AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER IT’S REALLY A MATTER OF THE HEART
LUKE 7:36-50
CPS: Soul satisfaction comes from a heart that is captivated with Jesus.
Introduction
Today we are beginning our August emphasis: Finding soul satisfaction in God. Deep down we all want to be satisfied—content. Yet, how many of us are truly satisfied deep down in our souls? Too many of us are like the boy when he saw the Sears catalogue for the first time. After looking through it for a while he said to his mother, “I never knew there were so many toys I wanted.” I remember when I was a boy eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Sears Christmas catalogue. The yearly ritual was we boys would go through and circle all the toys we wanted Santa Claus to bring us. Then Santa would pick from the circled items. I would see page after page of toys and cowboy things I wanted. Like the little boy, I never knew there were so many toys I wanted. I always did wonder though how that Sears Christmas catalogue made it all the way up to the North Pole. But somehow it did because there would always be toys from the catalogue under the tree.
It’s no longer the Sears catalogue bringing the dissatisfaction to our souls but the television, the billboards, the magazine adds, etc. In this kind of world that is continually telling us we are not satisfied and at the same time promising something that will satisfy us--can you truly say today that you have a deep abiding soul satisfaction in God? Have you stopped looking in the Sears catalogue and starting looking in the Bible for satisfaction?
I sense there are many of us here who have drifted into spiritual apathy. We have lost our passion for Jesus. We are tired, exhausted—ready to sit on the sidelines. The root problem is we have lost our soul satisfaction in God. We are seeking soul satisfaction in other places. When we do this our hearts grow cold—lose our passion—we become weary.
In our passage today, we shall see two people. One had a soul satisfaction in God—the other did not. One had an overwhelming love for Jesus, the other did not. One’s heart was captivated with Jesus, the other’s was not. One was involved in church, the other was not. One was religious, the other was not. As we see these two people ask yourself if you were in this story which person would you be?
I. The Setup (36-40)
Our passage today has three primary characters, Jesus, Simon the Pharisee, and an unnamed woman who was probably a prostitute. As we see from our passage, Simon who was a Pharisee, invited Jesus to dinner. He considered Jesus to be a teacher that he wanted to get to know better. Jesus came in a reclined at the table. Remember they did not have chairs like we do but rather they would recline on one elbow with their feet pointing away for the low table were the food was. The dinners were fairly public events that spectators could attend and listen. As they were reclining at the table a prostitute come in and approached Jesus. She stood behind Him at His feet (remember He would have been reclining with His feet behind Him). She was crying so much that her tears were dripping on His feet. She began wiping His feet with her hair and kissing His feet and pouring expensive perfume she had brought on His feet. Can you see the picture?
When this happened, Simon the Pharisee was offended that a prostitute would crash his dinner party. He was also shocked that Jesus was letting this prostitute touch Him. He reasoned if Jesus was really a prophet, He would know this woman was a prostitute and would not have let her touch Him. Therefore, Jesus must not really be a prophet after all.
II. The Parable (41-42)
Jesus knowing what Simon is thinking tells him a parable about two people who both are debtors. One owed 500 denarii (around $21,000 in today’s currency) and the other owed 50 denarii (around $2,100 in today’s currency). When they both were unable to pay the moneylender gracious forgave them both. He erased the debts. They both owed nothing!
Let’s suppose you go to your mailbox tomorrow and find a letter from your mortgage company in it. You think, “Man, they are sending the bill early this month. I thought I just paid this thing.” You are a little irritated. You tear open the envelope and instead of a bill it’s your mortgage papers. You open them up at see in big red letters the words “paid in full” stamped across them. A letter included says someone has paid off the entire debt for you! The house is yours free and clear. How would feel? Would you want to find out who did this for you? Would you want to thank them in person? How would you feel toward this person?
Let’s suppose another situation. You go the mailbox and find a letter from the Cobb County Tag Department. You think, “I guess it’s time to renew my tag again. I cannot believe it’s already been a year.” You open the envelope and it’s your tag notice. You look to see how much it’s going to be this year and on the amount owed line is $0.00. An attached note says someone has already paid it for you. How would you feel? Would you want to find out who had paid it for you? Would you want to thank them in person?
