The One with the Pharisee, Prostitute, and Jesus

Anthemic life with Jeannie Greer the gospel message is that it will expose Cindy Jesus is exposing in all its ugliness and all its messed stoutness and dysfunctionality. You will just exposing the well-received and forgiving if you keep it covered. I'm your host, smiling bit of edge.

The topic of grace offends a lot of people and interestingly religious people in your instep teaching series to the book of Luke.

Pastor Jeannie educates us today about the handle of grace we are hardwired to think that our worth as a result of what we do if we do good things we get good rewards do bad things get bad consequences. In many ways. That is true that God's grace seems like if there is this whole system aside think that it is because without scandal of grace, none of us would have any hope apart from Jesus so turn with me to Luke chapter 7 for a familiar message that Pastor Katie titled the one with the Pharisee, the prostitute and that name is one of our favorite desperate some of Churchill story about the early days of his history. Job was a youth pastor at church in North Myrtle Beach. But because the church could not pay him full-time. Be a second job working at a gym right there on the strip there in North Myrtle Beach. He said the gym owner was a pretty smart guy and so he walked right across the street to the Crazy Horse gentleman's club and offered all the ladies that work there free membership to his gym is that all of a sudden all the men in the North Myrtle Beach area started coming to his gym to work out. JB said that when business was slow because he worked there that at the gym.

He would do some of his sermon prep and the smoothie making area you said in an instant. So I got to know some of these women, he said, I learned they had names. He said names, their real names were not Bambi and sentiment names like Carla and Sharon, I learned that they all said I had a few things in common is always the majority of the maybe not every single one that they all had a few things in common is in first. None of them wanted to have the job that they currently had. He said most of them had taken the job, thinking they would do it only for a short time in order to get out of some financial crisis issue that they were dealing with. And then I plan to leave a sever most of these ladies, those financial issues had had had something to do with being abandoned by a man he said most had kids and they didn't want their kids to know how mommy made money and he said all of them.

He said had to drink or take some substance before they perform. Job said he invited one of these ladies to come to church with him one weekend. He said it was pretty obvious just by the way that she was dressed who she was or at least what kind of work that she was in. He said that when she came in and sat down with him. A lot of people in this small little Baptist Church that he was youth pastor at, whispering them, pointing her direction is the end of the service wanted deacons asked to speak to me as speak to me in the pastor's office and he said when I got there they were joined by the pastor, and a couple other deacons. The deacon explained that the purpose of the church was to protect its members and especially their children from from women like that. Jimmy said to me, what we want back to the car. He said she was sitting inside the car, crying. He said I try to lie and tell her that the discussion wasn't about her, but she wasn't stupid. He said she knew that the meeting had been about her.

They made the statement he said how is it not heartbreaking that a woman like that feels the most degraded when she walks into a church and that she feels she feels more love and acceptance dancing in front of drunken men on vacation. Missy does in a place that bears Jesus's name, by the way for me to say if that's you today. Let me briefly pause to say two things.

First, I am deeply sorry that you have been treated that way by people in the church that is wrong and Jesus is quite the opposite of that. Second, I hope today to demonstrate to you that we don't feel that way about you either. Years ago Philip Yancey wrote a book called what's so amazing about Grace in which he explains what a lot of us know all too well, and that is a lot of our churches have been very poor stewards of grace. I read that book right after college I graduated from a Christian school where everything was all about dressing right in talking right and listening to the right style music where the length of your hair and the translation of the Bible that you used were more important than what was going on in your heart where people often got defined by their mistakes and then reduced to labels I'm divorced, drunk, pregnant before marriage that created a community. It was a part of that school that look great on the outside but was build a lot of brokenness where people hid on the inside so Yancey's book what so amazing about Grace really resonate with me and my guess is that that message probably resonates with a lot of you as well.

Many Christians seem totally devoid of the one thing that is supposed to characterize our experience with God.

That is grace. What saves the Christian is grace.

What sustains us is grace what fuels us and motivates us his grace.

What secures our future is grace. For it is by grace we have been saved through faith and not even that is ourselves at the gift of God not of works, so that nobody can boast, it is by faith that we have access into this grace now in which we stand from start to finish our walk with God is grace grace grace that is greater than all our sin. As CS Lewis once walked into a room in Cambridge where he was teaching at the time were a group of his fellow professors were discussing world religions and he said they had ridden all the characteristics of world religions down on the chalkboard and they were trying to show that all these religions basically taught the same thing as a solvent, CFOs walking by them that they said that they always told of Jack Jack here for a minute and your Christian tell us what is it that is in Christianity is not already in all these other world religions story goes that CFOs look at the chart more there for about five seconds. Oh that's easy you miss the most essential element of Christianity that is grace in every other world religion acceptance is given because you keep the rules well enough it's wages.

It is merit. If you do and you do well enough, you will be accepted by God but in the gospel that is flipped on its head.

