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. 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.
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.”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,[c] 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.
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.”- LUKE 7:36-50
Good morning. I want to start our time this morning by reminiscing about the games we use to play as children. Growing up, I can recall countless summer days playing red light-green light, king of the hill, and hide-n-seek with other kids on my street.
Then there was the game, “Simon Says.” Regardless of where you were born, I have to believe that all of us played Simon Says at some point in our childhoods. If you recall, one person is designated as Simon, while everyone else are the players. Standing in front of the group, Simon tells players what they MUST do.
However, the players must only obey commands that begin with the words "Simon Says." If Simon says, "Simon says touch your nose," then players must touch their nose. But, if Simon simply says, "jump," without first saying "Simon says," players must not jump. Those that do jump are out.
One must follow Simon’s directions to stay in the game for as long as possible. The last player standing wins and becomes the next Simon. You see when you become Simon; your objective is to try to dupe the players to follow your commands when they shouldn’t. History is filled with examples of many anxious to play such a game.
For as long as there have been those with power and those without, there have been bullies duping the weak into meeting their demands through threat and intimidation. As long as there have been rich and poor, there has been wealthy tricking the needy into accepting lesser pay and fewer benefits.
And with regard to our story this morning, as long as there have been male and female there have been men conning women into believing they were second-class citizens, unworthy of love and respect. In Luke 7, we read about one woman’s struggle to survive when she enters the home of Simon, a Pharisee, in search of Jesus.
Initially, Simon invited Jesus to dinner not to trap him in contradictory rhetoric, but rather to see if Jesus really was who the prophets spoke of. When Jesus takes his place at the table, however, this woman makes her way to Jesus carrying an alabaster jar of ointment. Unable to contain the pain and the grief any longer, her tears soak Jesus’ feet and she uses her hair to dry them. She then proceeds to kiss Jesus’ feet while anointing them with the ointment.
Here it is important to ask, what caused this woman to weep? Most would point only to her sin as the source of her tears. However, I would suggest that the weight of her sin comprised only a part of her grief. Besides her sin, this woman had suffered the torment that comes with being rejected and excluded from her community.
In verse 37, Luke describes her as, “a woman of the city.” You see she was no longer someone’s daughter, no longer someone’s mother, no longer someone’s wife; only a woman of the city abandoned by the very institutions that had the resources to redeem her. Who knows how many doors were slammed in her face? Who knows how many nights she went hungry?
Ultimately, the one place is she welcome is the street, among the forsaken people like herself. Simon clearly showed little understanding, and even less appreciation for the hardships endured by this woman. Simon’s concern is not for this grieving woman, but with the fact that that Jesus doesn’t expel her from his presence.
In this woman there is an ancient desire stirring that has been a desire of all women down through history. Though our generation has managed to put a rover on Mars, we seem unable to keep many women today from bearing terrible hardships few men could endure. Whether they are victims of scarce justice where their male assailants can serve just 3 months in prison for violating them. Or they are casualties of doubled standards of Christian universities who expel unwed females students who get pregnant, while unwed fathers go on to graduate.
Then there is the case of my own mother. In 1982, my mom just 27 years old and a unit clerk at a local hospital. At the time she was pregnant with Marcus and going over some paperwork to prepare for maternity leave. Amongst the stack of papers was a letter of resignation where my mom was told she had to resign from job upon starting her maternity leave.
My mom was told that she could reapply for job, but her employer could not guarantee a job be available when she able to return to work. The employer saw this young 27-year-old woman thinking they could run over her without any resistance. Clearly, this employer did not know Amy Ewing very well. Because Amy Ewing was a woman would let herself be run over.
My mom proceeded to compose a letter to administrators a couple levels about her own boss. In the letter, my mom pointed several of the unethical practices of a policy that penalized women for being pregnant including the fact none her male co-workers were asked to sign a letter of resignation when their wives gave birth.
Eventually, my mom was able to secure a job for after giving birth to Marcus. However, she was not able to return to old post, but had to float between departments as unit clerk. Hearing my mom tell this story makes me want to encourage all young women in high school and college to consider going to law school so as to defend young women who are led to believe unjust treatment is just the way it is.
