A Day of Judgments
1. Critical Churches: A Salvation Army Officer, who worked with street people, was approached by a prostitute who was in a desperate situation. He wasn’t in uniform, she didn’t know he was a Christian, she just knew him as someone who might be able to help. She described the mess she was in: she was sick, she was homeless, she was a drug addict, who had a two-year-old daughter that she couldn’t even afford to feed. The officer was upset but horrified to see the woman’s situation, but he tried not to let it show. He asked her if she had ever gone to the church for help. She looked at him in amazement, "Church!" she said, “Why would I ever go there? They’d make me feel even worse than I already do!"
a. There is a balance between compromising the truth and welcoming the lost.
b. The critical spirit among some Christians has driven people away from the teachings of Jesus.
2. Luke 7:36-50
36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” … [Parable of the Debtors and Conclusions
a. The Pharisees Were Notorious for Their Arrogance – You know people like these – always right, never willing to be open to other possibilities;
b. Simon Neglected the Important Details –
1) He was feeding Jesus and the others
2) He neglected acts of kindness – a kiss of greeting, washing feet, and anointing oil
Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
3. Notice the Day of Judgments
I. Condescending Judgment of Simon the Pharisee (v. 39)
Simon the Pharisee embodies the human tendency to be superior and judge others based on outward appearances and past actions.
• Did Simon invite Jesus so he could say he ate with a celebrity? [Will Rogers was invited to a dinner party, but the host only asked him, not his wife. At the end of the evening, Will presented the host with a bill for the cost of a speaking engagement. It would have been a social event for him if the host had also invited his wife. Since he had only invited Rogers, it was a professional event, and he expected to be paid. The host arrogantly neglected Mrs. Rogers so he could brag about having Will at his event.
• Out of curiosity or to show Him up? [A couple was on a date. The girl shared her feelings with the guy on every topic she could think of. She stopped and said, “Enough of my opinions. Let me ask about yours. What do you think of me?”
[Some people ask you questions so they can tell you what THEY think. Or, trap Him – with witnesses?
A. Simon Judged the Woman as Less than Valuable – A Sinner
1. Legalism can lead to arrogance, as in the case of the Jewish leaders
2. Legalism can lead to despondency, as in the case of sinners
B. Simon Judged Jesus as Less Than a Prophet
1. A prophet would have known
2. A prophet would not have been defiled – “Bleeding Shoulder Pharisees”
3. Jesus was aware of the woman and Simon’s thoughts
II. Courageous Judgment of the Unnamed Woman
A. The Woman Boldly Crashed the Party – to Give, not to Get [During Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, he was often inundated with visitors at the White House. Most came with personal requests—seeking jobs, favors, or other assistance from the President during a time of great national turmoil. Lincoln was always sympathetic but often overwhelmed. One day, a man arrived at the White House and patiently waited for his turn. When Lincoln finally greeted him, the President asked, as was his custom, “What can I do for you?” The man responded, “Mr. President, I did not come to ask for anything. I came to serve you if I can, and let you know that some appreciate what you are doing, and want to help.” This gesture deeply touched Lincoln. He later shared with his staff and visitors how much this act of selfless support meant to him.
1. She was willing to risk public shame, demonstrating the power of sincere repentance and the desire for reconciliation.
2. She challenged the notion that one's past defines one's worth or eligibility for grace.
3. She trusted Jesus and wanted to honor Him.
B. Despite Her Circumstances, She Turned to Jesus (37-38; 44-48)
37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. // 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore, I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
1. She Must Have Had Previous Experience with Jesus – He treated her respectfully
2. She was transparent with Jesus, and He accepted her penitent faith and forgave her
3. He accepted her gifts:
a. Tears – We have all experienced tears when the Savior confronts our sins. Psalm 56:8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?
b. Washing His feet – It should have been done by the host or the host’s servant – Simon was too proud, the woman was humble
c. The expensive ointment – a great sacrifice; a freewill offering of sorts;
III. Compassionate Judgment of Jesus
A. The Debtors’ Story – BOTH should be grateful – Simon and the woman
1. Jesus uses this parable to highlight that those who recognize the depth of their need for forgiveness are often the most grateful and loving in response.
2. Compassion over condemnation; Transformation through grace;
3. Jesus’ servant’s heart – sometimes we serve by allowing others to bless us; Contrast Jesus washing the disciples’ feet with Simon’s inactions
B. The Definite Display of Jesus’ Words – Simon and the Woman
1. Jesus then publicly affirms the woman's faith and forgiveness, saying, "Your sins are forgiven... Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
2. This pronouncement reframes the situation, shifting the focus from the woman's past to her present faith and love.
3. Jesus challenges the crowd—and the reader—not to define people by their worst moments, but to see them through the lens of grace and possibility.
4. He cleared up their confusion (Who is this to forgive sins?) with v. 50: Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
A Connecticut couple decided to have a yard sale and put out a mirror they’d received as a wedding gift. It had a gaudy aqua-colored metal frame, and they couldn’t find a room in their house where it looked good. Shortly after the sale began, a man looking to decorate his apartment bought the mirror for one dollar. He was all excited and said, “This is a great deal - it still has the plastic on it.” He peeled off the aqua-colored protective covering to reveal a beautiful gold-finished frame underneath.
Many people attend garage sales in search of bargains, just like that. Some people have a saying about garage sales: "One man’s trash is another man’s treasure," but occasionally, someone stumbles upon a treasure that the owner doesn’t know the value of. The woman who disrupted Simon’s dinner party was a treasure to Jesus, despite the rough patches she experienced. So are you!
