How Beautiful Are The Feet Of Jesus!

HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF JESUS!

LUKE 7:36—50 JULY 6, 2003

Luke 7:36-50

36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and 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.

39 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."

40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

44 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. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven -- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49 The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

50 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

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Dearest Fellow-Redeemed and Saints in the Lord:

When was the last time that you thought about your feet? You probably have not thought about them too much, unless you’ve been doing lots of walking or if you’ve got a sore foot or if you’ve stubbed your toe. Sometimes we just take them for granted. We don’t think much about them at all. Yet, how important they are. They are one of the many means of transportation that you and I have in our life today. How very important feet were during the time of Jesus. The people during Jesus’ day were very limited to their means of transportation. They did not have cars or trucks, SUV’s or four-wheelers. They had feet! They were very important. Even during the time of the Old Testament, God’s people knew the importance feet. Feet were important because if people didn’t have feet and weren’t able to walk around, the message of salvation could not advance.

Listen to this from Isaiah. (It becomes the basis for our sermon today.) “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (ISAIAH 52:7) They recognized, not only the importance of the prophet, but also the importance of the feet that God had made for the prophet to bring God’s message. We wholeheartedly agree with the prophet Isaiah as we look at this account of Jesus and use as our theme

HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF JESUS!

I. Jesus’ feet bring good tidings

II. Jesus’ feet proclaim salvation

III. Jesus’ feet also provide peace

I. Jesus’ feet bring good tidings

In a very subtle way, Jesus brings good tidings by His acceptance of an invitation. This invitation seems strange to us since we know about the relationship of the Pharisees and Jesus. Jesus and the Pharisees did not get along. Jesus taught and preached about the gospel and God’s free grace. The Pharisees clung fast to God’s law. Our text tells us 36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. Jesus brings good tidings by being at the Pharisee’s house. He doesn’t have to say much because by His actions, we see that Jesus’ feet are beautiful when Jesus walks and enters into that Pharisee’s house. Jesus could have easily said, ‘you and I don’t get along. We don’t agree. I’m not going to come.’ But Jesus does accept and so we see how beautiful are the feet of Jesus.