The Gospel of Luke (26): The Woman who had been a sinner 05/21/2023

First Baptist Church Leominster

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Okay, let's see, Pastor Jason will come, let's turn in our Bibles to 1st

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John chapter 5 and he'll be reading from the English Standard Version, ESV, 1st

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John chapter 5, then he'll pray for us. 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st

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John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5, 1st John chapter 5 An immoral woman.

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She'd probably been a prostitute. Although it doesn't state that specifically, it certainly implies it.

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She had lived a life in total disregard of the righteousness of God's law that she'd probably been taught from infancy.

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But wonderfully, this woman had experienced the grace of God and salvation. The Lord Jesus pronounced that that was the case, declared her, to her, that her faith in Him had brought her salvation from her sins.

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And so we read of the parting words of Jesus to this woman. The last verse of Luke chapter 7,

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Your faith has saved you, go in peace. In this account, the woman showed forth her faith, the faith that had saved her.

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Her faith was due to a work of God's grace in her and upon her. Everyone who received

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God's salvation does so due to the God's grace working upon them and in them. And ultimately, it's by His grace that God saves

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His people from their sin, imparting to them the gift of eternal life. God does so through the instrument of faith that brings them into a saving relationship through Jesus Christ.

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Faith is the instrument that God uses to bring people into relationship with God through faith in Christ.

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Actually, God performs an unfolding work of grace in the lives of those He saves from damnation from their sins.

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There is an order and progression in the way that God imparts salvation to a sinner.

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And it's the same with every sinner that's ever experienced salvation throughout all of the

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Bible. Historically, this progressive work of grace in saving

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His people has been termed the order of salvation. Or commonly set forth by the

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Latin phrase, ordo salutis, used by Lutheran actually first in the 1700s.

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Now, we who are Reformed, we who are Calvinistic in our understanding of the Scriptures, set forth the following order of God's grace in salvation.

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This is the ordo salutis. First, the grace of election.

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God the Father in eternity set His love on undeserving sinners, whom

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He chose from guilty fallen humanity, purposing to save them by His grace. Choice holy of grace,

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He set His love upon us. And then in the application of salvation, there is the grace of effectual calling.

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This is when God calls the elect sinner to see his sinfulness and his need of salvation.

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It is through Jesus Christ alone. And so this effectual calling involves the grace of illumination, by which

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God gives the sinner knowledge of his guilt before God, conviction, and his need to believe and submit to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as the only way of salvation.

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Well, the result of this effectual calling, or in conjunction would be a better term of effectual calling, is the grace of regeneration, or the new birth.

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God imparts, and in some places He describes it as an act of creation,

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God imparts spiritual life to the spiritually dead sinner, Ephesians 2, 1 and following, in which

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God gives the sinner the desire to live a holy life before God and his ability to believe the gospel for his salvation, apart from regeneration, a sinner would not do so, cannot do so.

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Jesus told Nicodemus, you should not marvel at the fact I tell you that you must be born again.

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You won't even see the kingdom of God unless you experience first this new birth. And so his new life is shown forth, that is, a regenerated soul shows forth his new life in his confession and submission to Jesus Christ as his

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Lord and Savior. And so we know that we've been born again by the new life that's exhibited, new life by God and before God.

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Well, as a result of this regeneration, we experience the grace of saving faith, and of course, justification upon that faith.

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Because of the new life imparted to him in his regeneration, the sinner believes and confesses

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Jesus Christ alone to save him from his sin. If he had not been born again, he never would, he never could.

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Through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, God pardons the believer of all the sins of his entire life, and in addition credits the righteousness of Jesus Christ to him.

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It's a gift through faith alone, whereby that believing sinner will be exonerated on the day of judgment.

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He'll not be condemned, there's no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. Well, concurrent with saving faith and justification, fifthly, you have the grace of adoption.

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The grace of adoption occurs upon saving faith in Jesus Christ, at which time God declares and regards himself as the father of the believer.

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God the Father is not father to everybody in the world, he is father uniquely and especially for believers in Jesus Christ.

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You become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. That's the grace of adoption.

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So God regards himself as your father, if you're a believer in Christ, and you are his child, a member of his family.

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The grace of adoption. And then, of course, there is the grace of sanctification, which is a lifelong process.

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It begins at regeneration. Regeneration itself really is an initial act of sanctification,

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God setting apart his people. It's shown in initial repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ.

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It flows forth in ordering his Christian life as the Holy Spirit moves, and enables the believer to grow in holiness and in knowledge of God.

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Being increasingly conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. It's a process. And oftentimes it's all too slow for our own liking.

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It's a lifelong process, and we never arrive at our destination in this life, in this world.

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It's a gradual, progressive work of God whereby the Holy Spirit conforms the heart and mind and life to Jesus Christ.

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And so if you're a Christian, you're more sanctified today than you were in the past.