It acceptance is given as a gift as grace and in response to that as a response of gratefulness and worship you obey. Grace a real experience and grace is the most transforming power on the planet said of some of you feel like something is missing in your spiritual life you like passion you see other people with their hands up and they seem to mean it you still feel that your heart you feel spiritually dry. I want to show you hopefully today, that losing touch with grace is at the root of all of that. Luke seven verse 36. This is such a beautiful passage, Charles Spurgeon preached five sermons on this passage. He loved it so much. I will get one so sorry about that but you will book 7 verse 36, and one of the Pharisees invited him to eat with them. The end of the Pharisee's house and he reclined at the table cannot disable quick Jesus had this thing about eating with losers all throughout the gospel of Luke.

You can find him in the homes of� Call them unpleasant people, tax collectors, self-righteous religious hypocrites, prostitutes, people with problems. I point this out because some Christians seem only to want to hang out with people who have it together actually think this is best for their family.

Jesus was not like that Jesus did life would broken and messed up people in anywhere you look for Jesus. If I'm that kind of person around him, not the people who have it all together. Verse 37. Again, a woman in the town who was a sinner by the way woman who was a sinner's Bible speak for prostitute she found out that Jesus was reclining at the table Pharisees. Also, she brought an alabaster jar perfume stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears.

She wiped his feet with her hair kissing them in anointing them with the perfume kissing and anointing his feet aside from Scott to be a gross that was also deeply suggested in those days taking off your veil and letting down your hair was something that a woman did only in her home around her husband. Clearly, this woman had not gotten the memo on how to act when the preacher came over for dinner where everybody feels awkward and embarrassed except for Jesus. He seemed quite pleased, and so verse 39 when the Pharisees who had invited install this he said to himself well or if this man really were a prophet he would know who this what kind of woman. This is it was touching him. Jesus replied to him. Simon, I got something to say to you by the way, there's little prophetic irony at work here because you see what just happened. Simon just thought to himself silently in his head he thought Jesus were actually a prophet he would know what kind of woman.

This is and he would send her away. Jesus leaves Simon's mind and diagnosis. His thoughts and heart which would be another way of indicating that he was a prophet just like he answered Simon's question pretty thoroughly. There Simon Sable said teacher accreditor had two debtors, one she says owed 500 denarii guy that's about a year and 1/2 year salary.

The other 50 since they cannot pay it back. He graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more. Simon answered all I suppose the one who gave more. Seems kinda a begrudging answer done. You have judged correctly. Jesus told him, turning to the woman he said to Simon, you see this woman, I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she with her tears wash my feet and wiped them with her here you give me but she has stopped kissing my feet since I came in, you did anoint my head with olive oil but she has anointed my feet with perfume. Therefore I tell you in person or many sins have been forgiven. That is why she loved much for the one who is forgiven little loves little Billy said to her, your sins are forgiven. Verse 39 those who were at the table with him again.

Say among themselves who is this man who even forgives sins by the way, that's a good question. If Jesus is not God.

How was he forgiving sense sins were committed against God, right, center committed against against God, which means that that only God can forgive them. If I'm standing next to you and somebody walks up and smacks you in the base and I looked over them and I say oh I forgive you to say that was my face that got smacked. That means it's my prerogative to forgive, and you would be correct to see this for what it is and forgiving sins. Jesus is identifying himself as God and everybody understood that verse 50. Then he said to the woman, your faith has saved you go in peace.

The scandal of grace. Grace confuses and offends religious people because people who have worked hard and kept all the rules don't like it when those who have not worked as hard or broken. Some of the rules when they get the same reward that the person who worked hard and kept all the rules gets Martin Luther, the reformer said since the fall. Our hearts have been hard wired with withholding wages mentality wages means you do you get paid. It means that we get what we deserve. We are worth.

However, well we perform. So if we do good things. Then we get good outcomes if we do bad things that we get bad outcomes.

It's karma so somebody does bad things and then gets good outcomes.

Well, that's insulting, but that is the economy of grace and it is a scandal that we should thank God for because of God, did not relate to us by grace, none of us would have any hope you see the point of this story is not that this woman is a sinner and Simon just needs to learn to deal with the fact that Jesus loves sinners to the point is that Simon is a sinner just like this woman. The only difference is that he doesn't realize it. Ironically, she's got a leg up on him because she realizes her sinfulness and he died because of his upbringing or because of his privileged place in society or because of his good education that his parents were able to get for him. He might have learned to cloak his sinfulness better than she has.

And he might've learned to to kind of harness his behavior in the more socially acceptable patterns. But his heart has the same sickness as hers may think of it like the coronavirus, one of the strange things they say about this disease is how they are reading. The symptoms can be some who contracted have only a slightly elevated temperature little critique others, especially if they are older or the weaker they develop serious lung problems in their vital organ start shutting down. But it's the same disease. If a babysitter walks into your house and pick up your baby and says oh by the way, I got coronavirus but don't worry, don't worry.

My symptoms are only mild not just for you parents is that's not okay. You want the disease anywhere near you.

