by The Father's House on Jul 14, 2024
### Summary
Today, we gathered to reflect on the profound access we have to God through prayer and unity. We began by holding hands across the aisles, symbolizing the unity of the body of Christ. We prayed for healing and comfort for those affected by recent tragic events, and for wisdom and revival among our nation's leaders. We emphasized the importance of turning to God in times of chaos rather than social media, drawing from 2 Chronicles 7:14, which calls us to humble ourselves, pray, and seek God's face.
We then delved into the story of the sinful woman who anointed Jesus' feet in Luke 7. This narrative illustrates the boundless forgiveness of God. The woman, known for her sinful life, approached Jesus with tears, washing His feet and anointing them with expensive perfume. Despite the judgmental thoughts of Simon the Pharisee, Jesus acknowledged her act of love and forgave her many sins, demonstrating that God's forgiveness is available to all, regardless of their past.
The key takeaway from this story is that God's forgiveness is limitless and unconditional. Jesus forgives without being asked, and His forgiveness transforms lives. We are called to reflect this radical love and forgiveness in our own lives. We must not wait for others to ask for forgiveness but should freely offer it, just as Jesus does. This act of forgiveness not only liberates us but also restores relationships and reflects the true nature of our Father in heaven.
We concluded by encouraging everyone to take their next step in their spiritual journey, whether it's accepting Jesus' forgiveness for the first time, recommitting to their faith, getting baptized, or committing to a local church. We emphasized the importance of understanding and accepting God's forgiveness to truly love Him and others with a radical love.
### Key Takeaways
1. **Unity in Prayer**: We began by holding hands across the aisles, symbolizing the unity of the body of Christ. This act reminds us that in times of chaos and uncertainty, we are called to come together in prayer, seeking God's face and humbling ourselves before Him. This unity is a powerful testament to our faith and trust in God's sovereignty. [12:58]
2. **God's Boundless Forgiveness**: The story of the sinful woman in Luke 7 illustrates that God's forgiveness is limitless and unconditional. Despite her past, Jesus acknowledged her act of love and forgave her many sins. This teaches us that no matter our past, God's forgiveness is always available to us, transforming our lives and restoring our relationship with Him. [01:04:57]
3. **Forgive Without Being Asked**: We are called to forgive others freely, just as Jesus forgives us. Holding onto unforgiveness gives others power over our lives and keeps us in bondage. By forgiving, we liberate ourselves and reflect the radical love of Christ. This act of forgiveness is essential for our spiritual growth and for maintaining healthy relationships. [51:57]
4. **Accepting God's Forgiveness**: To truly experience the fullness of God's love, we must accept His forgiveness. This acceptance transforms our lives, enabling us to love God and others with a radical love. Without recognizing and accepting His forgiveness, we risk walking away from an encounter with Jesus unchanged and unforgiven. [01:06:33]
5. **Next Steps in Faith**: Everyone has a next step in their spiritual journey, whether it's accepting Jesus' forgiveness for the first time, recommitting to their faith, getting baptized, or committing to a local church. Taking these steps is crucial for our spiritual growth and for living a life that reflects the principles of God's Word. [01:09:23]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[12:18] - Access to God Through Prayer
[12:58] - Unity in the Body of Christ
[13:33] - Turning to God in Chaos
[14:25] - Praying for Healing and Comfort
[16:35] - Praying for National Leaders
[17:20] - Commitment to Prayer and Unity
[18:37] - Rejecting Fear and Embracing Peace
[19:19] - Trusting in God's Sovereignty
[50:06] - Introduction to Luke 7
[51:57] - The Power of Forgiveness
[53:15] - Jesus' Teaching on Unlimited Forgiveness
[55:59] - The Sinful Woman's Act of Love
[57:21] - Jesus' Response to the Woman
[01:00:15] - The Parable of the Money Lender
[01:01:44] - Jesus Acknowledges the Woman
[01:04:57] - The Woman's Forgiveness
[01:06:33] - Accepting God's Forgiveness
[01:08:08] - Next Steps in Faith
[01:09:23] - Baptism and Church Commitment
[01:10:55] - Understanding God's Forgiveness
[01:12:21] - The Story of Paco
[01:13:57] - Invitation to Accept Jesus
[01:15:26] - Prayer of Salvation
[01:17:19] - Closing and Offering
### Bible Reading
1. **2 Chronicles 7:14** - "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2. **Luke 7:36-50** - The story of the sinful woman who anointed Jesus' feet.