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God's in the business of sanctifying his people. And then last, of course, is the grace of glorification, which is the full and final salvation that we will receive, that we will inherit.

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Upon death, the soul of the true believer is delivered from the presence of sin, thankfully, being made perfect in holiness.

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And yet, his presence with the Lord is still anticipated in the future bodily resurrection from the dead.

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That's when the believer will be openly acknowledged and acquitted on the day of judgment. Made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity.

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As the Westminster Shorter Catechism so wonderfully and beautifully and biblically sets forth.

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So that's the ordo salutis. And every person that has ever become a

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Christian, and Old Testament saints, they came to saving faith through this same ordo salutis, this order of salvation.

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Now the woman in our story here in Luke chapter 7, verse 36 through 50, has been the object and recipient of God's saving grace.

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The faith and love that she showed to Jesus reveals that she was already a recipient of the grace of God in her election, in her calling, her regeneration, her saving faith, and her justification.

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She is a child of God when she came to Jesus in this household. Although she probably was not fully aware of her position at this early point in her

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Christian experience. But she was clearly experiencing the grace of sanctification as shown forth in her love and devotion to her

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Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. So let's read of this woman, and also of this

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Pharisee. Luke 7, 36 through 50. Then one of the

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Pharisees asked him to eat with him. And he went to the Pharisee's house and sat down to eat.

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And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the

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Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, stood at his feet behind him weeping.

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She began to wash his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. And she kissed his feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

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Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching him.

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For she is a sinner. Jesus answered and said to him,

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Simon, I have something to say to you. So he said, Teacher, say it. There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.

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One owed five hundred denarii, the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.

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Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him more? Simon answered and said,

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I suppose the one whom he forgave more. And he said to him,

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You have rightly judged. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, Do you see this woman?

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I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.

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You gave me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet since the time

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I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but this woman has anointed my feet with fragrant oil.

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And therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.

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But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. Then he said to her,

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Your sins are forgiven. And those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves,

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Who is this who even forgives sins? And then he said to the woman,

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Your faith has saved you. Go in peace. At the end of the episode we treated last week, we have a rather cryptic statement of the

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Lord Jesus. Jesus concluded his interaction with his critics with the words of Luke 7 .35,

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but wisdom is justified by all her children. The Lord was responding to criticism of the religious leaders of his day who had dismissed his message and ministry, as well as the message and ministry of John the

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Baptist. They dismissed John's message, John the Baptist, and they were attempting to discredit

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Jesus and his ministry. And so the Lord Jesus had told them of the unreasonableness of their dismissal, their argument.

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On the one hand, they had dismissed John as being an extreme ascetic and that he was fasting.

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They felt he was too removed, out of touch, too somber, too harsh, too critical, too condemning.

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On the other hand, they were attempting to discredit Jesus by portraying him as too happy, too celebrated, and not discriminating or condemning of sinful people.

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And so these detractors were pitting John against Jesus, assuming they could not both be true, for both were extremists.

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Of course, neither charge was true of John nor Jesus. John had been preparing sinners to receive forgiveness from the

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Messiah after he arrived on the scene, and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, once he had appeared, declared pardon to these same humble, repentant sinners whom

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God had prepared through the ministry of John the Baptist. And so their ministries, John's and Jesus's, were complementary of one another.

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And so the Lord Jesus was saying that God's wisdom in bringing salvation to sinners will be shown to be true in the persons who were recipients of his grace.

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Wisdom is proved right by all her children. Look at the results,

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Jesus says. Now this story before us of a woman who had been a sinner, directly following our

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Lord's statement, was placed here by Luke to demonstrate just that.

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God's wisdom, that is, his way of grace in bringing salvation, is proven to be true and right in the lives of those who are the objects of his grace and mercy.

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Look at this woman. Wisdom is proved by its fruit, by its children.

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The wisdom of God in bringing salvation to sinners is justified or vindicated by its results.

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But at the same time, the reaction and response to Jesus by Simon the Pharisee revealed that his ignorance and insensitivity to God's purposes in grace showed that a religious life, apart from the saving grace of God, is both ignorant and errant.

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Simon's outward profession was superficial. His spiritual vitality and understanding were impoverished, even bankrupt.

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And so before us we have the vindication of God's grace in salvation by its fruit.

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Look at the woman. And look at Simon. Well, first we read of the accusation of Simon.

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Verses 36 -39. We'll read it again. One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him.

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He went to the Pharisee's house, sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table at the

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Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, stood at his feet behind him, weeping.

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She began to wash his feet with her tears, wipe them with the hair of her head. She kissed his feet, anointed them with the fragrant oil.

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And now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, this man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.

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So here the characters are introduced for us. First we have Simon the Pharisee. Then one of the

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Pharisees asked him to eat with him. Here's a man who thought all was well between himself and God.

