JUST JESUS: CHAPTER BY CHAPTER THRU LUKE
Value Guilt
Luke 7:36-50
#JustJesus
INTRODUCTION… Baby in the Bouncy Seat (p)
When Abigail was about six months old, 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 my back to finish heating up the bottle and I hear this loud crack and screaming. I turn around and Abigail had used her superhuman 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. 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 us and outside of us and when we do not meet those standards, we feel… guilt. 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 to which we don’t measure up.
* Guilt can come from what other people judge about us about our failings.
* Guilt can come from something done to us and we erroneously take guilt upon 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 and more importantly Jesus’ interaction with guilt and the guilty. Guilt 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 (ESV)
“One of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that He was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet, He would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to Him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is This, who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
TRANSITION
So, what do we see about guilt in this passage?
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” or “was a sinner” and obviously knew of or even had met Jesus before. 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. First, she felt guilty in her heart and we see this in how she acted in the presence of Jesus. She realized her sinfulness in comparison to Him and felt guilty because she knew that she had not met God’s expectations. She had sinned. She was guilty. She felt guilty. 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 had already done 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.
Second, she 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. Simon invited a travelling teacher into his home, but did not do anything that was expected of a host. 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’s skin. 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.
Please note that neither of these “functional guilt” social aspects of the story changed anything. Neither the woman nor the Pharisee were changed because of the social “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.
To be honest, I do not think the actions or attitudes of “functional guilt” ever helped anyone out of any hole they have ever dug themselves into. Yelling at others or treating them poorly or labeling someone or acting judgmental rarely if ever changes anyone’s behavior and certainly never moves them to Christ. The Bible does not value the social pressure of “functional guilt.”
The Bible describes that we can arrive at the point of “value guilt” through at least three different avenues. The Bible does value guilt that is awareness that we have violated God’s moral law and it leads to repentance.
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 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.
READ ACTS 2:36-37 (ESV)
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the 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. For the Christian, our conscience is aided by the Holy Spirit. This can happen to us at any time. The Holy Spirit 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.
READ 2 KINGS 22:8-13 (ESV)
And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” 10 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written 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 or in a Discipleship Group. 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 us 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 in 2 Samuel 12 confronted David about adultery, murder, and lying that he had committed.
READ 2 SAMUEL 12:7-12 (ESV)
Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’”
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 or to appear more holy, but so that David’s relationship with God might be mended. The result of Nathan 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-allowed. 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. Duh.
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 sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is 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 that 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.
* Forgiveness and grace make all the difference!
* Repentance will get you everywhere with God!
III. THE RESOLUTION: REPENTANCE (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 repentance that 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 and she had peace.
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: On the end of your pew are some red papers, please take a red paper and pass it down.
* Two: Spend a few minutes in prayer dealing with the “value guilt” that God has placed on your heart. With that red paper in hand deal with it before God.
* Three: You do not have to, but nail that guilt to the cross. Come up front when you are ready after a few minutes and pick up a hammer and nail the paper to the cross. By picking up the hammer and nailing the guilt to the cross, you are declaring to God that you are done with this sin and you are repenting to make it right.
* Four: You may then re-take your seat.
Let’s do this.
{music plays to allow this to happen}
CLOSE IN PRAYER
