Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our guest is going to preach, I know, I was already had some other things from this passage but even took more time.

There's just too many things that I could even possibly try to bring up to you to cover all of this. But let's begin in verse 36 of chapter 7 and let's just do just quick review so we can get on the same page as we deal with those things that God has laid on our heart this morning. Learning a lesson at lunch with the Lord. Look at verse 36.

Luke chapter 7. And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meet. This is a Pharisee asking Jesus to come over to the house to eat. There's going to be other religious leaders there and the Bible says that Jesus came when he was asked.

Let me mention this this morning. This is a lesson to us to remember that Jesus always comes when he's invited. And it might be that in your life right now you say, well you know what I just really haven't felt God do such, I haven't really felt his presence. I just don't see how God's really involved in such and such. It might be that you haven't invited him.

Because he always shows up when he's invited. Notice if you would verse 37. And behold a woman in the city which was a sinner. And we talked last week because of these two phrases together and the Greek word used here that this lady was a harlot and the Bible says which was a sinner when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house brought an alabaster box of ointment and stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it he spake within himself saying this man if he were a prophet would have known who and what man or woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him Simon I have some what to say unto thee and he sayeth master say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors the one owed five hundred pence and the other fifty and when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both.

Tell me therefore which of them will love him most. Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman and said unto Simon seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gaveth me no water for my feet but she hath washed my feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gaveth me no kiss but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

My head with oil thou didst not anoint but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee her sins which are many are forgiven. For she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little. And he said unto her thy sins are forgiven. And they sat at meet with him or they that sat at meet with him excuse me began to say within themselves. Now if you'll notice that Simon the Pharisee earlier in the passage the Bible never says he said anything out loud but he said within himself that Jesus should know who this woman is and what kind of a woman she is and if he would known what kind of woman she is Jesus would not let her go about doing all this. And then we notice at the end that the other religious leaders that were there they didn't have the guts to say anything out loud. They didn't have the bravery to take on Jesus but they said this within themselves. Notice what they said who is this that forgiveth sins also. Let me tell you why they didn't say it out loud because if they had Jesus would have told them.

Look at verse 50. And he said to the woman thy faith hath saved thee. Notice he did not say the fact that you sacrificed for me the fact that you've kissed my feet the fact that you cried the fact that you were humble the fact that you came and that you've loved me the fact that you've done all these acts of service the fact that you anointed my head with oil and the fact that you gave this precious ointment and the fact that you've done all this he didn't say that saved her. He said thy faith hath saved thee. I want you to know it's not what we do. And it's not our actions or our deeds or our works that could ever save us.

It's only faith in Jesus Christ. And then he says this go in peace. Let's pray. Lord I love you. Thank you for all that you've done. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen. We want to deal with these three characters. The three main characters of this story. Very simply the first one is the sinner. The second one is the self righteous. And the third one is the savior.

Last week we dealt with the sinner. And that was this woman. This woman that literally sold her body was what we would call a harlot. She had literally been used and abused her entire life. She had no permanent residence. She had no peace in her life. She had no self worth really in her life. She was just an object used for another's pleasure. The sinner.

I want you to notice a couple things if I could. We talked about first how she had been bought. That was her life. She had sold herself. She had no place there to see Jesus. In fact when she showed up she went through a bunch of religious people to get to Jesus. Hello. Can I tell you something?

I don't know why I just did that because this mic isn't on. But you didn't notice either. May I say that sometimes in your life to get to Jesus you're going to have to get past some religious people. Some religious people can keep people from Jesus.

It's a shame but it happens all the time. I want you to notice not just how she had been brought but who she sought. And may I say this thirdly, what she brought. And she brought brokenness. She brought humility. We talked about how she brought gratitude. She brought sacrifice. She brought love.

But may I say before we move on today with what we're dealing with today. And as we talk about the fact of this precious. What they call a box of ointment. This alabaster box of ointment. It was probably almost like a jar type of object that would hang from her neck. Something that she would keep on her at all times. I want to kind of if I can't explain briefly just the importance of that.

And let me make sure we fully develop this before we move on. The fact that she took that alabaster box and sacrificed that to Jesus. She did not do that to clean his feet. The Bible said her tears hit his feet. And his feet which would have been dusty as those tears hit his feet.

It would make his feet muddy because the tears would mix with the dirt. So the Bible says she took her hair and cleaned his feet. So what was the significance of pouring this ointment on the feet of Jesus?

