12 February 2023

TOUCHING THE UNTOUCHABLES: THE SINFUL WOMAN

Speaker: Fred Sigle

SUNDAY LESSON, 2/12/23
 
TOUCHING THE UNTOUCHABLES: THE SINFUL WOMAN
Luke 7:36-50
 
This is a text that I have preached from many times over the years, including at GCC.  One cannot preach on “TOUCHING THE UNTOUCHABLES” without re-examining the incident that happened between Jesus and “a woman who had lived a sinful life in the town” (Luke 7:37) right in the middle of a dinner party hosted by a self-righteous Pharisee.
This is the kind of story that often makes us uncomfortable because we can see ourselves in this story.  Some of us have lived in a life of sin, much like the woman in this story, and have felt the sting of disappointment and disgust from others.  Some of us have lived smug, self-righteous lives like Simon the Pharisee, thinking we are better than others and, therefore, not recognizing our own sin struggles.  But why this story resonates with many people, is because both the sinner and the self-righteous need a Savior.
LUKE 7:36-50

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”