(Luke 7:36-47) "Thou gavest me no kiss"
There are two people described in our text.
First we have a Pharisee; a very refined gentleman; a man of dignity and respect.
Then there is a prostitute; a woman of ill repute; an outcast of society; a sinner.
Jesus is the guest of the Pharisee, and has been treated to an exquisite meal. But, while He is dining, a woman slips in through the back door, and falls at His feet.
The Pharisee thinks to himself, "If this man were a prophet, He would know the kind of woman that is kissing His feet.
Jesus, knowing his thoughts, used a story to show a truth (parable): He said, "A certain man had two debtors which owed him money: 50/500 pence..."
The Pharisee did not see himself as a sinner, so he loved God very little. He probably thought God was lucky to have him around.
But, the prostitute knew she was wicked, and loved God much for His forgiveness. She kissed His feet, and wiped them with her hair.
The custom of the day was that when you entered into a man’s house, he washed your feet, and kissed your cheek.
Jesus compares the love of the Pharisee with that of the prostitute. The prostitute washed His feet with her tears, and kissed His feet.
But, Jesus said to the Pharisee, "thou gavest me no kiss..."
(Psa. 2:11-12) "Kiss the son, lest He be angry"
Worshiping the Son
I. The Elements of Worship (Isa. 6:1-3).
A. Reverence - "with twain he covered his face..."
1. You will never worship God until you get a glimpse of who He is.
> "He that cometh to God, must believe that He is..."
> You will never even begin to worship God until you see Him as Almighty, Holy God.
2. Isaiah said, "I saw the Lord..."
> Most of what we call worship, is just formalistic junk.
> If you ever get sight of God, it will absolutely change your worship!
3. The angels realized the holiness of God, and covered their face.
> Yet, dirty, wicked, self-glorifying man thinks he can stand proudly, in the presence of God.
> The angels knowing the holiness of God, hid their face from Him.
4. They covered their face in reverence to God.
> They cried, Holy, Holy, Holy...
> If you ever get a glimpse of God, it will change your worship.
B. Humility - "with twain he covered his feet..."
1. When Isaiah saw the Lord, he saw himself (v. 5).
> If you ever get a look at God, it will reveal your own wicked heart.
> Isaiah saw God, and it caused him to see himself.
2. If you ever get a vision of Him, you will never brag about yourself again.
> If you ever get a vision of Him, you will never see yourself as anything but a worthless worm.
Alas, and did my Savior bleed,
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head,
FOR SUCH A WORM AS I?
3. The angels covered their feet because they were humbled in the presence of God.
> Anytime you are in a position to serve God. Either to preach, to sing, or to pray; it should be done with reverence and humility.
> We dare not come into the presence of God with pride and arrogance.
C. Service - "with twain he did fly..."
1. We were created for God’s pleasure.
> "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
> We were made to serve Him. We find our joy and purpose in serving Him.
> Those who do not serve God have no purpose, nor reason to live.
2. Reverence and humility must come before service.
> You will not be allowed to serve God if you ignore the other two.
> You cannot serve God without reverence and humility, FIRST!
II. The Order of Worship.
God always follows a pattern. "Let all things be done decently and in order." God has a orderly pattern to follow:
A. Worship.
1. Worship always comes first.
> You must learn to worship God, before He will use you.
> They can never stand for God; or sing for God; or preach for God...
> WHO DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO WORSHIP GOD???
2. The highest priority in all Christian service, is bringing glory to GOD!
> Which is better serving God, or kissing His feet?
> The Pharisee served Him an elegant meal. And treated Him as an honored guest.
> But, the prostitute kissed His feet.
3. The greatest honor is not what great things I can do... But, will I worship God?
> If I could get you to see this, it would revolutionize your Christian walk.
> God would rather have your kisses than your service.
4. Its better to be a worshiper than a servant.
> If I preach, but this dear lady worships God will receive more honor from her worship, than my preaching.
> If you sing, but this man worships, God will receive more honor from his worship than from your singing.
> (Psa 51:15-17) "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart...
5. I’m for serving God, but you must know that worship comes before service.
> You have no right to serve God, if you do not first, worship God.
> You have no right to sing for God, if you do not first, worship God.
> You have no right to preach for God, if you do not first, worship God.
> If you don’t have enough God in your heart to worship Him, how can you be a witness to others?
