Intro: If you remember from last week Jesus went to place He shouldn’t be to talk to a woman He shouldn’t talk to. He used that woman to teach us what true worship is. Here we go again! It seems like Jesus is completely happy to tear down our ideas and presumptions about who should and how we worship.
Here in the gospel of Luke Jesus is going to draw a very clear and stark contrast between the religious and those that truly worship.
You can find the anointing of Jesus in all four gospels. In Mark, Matthew and John it happens in Bethany before Jesus’ crucifixion. In Matthew and Mark the woman anoints Jesus’ head, in Luke and John the woman anoints Jesus feet.
Again the background of our story or scene is an everyday event. What is God trying to teach us with this? Worship is not an interruption of our regularly scheduled week. Bowing our life before Jesus happens in all everyday events. All everyday places.
The everyday experience is a meal. It is a meal in an unnamed Pharisees house. So how did this woman a sinner get access to this Pharisees house? In the first century middle east/oriental culture many houses had a square often open courtyard that was used for meals. Passersby and towns people would drop in if there were a special guest attending the meal. This is how the woman probably got access to Jesus.
I. She gave Jesus her attention
This woman who is a sinner. She was probably a worker of the red light district of Galilee.
There are equal arguments on either side that she is Mary Magdalene or Mary of Bethany. That is not the issue here. What is at issue is that she was known as a sinner!
When she enters it becomes obvious that she only has eyes for Jesus. With all the people and activity of the house her attention is fixed on Jesus. The writer of the Hebrews tells us something like this, Hebrews 12:2. She wasn’t there to hob knob or make friends. Verse 37 says she found out Jesus was at the dinner party. Her mission was to come and meet with Jesus. As gently as I can was your main focus and attention this morning to come and meet Jesus? Did you know he was here like the woman did? Is there something distracting you?
Worship doesn’t happen by accident. The woman purposefully sought out Jesus.
In contrast to that Jesus tells the Pharisee I came into your house and you paid no attention to me. You invited me to dinner and then ignored me. Are you more like the Pharisee this morning or more like the woman? She gave her undivided attention to Jesus. Loved ones, Immanuel ought to be a place where people can come and meet Jesus!
II. She gave Jesus her affection
The actions of this woman indicate a deep affection for Jesus. She weeps and washes Jesus feet with her tears. In this we see her willingness to show her sorrow over her sins and past actions and her deep affection for Jesus. After this she did the unthinkable she undid her hair. I know that sounds crazy to us. However a woman in that time only undid her hair for her husband. She undid her hair because no one came forward with a towel. She washed with her tears and dried with her hair. No one else in the house had been willing to serve Jesus in this way. This reveals here great humility and willingness to serve Jesus. She did it whether anyone else was willing to or not.
Then she continually kissed Jesus’ feet. Do you see the deep gratitude that this woman had for Jesus? Is this type of deep gratitude part of our DNA?
Don’t miss the contrast of the woman and the Pharisee. 7:45 “I came to your house and you gave me no kiss.” Jesus is saying, “you didn’t even show me common courtesy, yet this woman hasn’t ceased to kiss my feat.” She abandoned the common custom of her culture to show Jesus affection!! Church how do we kiss Jesus’ feet? We serve! Do you have a place of service? Do you have enough affection for Jesus that you will cover Him with the kisses of service?
JB Phillips gives us a little insight with his translation of 7:46 “There was no warmth in your greeting, but she, from the moment I came in, has not stopped covering my feet with kisses.”\
Too many today are comfortable being cold toward Jesus. The Pharisee was cold and detached toward Jesus. What was his real motivation for inviting Jesus? Was it to trap Him, watch Him or just have a famous guest?
III. She gave Jesus her adoration
Next we see her adoration of Jesus. She shows her deep love and respect and worship of Jesus by anointing His feet with fragrant oil (7.37) Why is this so important? I won’t waste your time with where this spikenard ointment comes from. What is important is what the fragrant oil represents. It represents this woman’s future and possibly marriage.
The perfume or fragrant oil wouldn’t have been something a woman carried around in her first century purse. More than likely it would have been hidden somewhere in her home. It was probably passed down. It would have been used for either retirement or a dowry for her wedding.
When you realize how expensive and precious this would have been you see the overwhelming love she demonstrates for Jesus. She had to break this precious expensive gift in order to anoint Jesus with it! She anointed Jesus with her future livelihood and marriage. She just surrendered all to Jesus. It wasn’t simply a song or a sermon it was life! Worship is not a pit stop on the road of life it is the route we take home!
Henri Nouwen, “Perhaps nothing helps us make the movement from our little selves to a larger world than remembering God in gratitude. Such a perspective puts God in view in all of life, not just in the moments we set aside for worship or spiritual disciplines. Not just in the moments when life seems easy.”
So we have seen a woman who was not composed or systematic in her worship of Jesus. She was a weeping and snotty mess. This is a wonderful picture of real life! Worship happens in our pain as well as our pleasure. In our loss as well as our gain.
The Pharisee scolds Jesus but not to His face. He says to himself, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she’s a sinner!”
So what does Jesus do? He gently says I have something to say to you.
He tells the story of the two debtors, why?
He wanted Simon to know that he was a sinner just like the woman. He wanted Simon to know that no matter the amount of your debt to sin if you are bankrupt you can’t pay.
Notice what else Jesus says. “Your sins are forgiven.” Then, “Your faith has saved you, Go in peace.”
Her actions didn’t save her. Her actions didn’t pay the penalty of her sin. Her actions were an indication of her forgiveness.
Her many sins were forgiven that is why she loved so much. So what does that mean? To the degree we recognize we are sinners and we need a savior is the degree that we will give Jesus our attention, our affection and our adoration.
Do we see clearly what Jesus is teaching?
No matter the amount we are all debtors or sinners.
No matter how small or large the debt we can’t pay it ourselves
Love and adoration of Jesus naturally flows out of receiving and experiencing His forgiveness
Service and self-forgetfulness naturally flows out of receiving and experiencing His forgiveness.
Important Question: What is our fragrant oil?
What are we going to break over the feet of Jesus in worship and service?
What are we willing to break so we can bow down in worship of Jesus?
