It's You, It's Me, and Jesus: Debts Forgiven

The same words, with the same authority that your sins are forgiven. Not just the manageable ones, or the ones that you've worked through, or the ones that you think nobody knows about. We're talking about all of them. The ones that you thought were too much. The ones that you think you can't get past. The ones that are still hanging over your head. Every single one of them has been forgiven, done, canceled, not because you deserve it or because you earn it, but because he took it to the cross for you. And on the other side of that is forgiveness and grace and love. [00:54:19] (41 seconds)  #AllSinsForgiven

But the reality is that all of us are still in the story. We're in this parable in which there are two debtors, neither of which can pay back their debts. That's us. Whether we realize it, big debt, or whether we just kind of pretend like we're okay, little debt. But in both instances, we cannot pay it back. And yet here's Jesus who levels the playing field, who absorbs the debt that we owed on the cross once and for all for you. And this morning as we sit here, the same Jesus who spoke over that woman in Simon's dining room is speaking over you right now. [00:53:30] (49 seconds)  #DebtCanceled

The outpouring of love and tears and worship is a response to the forgiveness that she has received. It's the proper response from someone. Love comes at a response to understanding just exactly what has been given to you. See, she knew that she was a sinner. She knew how great her debt was, and she knew that the love and the forgiveness that comes from God toward her has transformed her into a way that manifests in this outward display of love toward Jesus. [00:50:21] (37 seconds)  #LoveRespondsToGrace

And as we get to carry that with us, we get to show and demonstrate what that canceled life looks like by exuding love, by allowing his love to overflow into the lives of the people that he places in our path. And so today, as we think about this, it's you, it's me, and it's Jesus. And Jesus has spoken and he has said that the debt is gone, so now go in peace. God's peace and strength be with you today and always. Amen. [00:58:48] (34 seconds)  #CanceledDebtLife

It's this picture in which it's a compare and contrast. On one hand, the host who has done the least amount required and has kept his distance. Whereas this woman who comes in and she gives everything at the sake of being further disgraced, further judged, she comes and she could not stop. See, Simon thought he was doing the right thing, and yet Jesus paints the picture of a heart that is not quite right. [00:49:00] (38 seconds)  #HeartOverAppearance

Because on the outside he's got it all figured out, but internally he's missing something important. And so Jesus then turns to the woman and says to Simon. And so just imagine the woman is here and Simon is somewhere over here, and Jesus is talking to him, but but looking at her and she said and he says, do you see this woman? I entered your house and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [00:48:17] (31 seconds)  #TearsAndFeet

And so now Jesus asks Simon, now which of them will love him more? Simon answered, the one I suppose for whom he canceled the larger debts. And Jesus said to him, you have judged rightly. And so here's Simon listening to this parable, being asked the question, and he uncomfortably and correctly gets the word, the answer right. Because Simon is starting to sense where this is going. He's answering as a man who feels that the rug is about to be pulled out from underneath him, rightfully so. [00:47:40] (37 seconds)  #WhoLovesMore

But maybe on the inside where we're wrestling with the demons or with the things that struggles and we're wondering and questioning and doubting, and yet nobody sees that. Or maybe you're kinda like the woman who on the outside her life has fallen apart. She's got no respect. She's got disgrace written all over her. Reputation goes before her. The weight of sin is there. But on the inside she understands that she has been forgiven much. And that forgiveness covers the sin. And for some of us we're somewhere in the middle. [00:52:51] (39 seconds)  #HiddenStruggles