What the woman in Luke 7 wanted is what all women living in a world that largely ignores them want, and that is a community of forgiven and forgiving sinners. A community of reconciled and reconciling offenders. A community of redeemed and redeeming delinquents.
So how can we create and sustain such a community? Well much of it will depend on how we speak to one another and how we talk to the Cheviot/Westwood community at large. And with that being the case, allow me to review a breakdown of basic grammar.
Lets begin the term, Participle. According to Webster’s dictionary, a participle is a form of a verb that is used to indicate a past or present action and that can also be used like an adjective. Now what is an adjective is a word that says something about a noun or pronoun Finally, what is a noun? A noun is a word or phrase that is the name of something (as a person, place, or thing).
So if you and I are the noun, and forgive, reconcile, and redeem represent both the action taking place and a description of those participating in the action; then we must conclude that the verb and the adjective, the action and the description are eternally inseparable. You see one cannot be forgiven and remain vengeful. One cannot be reconciled and stay divisive. One cannot be redeemed and keep on rejecting others.
It is preposterous to think that by obtaining one’s own forgiveness, he or she somehow can eliminate their obligation to participate in the practice of forgiving. It is outlandish to believe that by procuring one’s own reconciliation, he or she in some way can reject their responsibility in contributing to the mission of reconciling. It is ridiculous to assume that by acquiring one’s own redemption, he or she somehow can abolish their duty to be about the business of redeeming.
These holy participles and their suffixes teach us that the past actions of Jesus Christ should describe not only my present behavior, but come to encompass my entire identity. If it is by Christ’s death I am forgiven, then I am one who expresses their gratitude for being alive by my willingness to forgive the worst of wrongs.
If it is by Christ’s burial I am reconciled, then I am one who demonstrates their appreciation for existing by my readiness to reconcile the deepest of divides. If it is by Christ’s resurrection I am redeemed, then I am one who shows their thankfulness for breathing by my eagerness to redeem the sorriest of souls.
You might say to yourself that such a community of healing and restoration sounds too good to be true and given the state of our world I don’t blame you. However, I still believe that God’s church can be that community for women and all marginalized peoples looking for solace and refuge.
Though traditionally imperfect, God’s church can still be that community where women are safe from attack and degradation. Though historically flawed, God’s Church can still be that community where women are endowed with worth and purpose in advancing God’s kingdom. Just as God’s kingdom is not your average kingdom, neither is God’s church your average church for it declares to women and all the ignored peoples of the earth, “You are welcome here.”
Now within God’s church, its husbands and fathers are charged with a special responsibility. It is incumbent upon husbands and fathers to not let more than a week go by without telling their wife and daughters just how beautiful they are. It is required of husbands and fathers to not allow more than a couple hours pass without telling their wife and daughters just how much they love them.
I may not be married and I may not have a daughter, but even I know that wives and daughters cannot hear enough of words like beautiful and love. Moreover, I am convinced that some of the most egregious errors committed by husbands and fathers are moments when they let beauty go unnoticed and times when they let love go unsaid. Because if they don’t hear it from those who love them, then I promise you there are countless Simons out there ready to tell them the exact opposite.
Just watch a commercial sometime or flip through the latest style magazine and you’ll see the Simons of the world say to them that “you’ll never be as pretty as her unless you have this or do that.” With shame as their ally, the Simons of the world won’t hesitate telling them, “Why even bother? Who could ever love you after what’ve you done.”
Now if anything stands in the way of God’s church embodying this community, it is when men and women allow their lives and their faith to be defined by what Simon says. You see Simon says there is no loosening the past from around our necks. Simon says that what you were… is what you are and….it is what you will always be….a sinner.
Living by what Simon says is precisely what causes some to distance themselves from struggling people so as to “defend” the cause of righteousness. Living by what Simon says is exactly what makes others give up in desperation because their past gives them no reason to hope.