B. Walk.
1. The servant of God, must learn to walk with God, before he can be used of God.
> Consider that God is more interested in your heart, than in your service.
> God is more interested in what He can do for you, than what you can do for Him.
> God wants you to walk with Him, and love Him, more than He wants you to serve Him.
2. The Bible speaks about a man named Enoch. We don’t know much about him.
> We know that "he walked with God..."
> He had a testimony that he "pleased the Lord..."
> The Bible says, "Enoch was not, for God took him..." THE BIBLE SAYS "ENOCH WAS NOT...
3. Enoch Was Not Apathetic.
> Walking with God is not something you do carelessly.
> Many come to church, and say nice things, but they no more walk with God than the man in the moon.
> The ultimate hypocrisy is to claim to walk with God and be bored.
> Enoch walked with God. That means Enoch was not irresponsible, or apathetic.
4. Enoch Was Not A Friend of the World.
> God says to be a friend of the world is to be the enemy of God.
> There is no way that Enoch could have walked with God, and have been a friend of the world.
> There are quite a few Christians that claim to walk with God, who are friends of the world.
> You cannot serve two masters. You will love one and hate the other.
> Enoch was not a friend of this world. He wanted to walk with God.
5. Your must walk with God, before you can work for God.
> You cannot be indifferent, nor apathetic.
> You cannot play and toy with the world.
> If you truly want to serve God, you will have to leave the world behind you.
> You will have to leave your worldly friends behind you.
> "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."
> You must worship God, and walk with God, before you can work for God.
C. Work.
1. Service to God will come naturally.
> The natural result of someone who worships God, and walks with God, will be a desire to work for God.
> If you will worship God, and walk with God, He will use you to WORK for God.
> You won’t have to pump it up...
2. The lowest position in God’s service is greater than the highest position in the world’s service (Psa. 84:10).
> The doorkeeper’s job in God’s service is better than the boss of a large corporation, in the world’s.
> Spending one day in God’s house is better than 1000 days anywhere else.
> It is the greatest honor in the world to serve God.
> I would have to take a step down to be the President of the USA.
3. The commandments of the Lord, are not grievous, to those who worship & walk.
> If you are grieved with having to serve Him, it is probably because you have never learned to worship and walk with Him.
> I love God’s work. His commandments are not grievous to me.
III. The Importance of Worship.
A. The Pharisee and the prostitute.
1. The Pharisee honored Jesus.
> He fed Him well, and gave Him a prominent place in his house.
> He serve Jesus with dignity and honor.
> Still, Jesus said to him, "Thou gavest me no kiss."
2. The prostitute had nothing to offer Jesus but her kisses, and her tears.
> Do you get the picture?
> Do you see the contrast Jesus is drawing?
> Worship from a wicked sinner, is better than religious, formalistic, service; from a self-righteous church member.
B. Mary and Martha.
1. Martha was cumbered about much serving.
> Martha was mad that Mary was not helping her.
> Martha was angry that all Mary was doing was sitting and listening.
2. Jesus said, "Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away..."
> Jesus recieved the attention, and worship of Mary MORE THAN the service of Martha.
> To sit and worship at Jesus’ feet is better to be chosen.
> I am for service, but I am not for service that omits worship!
> True worship will lead to God, honoring service.
B. Jesus is not looking for a show.
1. Most of what we call worship is just a show.
> So much fakery, and hypocrisy.
> Why don’t you just get real?
2.God wants you to come to Him with a true heart, worshiping and walking with Him.
C. Christian work without worship and a walk is just religious, formalism.
1. All religions have a form of service.
> The Mormons are avid Bible students; SO WHAT?
> The JW’s go witnessing, more than we do; SO WHAT!
2. If all you have is a Bible reading program, & the fact that you go witnessing...
> What do you have no more than a Mormon, or JW? Your just religious.
D. God is looking for true worshipers.
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for THE FATHER SEEKETH SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
I want to serve God. I want to live for God. But, I know I must first learn to worship God, and walk with God.
The Pharisee served Him, and welcomed Hin, and even honored Him; but still Jesus said, "Thou gavest me, No kiss!"
There is much I can do while I am learning, as long as I keep my heart right, and my eyes on Him. There is a lot I can do now. I can serve Him now, if I am learning to worship.
Oh God, teach us to worship you, and walk with you; that we may be privileged to work for you!