Well this was precious. It was expensive so she was sacrificing to Jesus. But I also want you to notice that this ointment was something she used in her occupation. She would literally put this ointment on to be desirous of others.

That it would cause them to literally pay attention. They would smell this perfume and it would make them desire her. It was part of what she did as she literally took this ointment and poured it out on Jesus' feet. It was a sign that she would never again return to that lifestyle. She would not need that anymore. And that's a wonderful precious thing. And you know what you and I when we get saved we need to leave that lifestyle behind.

That's very very important. As she poured this ointment on the feet of Jesus that ointment she had always used for what purpose? To attract others to her. But the fact that she poured this ointment on the feet of Jesus. They didn't need clean.

She had already cleaned them with her hair. She poured that ointment on Jesus because now she wanted others to be attracted to him. Oh if you and I could get over ourselves and get people to Jesus. But I want us to notice today the self-righteous. We dealt last week with the sinner and that's what all of us are by the way. But unfortunately as we look to the sinner in the Bible we see who we are. But as we look to the self-righteous in this story we see who we don't want to be.

But I think if we're all honest this self-righteous individual is kind of something that a lot of us become even though we don't want to. I want you to notice if you don't mind as you look in our passage. Look at verse 39 if you would. The Bible says that as Jesus came in this house this woman came in and obviously didn't care who thought what or who looked at her. She went right to the feet of Jesus and began doing all these things. Look at verse 39. The Bible says now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it he spake within himself saying listen this man if he were a prophet would have known who and what man or woman he was and this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner. Can I ask you something what does it mean to be self-righteous? You say alright if looking at the sinner preacher reminds us of who we are and looking at this self-righteous individual reminds us of what we're not supposed to be. What does it mean to be self-righteous?

What does that really mean? Well I want to deal with that today and I know this is very convicting. But let me explain just from the passages of scripture how the things we can learn.

Number one I want you to see this. What does it mean to be the self-righteous? Number one I want you to notice this he saw her sin and overlooked his own. He saw her sin but overlooked his own. A lot of people do that. Well we can sit in church and well we can see somebody else's sin and see what we see in their lives. Oh I can't believe that. Dear friend often you and I are very good at noticing everyone else's sin.

But we overlook our own. Here's what's interesting he says if Jesus were a prophet he would have known this woman what she was and what kind of woman and who she is because she is a sinner. Look at me. So was he. But he never saw that. He saw her sin and overlooked his own. Number two I want you to see this he saw himself as better than the sinner. He saw himself as better. All through this passage you see the way he is talking and the words that he used and the things he was thinking in his mind. That he considered himself above this woman.

Why? Because in his mind he probably thought I have not done those things. And this was a man who was religious. This was a man who followed the so-called righteous law. This is a man who had discipline and character and morals supposedly.

And yet he saw himself as above or better than this woman. I have done a lot of thinking over the years especially since I've been a pastor. Sometimes thinking of how we've gone wrong as church people over the years. There's a whole lot of people that are not in church. There's a whole lot of people that have no use for church.

A lot of people that maybe at one time were in church and they wouldn't go near a church now. And we could come up with a lot of reasons why. And I believe I'm going to be honest with you personally I think we as Christians need to take the blame. We've caused a lot of that.

But can I tell you one thing I think out of all the things we could list here today and analyze and say you know we messed up because we this and we that. I think one of the biggest reasons there are so many people that don't like church, aren't in church is because of this one reason. For some reason over the years church people have acted like they are better than the world. We are not. We're no different. For some reason church people sometimes think because we don't do such and such. Because we're not involved in such and such.

We look down on those. Can I remind you we're all sinners that have been saved by the grace of God. Number three what is the self righteous?

What does that mean? It means number three he had a miraculous opportunity to minister to the Savior of the world but he wasted it. If you'll notice in verse 44, 45, 46 as Jesus is kind of giving his point to this man Simon who had only thought these things in his mind yet Jesus knew the thought and intent of the heart his word says. The Bible says as he was teaching him this lesson that Jesus turns and he looks at this woman who had lived such a horrible life.

Such an abused and used life. Jesus looks at this woman and he says can I ask you something Simon? He said say on. He said when I came in the house you gave me no water to wash my feet and yet this woman has washed my feet with her very tears. When I walked in the house you didn't clean my feet and you didn't anoint my head but this woman has. Jesus begins to list these things. In other words Simon you had me here in your presence.

You had every chance to do these things for me but you didn't. The religious leaders didn't. But a common harlot is the one that did.

