VALUE GUILT
LUKE 7:36-50
INTRODUCTION… Baby in the Bouncy Seat (p)
When Abigail was about six months old (if I remember correctly), I worked overnight from 10:00pm to 8:00am at a children’s home. Kelly worked as a teacher during the day and took care of Abigail during the evenings and I worked at night and took care of her during the day. I remember getting home one morning and I was fixing us breakfast… her bottle and my cereal. We had a small seat which I put Abigail in often and I set it on the counter while I made everything we needed. I was tired and was thankful that at around 10am the baby would nap because I would finally get to sleep.
I turned by back to finish heating up the bottle and I hear this loud crack and screaming. I turn around and Abigail had used her inhuman strength to rock forward and fall in the chair face first onto the concrete floor. I knew at that moment I had ruined my child. I quickly but firmly held her head still and placed her in the front seat of the car. We lived in the middle of the Smokey Mountains and the closest hospital was about 30 minutes away. I raced ever so gently to the hospital. She screamed uncontrollably, as did I, the whole drive to the hospital. I kept her as still as I could, but she wasn’t doing much but screaming anyway. We arrived at the ER and I explained to the nurse on duty what had happened. I was obviously upset and Abigail was screaming.
The nurse immediately got us to triage and I laid the baby on the examination table. The moment the doctor walked into the examination room, the baby stopped crying and started to act all cute and fine. The doctor walked in to see a normal baby on the table with me describing a horrific event which probably could have left this child paralyzed, but she was just fine. She laughed at the doctor and acted all cute. She checked out just fine and had no marks or bruises or issues of any kind.
I felt extremely guilty. My guilt overwhelmed me as I had to explain to Kelly on the drive back home what had happened. Yes I almost broke our first child. Yes I learned my lesson. That guilt from that day made me think twice or three times what I allowed my children to do because I think that parents should be the first line of safety for their children.
Guilt is a complicated emotion that can be both positive and negative in our lives. An old psychology textbook I have on the shelves in my office does not define “guilt” very well, but does describe that “guilt develops in connection with the motive to live up to standards” (Kagan and Havemann, 1968 pg 540). Standards exists inside ourselves and outside of us and when we do not meet those standards, we feel guilty. In the story I just told you, I failed to live up to what I consider the standard of a good father in keeping my daughter safe and healthy. So what is guilt? It is an emotion. We would probably classify it as a negative emotion that occurs because of negative actions, negative thoughts, and other negative emotions. In the New Testament, in verses like John 9:41 and John 16:8, “guilt” is at times used in place of the word “sin.” Guilt then is a natural response to not meeting some kind of standard.
Guilt can come from sin when we do not reach God’s standard.
Guilt can come from our own standards and we don’t measure up to what we set for ourselves.
Guilt can come from what other people judge about us and our failings.
Guilt can come from something being done to us and erroneously taking blame on ourselves.
The issue with guilt is that there are actually two different kinds of guilt. The first kind of guilt is called “functional guilt.” “Functional guilt” comes from social suggestions that people will reject you, not like you, break relationships, or level disapproval at you. Functional guilt comes from the suggestions and judgments of the people around you. Functional guilt comes from our own consciences and from the perceived judgment of the people around us. The second more important kind of guilt is “value guilt.” “Value guilt” is the “uncomfortable inner awareness that we have violated God’s moral law.” “Value guilt is valuable. It can lead us to repentance.” Value guilt comes partly from our own consciences, but also from the conviction of the Holy Spirit (Meier, Minirth, et al, 1982, pg 244-245).
Today we will look at a passage in Luke 7 which describes guilt. Guilt just flows from the verses of this particular passage. It describes functional guilt and value guilt and shows us in the end how to use value guilt in our lives. Let’s read from Luke 7:36-50. Jesus was travelling and ministering among the people. Blind people were seeing. Dead people were rising. Demon possessed people were healed. Amongst all of this, Jesus receives an invitation to attend a dinner. It was not unusual for affluent members of society to invite travelling teachers to their home. Luke 7 describes such an invitation…
READ Luke 7:36-50
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."
I. THE SITUATION: GUILT (verses 36-39, 44-46)
The situation that is described to us is one of guilt on the parts of several individuals. The first person who is guilty in this passage is the woman who comes to the house. The verses describe this woman as having led a “sinful life” and obviously knew Jesus. She wanted to be near Jesus and braved going into the Pharisee’s house to do so. Note that the woman felt guilty from two different avenues. She first felt guilty in her heart because of her treatment of Jesus and how she acted in His presence. She realized her sinfulness in comparison to Him and felt guilty because she knew that she had not met God’s expectations for her life. She had sinned. She was guilty and felt it. I am going to make a leap here and say that she had encountered Jesus before and was so thankful for the change He brought about in her life. Perhaps she wanted to show her thanks for what He did in her heart. We don’t really know what prompted her visit, just that she heard Jesus was there and she arrived to wash His feet.
