Paul

Praise To The Lord Almighty
Anthem To The King
Faithfulness (sparrows)
Mighty To Save (Savior He Can Move The Mountains Our God Is)
So Take Heart (There Is Light (It burns brighter than the sun))

Jon

Middle of a discussion with Simon a Pharisee, Jesus drops in a parable
Luke chapter 7
Parable ends with open question
As westerners we get frustrated when parables question us
Luke 7:36-50
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 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, 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. 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.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 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. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” ( ESV)

Banquet with couches for reclining
Leading thinkers gathered together to discuss the events of the day
*Kind of an Algonquin Round Table
There are huge and significant social cues and conditions that if you miss them reveal where you are
This is a public affair
Not a private discussion
Open door policy
Can’t interrupt
That explains the woman’s presence
Important to understand the social cues so that we don’t miss what’s going on
Jesus tells us what Simon missed
No basin of water to wash their feet
They wore sandals, lots of dust, filthy feet
No kiss on the cheek
Sign of respect and equality
My position is greater than your position
Clearly a sign of contempt that Simon is extending to Jesus
The woman sees this happen
No anointing of oil
Simon has invited Jesus into his home to put Him in his place
Everywhere Jesus went He created controversy
Trying to show people what they should think of Jesus
Have you ever been publicly humiliated?
This woman has a pre-meditated act planned out and is there watching this happen
She’s got the label of sinner in the city
Means prostitute
It would be very difficult to understand how hard it is for her to be at this party
Imagine how much courage it takes
So much strength to do what she did
That reveals to me that something significant happened to that woman
The environment was hostile to her, and yet she went on
Washes with her tears
Hair down is scandalous
Kisses feet
Anoints feet with perfume
Simon shows contempt and the scandalous prostitute stores Jesus to His proper place
The text doesn’t connect this woman and Jesus prior to this, but there must have been some interaction
Prostitutes hung out in the dark corners of society
Something happened to her to make her show her gratitude in this manner
I’m going to show Him my gratitude and show the community how much He means to me
Perfume was used to sweeten the breathe and sweeten the body
She procured this using the money she earned with her livelihood and threw it away on the one person who showed me kindness, mercy, love, compassion
Jesus does so much more than forgive sins
I think Jesus sets us free at our deepest hurts
Have you met and encountered this Jesus?
He showed this woman
Now you are loved by God and He smiles when are looks at you
A person who is labeled by society and pushed out into e margins, and object for use at another person’s pleasure
She had a personal experience with God at the hands of Jesus
The community has told her what’s what
How can she think anything but that God can’t stand the sight of me
Think how empowering it is to have Jesus tell her that she is beautiful
Jesus grew up with Mary being called a harlot(?)
You think He didn’t know what it felt like?
He asks us to do that same – hang out in the dark corners of society and show people radical love
When a woman let down her hair, it’s saying I’m ready to jump into bed with you
Jewish law states that if a woman lets down her hair in the presence of another man
I’m going to express my depth of gratitude to Him
I don’t want my old life and my old way, I want to live this new radical way of love and grace and kindness and mercy
Have you met this Jesus?
This Jesus asks us if we will extend the grace of God to others
Will you do that for Me?
Verse 39
Simon doesn’t see a repentant woman, he sees the label, he misses the repentance going on
Doesn’t even see the presence of God
Reveals the true reason for bringing Jesus here
Wanting to prove the Jesus isn’t a true prophet
Subtle accusations, passive aggressive statements
Sexual overtones
Touching you in the old testament is sexual, so it implies something
Does it make you really upset when someone accuses you of something you didn’t do
Jesus doesn’t defend – just silent
Forgave debts means to offer grace
2 months labor versus 2 years labor
They needed the same amount of grace
Which one of these will love more
The logic of this parable is ones able
The size of the debt determines the magnitude of the joy when you receive the grace
It’s huge, it’s enormous
This woman experienced so much more than Simon missed
Everything I have ever done I’m giving it back to You
44-50
Jesus is addressing the woman, but looks at Simon
Her response is love, acceptance, and forgiveness
She can’t help but pour out everything to Jesus
What is Jesus doing?
Restoring the woman
Simon humiliates Jesus and the woman restores Him
The woman restores Jesus and humiliates Simon (?)
You took this from her, I’m giving it back
You took her sense of worth and significance away from her and I’m giving it back
Now go in peace
Who gets it?
Which one will make a greater impact on the world
Do you realize how Jesus sees you?

Paul

Jon

I think we as the people of God should spend more of our time telling people who they are in Jesus, not who they aren’t
If I paid off your cell phone bill, you might buy me taco bell
If I covered your mortgage…
Your gratitude would be overwhelming
Love large and not small
The church should be the safest place on earth for people who’ve missed it
Not get slapped around but receive the grace of God
Are you Simon? Are you the woman?