God's revulsion against our sinfulness is 10 billion times stronger than the thought of a diseased person holding holding our baby in the sight of God. We are we are we are all the same category as this woman, we should thank God that he receives an forgives and embraces sinners because that's all any of us are the scandal of the gospel is not that not that Jesus loves bad people to the scandal of the gospel is that Jesus only loves bad people, because going on people. There are so if you don't think of yourself as a bad person and you're not a candidate for the love of Jesus. One of the most important and ironic aspects of Jesus's ministry is that sinners felt safe around him. But this woman. She was totally comfortable around see what she's doing here is very symbolic.

A lot like I explained to you. This was a symbol of intimacy, something women usually only felt comfortable doing in front of their husbands, but clearly what she's doing here is not sexual what she's doing represents an intimacy of soul before God. She is saying to Jesus, you see all of me and accept me just as I am back and let down my here because I feel safe with you.

One of the most ironic and beautiful aspects of Jesus life is house safe. Sinners felt around. In fact, you could say that the safest place in all the universe for a sinner to be is to be completely exposed in the presence of Jesus.

The gospel message is that if you will expose your sin to Jesus, if you will just expose it in all its ugliness and all its messed up nest and dysfunctionality view logistics, bows it, he will receive an forgive you if you keep it covered. You're on your this woman symbolically exposes her brokenness of soul to Jesus and all she finds his love and acceptance. Now Jesus acceptance of her did mean of course that he affirmed her lifestyle choices that he was content to leave her where she was. Her experience of grace changed her, but you take a note. Write this down. Grace does not mean accepting or embracing somebody simple lifestyle. Grace means loving and embracing them, despite their lifestyle. I say that because our society teaches us that when it comes to somebody's lifestyle. You really only got two choices right this is where you're watching over our Ellen or Bill Marr or anybody the ears or categories you have affirmation or alienation. You can either affirm that person fully or the other options you can reject them. But Jesus shows us 1/3 option that is neither affirmation or alienation is speaking truth with grace speaking God's truth to them, but not in a way that pushes them away when it shuts off the relationship.

One of Jesus's most misunderstood teachings in our day is what he says in Matthew seven judge not lest you be not judged.

People always assume that that means you should never tell somebody what they're doing is wrong with you do if you say will you to judge. This is the one verse in the Bible, but Bill Marr seems to know. But is that really what Jesus met is what he met, don't tell other people the wrong way coming. Think about it.

Didn't Jesus spend an entire lifetime, pointing out people's wellness wellness and what they think wellness and what they believe wrong us and what they're doing so to the apostles so not judging somebody can't mean not speaking the truth of them.

Note judging them is what you do after you speak the truth to them after you speak the truth, and then you pass them away or do you draw them close using judging means pushing somebody away condemning them and shutting them off and not condemnation just means I'm breaking the relationship because your bad see even when Jesus spoke truth. The people he drew them near radiated acceptance of love.

Jesus said in the gospel of John that he was not sent into the world to condemn the world, but to save it in John 12. He said that that while he was on earth he would not judge anybody that one day one day he'll come back as the judgment during his time on earth he wouldn't do it because he'd been sent out only to extend the acceptance of salvation to all who would receive it in a course is true of us to for our time on earth. That means no matter what somebody is done it means matter what they done until their dying breath.

We extend God's acceptance and embrace them and we model that that is our only posture toward the world is the scandal of grace, that is the heart of the gospel to that scandal produces three things in us three things that religion by itself, with all the flaws and all of its commands and all of its disciplines can never produce. I don't care how intense your religion how deeper fix your Bible knowledge is forgiveness and grace are the only things I can produce these three things in your heart. Number one white hot worship.this woman demonstrates anything else is an uncontrollable passion for Jesus.

She weeps over sin she adores with tearful thankfulness for her salvation. She she pours out a bottle of expensive perfume on his feet. Love so strong that she can't seem to even constrain herself. Dear Simon the Pharisee for all of his knowledge all is religion any kind of emotion like that in his heart.

Matthew you will I Simon you will like her. When was the last time that you wept over your sin and salvation. The answer is never to say very humbly that you got a problem if the fact that God himself took on for you and eternal hell that you would brought onto yourself with the fact that he sought you when you were running as fast as you could be other direction that's never brought tears to your eyes and you got a serious problem so well.

I'm just not that emotional of a person you don't have to be emotional, but that to bring tears to your eyes.

You have to be human with some semblance of understanding everybody here as far as I can tell, is human, which means that if you have a Web server, your salvation, I'm questioning whether or not you actually understand Jesus said those were forgiven might switch all of you love much and I love you much. You must be to forgiveness clear me be very clear. The point is not that this woman needs to be forgiven of a lot in the Pharisee only a little note. Both are in great need of forgiveness because one, the prostitute got to find security and happiness apart from God of prostitution. The other Simon thought he could win God's approval by showing how much better he was, and everybody else bowed rejecting God in their own way and both needed to be forgiven her advantage is that she realizes that he done which is why she loves Jesus passionately learned like Jesus. We must learn to speak truth to people without pushing them away. Jesus was able to draw people to himself while lovingly pointing out their standard. He radiated acceptance and live your listening to Pastor Judy Greer on Senate life. Tomorrow will conclude this message but just in case you missed any part of this series titled In-Stat.

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