January 22, 2020
How Much Do You Love?
Luke 7:36-50
Summer Powell
Central Truth
You will never be able to truly love without accepting the depths of God's love and forgiveness.
Key Verse | Luke 7:47
"Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."
Luke 7:36-50
A Sinful Woman Forgiven
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among 1 7:49 Or to themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Dive Deeper | Luke 7:36-50
For many years, I operated just like the Pharisee in this passage. I thought if I could do enough or be good enough, then God would be pleased with me. My heart toward others was judgmental. If they weren't striving to uphold the same moral standing, then I silently condemned them in my heart, elevating myself.
The Pharisee in the story knew of Jesus, but he neither loved Him nor other people. He saw neither his own sinful depravity nor his need for a Rescuer. He couldn't even see the sinful woman in her current brokenness because he was choosing to identify her by her past sin instead.
After a very long, exhausting life of trying to keep up this same facade, I listened to many friends who pointed me to re:generation, Watermark's biblical recovery ministry. It wasn’t until I began to let go of manipulating the truth of who I was and confronted the sinner that I am that I began to truly know the love and forgiveness of Jesus. I'm not good enough; I'm not good at all. I am the sinful woman. With struggles of control, people-pleasing, insecurity, and even adultery, I owe a debt greater than I can ever pay.
The sinful woman knew the great debt of her sin. She knew she would never be good enough. In humility, she wept over her sin and recognized her need for a Rescuer. The key to her forgiveness was faith—to believe she was a forgiven sinner—and it was her faith In Jesus that saved her.
I don't want to be a Pharisee—continuing to exhaust myself by trying to be good enough or by judging others. The Bible says: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:17)
We are all broken sinners, not one of us is good (Romans 3:23). Yet, God sees our hearts, knows our sin, and still loves and forgives us much (Romans 5:8). Because of this, we can freely meet people in their brokenness and impart the same empathy and grace Jesus has given us. The question is: Has His kindness impacted the way you love others?
Discussion Questions
1. Do you more readily find yourself pointing out sin in others or approaching the Lord with a broken and contrite heart?
2. When was the last time you wept over your sin? Did you run to Jesus?
3. Though you didn't deserve God's grace, He freely gave it. How has this fact informed the way you love others?
4. How has this same fact affected the way you worship Him?