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He was a religionist, a traditionalist, who relied on his physical birth, he was

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Jewish, his physical lineage, his place in the religious community, his obedience to God's commandments, really as the basis of his acceptance with God.

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Simon thought that he was right with God based on his pure lifestyle. In contrast to this woman who was a sinner.

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Now it should be recognized that Simon was probably a good man, humanly speaking. And although Pharisees are often characterized by a judgmental spirit, attempting to justify themselves by comparing themselves with others, and we've seen that they were opposed to Jesus from the outset, nevertheless

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Simon seems to have had somewhat of a different spirit. He invited Jesus to his home, out of courtesy.

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Perhaps with a measure of curiosity as well. And of course, secondly, we have the

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Lord Jesus introduced. We see a read of Jesus accepting the invitation of this

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Pharisee. And he went to the Pharisee's house and sat down to eat. Notice, it does not appear that the

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Lord Jesus hesitated to go dine with this Pharisee in his house. It's true our

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Lord was a friend of sinners, we just sang that, didn't we? And I think he probably preferred their company, the company of sinners, to the company of Pharisees.

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But that does not mean that our Lord was not concerned about supposedly more respected persons of society.

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For they too needed the gospel. Simon needed the gospel, didn't he? And this should be our attitude and desire as well.

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We should have concern for all persons of all social standing. Rich and poor, educated and not, gross sinners.

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And those who may have the semblance of not being so. I didn't include it, but Paul told

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Timothy to pray for all people. Even kings, those in authority. All people, rich and poor, why?

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Because God desires to save all kinds of people. The Lord does not call effectually many who are wise according to the flesh,

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Paul wrote of that. Not many mighty and not many noble, he doesn't call them to salvation. But he does call some, doesn't he?

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And you read of them in the New Testament. One of the household of Herod, who was a devoted disciple of Jesus.

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Well, now after the Lord Jesus is introduced, we have the woman who was a sinner.

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We read of the woman. Behold a woman in the city who was a sinner. When she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the

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Pharisees' house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil. Stood at his feet behind him, weeping.

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She began to wash his feet with her tears, wipe them with the hair of her head. She kissed his feet, anointed them with the fragrant oil.

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So here we have a sinner. And not just a little closet sinner, but a well -known, genuine, hardcore sinner.

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And known to be so by all in the community. Simon knew she was. She was a harlot, or a prostitute.

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I think that's a proper conclusion. But she hears of Jesus' presence, and so she comes to Simon's house as well.

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We might think it's strange that she could be in this Pharisees' house, but it was common in that day.

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For uninvited strangers to come into a private house where a prominent person was visiting. And they would line the walls in order to observe the host and his guests while they ate their meal.

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And they would listen to the dinner conversation. But this woman's presence would have been exceptionally objectionable to all present.

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Except to Jesus. There must have been some gasps and stares when they saw this woman come into Simon's house.

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But here we see the worship of this woman in her treatment of our Lord. She was at his feet.

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The posture of humility and submission. A place, of course, where each of us should often frequent.

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Of course, in that day, they reclined. The table was in the center. They would lay on their left side, their feet pointing outwards.

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And they would eat with their feet away from them. And so Jesus was reclining as he ate his meal.

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As those who were sharing the meal that Simon had prepared for his invited guests. And so while weeping, this woman broke open a sealed alabaster flask of expensive perfume.

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Bought, no doubt, with her immoral earnings. It was one of the tools to be employed in her immoral trade.

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She wept tears of joy, however, graciously pouring this expensive perfume on the feet of the

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Lord Jesus. Showing her devotion and her gratefulness to the Lord. This woman had faith.

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And this was being exhibited here. She was doing what any one of us, his people, would do if a similar opportunity occasioned itself.

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Wouldn't we? Obviously, this was not the first occasion of their meeting.

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She had encountered the Lord before, we suspect. Although it doesn't say that.

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But she must have heard Jesus speak and must have believed on him. And had been gloriously saved.

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Her actions was the attitude and action of a grateful person. For what she had already received.

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Charles Spurgeon surmised the point of her conversion. Perhaps she had stood in the street, attracted by the crowd.

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And as she listened to our Savior's talk, it seemed to hold her fast. She had never heard a man speak after that fashion.

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And when he spoke of abounding mercy. And the willingness of God to accept as many as would come to him.

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Then the tears began to follow each other down her cheek. And when she listened again to that meek and lowly preacher.

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And heard him tell of the Father in heaven. Who would receive prodigals and press them to his loving bosom.

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Then her heart was fairly broken. She relinquished her evil traffic.

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She became a new woman. Desirous of better things. Anxious to be freed from sin.

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But she was greatly agitated in her heart. With the question, could she, would she be really forgiven?

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Would such pardoning love as she heard of reach even to her? She hoped so.

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And was in a measure comforted. Her faith grew. And with it an ardent love.

