Christian Family Services Ministry

9-25-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Sin is ever oppressing. It follows one throughout life and relentlessly hounds and mocks. For those who have really sinned know exactly what I am talking about. This type of sin, whatever the violation maybe is difficult for the follower of the Lord to reconcile.

It is the type and class of the one which Peter experienced when he betrayed his dear friend. It is of the magnitude which Paul faced when he considered the death of Stephen. Any who has really sinned understands the sickness of the soul that plagues and rips at the heart.

Usually these sins causes one to wander far from God and takes one down the paths of even greater sin.

Going home is difficult. Even weary with wandering, home seems so remote and difficult to find.

Luke 7 tells us of just a situation and holds out hope for all who have struggled with sin. Real sin. We know little of the history of the woman, even her name escapes history. It may be she was immoral, given the attitude of the Pharisee.

Here is the passage: One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. (ESV)

No doubt the woman was deeply fearful of rejection, yet desperate for forgiveness and to be rescued from the past therefore all else was put aside.

Now for us who are real sinners this encounter with Jesus gives us hope. Hope that the past will no longer have power over us. Peace, yes real peace, which wraps us in the arms of the Master in a manner which heals, and protects us from the paths we once trod.

To get the attention of the Pharisee Jesus gives a short parable: “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ( A denarii was equal to a day’s pay so one owed about five weeks earnings the other a year and half). When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”…… 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.”

The key idea to focus on is the little phrase; “for she loved much”.For the true repentant sinner their acknowledgement of the depth of sin, coming to the Lord with a broken and contrite heart results not only in forgiveness but a far greater depth and capacity for love. What is your measured capacity for love?