He Paid a Debt I Could not Pay
When someone does something for you that is so wonderful you can’t even believe it, you can’t help but get emotional. Some people get so happy they cry? Excited! Jump for joy! Give a big hug? Kiss your whole face!
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt helpless and there was no way out? Perhaps you had a debt that you couldn’t pay or had a situation where your child might go to jail? At that point what can you do? You fall at their feet and beg for mercy!
I know when my daughter was in hospital many years ago, of course we all prayed for her. But I remember my mom making deals with God that if God would bring her out of the hospital that she would do this and that. When my daughter came out she was a different person.
What if someone pays a debt for you that you couldn’t pay or manages to get your child off scott free when it seemed there was no way out? What do you want to do that person. You want to kiss their whole face, right!
What if you had a super-hero in your presence but they were in plain clothes? Like superman without his glasses. How would you recognize him? If someone said that was him how would you treat him?
If you felt you needed help, you might beg him for his help.
What if you were a crime boss how would you treat this super-hero? You probably would treat him pretty poorly.
Luke 7:36-50
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.
Why would a pharisee invite Jesus to dinner? Ulterior motive?
Does the Pharisee want to ask Jesus how to be saved? Do you think he thinks he needs saving?
Pharisees believe they are getting to heaven by their so-called good works.
37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 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.
Feet? Now Jesus had probably been walking a lot that day and they didn’t wash his feet. Now if it was anyone else besides Jesus would you be kissing His feet?
What is she doing here? She is a horrible sinner, is confessing her sinful state, and she is begging for mercy. She believes by coming to Jesus and begging for mercy she will find mercy for her sins.
Have any of you come to that place where you realize that compared to that perfect person Jesus that you are horrible? Isaiah in chapter 6 stood before a perfect God and said woe is me for I am undone!
What would you do to try to receive mercy from Him? Would you do as this lady did?
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.”
Have you ever met someone who has disdain for everyone around them. They think they are better than everyone else? That’s how the Pharisees were. Here, the Pharisee even thinks he is better than Jesus and makes fun of Him when the lady is kissing His feet.
Do you think the Pharisee knows the lady is begging for mercy but is just making fun of both Jesus and her? It’s a beautiful thing she is doing and this guy is trying to put both of them down for it.
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”“Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people 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 forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Jesus is showing through this parable that both the woman and Simon the Pharisee both have sin debts. This woman my have a bigger sin debt but even though we think we are not sinners, we both still are and still need saving. Some people convince themselves that they are without sin, is this true? Of course not, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Some think their sins aren’t all that bad so they’re OK - not so. Our idea of “bad” is different than God’s!!!
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—as her great love has shown. But whoever 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.”
Now the customs of the day were to wash the feet of guests, to give them a kiss as they entered, and anointing them with perfume oil. The fact that Simon did not do this for Jesus shows that Simon treated Jesus as an enemy or with disdain.
What did the Lady do instead? She treated Him as a majesty. She cried at his feet and kissed them begging for mercy. She treated Jesus as the most precious thing ever because she knew where her salvation came from.
When you come to Jesus humble and broken and ask for forgiveness, you will not be disappointed.
Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
If you come to Jesus and put Him down and demand – forget it. He is the God of the universe!
A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed the same crime twice and justice demanded death. “But I don’t ask for justice,” the mother explained, “I plead for mercy.” “But your son does not deserve mercy,” Napoleon replied. “Sir,” the woman cried, “it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all that I ask for.” “Well then,” the emperor said, “I will have mercy.” And he spared the woman’s son.
It’s possible that not everyone is saved here today? Do you realize that you have a sin debt? Do you realize you can not save yourself and without Jesus to save you, you have no hope? Please repent of your sins as this lady did, and come to the Feet of Jesus and ask for mercy. He will save you!
Some of you may have been saved early in life and may not fully realize what a great salvation you have received. Others may have been saved late in life and realize what a filthy sinner they were and are just so happy to be saved. Either way, everyone needs Jesus and everyone needs the shed blood of Jesus, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Everyone needs mercy, forgiveness and grace. We all have sin debts that need to be paid and forgiven.
For those of you who are saved, what will you do when you see Jesus? Will you run up and give him a big hug? Kiss his whole face? Cry uncontrollably?
Do you refuse to see yourself as the truly needy person you are?
Luke 16:19-31 (Rich man and Lazarus)
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
