7-Experiencing Forgiveness
3/6/11
Intro:
I.Luke 7:44-47
II.THE FIRST OF TWO TIMES JESUS WAS ANOINTED BY A WOMAN
A.There are nine different Simon’s in the New Testament
B.Luke new both Mary Magdala and Mary of Bethany
III.THE ALABASTER CHALICE FROM KING TUT’S TOMB (ALABASTRON)
A.Oriental calcite formed on the floors of limestone caves
B.Very expensive and imported from Alabastron, Egypt
C.Used for the holding of expensive, perfumed oil (Myrtle=Myrrh)
Body:
I.Overwhelming Grace
You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
A.We will never understand grace while we are still self-righteous
1)SIMON DIDN’T THINK HE NEEDED ANYTHING FROM JESUS
2)Philippians 3:5-7
In regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
3)CHRISTIAN SCHOOL KIDS VS. FORMER ALCOHOLICS
B.Tears are a sign of something getting right in our lives
1)THE WOMAN WAS JUST OVERCOME BY THE GRACE OF JESUS
a)He was reclined at dinner with His feet facing out
b)The closer she got the more His grace overwhelmed her
c)His feet must have been dirty, but she didn’t care
d)Her tears began to “rain down” upon his feet
e)In letting down her hair she gave up all her dignity
2)Revelation 2:4-5 (Ephesus)
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”
3)NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR CRYING IN CHURCH
II.Humble Abandon
You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
A.It is our pride that keeps us from coming to the feet of Jesus
1)IT WAS CUSTOMARY TO GREET A GUEST WITH A KISS
Grk (proskuneo) to kiss towards
2)THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN (Luke 18:9-14)
3)Luke 18:14
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
B.The only thing we should care about is giving Him our worship
1)A Pharisee (separatist) would never allow a “sinful” woman to touch him, but she didn’t care about what anyone thought
2)Hebrews 10:22-23
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
3)WORSHIP BEGINS WHEN YOU STOP THINKING ABOUT OTHERS
III.Extravagant Love
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—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.
A.It is not the amount of our sinfulness, but our awareness of it
1)DENARIUS=DAYS WAGE, $3,400 VS. $34,000 OF DEBT
a)Neither one of them had the means to pay the debt
b)Our love is proportional to our sense of sinfulness
2)Romans 3:22-24
There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
3)JEAN VALJEAN FORGIVEN FOR STEALING THE SILVER
B.We are not forgiven because we love, we love because we are forgiven
1)1 John 4:10
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
2)COMING TO GRIPS WITH MY SINFULNESS AT CAMP
Other Scriptures:
Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Romans 5:1-2
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 14:24-25
He will be convinced by all that he is a sinner . . . the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
Revelation 3:17 (Laodicea)
“You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”