In these two situations, to whom would you be more appreciative? More thankful?
Jesus asked Simon, “Which of these two debtors will love the moneylender the more?” Simon rightly replies, “The one whom he forgave more.” The one who owed $21,000 will love him more.
III. Jesus relates the parable to Simon and the woman (44-47)
Now Jesus relates the parable to what has happened that night. When Jesus came into Simon’s house, Simon did not even extend Jesus the customary courtesy of offering Him water to wash His feet. Yet, this woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Simon did not give Jesus the customary greeting kiss on the cheek but this woman continually kissed Jesus’ feet. Simon did not bother to anoint Jesus’ head with oil to refresh Him but this woman anointed His feet with costly perfume.
Her actions expressed extreme love and devotion to Jesus. Simon’s actions expressed very little regard and no love for Jesus. She was passionate for Jesus, Simon was not. She had found her soul’s satisfaction in Jesus, Simon had not! Her heart was captivated with Jesus, Simon’s was not. She went away forgiven, saved, and a new person. Simon went away unforgiven, unsaved, and the same as before. Both the women and Simon had encountered Jesus that night. Both had been in His presence but only one was changed; only one was transformed; only one was saved; only one had true soul satisfaction.
What made the difference? I think we can find the answer as we look at their hearts. At the heart of the matter it is a matter of the heart. Which of these two hearts most reflects your heart today?
IV. Simon: the heart that found no soul satisfaction in Jesus
First, Simon had a proud heart. After all he was a Pharisee—a very religious man. There is no indication he felt any remorse or brokenness in the presence of the sinless Son of God. Sin was not an issue with Simon. He had stopped stealing long ago. He had stopped any immoral behavior long ago. He had cleaned up his language years ago. He no longer saw sin as an issue in his life.
Has sin ceased to be an issue in your life? You think, “I’m beyond that, I’ve got victory over lying, cheating, lust, anger.”
Instead of being concerned about his own sin, Simon questions Jesus authority to forgive other’s sins? (49) The way you can tell when sin is no longer an issue with you is when you worry about everyone else’s sins instead of your own. You are looking at the splinter in everyone else’s eye and not the log in yours.
Next, Simon had a blind heart. He did not see the greatness of Jesus. He did nothing special for Jesus. In fact, he did not even give Jesus the common courtesies of that day. He was blind to Jesus’ greatness because he saw no need for Jesus. Simon did not see his sinfulness. Therefore, he did not see the greatness of the sinless Savior. The more we see our own sinfulness the greater we see our Lord to be.
Do you know how we can tell if our heart is blind to Jesus’ greatness? That we are taking Him for granted? It’s no longer special to hear the Word of God taught. It’s no longer a joy to sing praises to God. It’s no longer a joy to share Christ with others. It’s no longer special to spend time with Him in prayer.
Third, Simon had a cold heart. Simon had no compassion for this woman. Instead he wonders why Jesus let her touch Him. (39) Rather than feeling pity on this woman who was obviously contrite, remorseful, and broken, he feels contempt.
I see this danger in my own life. It’s easy to get so busy, so involved in the work of the ministry that I can lose compassion for people. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan. The first two people that passed by this injured man in the ditch were a Levite and a priest. They were religious people who should have had compassion.
How is your compassion? Are you short on concern and compassion for those hurting? It’s a sign of spiritual pride, a cold heart.
Fourth, Simon had a heart that was unwilling to sacrifice. Simon was not intending to wash Jesus’ feet. He was not going to give Him any oil to anoint His head. Simon had no desire to sacrifice anything for Jesus. “I’ll have Him over for dinner and no more.” Simon was only willing to do the bare necessity for Jesus—provide food. He only did this for what he could personally get out of it.
When we have an unsacrificing heart we do not want to sacrifice anything for Jesus. I’ll serve in the nursery if it’s convenient, and it never is. I’ll give but not sacrificially. We want a relationship with Jesus without any sacrifice.
This was Simon’s heart—proud, blind, cold, and unwilling to sacrifice. Simon’s heart made him unable to find soul satisfaction. Simon went away unforgiven, unsaved, and the same as before. Because you see, the heart of the matter is really a matter of the heart.
