The Spring of Love
Luke 7:36-40
Trinity Covenant Church
Colorado Springs
Colorado
Pastor C. W. Powell
“This is a history more to be wept over than commented upon.”
--St. Gregory
Introduction: Please read Luke 7:36-40. This anointing of Christ is not the one recorded in the other Gospels.
That took place in the last week before the Crucifixion and was an anointing
for His burial. This story is about love and took place much earlier.
The facts are simple, and are these:
A Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to dine. Because he had come
to seek and to save the lost, Jesus ate with all kinds of sinners--important
ones, and common ones. He reached out to all. Why did Simon ask Jesus to dine?
No one can answer that, perhaps. Maybe it was because Jesus was
famous--some like to court the famous. Simon did not treat Christ well, did not
extend to him common courtesy. Servants would wash the feet of the guests.
Lacking servants, the host would do the service. Even a common greeting was
denied Christ, for there was no kiss of greeting.
Simon was stiff and
cold--lukewarm at best (or worse--a tight thin smile is hardly a comfort!!).
Certainly there was no outpouring of enthusiasm and affection for Christ.
During the meal a woman, probably a prostitute, entered. She used great
courage to come, for her kind would not have been welcome. Guests reclined with
their feet away from the table. As she came to the foot of his couch and
anointed his feet with ointment--a hush falls over the meal. Her shadow is upon
the gathering. How strange this was to Simon, and perhaps to some of the other
guests. Overcome by her emotions, she begins to weep, her tears fall on his
feet. Perhaps embarrassed, she tries to wipe them away with her hair.
Watching this, Simon is filled with contempt. “This man is no
prophet! If he were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman she is. She is
a sinner. Why would he have anything to do with her?”
The Rabbis would have reasoned this way: A good man would have
nothing to do with such a woman.
Holiness requires separation.
Jesus knows the thoughts of men for He is the eternal wisdom of
God and there is no thought at all without Him.
He knows Simon's contemptuous thoughts and speaks, “Simon, I have
something to say.”
“Say it,” Simon says carelessly. Jesus then tells the parable of
two debtors. It is a simple story about two debts, one insignificant and
another so massive that it could not be paid. When they could not pay, the
master freely forgave them both. Christ's question was, “Who loved the most?”
Jesus: “The one forgiven much loves much: the one forgiven little
loves little.” (The parable is not to be pressed too much; we assume
generous-hearted debtors.)
The Contrast
Simon has little love and consideration, because he was forgiven
little. The woman had great love and consideration, because she was forgiven a
lot.
Remarks
Why was this woman saved? This woman was not saved because she
loved Christ and did these deeds. This is Roman Catholic doctrine. She was
saved because she believed. Jesus said, “Her sins are forgiven.” (vs. 48) She
came to Christ already in a state of grace. Jesus told her that her salvation
is because of her faith only. vs. 50.
The order is important: She did not believe because she loved; she
loved because she believed.
What was it this woman believed?
She believed her debt was forgiven: She had heard words like:
“Come unto me....” “He that heareth my words, and believeth....” “I am come to
seek and save that which was lost.” This was a RELIGIOUS thing she did, not a
social thing. She had heard and believed.
Saving faith is not an abstraction. The Gospel is about
forgiveness of sins. Christ died for our sins. This fact of history is the
heart of the gospel, the good news to sinners.
Offensive to the moralist: he wants to hear about character and
good deeds, and high and lofty things. He doesn't want to hear about sin and
depravity and inability.
Offensive to the philosopher: he wants to hear about origins,
being, nature, and things in themselves.
Offensive to the religionists: he wants to hear how his sect is
superior to all the others.
Offensive to the wise, the proud, the lofty, the good: The cross of
Christ is ugly, because it says ugly things about us. But the cross of Christ
is also beautiful, because it says beautiful things about God.
How beautiful the cross is to faith!!!. She believed her sins were
forgiven. This is the joy David spoke of in Psalm 32:5-7.
Forgiveness of Sins is the Spring of Love.
The fountain of love begins here, with the knowledge of sins
forgiven. Jesus connects love to the forgiveness of sins: Love for Christ is
the consequence of the forgiveness of sins.
Simon was not forgiven--although his sins were great.
Religious sins are often far worse than moral ones: “Publicans and
harlots enter the kingdom before you,” Jesus told the Pharisees. But this
should not lead the harlot to despise the Pharisee! The heart that is broken
with a sense of sin cannot despise anyone. Despising others is the
characteristic of those who trust in themselves that they are righteous (Luke
18:9).
Pride is the sin of the Devil. How devilish was that pride—rooted
in Simon's heart and filling his whole person! How DARE he despise Jesus
Christ! What awful distance there was between him and Jesus Christ! How far he
was from the kingdom of God! How blind is pride! The things esteemed by men are
so often the most devilish abominations in the eyes of God (Luke 16:15).