She secondly felt guilty because of the judgment heaped upon her by the host of the house, Simon the Pharisee. He looked at her and verse 39 shows us that he was totally incensed by her presence, yet he allowed her to touch Jesus and wash His feet. Guilt was heaped on this woman from this religious leader because of what he considered her moral failings. He categorized her as a “sinner” which most likely meant she was or had been a prostitute (IVP Background Commentary, pg 209). Everything about her was offensive to the Pharisee and even though he did not say anything, it would seem that his body language and non-verbal communication showed his distaste.
The second person who is guilty in this passage is Simon the Pharisee. It would seem that Simon invited a travelling teacher into his home and did not do anything that a host was expected to do. Simon did not wash his Guest’s feet as was the custom. He did not greet his Guest with a kiss as was the custom. He did not provide any oil to aid his Guest. Simon failed in common courtesy in so many ways, but it was not until Simon became judgmental of the weeping woman that Jesus pointed out all of his transgressions. Simon the Pharisee had invited a teacher into his home and was quite a poor host. Not only that, we can look inside the heart of Simon the Pharisee and see that his heart was filled with distaste, a judgmental attitude, pride, and a lack of care and kindness.
In the passage, both “functional guilt” and “value guilt” were present and only one of the kinds of guilt was of any good to the people at the feast. Belligerent “functional guilt” was heaped upon the woman as she entered the house, but did not lead to anything productive other than her knowing how she had lived her life against what was moral. Soft “functional guilt” was leveled against Simon the Pharisee only after his judgmental attitude revealing how poor a host he had been towards Jesus. Neither of these “functional guilt” aspects of the story changed anything. Neither the woman nor the Pharisee were changed because of the “functional guilt.” Yet, the woman certainly felt “value guilt.” It overwhelms the woman as she washes Jesus’ feet and dries them with her hair. It was the “value” guilt which changed her life when she met Jesus Christ.
The Bible describes that we can arrive at the point of “value guilt” through at least three different avenues. The Bible describes three different ways that “value guilt” can be of benefit in our lives. To be honest, I do not think “functional guilt” ever helped anyone out of any hole they have ever dug themselves into.
The Bible first describes that we can be brought to “value guilt” by our conscience. I want to first let you know that our conscience is something that is God-given to every human being, but is different for each person. Our conscience is molded by our environment, parents, teachers, TV, religion, society, politics, reason, logic, will, and a whole host of other factors. Conscience is universal, but it is not the same conscience for each person. It all depends on how the conscience has been maintained. For example, a person who grew up in a society where lying was considered virtuous, would not have a twinge of guilt from their conscience when lying.
Most of the time, however, our conscience is a help. In fact, Acts 2:36-37 shares with us that when Peter was preaching at Pentecost, the consciences of the audience played a major part in their turning to faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 2:36-37 says, “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" The cutting to the heart is the conscience and can be the engine warning light of your life that “value guilt” uses. “Value guilt” can be brought on by your conscience which tells you that you have violated a command or standard and guilt is the result. This can happen to us at any time. Our conscience can speak to us and we can be cut to the heart about something we have done or said or not done or not said.
The Bible secondly describes that we can be brought to “value guilt” by the Scriptures. We find a passage in 2 Kings 22 which describes such a situation. The people of God somehow lost the Scriptures and while renovating the temple, come across a long lost copy. 2 Kings 22:8-13 says, “Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. 9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: "Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple." 10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: 13 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”
The picture we get is that King Josiah tore his robes because he realized how guilty he and the other people of God were in relation to the standard that was just read to him. The Scriptures relay to us the standard of God. This can happen to us even today. The Scriptures can show us our error in a church service or in a Bible study or in Sunday School. If we truly want to be God’s people and we want to become more Christ-like, then studying the Scriptures and accepting the standard found there is an active part of our lives.
The Bible thirdly describes that we can be brought to “value guilt” by good people. Now this one is a little slippery. Remember, “functional guilt” is guilt that other people heap upon is because of their judgmental attitudes and really serves no purpose other than to point out our sin and errors and make us feel bad about ourselves. Yet, the Bible does describe people being an instrument of God to show us our error for our benefit. That is “value guilt.” For example, the prophet Nathan was a good friend of King David who eventually confronted David about adultery, murder, and lying that he had committed. 2 Samuel 12:7-12 shares with us, “Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' 11 "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'"
I would like to share with you verse 13 which demonstrates to us the “value guilt” that Nathan is sharing. King David says first in verse 13, “I have sinned against the LORD.” That is the most important part of this. Nathan showed David his error not to make him feel bad or to be judgmental, but so that his relationship with God might be mended. The result of the person coming to David was movement towards God.
My point about guilt is this: guilt can come in two forms, both “functional guilt” and “value guilt.” I want you to be encouraged today to ignore people and their “functional guilt” and the judgmental attitudes that may come your way. It is the “value guilt” that we need to be concerned with because it is that guilt which is directly tied to sin and our relationship with God. That is the guilt that is God-given. We can be made aware of “value guilt” in our lives through our conscience, The Scriptures, and godly counsel.