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The Spirit of God still wrought with her. Till she enjoyed a feeble hope. A glean of confidence.

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She believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. That he had appeared on earth to forgive sins.

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And she rested on him for the forgiveness of her sins. And longed for an opportunity to do him homage.

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And if possible to win a word direct from his mouth. The Lord of mercy came to the city where she lived.

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Now she thought, here is my opportunity. That blessed prophet has come. The man who spake is never men spake.

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Is near me. And I have already derived such benefit from him. That I love him better than all.

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Besides, I love him as my own soul. I will steal into the house of the

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Pharisee. That I may feast my eyes with the sight of him. Amen.

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And so the action of this woman. Is the response of a grateful.

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Once guilty. Freely forgiven sinner. She was a woman of faith.

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This was not some act performed in order to receive forgiveness. An act which is repeated daily by many religious people.

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Which so often but mistakenly. Is referred to as devotion. This is the act of gratefulness.

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A product of assurance. That she was forgiven. And further we might add.

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This was the act of one. Who had left her former trade. She had been delivered from her former way.

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Had received God's pardon through Jesus. Her action demonstrates this is so. But perhaps she wanted a confirming word.

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That indeed it was so. And she would not be disappointed. Perhaps she may have intended to anoint his head.

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But inadvertently her tears fell upon his feet. Perhaps in her anxiety to correct this mishap.

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She does an indecent thing. She let down her hair to dry his feet. And then poured the perfume on his feet.

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An unprecedented action. Since this honor was to be bestowed on the head.

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I wonder too if she was horrified at the sight of her tears. Falling from her eyes.

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Upon Jesus. That they were somehow defiling him. And moving to correct this.

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She poured the perfume on his feet. Rather than his head. It was a supreme act of devotion.

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Which our Lord received. With much appreciation. Well then we read of the conclusion.

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In charge of the Pharisee. His reaction. And then Jesus' response. To Simon.

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We read of Simon's reaction. Now when the Pharisee who had visited him.

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Saw this. He spoke to himself. Or invited him rather. Saw this.

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He spoke to himself. Say this man. If he were a prophet. He can't possibly be.

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Would know who and what man or woman this is. Who's touching him. For she is a sinner. So Simon was offended by what she had done.

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He must have been offended. When she among others. Had entered his home. He knew of her.

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He assumed that if Jesus had been a true prophet. He would have discerned. Her to touch him.

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Matthew Henry wrote. See how apt proud and narrow souls. Are to think that others.

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Should be as haughty and censorious. As themselves. Simon. If she had touched him.

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Would have said stand by thyself. Come not near me. For I am holier than thou. And he thought

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Christ should say so too. Apparently this woman's illicit life.

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Was not discernible. In the manner that she was dressed. If Jesus could not have known.

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Of her by her appearance. She must have dressed.

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As other more moral women. Had dressed in that day. And I just asked myself this question.

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I wonder how it was that Simon the Pharisee. Knew of her in her profession. Maybe by experience.

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I don't know. But for Simon. The fact that Jesus would allow. This unclean woman to touch him.

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Confirmed to him that Jesus was no prophet. For if he were a prophet.

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He was would not have allowed her to touch him. How ignorant was this religious man.

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In the ways of God's dealings. With sinners. Jesus is a friend of sinners. But Simon was also ignorant.

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Regarding himself. And the Lord would not. Would now set both matters straight before him.

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Jesus knew what Simon was thinking. For Simon. Had made his thoughts known.

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For he had spoken to himself. He didn't speak these words openly. But Jesus knew what he was saying.

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He was the prophet wasn't he. And so we read that Jesus. Then spoke to Simon.

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Jesus answered and said to him. Simon I have something to say to you. So he said teacher say it.

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There is a certain creditor. Who had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii. One denarii would be the.

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Wage of a day day worker. And so this is 500. This is a year and a half daily wage.

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The other 50. And when they had nothing with which to repay. He freely forgave them both.

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Tell me therefore which of them will love him more. Simon answered and said. I suppose the one whom he forgave more.

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Take note first of the politeness of the Lord Jesus. We read that Jesus spoke up.

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Simon I have something to say to you. Take note how our Lord dealt gently. And politely with Simon.

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Jesus first gained permission to speak. After all Jesus was his guest in his home.

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Jesus was not rude obnoxious. Or indignant of Simon's insensitivity. Or callousness.

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Toward this woman. But Jesus would not remain silent. Regarding this matter.

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But herein lies a good practice. When you want to correct someone. Ask permission to speak first. Can I say a word to you.

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And often a person will feel compelled. To hear you out. If he had first granted you license. To speak openly and honestly.

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The Lord set this man up. Didn't he. And then the Lord gave the parable. Of the two debtors.

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Jesus posed the issue of two debtors. Who desired the cancellation of their debts. Neither one of them could pay.