Christ very gently reproves Simon. We can learn from this. Jesus came to save all kinds of sinners: Simon, too, would love Christ when he sees
the awful muck and mire--the filthy pride and idolatry that is rotting in his
own heart. He would view what happened at his feast very differently when the
grace of God enters his own heart. Jesus is kind and merciful to Simon and
would treat him with the same compassion he showed to the woman if Simon’s
heart is opened by the grace of God.
Note:
Jesus is NOT saying that Simon hadn't sinned much: he is saying that he hadn't
been forgiven much. Paul saw the true nature of spiritual and religious pride,
and he didn't call it little in 1Tim. 1:13-15. Paul, too, was a Pharisee
like Simon, a proud, arrogant hypocrite who despised others.
Sin is not the spring of love. The source of love is the
forgiveness of sins. Jesus is not saying some are worse sinners than others,
and therefore have an opportunity to be great lovers of God. We are all foul
and filthy in God's eyes. But Christ IS saying that some are forgiven, and they
will love God, according to their realization of God's mercy to them. The
systematic doctrinal examination of this is in Romans 5:1-8:
Romans 5:1-8
Love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy
Spirit that illumines the hearts of the elect with the meaning of the sacrifice
of Christ. He teaches us that we are LOVED by God, not as an abstraction of
good will (the abomination of the modern age), but concrete, acting,
sacrificial love manifested by the death of Jesus Christ. This love is “shed
abroad,” and fills our souls.
This is the supernatural, practical result of justification. It is
this work of the Holy Spirit that assures us of peace with God and teaches us
to endure tribulations and trials. This awareness is not because of our love or
because of our works; it is the work of the Holy Ghost sent to us by God who
justifies us. This is the well of water that springs up to everlasting life:
this is the love that gushes up in the heart, because sins have been forgiven
by the death of Jesus Christ and by His resurrection from the dead.
I am loved; God loves me!! The joy that comes from this is
expressed in the Heidelberg Catechism:
Q58: What comfort do you receive from the article "life
everlasting"? A58: That, inasmuch as I now feel in my heart the
beginning of eternal joy, I shall after this life possess complete blessedness,
such as eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of
man, therein to praise God forever.
I can never be convinced by logic alone, although a sound mind is
the work of the Holy Ghost.
I can never be convinced by my own works alone, though a
sanctified life is the work of the Holy Ghost and re-enforces the assurance of
faith.
I can never be convinced by men's testimony alone, though men will
see my good works and glorify the Father in heaven.
I can only be taught by the Holy Ghost, who illumines me as to the
true meaning of the death of Christ and works love in my heart, the fruit of
the Spirit. The result is repentance; hope, charity.
In verses 8, 9 of Romans 5 Paul clearly sets forth the true ground
of this love: The death of Jesus Christ. We love Him because He first loved us.
How did He love us? By dying on the cross for us. God commended His love toward
us in that Christ died for us. Did Jesus die for you? Then you will never come
into condemnation!!!
Because He loved us, we love Him. You will never love Jesus
because you are wise. You will never love Jesus because you are moral. You will
never love Jesus because he gives you things. You will love Him when you know
Him as the One who died to forgive you yours sins.
This
story in Luke is not about sentimentality. Love for Christ is rooted in the
forgiveness of sins. In another place (Titus 3:1-7), the Holy Spirit tells us
to be good citizens, behave in a moral way, and generally be decent to each
other. Why are we to do this? Because He has forgiven our sins. It is not
because of our works of righteousness, but because of
His mercy and grace. Because he loved us, we are called to love one another, to
pattern our love after His: We are freely to forgive one another. We are not to
seek revenge, harbor ill will or malice. We are not to seek self-vindication;
We have received freely; and are freely to give.
A Warning.
Love is the inevitable fruit of the forgiveness of sins. In a
related parable, Jesus told of two debtors.
One owed a huge sum of money. A second man, in turn, owed the
first debtor a tiny amount. The first begged his master to forgive the huge
debt and was successful in his petition. But he immediately went out and threw
his neighbor into prison for the tiny amount that was owed. When the master
heard about it, he called the first and reprimanded him for not showing mercy.
Unspeakable torments were the punishment. Christ's lesson is clear: the
forgiven heart is a forgiving heart. If you have been forgiven much, you will
love much, and your neighbor's faults toward you will appear to be small.
May God bless you.
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Write:
Pastor C. W. Powell
Trinity Covenant Church
6050 Del Paz Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
719-590-1477
mailto:budpow@prodigy.net
web page: http://www.trinityrcus.com