II. THE COMPLICATION: PARABLE (verses 40-43, 47)
In the midst of all that is going on… the dinner, the woman crying and anointing Jesus’ feet, the discussions about her… Jesus decides to tell a parable. Jesus describes two men who owe money. These men are in debt. In customary fashion, Jesus compares the two by saying one owes a lot and one owes a little. Both of their debts are canceled by the one who holds the debt. Jesus asks a very logical question of Simon the Pharisee after He tells the story: “Now which of them will love him more?” (verse 42). Which of them will be more thankful for the forgiveness of the debt?
Simon the Pharisee is by no means stupid man and thinks about the story and rightly judges the parable’s answer. The person who had the greater debt forgiven would be more thankful because it was such a large amount. This is logical. This is reasonable.
Jesus relates that parable to the situation playing itself out at the dinner table. Jesus directs the Pharisee’s attention to the weeping lady. Jesus does not direct him to look at her and judge, but look at her in light of the parable He just told. Verse 47 records Jesus saying, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Jesus knows the hearts of all the people in the room (verses 39-40). He knows that her actions are simply an expression of the thanks she feels for having been forgiven her sin-filled life.
The situation is one filled with guilt. Jesus complicates the entire situation by telling a parable all about forgiveness. The end result is that we need to take a look at guilt in terms of forgiveness. Jesus pushes our judgment, logic, and reason to the limit. It seems logical that among the people in the room, the prostitute should be the worst person there. Yet, there is forgiveness. It seems logical to think like Simon the Pharisee and to judge as he does, but there is forgiveness. Forgiveness is a holy God-given complication in life that we need to grab onto and be so thankful for.
III. THE RESOLUTION: FORGIVENESS (verses 38, 47-50)
I know that most of us would categorize guilt as a negative emotion that brings nothing but pain and anguish in our lives. Yet, “value guilt” that drives us to forgiveness and leads us back to a right relationship with God is a God-send and a huge blessing in our lives.
Forgiveness brought on by “value guilt” begins with repentance. The woman in our passage is more than just awe-struck when it came to Jesus Christ. She was moved to repentance. Had this woman been a prostitute? Sure seems like it, but when it comes to Jesus… that doesn’t matter! She was convicted of her sin and moved to make it right. That is repentance in a nutshell… being convicted of sin and acting to make it right.
Repentance involves several elements. Repentance involves conviction which says that “I was wrong. I have sinned against God and against others.” It also means that we do not blame anyone else but ourselves for the choices that we have made. Repentance means we grow up and accept responsibility. Repentance involves contrition in which our heart is broken because of what we have done and said. Usually tears and sorrow are the result because we realize the pain and anguish we have causes ourselves, others, and our God. Repentance also involves change. I am not talking about perfection here, but I am talking about real action which moves a person away from sin and towards God. This will be different for each person depending on the circumstances, the sin, who is involved, etc. True repentance involves action. The woman in our passage today was moving her life away from what it was towards Jesus Christ. Her actions showed it.
Some people might say at this point that Jesus doesn’t care what you have done and that He will forgive you for whatever it is you have done. I don’t agree and say that they are half right. In fact, Jesus DOES care what you have done and He offers forgiveness anyway! That is the wonderful thing about Jesus Christ! He DOES care and DOES know and yet He still offers Himself on the cross for you and for me! Jesus cared what the woman did who was anointing Him, but He chose to forgive her. He chose to accept her repentance and said to her eye to eye, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (verse 50).
Speaking of “peace,” that is the result of listening and accepting “value guilt” in our lives and moving to repent of the actions, attitudes, and emotions that brought us to the guilt. Inner peace is the result of true repentance in response to “value guilt.” We do not know what the result was for others that day in the Pharisee’s house. We don’t know if Simon the Pharisee was changed. We don’t know if others watching were changed. We do know that this sinful woman encountered Jesus Christ, was moved by her “value guilt,” ignored the “functional guilt” of others, and she had peace. She had a past that was now erased and had a future that would be different.
1 John 1:8-9 tells us plainly, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
CONCLUSION
It makes sense to me that as we have been talking about this passage today that God has been dealing with your heart in terms of “value guilt.” I do not want us to leave here today without you being able to act on this change of heart. Up front here, we have this cross. We have nails. We have hammers. We have these little red papers which is what you have done or said that is on your heart.
I invite you today to do several things if you are so moved:
One: Come up front and take a red paper.
Two: Spend a few moments in prayer dealing with the “value guilt” that God has placed on your heart
Three: Nail that guilt to the cross. In picking up the hammer and nailing the guilt to the cross, you are declaring to God and to us that you are done with this sin and you are repenting to make it right.
Four: You may then take your seat.
{music plays to allow this to happen}
CLOSE IN PRAYER