### Observation Questions
1. What does 2 Chronicles 7:14 instruct God's people to do in times of chaos and uncertainty? [13:33]
2. In Luke 7, how did the sinful woman demonstrate her repentance and love for Jesus? [57:21]
3. How did Jesus respond to the judgmental thoughts of Simon the Pharisee regarding the sinful woman? [58:49]
4. What was the significance of Jesus forgiving the woman's sins without her explicitly asking for it? [01:04:57]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is unity in prayer important for the body of Christ, especially in times of national or personal crisis? [12:58]
2. How does the story of the sinful woman in Luke 7 illustrate the concept of God's boundless forgiveness? [01:01:44]
3. What does it mean to forgive others without being asked, and how does this reflect the nature of God's forgiveness? [51:57]
4. How can accepting God's forgiveness transform our lives and our ability to love others radically? [01:06:33]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you turned to social media instead of prayer during a chaotic situation. How can you change this habit to seek God's face first? [13:33]
2. Think of someone in your life who has wronged you but has not asked for forgiveness. How can you take a step towards forgiving them freely, as Jesus teaches? [51:57]
3. How can you demonstrate radical love and forgiveness in your daily interactions, similar to how the sinful woman showed her love for Jesus? [57:21]
4. What are some practical ways you can remind yourself of God's limitless forgiveness when you feel burdened by past sins? [01:04:57]
5. Identify your next step in your spiritual journey. Is it accepting Jesus' forgiveness, recommitting to your faith, getting baptized, or committing to a local church? How will you take this step? [01:09:23]
6. How can you cultivate a habit of praying for national leaders and seeking revival in your community? [16:35]
7. What specific actions can you take this week to reflect the unity and love of the body of Christ in your church or community? [12:58]
Day 1: Unity in Prayer
In times of chaos and uncertainty, the unity of the body of Christ is a powerful testament to our faith and trust in God's sovereignty. Holding hands across the aisles symbolizes this unity, reminding us that we are called to come together in prayer, seeking God's face and humbling ourselves before Him. This act of unity is not just a physical gesture but a spiritual declaration that we are one in Christ, standing together in faith and love.
When we unite in prayer, we acknowledge that our strength comes from God and that we are stronger together. This unity is essential, especially in times of crisis, as it helps us to support one another, bear each other's burdens, and seek God's guidance collectively. By coming together in prayer, we demonstrate our dependence on God and our commitment to His will, trusting that He will lead us through any storm. [12:58]
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV): "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
Reflection: How can you actively participate in fostering unity within your church community this week? Can you commit to praying with someone in your congregation today?
Day 2: God's Boundless Forgiveness
The story of the sinful woman in Luke 7 is a powerful illustration of God's limitless and unconditional forgiveness. Despite her past, Jesus acknowledged her act of love and forgave her many sins. This narrative teaches us that no matter our past, God's forgiveness is always available to us, transforming our lives and restoring our relationship with Him. Jesus' response to the woman shows that His forgiveness is not based on our worthiness but on His boundless grace and love.
This story challenges us to reflect on our own lives and recognize that we, too, are in need of God's forgiveness. It encourages us to approach Jesus with humility and faith, trusting that He will forgive us and transform our hearts. By accepting His forgiveness, we can experience true freedom and a renewed relationship with God. [01:04:57]
Isaiah 1:18 (ESV): "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
Reflection: Is there a sin or past mistake that you have been holding onto? Can you bring it before God today and trust in His boundless forgiveness?
Day 3: Forgive Without Being Asked
We are called to forgive others freely, just as Jesus forgives us. Holding onto unforgiveness gives others power over our lives and keeps us in bondage. By forgiving, we liberate ourselves and reflect the radical love of Christ. This act of forgiveness is essential for our spiritual growth and for maintaining healthy relationships. Jesus' teaching on forgiveness emphasizes that we should not wait for others to ask for forgiveness but should offer it freely, just as He does.
Forgiving others can be challenging, especially when we have been deeply hurt. However, it is through forgiveness that we can experience true healing and freedom. By choosing to forgive, we release the burden of resentment and allow God's love to flow through us, restoring our relationships and bringing peace to our hearts. [51:57]
Ephesians 4:32 (ESV): "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 4: Accepting God's Forgiveness
To truly experience the fullness of God's love, we must accept His forgiveness. This acceptance transforms our lives, enabling us to love God and others with a radical love. Without recognizing and accepting His forgiveness, we risk walking away from an encounter with Jesus unchanged and unforgiven. Accepting God's forgiveness is a crucial step in our spiritual journey, as it allows us to experience His grace and mercy fully.