Simon had a miraculous opportunity to literally minister to the very Savior of the world face to face in person but he didn't do one thing. Now let me explain this. In Bible days it was common practice.

Now get this out. Just common practice of hospitality. When a person would come to your house first you would give them water to wash their feet with. Because everybody traveled like that in those days they wore sandals or barefoot their feet would be dirty so when you would bring them into your house you would offer them water to wash their feet. Secondly almost everywhere that you would go as hospitality they would greet you with a kiss.

Third out of hospitality just normal hospitality. They would bring some kind of an oil that you could anoint what they would call anoint on the head. It would be like what you and I would call freshening up.

Something that would take the smell of the day off so that you could sit and enjoy a meal. Listen to me and Jesus is saying to Simon not only have you not done what this woman has done you didn't even treat me with normal everyday low hospitality. You didn't give me water to wash my feet. You didn't give me water to wash my feet. You didn't literally greet me with a kiss. You didn't anoint my head with oil. You didn't even make any kind of effort.

Look at me I want you to get this. Jesus is saying this you couldn't have done less than you did. And yet here he is a self-righteous individual.

Look at me in the very presence of Jesus and he didn't even treat him as good as he would have a common visitor. That's just absolutely despicable. Oh wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Is that not us? Are we not in his presence today? How dare we come into his house and make no effort whatsoever? I mean we're not greeting him with a kiss.

We're not washing his feet. We get to the point we're looking at the watch to say when's the guy going to get done preaching so I can go to lunch? The self-righteous. How many times do you and I totally waste opportunities we have to do something for our savior? But we're too busy with our laws and our rules and our standards and our convictions and we're too busy with what we're doing instead of loving him for who he is.

I kind of closed at least this part of it. I don't have time for the rest but I want you to notice this he did not comprehend the forgiveness that he needed. He never understood how badly he needed the forgiveness of God. He saw her sin but he never saw his. He never comprehended how filthy and rotten he really was in his heart and in his flesh and how badly and desperately he needed the forgiveness of God. He never saw it. Never understood it.

Why? Because he was too self-righteous. How many church people never fully get the forgiveness that they need? How many church people never fully understand the forgiveness that God's already given us?

We don't appreciate it like we should. I find it interesting here that out of all that room there was a whole bunch of religious people and yet only one person showed love to Jesus. And that was the sinner. I don't know about you I'm ready to move on to the savior.

Is that alright? Are you convicted enough? If you're not convicted that's you. You might be a self-righteous. How many of you got that?

Not many of you got that. Number three the savior. Now Jesus is woven all through this story. And by the way you'll know in your life there will always be three people you'll run across. Sinners, self-righteous and the savior. Jesus will always be there. But there will always be somebody that thinks they're better and there will always be somebody that looks down on others.

You and I need to make sure we don't become that person. So what do we learn from Jesus through this story? We learned a whole lot of lessons that we gave you last week from the sinner. We've been told some things from the self-righteous. So what is it we learn from the savior in this lunch we have with the Lord?

I want you to notice number one and I think we're going to start here because it doesn't get much any better than this. Number two and I need to understand from this passage that there is no person that Jesus does not love. There is no person that Jesus does not love. You say preacher you don't know what I've done.

Oh he knew what she did. There's no person he doesn't love. This morning I want you to know you might have had some people in your life that didn't love you or said they did.

I promise you one thing. Jesus loves you. I don't care what you've done, who you are.

Where you've been. There is no person that he doesn't love. Number two we find from this passage that there is no sinner that Jesus will not forgive. There is no sinner that Jesus will not forgive.

Look at me. If Simon the Pharisee had asked Jesus to forgive him that day Jesus would have forgiven him. Because Simon needed it.

But Simon didn't think he did. But the worst what we would call sinner there in the room Jesus forgave. And dear friend I want you to know there is no sinner that Jesus will not forgive if you ask.

I want you to know that. Number three I want you to see this that Jesus sees us all equally. Jesus sees us all equally. What's interesting if you'll find that Simon calls this woman on a number of occasions the sinner. He sees us all as a woman. Jesus always treated her with respect. You see when Jesus walked into the room he didn't see a bunch of religious people and he saw a sinner.

Are you looking at me? When he walked into the room they're all sinners. We all have failed and fallen short of the glory of God. But he loves us all. He'll forgive us all if we ask. He sees us all as people that he's died for. He doesn't see differences in color. He doesn't see differences in jobs.

He doesn't see differences in accomplishments. He sees us as people that he loves. That he's died for.