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One of the debtors was forgiven a debt equivalent. To about a year and a half wages. Of a common day laborer.

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The other was forgiven a debt equivalent. To about six weeks wages. And then we consider the prudence of the

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Lord Jesus. Ask Simon tell me therefore. Which of them would love him more.

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Simon answered. Said I suppose the one who forgave more. The English translation.

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I suppose the one he forgave more. Simon seemed to be. To have answered a little bit cautiously.

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Doesn't he. It's like he perhaps knows he's being set up. The Lord posed the question.

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Leading Simon to make an assessment. Which will be used to reveal to Simon. That his opinion of the woman. And of himself was faulty.

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This terrible resulted in Simon. Bringing judgment on himself. Without knowing it initially. We might think of.

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The Old Testament. When the prophet Nathan. Confronted King David. Nathan had posed

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David of course. A question. After David had committed.

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Sin with Bathsheba. And killed Bathsheba's husband Uriah. Nathan came to David.

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And posed a question. In order to in advance. His opinion regarding an injustice.

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Done by one of his subjects. This man had a lot of sheep. But instead of sacrificing his own sheep.

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He took the single lamb of some man. And sacrificed him. David said that man's going to die.

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And Nathan turned about. Said to David you're the man. It would seem here that Jesus. Spoke with a similar aim.

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He was able to solicit a correct response. From Simon first. Regarding his supposed scenario.

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But in doing so Simon revealed. His own error and ignorance. And it must have just you know. Slapped him in the face.

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He must become keenly aware of his fault. Well then we have

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Jesus. His allegation to Simon. His pronouncement of salvation. Of the sinner. Jesus turned to the woman.

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Speaking his words not just to Simon. But to her as well. Even to all that were hearing him.

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He turned to the woman. So he's looking at the woman. But he said to Simon. You gave me no water for my feet.

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But she washed my feet with her tears. Wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss. But this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet.

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Since the time I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil. But this woman.

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Has anointed my feet with fragrant oil. So the Lord. Responded to Simon by comparing.

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And contrasting him with this woman. Simon you gave me no water for my feet.

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Which would have been the courteous. And customary manner of greeting a guest. When he came home. Simon didn't do that.

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Simon you gave me no kiss of greeting. Which would have been shown. If you were happy to have me.

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Come to dine with you. That's basically what Jesus was saying. Simon you gave me no oil for my head.

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That would have been olive oil. Which would have been a show of respect for Jesus. Whom Simon himself acknowledges teacher.

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In short Jesus said. You fail to extend common courtesy. When I entered your roof.

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But in contrast to Simon. This woman a sinner. Although a stranger in your house.

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Rendered to me the courtesy you yourself failed to do. She did even much more. She shed her own tears.

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Rather than providing water to wash my feet. She gave me kisses upon my feet. In place of your failure.

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To give me a kiss of greeting. She expended this perfume of great cost. This alabaster box.

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In place of your failure. To give me some rather inexpensive olive oil. Jesus then made this declaration to Simon.

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Regarding this woman. Therefore I say to you. Her sins which are many. Are forgiven for she loved much.

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But to whom little is forgiven. The same loves little. Now. It would be wrong to conclude from this verse.

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That the forgiveness of sins. Was because she loved much. On the merit.

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Of having her love. Her love Jesus much. Her sins were forgiven. That's not what

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Luke was saying. Richard Lenski. Who was a

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Lutheran. Commentator. Was very good at New Testament Greek. He rightly corrected this error in conclusion.

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Because she loved much. And then he mentions the Greek. Conjunction. Hati. Which is generally translated for or because.

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Because she loved much. Does not state the reason. Or ground. For which her sins were dismissed.

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But as the entire parable. Plus verse 50 show. The proof. Which shows to men that her sins were indeed forgiven.

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Her sins were forgiven. Because she loved much. We know that her sins are forgiven. Because it was shown forth.

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In the love that she had manifested. The difference between the reason for a thing.

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And the proof for a thing. Is certainly important. And then Lenski went on to say. As a good

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Lutheran. Often did. This answered the claim of Romanists. In other words Roman Catholics.

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Latin phrase. For their doctrine of the Fides Formata. The formation of faith.

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Faith that is full formed. And filled out by works of love. And is thus effective. For the forgiveness of sins.

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As merited by human works. Because she loved much. That is why she was forgiven.

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Is what Rome would teach. Well Lutheran writes to the point. The Lord summarizes very exactly.

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And beautifully. I say unto thee. Her sins which are many are forgiven her. This is proved.

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By that she loved much. But to you and your companions. The sins are not forgiven.

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On the contrary. You are sticking in them above your ears. And will die in them and perish. For one discovers no proper love in you.

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Which love would necessarily follow. If you deemed yourself sinners. And believed that through me. You would be free there from.