When we accept God's forgiveness, we are acknowledging our need for His grace and surrendering our lives to Him. This act of acceptance opens our hearts to His transformative power, allowing us to live in the freedom and joy that comes from being forgiven. It also empowers us to extend the same forgiveness to others, reflecting God's love in our relationships. [01:06:33]
Micah 7:18-19 (ESV): "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."
Reflection: Have you fully accepted God's forgiveness in your life? How can this acceptance change the way you live and interact with others today?
Day 5: Next Steps in Faith
Everyone has a next step in their spiritual journey, whether it's accepting Jesus' forgiveness for the first time, recommitting to their faith, getting baptized, or committing to a local church. Taking these steps is crucial for our spiritual growth and for living a life that reflects the principles of God's Word. Each step we take in faith brings us closer to God and helps us to grow in our relationship with Him.
Identifying and taking your next step in faith requires self-reflection and a willingness to follow God's leading. It may involve stepping out of your comfort zone, making a public declaration of your faith, or deepening your commitment to a local church community. Whatever your next step may be, trust that God will guide you and provide the strength and courage you need to move forward. [01:09:23]
Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Reflection: What is your next step in your spiritual journey? How can you take that step today, trusting in God's guidance and strength?
Let your glory cover the earth. Let... Amen? Amen. Amen. What a great song. I love the bridge in that. Why wait till heaven when it's here right now? And I love the line that says, we touch his garment with a desperate sound. How amazing our God is that we can actually have access to him. He's given us access. That we can, the veil is torn, we can run into the throne room and we can ask our king, our father, of what we need.
We wanna spend a little bit of extra time in prayer this morning. If you're like me, you may have gone to bed with a little bit of a heavy heart last night. And what I wanna do is I wanna lead us in prayer. But beyond that, I want the room to look like a representation of the unity of the body of Christ.
So I'm gonna ask you to grab the hand of your neighbor, and probably the easiest way to do it is to scoot towards the center of the room because I want it to stretch across the aisles. I want everyone to be holding a hand of someone all the way across. You know, if we'll look to God, if we'll look to his word, he tells us what we're supposed to do.
And there's one thing that I know that he doesn't tell us to do. And he doesn't tell us in the midst of chaos, in the midst of stuff. He doesn't tell us to run to Facebook. He doesn't tell us to run to social media to spew our opinion. He calls us to prayer. He calls us to, in 2 Chronicles 7:14, it says, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray and seek my face, turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will heal their land.
That's what we're gonna do today. United with one heart, with one mind, with one voice. We're gonna pray and we're gonna seek his face.
Father God, first of all, we just wanna recognize that in this moment, of how great you are and who you are, that you are who you say you are. And we humble our finite self before you. We come with complete and total gratitude that you spared former President Trump's life. But in the midst of that, we also know that two lives were lost and two lives are in critical condition.
So Father, while on one hand, we're thankful, on the other hand, because of an act of heinous hate, there are families that are suffering today. And Father, we don't take that lightly. Father, we ask right now for healing over the two people, the bodies, the two that are in critical condition. We ask that you would heal them, that you would right now fill whatever hospital room, wherever they are at, that your presence would fill that room right now.
I don't care if they're a believer or they're a non-believer. If they know you, they don't know you. Father, we're asking that you would fill that room for the glory of your name. Father, we pray for the two families that they've woken up this morning without their family member. And I can't imagine as a wife, as a husband, as a mother, as a father, a brother, sister, I can't even imagine getting that kind of a phone call or that kind of a situation unfolding in front of me for my family.
So Father, we just ask that you would give comfort to those families. That I'm sure right now, they are very confused. They have been shoved into chaos, shoved into all kinds of different things. And Father, I pray first and foremost, if they don't know you, that you would send someone right now in their path, right in the middle of where they are, that they would show who you are, that you are there for them, that you've never taken your eyes off them and that you love them.
Father, we pray for this nation. We pray for this nation. We pray for our leaders. We pray for President Biden right now, that in the days to come, he would make good choices. He would make the right choices. Father, we are coming together. We're asking for revival in the White House, revival in the Senate, revival in the Pentagon, revival in the House of Representatives.