I want you to notice number four and get this. That Jesus discerned the morals of the sinner. But he also discerned the mind of the self righteous. You see when Jesus walked in he knew exactly what kind of morals that lady had had.

He knew exactly what she had done. But he didn't just know her morals. The Bible says he knew Simon's mind. And you and I think that because we haven't done something that we're okay.

Dear friend listen to me. As a man thinketh in his heart the Bible says so is he. Now these religious leaders might not have done some of the things that this woman had done but I guarantee you they thought it. We're a bunch of sinners. And our flesh is that way. Can I have an amen right there?

Look at me. Jesus can read the morals of a sinner but he can also read the mind of a self righteous person. And he sees both as wrong. How many times have we sat here and had judgmental thoughts of someone else? What someone does? What someone says?

Thinking well I wouldn't have done it that way. Jesus knows that. He knows what you think. He doesn't just see what you do he knows what you think.

May I mention this? Simon saw a sinner but Jesus saw a soul. Simon saw a sinner but Jesus saw a soul. What did he do to this woman after he explains to Simon all that she had done for Jesus? He said thy sins are forgiven. Only a soul needs forgiven. Jesus didn't see her as some despicable woman. He saw her soul. Dear friend he sees yours today too. Let me give you this last if I can this morning.

Please get this. Peace is something that only Jesus can give. Peace is something that only Jesus can give. Now Jesus looks at Simon and he says this alright. She's done this and you never did this and she did this and you've never done this for me.

She did this and you've never done this for me. Jesus goes through all the list and then he looks to the woman and he said thy faith hath made thee whole. Thy sins are forgiven thee. But then he gives this little statement at the very end.

Go in peace. Now let me illustrate it if I can this morning to you briefly. I got two waters up here. First service water second service water. Let's see if the first service water will help the second service.

Let me illustrate it if I can this morning. Many of you are here I don't know some of the struggles you're going through some of the things in your life. I do know some of some of the struggles some of you are going through. And I know some of you are hurting this morning.

Pretty bad. Now as much as I love you and as much as I would do anything in the world for you I could listen I want you to get this. I could stand up here and whoever you may be I could say listen I'm praying for you and I'm praying for you. And this is what I could say I say listen I want the best for you I'm going to be praying for you. Go and leave this building go in peace. I just have peace in your life.

You know what you're going to walk out of that building exactly like you came in. All that I could say about oh go in peace I'm going to give you peace. I can't give you peace.

I can say it till I'm blue in the face but that's not going to change one thing in your life. I want you to have peace. I pray that you will have peace but I can't give it to you. Now I go many times personally having a serious surgery whatever and I'll sit down with them or maybe read some verses we're going to pray and God will give you the peace that passes understanding. Listen I am praying that God will give it to you and I'm praying for you.

I'm praying that you will have it going through something like this but I cannot as Daniel Hartree or even as your pastor I can't sit down and say all right I know you're going through a hard time. Let me give you some peace all right. Here's some peace.

All right there you go. Go in peace. I got nothing. I can't give you one. Look at me because I don't own peace. I didn't create peace. So I can't give it.

If I owned it or I had control of it I could give it to you but I don't. Here's what's wonderful. When Jesus looked at that woman and he said go in peace he had the right to do that because he is peace. He owns it. He created it.

Look at me. You cannot get peace anywhere else. Except Jesus. You can't get peace by taking a vacation.

Don't we all know that? You can't get peace by reading a book. You can feel better about something but that book can't give you peace. You can't get peace by buying things. You can't get peace by trying things. You can't get peace by literally gathering things and collecting things and doing things and going places and all those things can give you some happiness and all those things can help and all those things can give you a little bit of rest. But they can't give you peace. It only comes from Jesus. Now look at me. Here's Simon, a good man.

Follow the law. Here's a whole bunch of religious guys sitting around the table. Probably good men, character, morals, whatever the case might be. And only one person left that house that day with peace.

And it was that woman. Now I've had people ask, I had them even ask here last week, is this the same Simon that we find else in the Bible and there's another woman that had this alabaster ointment and different things and Simon in the book of Matthew was a leper. Now this Simon, we don't know anything more about this particular Simon. And that Simon in the book of Matthew we don't think that they're related.

It's different time date and all that stuff and we don't know. But can I tell you something? There's a whole lot of things that God didn't give us in His Word. He gave us enough to keep us busy the rest of our lives. But there's a whole lot of little tidbits of things. If He wanted us to know it, He would have given it to us and we don't know.