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And so love was the indicator. Was the evidence. Well it must have been deeply humiliating.

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For Simon when Jesus presented her. In favorable light. While at the same time disclosing. Simon's insensitivity.

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And hardness of heart. May have also caused a little bit of. Discomfort for the woman.

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And that she was the subject of the interaction. But can you imagine the joy. She must have felt.

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After she left this place. And reflected upon our Lord's words to her. Our Lord's words would be rehearsed.

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For the remainder of her days. Her sins. Although so many and so gross.

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Had been forgiven her by God. Indeed wisdom is justified.

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In other words proved right by all her children. God's dealings in grace and mercy. With this sinful woman.

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Produced what religion could not do. In this self -righteous Pharisee. God's ways are right.

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God's ways of calling sinners. Through both John and Jesus. Are shown to be right. The way of grace is both wise and best.

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That God would bypass the self -righteous one. And bring sinners. Into relationship with himself.

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As vindicated. In the persons who receive this grace. And this woman is proof of this.

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And so we see in our story. A supreme example. Of the way of grace and its result.

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Grace is vindicated. We might just take a moment.

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And consider. Or identify three ways. In which God's grace. God's ways of grace.

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Are sinful and good. First grace is vindicated in its object. The sinner itself.

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Herself. She was a sinner. Again not the average ordinary day to day sinner.

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She was one of the darkest. Filthier. More obnoxious kind of sinner. Humanly speaking.

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She had forsaken the innocence. And purity of her youth. And made herself into a defiled thing.

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Compared to the Pharisee. She was a hundred times worse. But she knew her condition.

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He did not know his. On what legal grounds. Was she selected by God?

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Why did God choose her? What merit was found in her. To warrant God being gracious to her.

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And not to Simon. Would good things. What good thing had she done.

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That could atone for her sin. The sin of her life. And of course the answer is nothing. And that's what

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God's grace is. Of course. God of his own will. Freely. Shows mercy and kindness.

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And grace. To sinners who were deserving of his wrath. No God chose to.

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Show mercy on her. Because she was a great sinner. In whom the greatness of his mercy. And the greatness of his grace.

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Could be displayed in her salvation. Who gets the credit for this? Does she take any credit?

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No. And God often chooses the vilest of the vile. The most degenerate and fallen of the human race.

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To be the recipient of his grace. So that his grace might be seen. Very clearly for what it is.

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So we would say if you're here today. And you see yourself as having. The most wicked of hearts. And having fallen into the most despicable lifestyle.

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Which would shock the sensibilities. Perhaps of many here. If it was made known.

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Take heart in this. God seeks such as yourself. And delights in freely.

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Bestowing his salvation. He delights in pardoning. And transforming sinners.

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Like the old adage. You know God saves sinners. You know do you qualify? Simon didn't.

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He didn't regard himself. As a sinner. But God in his mercy seeks the most wretched of persons.

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Passing by so many. So called good people. At least in their own estimation. And he arrests those ones in their tracks.

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Renews them. Forgives them. Transforms them. And moves them to live sober. Righteous godly lives.

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In devotion to himself. Jesus Christ is a great savior. For great sinners. And that's what brings him great glory.

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We who are the blood bought children of God. Should each be filled with wonder. In this thought.

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Before the foundation of the world. Was laid. God chose you.

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If you're a Christian. Or if one day you become a Christian. He chose you to save your soul.

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Even when he saw you in your sin. He chose you. Bypassing many great and noble wise.

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And learned. For some reason. Known only to himself. He set his purpose to save you.

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And though for a time. He might have let you go your way. Bringing ruin to your present life. Eternal ruin to your eternal soul.

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He purposed to put a stop to your life and sin. And bring you to himself. All to the praise of his grace.

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In spite of your stubborn independent spirit. He had first brought. A disquietness to your soul.

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Regarding your sin. Which grew into a great dissatisfaction. With the kind of life that you lived.

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And before long. There was a distaste for that sin. That so characterized your life. Until finally he.

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Brought deliverance to you from that sin. Both its penalty. And its former control of your life.

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All through his mercy and grace. Now the text says. She was a sinner.

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But. The way she came and was justified. I had to put in the title.

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The woman who had been a sinner. She was still a sinner.

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You know. Paul was the chief of sinners. She's a. She's a person living in righteousness now.

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And love for her Lord. And so secondly. We could say grace is vindicated by its fruit.

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And this is the sinner's response. Of love for Jesus Christ. Look at her now.

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Can you imagine this to be the same woman. Who formerly was loud and boisterous. And unashamed of her life.

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Like the woman. The adulterous woman in Proverbs. Who wipes her mouth sits down. And says I've done no wrong.

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But now we see her. Who is formerly a sinner. And now a saint as it were. She's a weeping humble servant of Jesus.

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The public sinner of the city. Is now an open follower of Jesus. Before.

