourself as horrible as David who not only committed covetous lust and adultery, but also deception and murder, even though he was the king of Israel.  You haven’t murdered or stolen or done any of those sins.

Or perhaps you would not consider yourself as notorious as the unnamed woman, who spoke not a word.  Her sins are not even identified, but her reputation goes before her.  No one has dragged your name in the dirt and called you a public sinner.

Or perhaps you’re better than Simon the Pharisee.  You would have treated this Prophet with better respect and extended those common courtesies.  You would not have forgotten to show hospitality to the Son of God.  You may say, “I’m better than all those sinners in the Bible.” 

That is where, my friends, I need to tell you that that kind of thinking is the way of the Pharisee.  In dealing with the Pharisees, Jesus leaves none of them righteous.  We cannot be made right before God by being better than someone else.  Instead, by recognizing and laying aside the Pharisee in all of us, we can embrace the grace, gratitude, and joy of a repentant life in Christ.  Remember the little parable Jesus told about the two debtors and the money-lender?  Neither one could repay; the payment was required from both regardless of the amount.  “The wages of sin is death,” Scripture tells us, whether we earn it at minimum wage, or after years of collecting those earnings through bonuses, commissions, or profit sharing.  One sin or many sins—all deserve God’s temporal wrath and eternal punishment.

While we don’t know the quantity or magnitude of the woman’s sins, we do know, that while many, her sins have been forgiven.  We do know our sins too, those public sins and even those secret sins that continually displease God.  Yes, He knows them, just like the thoughts of our hearts.  And yes, we know that God dislikes those sins of thought, word, and deed, of what we have done and what we have left undone. 

The wages of sin is death, but the rest of that passage proclaims the Gospel:  “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  It is also heard in Jesus’ words of absolution from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  From a biblical perspective, Father’s Day for God was when Jesus died on the cross to bring all His wayward children back home into His family.

The forgiven family of the heavenly Father consists of the Davids who have been confronted with their sins and have repented.  The portrait of the forgiven family of God shows men and women and children who have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but in Christ, have been redeemed and sanctified.  The members of the household of God include those, like the sinful woman, who are heartily sorry for their sins and sincerely repent of them. 

The forgiven family are those who have been crucified—yes, we know that Christ was crucified for us on the cross—but we, too, in Christ, have been crucified, and it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.  Through baptism we have been crucified with Christ into death, and just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too, might walk in newness of life.

The sinful woman was justified by faith: “Your faith has saved you,” Jesus said.  It is not through works of crying and drying and kissing and anointing Jesus’ feet.  Our acts of love are the result of God’s forgiveness.  It is not what causes God to forgive us.  We love because God first loved us. 

Now I won’t ask when the last time was that you were so sorry for your sins that you cried such tears that they would wet someone’s feet.  Nor will I ask when you spent so much money in contrition and sorrow that you would bring it to the feet of Jesus.   Neither would Jesus Himself.  This story is not about what we do regarding forgiveness, but it’s about Jesus.  Nowhere did Jesus command that this women weep on His feet, dry them with her hair, kiss them, and buy perfume and anoint them.  She did all these in response to the love of God, just as the women at the end of our Gospel reading today in giving of their means to support the ministry of Jesus.

This story is all about Jesus and His teaching and actions of forgiveness.  It is His Word that puts into your ears those words of absolution, “Your sins, though many, are forgiven.  The Lord has put away your sins.  You shall not die.”  It is the tears of Jesus, poured over you in the waters of Baptism that cleanses you of your sins.  And it is not your impure lips that simply kiss the feet of Jesus, but it is in the Holy Sacrament of His Supper where Jesus’ whole body and His atoning blood touch your lips, sealing the forgiveness of sins and assuring you of life and salvation.

King David was looking for sensual pleasure.  Simon was looking for self-righteous satisfaction.  The sinful woman came to receive forgiveness.  Which are you?  Your one need is the forgiveness of sins, and it is here where Christ has promised to be present, in Word and Sacrament, that your sins are daily and richly forgiven. 

And what does the forgiveness of sins move us to do?  You heard of the worship of the sinful now forgiven woman.  You heard of the offerings that the women brought to support Jesus’ ministry at the close of the Gospel reading.  Our Lord would refuse neither.  While we may not be able to kiss Jesus’ feet or anoint them with costly perfume, we do have the least of those to whom our hospitality can be given.  “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did it for Me” (Matthew 25:40). 

How and when can we do these acts of love?  Certainly not by our own Pharisee-driven motives, for they are sinful.  But as our sermon hymn would suggest, we would ask our loving and forgiving Lord to take our hands and lead us.  Let His hands move our hands and feet, first in faith, then in cheerful giving and loving acts of service.  It is His voice speaking words of intercession as we pray for Jesus to create a clean heart within us.  It is His love, drawn from the cross, that forgives those who sin against us, as we ourselves have been forgiven the debt of our sins.  It is His grace that tells us, “Your faith has saved you.  Depart in peace according to My Word.”  Amen.

Sermon Hymn:  LSB 878 Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me