V. The woman: the heart that found soul satisfaction in Jesus
First, this woman had a broken heart. She was crying. Her heart was torn into. She is a picture of what Joel said “Yet, even now declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning, and rend your heart and not your garments.” (Joel 2:12) The woman was crushed by the weight of her guilt. Her tears were so great she washed Jesus’ feet with them. She saw her sinfulness and wept. She could say with the psalmist, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God Your will not despise.”
How long has it been since you have cried over your sinfulness? You say, “But preacher, I have moved past that. I have victory over anger, gossip, lying. I stopped those years ago.” But, can you stand next to a holy Jesus and not sense your sinfulness?
Next, this woman had a seeing heart. She could see the greatness of Jesus. Simon the Pharisee with all his religious knowledge, all his learning, all his dedication did not see what this one uneducated, non-religious, woman with a broken heart could see—Jesus’ greatness!
She saw her great need for Jesus. She saw her great sinfulness and knew only Jesus could forgive her. She knew her only hope was in Jesus—His love, His compassion, His forgiveness. She saw she was totally dependent on Jesus for everything she needed. Jesus was her All.
Do you realize your total dependence on Jesus? Do you realize you still need Him just as much today as you did the day He saved you? Do you realize He is your All in All—your very life?
Third, this woman had a heart that was willing to sacrifice. She gladly poured costly perfume on Jesus’ feet. This would have cost her many days’ wages. In today’s currency this would have been thousands of dollars. She wanted to give and sacrifice to Jesus. Nothing was too great for her Savior. She could not do enough for Jesus to express her gratitude, appreciation, and admiration for Him.
Is your heart willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Is it your joy to sacrifice your time, money, energy for Jesus?
Fourth, this woman had a loving heart. We see her kissing Jesus’ feet. Just to be close to Jesus was a blessing. Just to be able to sit at His feet was such a joy and privilege. She had an overwhelming love for Jesus because she realized how great her need for a Savior was. She knew the greatness of her sin and guilt and she knew the greatness of her Savior. Only Jesus could cleanse her from the filth of her sins and remove the crushing weight of her guilt. Oh, how she loved Him for that! This is the main point of Jesus’ parable. (47) He who is forgiven much loves much.
Our love for Jesus is in proportion to how much we realize the greatness of our need for Him. When we see the greatness of our sins and the greatness of His forgiveness our heart soars in love for Him. When we realize our total inability to live the Christian life apart from Him our love for Him soars. When we realize we are nothing and He is everything, our love for Him overwhelms us. When we realize His great love for us our hearts will be captivated with Him.
Lastly, this woman had a heart of faith. (50) She believed Jesus was her Savior. She believed He alone could cleanse her of her sins. Jesus makes it clear this woman was forgiven and saved through faith not on the basis of her loving acts. Her loving acts were the sign of her faith. They were the fruit of her saving faith.
This woman had soul satisfaction because she had a heart that was captivated with Jesus. She had a broken heart, a seeing heart, a heart willing to sacrifice, a loving heart, and a heart of faith. She had soul satisfaction because at the heart of the matter it is really a matter of the heart. Look at what Jesus tells her in v.50. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Literally in the Greek it is “go into peace.” The concept of peace to the Jews was well being, contentment, and soul satisfaction. He sends the woman away forgiven, saved, and with soul satisfaction.
VI. Conclusion
As you look at Simon and the woman, which heart best describes yours this morning? Is your heart proud—you do not see any real need for Jesus in your daily life? Is it blind to Jesus’ greatness—how much He has done and continually does for you? Is it cold—lacking compassion? It is unwilling to sacrifice—to be inconvenienced?
Or is your heart broken—realizing your complete dependence on Jesus? It is seeing—you realize how much Jesus has forgiven you, done for you? Is your heart willing to sacrifice anything and everything for Jesus? Is your heart overwhelmingly in love with Jesus—captivated with Him? Is your heart filled with faith—you really believe only Jesus can save you and give you soul satisfaction?
The first thing we must do in our quest for soul satisfaction is to be honest about the condition of our heart because at the heart of the matter it’s really a matter of the heart.