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She was unashamed of her sin. But now she is unashamed of her savior. Who would ever imagine this woman.

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Who once yielded her body. An instrument of unrighteousness. Would now be yielding her body and soul.

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And her most treasured possessions. To the Lord Jesus. The perfume which a few days before.

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Would have been used to allure men. To their soul's destruction. Is now offered as a sweet sacrifice.

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To the Lord Jesus. You cannot explain. The transformation in her life.

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Except by one thing. The grace of God. She was a trophy of grace.

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And the fruits of her life. Justified God's dealings with sinners. Such as herself.

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The wisdom of God. Is shown forth. In the children. In wisdom.

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This woman apart from the grace of God. She remained defiled and corrupt to her dying day. But the grace of God.

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Had transformed her. God removed the hardness of her face. He removed the hardness of her heart.

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He removed the flattery of her lips. The corrupt language. That once characterized her.

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God turned to her eyes. That were bent on adultery. Which revealed a heart of lust. To become filled with tears of remorse.

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Tears of gladness and gratitude. Her response as a transformed sinner. Vindicates God's daily deeds.

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Of grace. Wisdom is justified by her children. So the woman's faith in Christ.

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Is shown forth in her love for Christ. She was deeply affected. By the mercy and grace of God.

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Extended to her in Christ. It was her love. Born of her faith. That moved her to overcome fear.

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To enter Simon's house. In order to honor Jesus. With affection and devotion.

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Love was the chief fruit. It was her love for Christ. That moved her to devotion to Christ.

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I thought I would include. The words of J .C. Ryle. Who gave good emphasis. To this important truth.

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We see in the next place. In this passage. A grateful love is the secret. Of doing much for Christ.

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The penitent woman. In the story before us. Showed far more honor to the Lord. Than the Pharisee had done.

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No stronger proofs of reverence. The secret of her giving such proofs.

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Was love. She loved our Lord. And she thought nothing too much.

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To do for him. She felt deeply grateful to our Lord. And she thought no mark of gratitude.

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Too costly to bestow upon him. More doing for Christ. Is the universal demand.

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Of all the churches. It is the one point. On which we are all agreed. All desire to see among Christians.

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More good works. More self -denial. More practical obedience to Christ's commands.

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But what will produce these things? Nothing. Nothing but love. There never will.

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Be more done for Christ. Till there is more hearty love to Christ himself. The fear of punishment.

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The desire for reward. The sense of duty. Are all useful arguments in their way.

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To persuade men to holiness. But they are all weak and powerless. Until a man loves

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Christ. Once let that mighty principle. Get hold of a man. And you'll see his whole life changed.

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Let us never forget this. However much the world. May sneer at feelings in religion. And however false.

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Or unhealthy religious feelings. May sometimes be. The great truth still remains. That feeling is the secret of doing.

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The heart must be engaged for Christ. Or the hands will soon hang down. The affections must be enlisted.

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Into the service. It will always be the loving workmen.

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Who will do most in the Lord's vineyards. Well said. J .C.

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Ryle. And then of course thirdly grace. Is vindicated in his defense by Jesus.

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Jesus rose to the defense of this woman. Who is so worthy of condemnation. Matters not what she was.

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What matters is. That she is now a believer in him. And he will not disown her in silence.

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When accusation is leveled against her. And so it is. Jesus always speaks up on behalf of his own.

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When any charge. Or even a legitimate one. Is leveled at one of his own. Paul exclaimed this wonder.

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Regarding the love and grace in Christ. What then shall we say to these things. If God is for us.

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Who can be against us. He who did not spare his own son. But delivered him up for us all.

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How shall he not with him also. Freely give us all things. Who shall bring a charge against God's elect.

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It's God who justifies. Who is he who condemns. It's Christ who died. Furthermore it's also risen.

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Who's even at the right hand of God. Who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ.

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So tribulation, distress, persecution. Famine, nakedness. Barrel restored. As it's written for your sake.

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We're killed all day long. We're accounted sheep. As sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things.

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It's Christ who conquers. Through him who loved us. And so who is the one who condemns. When Christ defends us.

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Even now before the throne. God chose us. God called us. Justified us.

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And now defends our cause. We who are in Christ Jesus are secure. And we're secure eternally so.

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Amen. Well. We conclude with Jesus. His announcement to the sinner.

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To say to Simon that her sins were forgiven. But that was not enough for our Lord. He told

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Simon her sins are forgiven. But he would make the pronouncement. Of the forgiveness of her sins to her directly.

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And so verse 48. He said to her. Your sins are forgiven. And again to quote.

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Richard Linsky. The woman had heard her absolution pronounced. In what

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Jesus said to Simon. What he's saying here. Is that Jesus did not. At this moment.

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Forgive her sins. He declared absolution. That her sins had been forgiven. But this is not enough for Jesus.

