There is nothing "light" about God's salvation

My notes from a sermon on 6 March 2011

Luke 7 verses 36 – 50

God's salvation is something that really works. Here we find Jesus entering into the home of a Pharisee by the name of Simon. Pharisees didn't have a lot of time to speak to Christ other than to trick and con him with his words. As Jesus was sitting at the table this woman enters the scene. She was a deep dyed sinner but gloriously saved. That is what makes the difference – not becoming better, turning over a new life, it is being gloriously saved and God transforming lives. This woman was a harlot, a prostitute, she sold her body for a living. When she met with Christ he gave her a new nature, a new walk and new desires. That is what God does when men and women come to trust in Christ. A new nature is given to that person. This woman comes and begins to wash the masters feet, kisses and dries them with her hair. She anoints his feet with precious ointment. As she does so the spotlight zooms in on the host. Notice his attitude not his actions - verse 39. He doesn't get up and turn the woman out the door. The Pharisees watched the woman coming in, saw the tears flowing from her eyes, how she bathed Jesus’ feet with those tears and dried them. What did the Pharisee do? “He spake within himself”. He didn't speak a word but the Lord picked up on his hatred. The Lord is not looking on the outward heart but rather the inner heart. Jesus knows whether it is the heart rejecting the word of God or is opening up that word of God. The Lord sees the heart of this Pharisee. He was making up his mind, he had his own views. Notice about this man ...

A man who didn't understand human nature - verse 39 “this man if he were a prophet would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner.” He didn't understand because of human nature. The Bible says “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3 verse 23) He had no bother in claiming this woman was a sinner but didn't understand because of human nature. Not only pointing out she was a sinner but missing the fact that he too was a sinner. That is how blinded we can be. We don't realise the human race is a fallen race. We are blinded and deceived by the god of this world. Turn to Genesis chapter 3 and see Adam and Eve placed in a perfect environment. God gave them the option to eat of every tree except one tree. In that day if they ate of it they would surely die. The devil blinded them. The devil was able to deceive them, persuade them to take this fruit and they would not die. Man from this point has been a fallen man. Man has been blinded to the fact of the greatest need of the human heart. Romans 3 verse 10. Isaiah 53 verse 6 says “all we like sheep have gone astray”. In Luke 18 we read of 2 men who went up to the temple to pray – one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Publicans were counted as lost by the Pharisees. The Pharisees said “Lord I am glad I am not as other men like this publican here.” The devil blinds the mind of them that believe not. We conjure up all sorts of things like “I am not as bad as that person.” The apostle Paul said “we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.” (2 Corinthians 10 verse 13) It is a dangerous thing to compare oneself against another. Pharisees didn't understand the basis of human nature. He was as much a sinner as another person. Simon failed to realise he was as much a sinner as the woman. In John 9 we read of a man blind from birth. Jesus healed him. The Pharisees questioned the man “who healed you”. The man replied “Jesus spat on the ground put the mud in my eyes and I was able to see.” The Pharisees didn't understand “thou wasn't altogether born in sin and doest thou teach us.” (verse 34)

A man who undervalued the Lord's character. He thought something of the Lord because he invited him into the house, sat him at a table, which had been furnished with good things. In verse 39 he says to himself “if this man was a prophet.” We think we are not so bad, love to be saved but not much point in it. Fail to see on the cross of Calvary God was reconciling Christ to the world. We miss that sacrifice and as a result will fail to be in heaven. Christ came into this world to seek and to save that which is lost. He left heaven, came into this world, on the cross he shed his blood, to save you and to prepare a place in heaven just for him. In the mind of Simon Jesus never rose above the level of a prophet. Remember the woman at the well in John 4. As the Lord opened up the scriptures the woman turned to him and said “I perceive that thou art a prophet”. When she went into town she told the men “come see a man that told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ?” She went from describing this man as a prophet to describing him as the Christ. Do you understand the heart that is in you? That you are a fallen creature? He sat at Simon's table and Simon undervalued him. Christ presents to you his salvation. Are you going to undervalue him? Are you going to underestimate his great power? Simon did. You need Christ to save you. You need to be sure of heaven and home. Thank God he will give you that assurance if you will only come.