And herein lies the message of Luke 7 that you need to hear this morning. For if there was one thing I would want you to remember this morning, then I would want you to remember that it is precisely in our most desperate moments when Jesus speaks up. In periods of disease, we can close our eyes and hear say Jesus, “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
In stretches of poverty, we can be still and hear Jesus say, “…do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
In times of loss, we can lift our heads and hear Jesus say, “…Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me.2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
And so it was in this moment of despair in Luke 7 that Jesus spoke up not only for the sinful woman at his feet, but for all of us saying, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” It is at this point I believe Simon started sweating profusely. Luke 7 makes it quite clear that those who mistreat and degrade women put themselves on the wrong side of Jesus. And take it from Simon; that is not the side you want to be on.
Of course, Jesus did not have the time to speak on every crazy situation brought to him. However, I find it remarkable how often Jesus chose to speak up when women are being attacked or rejected. Besides our story in Luke 7, there is the account of the ostracized Samaritan woman in John 4 that Steve talked about last week, and then there is the woman caught in adultery who stood on the verge of death in John 8.
I might be speculating on this point, but I believe Jesus’s deep concern for persecuted women arose out of his own childhood. Because though most believers revered Mary, I suspect Jesus heard an equal number of non-believers heap every kind of slander and abuse on Mary and her ridiculous claim of a “virgin” birth. Even though Mary was faithful and never committed adultery, I believe when Jesus asks Simon to look upon this woman’s suffering that he was subtly asking Simon to look upon a piece of his own mother’s heartache.
Therefore, Jesus takes the opportunity to teach Simon a new game with an entirely different set of rules. A game whose objective is not duping its players to follow commands they shouldn’t, but a game whose objective is encouraging its players to follow commands they should. And you can probably guess as to what this game is called…Jesus says.
Using the parable of the two debtors, Jesus says that this sinful woman was forgiven much not because she judged much or suppressed much, but because she loved much. For the commendable quality of this woman was not only her profound faith, but her deep love.
Now if what Simon says hinders God’s church from being a safe and purpose-driven community, then its success is surely found when what Jesus says directs the lives and faith of men and women in God’s church. For Jesus says it is I who can loosening the past from around our necks.
Though Simon is concerned with telling us what we were, Jesus is focused on telling us who we are. Jesus says that who you were… is not WHO YOU ARE and …who you can become… my daughter…my son. Jesus says that just because that’s the way it was…or that’s the way it is…doesn’t mean that’s the way it has to stay.
Rather then distancing ourselves, living by what Jesus says is precisely what causes us to move toward one another with forgiveness and a blessing of peace. Rather than us giving up, living by what Jesus says is exactly what keeps us going because our hope now has a future.
This morning my encouragement to all of us this is week is to stop playing Simon’s game meant to trap us. Instead, let this be the week we start playing the Savior’s game intended to liberate us. Les we stop giving power to the Simons of the world who rule over our past. Rather, let this be the week we give control to the Lord who holds sway over the future.
In deciding which game to play, I suppose the question we need to ask is, “which do I want? My past or a future?” And while you think about your answer, you should know that God has already made his choice. Long ago the Lord proclaimed to Jeremiah, “…For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” So when it comes to deciding between dwelling in our past or pressing on toward the future, we as disciples of Christ should choose the future that God has to offer.
And if it is a future we want, then as God’s church let us gather up all vestiges of racism and sexism, and leave them at the doorstep of the past. If it is a future we desire, then as God’s church let us collect all remnants of violence and degradation, and set such garbage on curb for the past to come and pick up. If it is a future we seek, then as God’s church let us collect all traces of oppression and suppression, and return them to the past in exchange for something that works.
There may be some here this morning exhausted from having their life governed according to what the Simons of the world say. Perhaps you don’t know who talk to, or you’re not even sure whom you can trust. If we’ve absorbed anything from Luke 7 this morning, it is that you can trust Jesus. We’ve also learned to give no weight to Simon’s harsh judgments, and instead rest on the sturdiness of Jesus’ promises.
While Jesus’ promise are many, I want to review the three that appeared in Luke 7. First, when there is one to defend us, Jesus promises to speak up for us. Second, when there is no one to notice us, Jesus promises to see us. Finally, when everyone else abandons us, Jesus promises to be with us to the end…no matter what Simon says.
CJE