The Sinner Transformed Series

The Sinner Transformed

November 17, 2024

Dr. Bradford Reaves

Crossway Christian Fellowship

Luke 7:36-50

We are continuing today in the last few of our parables. And today's parable is very timely. Today's parable is about the transformed sinner. Now come on when you think about evangelism, or missions, or reaching the lost, what is it do you think that makes the most impact for their transformation. Is that the logical argument? Is it the promise of prosperity? Is it the thought of eternal life? What is it that takes a person from my life as a Sinner to a life that embraces the forgiveness of Jesus Christ?

Obviously, one of the first things that needs to happen, is that the truth needs to be proclaimed. Somewhere, the truth needs to be separated from the lies. Somewhere the person listening needs to come to the realization of the necessity for Jesus to become Lord of their life. We are not asking them to join a club. We are not even asking them to subscribe to a religion. We are asking them to be reborn through the power of Jesus Christ. That is exactly what we are looking at today in this parable. God loves sinners and Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

So now we come to today's parable. And this parable, like every other parable, is encapsulated with context that is necessary to understand what Jesus is saying. There are a lot of people included in this story. Jesus has been called, “the friend of sinners.” (Verse 34). When they were talking about sinners, they are talking about the worst of sinners: prostitutes, tax collectors, drunkards. But the worst kind of Sinner is not any of those things, the worst kind of sinner is the self-righteous, which Paul said he was “the chief of sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Now before we get into this parable, I want to be clear that this story is not to be confused with another story that has some similarities. The story of the woman anointing Jesus’s head as recorded in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 12 are clear differences in the stories, different locations, different hosts, different circumstances, in different times.

36 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.” (Luke 7:36–50)

We don't know where and when this exactly took place other than it was sometime during his Galilean ministry. He was probably in a town or village surrounding the sea, and as was customary, when someone spoke at a synagogue on the Sabbath, the teaching rabbi was invited home for after Sabbath meal. Or he could be attending a banquet of someone of significance, or simply invited over by a curious Pharisee. We don't really know but on the surface it seemed like A very common gathering that this story takes place.