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In a matter that's so supreme. So decisive for time and for eternity. He turns to this poor sinner.

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And absolves her. In a direct address to her. Dismissed have been thy sins. No sweeter words have issued.

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From these blessed lips. And how they delight to absolve. And he that believes these words.

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Is what they say and express. Have been of course.

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Includes are now. But goes back to the moment. When faith was first kindled.

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In this woman's heart. And then in that instant. All her sins were sent away from her soul.

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That is however an act. On the part of God in heaven. And we are here on earth. Therefore so that may.

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We may know and be assured of it. That act is put into the declaration. Of absolution. That it is spoken to us directly.

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As we read in John 20. 23. The point we're making here. Is that we may see this as Jesus.

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Is pronouncement of forgiveness. Rather than the bestowal of forgiveness. As we've stressed all along.

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She had been forgiven of her sin. Before she had come into this house. The reason for her great love.

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Was due to the fact. She had been forgiven much sin. But furthermore her past forgiveness of sins.

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Is suggested by the verb tense. That Jesus used. The present tense verb.

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Which might be translated. Your sins are now forgiven you. He used what is called a perfect tense verb.

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Which means the action. Had happened in the past. But its effects continue into the present.

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It might be translated. Your sins have been forgiven you. It was a declaration.

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That her sins are forgiven. Jesus declared to her. That her faith in him. Had brought this forgiveness of sins to her.

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It was Jesus who had brought. God the father had entrusted. This kind of authority.

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To his son. And his son exercised this authority freely. The father had forgiven her of her sins.

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When she put her faith in Jesus Christ. The son of God. Well rather than those listening.

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To our Lord's gracious words. With wonder and gladness. The unbelievers. Expressed their absence of faith in Jesus.

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Verse 49. Those who sat at the table with him. Began to say to themselves. Rejection.

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Maybe there was a sense of wonder. But it doesn't seem so. We can imagine that some of these.

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On the day of judgment. When they stand before the same Jesus. As their judge.

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With the prospect. Of eternity before them. Damnation upon them.

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Hell open before them. Can we imagine their remorse. Their regret.

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A forfeited opportunity. That the free and full. Of their sins had been set before them.

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In Simon's house. They could have received simply. Through humble simple faith.

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In Jesus Christ the Lord. Had they only believed in Jesus. When he so clearly revealed himself.

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In his saving nature before them. And will there be any one of us.

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Today. Here. Who will one day stand on the day of judgment. And have great remorse.

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For having failed. To believe on Jesus Christ. For our salvation. May that not be the case for any of us.

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I think the sense of regret. And remorse. Of the damn soul in hell. Will be the greatest torment.

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In eternity. The closing words of this episode. Are those of Jesus to the woman.

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Verse 50. And he said to the woman. Your faith has saved you. Again. It saved you.

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And he's declaring. That her faith had saved her. Go in peace. It wasn't her love for Jesus.

01:00:02

Not her devotion to Jesus. Not her weeping and sacrifice. Of expensive perfume that saved her. She put her faith in Christ.

01:00:10

She trusted that he would receive her. Although she was a great sinner. She had come to him in faith.

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Without confidence in herself. She had nothing. In herself. To encourage her.

01:00:24

In the mercy she received by him. And she could go forth. Assured that the wrath of God. Was no longer upon her.

01:00:31

There was peace between her and God. She and God had been formerly. Enemies with one another.

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But they were now fully reconciled. She could rejoice in this assurance. She could go forth knowing.

01:00:44

That God was at peace with her. And she could rest. And enjoy this assurance of peace. In her soul.

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And every one of us. Can go forth. With this same sense of peace.

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And assurance. Because it's by God's grace. Not by any merit in us.

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The only thing that prohibits. You. From receiving salvation. Is you refuse.

01:01:12

Or fail to acknowledge your sinner. Who deserves damnation. But you can receive.

01:01:19

The love of God in Christ. Free and full forgiveness of sins. And the gift of righteousness. You'll stand on the day of judgment.

01:01:27

Not. In your own sin. But in the righteousness of Christ. Jesus Christ will honor you.

01:01:36

Confess you before the Father. And say. You know. Here it is.

01:01:41

The eternal kingdom that's been prepared for you. From the foundation of the world. Enter into the joy of your

01:01:46

Lord. And that's what we look for. And that's what we await. Amen.

01:01:54

Let's pray. Thank you Father for your word. Thank you for these glorious stories.

01:01:59

That we have recorded in the gospel. And for the. For your great grace and mercy.

01:02:05

In saving us our God through Jesus Christ. Help us our God. To have a stronger faith.

01:02:12

A faith our God. That comes with much assurance. And joy. And peace.

01:02:18

As exhibited by this woman. Let us go forth our

01:02:24

Lord. We who believe on Jesus. As our Lord and Savior. Knowing that we are at peace with you.