Father, would revival break out all over this nation because we still are one nation under God. We are united, one nation under God. Although it might not work out, look like it, Father. I will not let go of that this nation was founded on you.
Father, help us as your people to be your people, to act like your people, to behave like your people, that we would not spew hate and that we would not, in spewing our opinion on the matter when we were not even there. Father, we commit right now that we will not do that. What we will do is we will get on our knees and we will pray and we will seek. We will seek your face.
Because Father, as the world gets darker, we need to be the light in that world. And Father, if we pull out, if we are timid, if we back away, then the dark just gets darker. So Father, help us to boldly run into the dark as your light. But Father, with peace, with kindness, with love, with unity, lining up with your word and what you say, Father.
Help us to make right decisions, help us to make decisions that are not popular, popular in the way that the world says that things should be. Father, help us to make the unpopular decision, which is the decision based off of your word, not based off of what we think. But let us go to scripture. Let us go to the word of God and let us get answers there.
Father, I pray for every single person that was at that rally. I pray for every single person that watched it unfold online. For those that are in this room, Father, that the enemy would want to incite fear in us. And in the days to come and all of the reports that will flood in, may we not get focused on that and focused on fear mongering.
But Father, that we would remember that you have not given us a spirit of fear. You have given us a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. We will not move and respond in fear. That doesn't mean that fear doesn't come, but we will recognize that it's not of you. And we come against it, we come against hate in this room, world. We come against evil and violence, and we just declare you have no authority in this place.
We, as your people, we take authority over the situation. And we ask, Holy Spirit, that you would usher in your peace, that you would usher in answers that only you could come up with. Father, that you would bring a solution to what is going on in our world right now.
Father, we thank you. We thank you that we have the promise of your presence that never leaves us and never forsakes us, that we're not alone. And Father, we pray right now that that is the sound that will be resounding over this nation, that you are sovereign, that you are in control, that you have not left us, you have not turned your eye from us, you still see us and you love us.
We lay all this at your feet and we trust in you once again. In Jesus' name, and all the church said, amen.
Our prayer team is coming down front because I said we want to spend a little bit of extra time in prayer today. And our prayer team is coming down front. Our ushers are coming down front. And if you have something that's going on in your life, something personal that you would like prayer for, we want to give you that opportunity right now.
So as our prayer team comes forward, you can just move right out of your seat, move to the end of the aisle, and the ushers will direct you where to go. And those of you that are watching online, we're not leaving you out either. If you have something that's going on in your life, we want you to type that right there in the chat because we have a chat host that is ready, ready to pray with you, for you, they're ready to agree with you according to God's word.
And we love you. And so let's stay in a mindset of prayer. So if you need prayer for anything, go ahead and come forward.
Wow, great job, Jimmy. I love it when Jimmy teaches because he's always so real, authentic and genuine. And that is a clear reflection of the house. And I so appreciate you, Jimmy. Thank you for bringing what you brought today, that you gave us truth and you gave us a clear reflection, a clear step on what we can do with that truth, amen.
Well, I'm going to continue. We're going to talk about a different table that Jesus was at. I'm going to be in Luke 7, so you can just flip over a couple of chapters over to Luke 7.
And while you're doing that, I just want to ask you a question today. And that first question is, have you ever forgiven someone without being asked? Anybody? You ever just forgave someone without being asked? It's not a trick question. You know, just, you know, you just decided without them knowing, they didn't even really know that they did anything wrong, but you just chose to forgive them.
And you saw them later on, and you just realized that you were kind of lighter, you know, that you had already forgiven them. Now, this scenario isn't as usual, unfortunately, but when someone does something, and they know what they did, but they don't right away, you already, you may have forgiven them, but you're just sort of, in a sense, waiting for them to recognize what they did.
They knew what they did, but later on, they come back and they apologize. And do you remember maybe in that moment what you said to them? I already forgave you the moment it happened, or I've forgotten about that, you know, I'm good, we're good.
Now, the relationship was still broken because they knew what they did, and you had already forgiven them, but you were, like I said, waiting for them to recognize what they had done, or maybe they would never recognize it, but you still had forgiven them. But when they came back and apologized, that's when the relationship was restored. That's when the relationship was reconciled.
I want to give you some advice today. I'm going to get into the word, we're going to see what Jesus says, but I want to give you some advice up front, and that advice is this: don't wait, just go ahead and forgive. I mean, why not? Essentially, if you don't, what you're doing is you're giving that person power over your life. You're giving them the power over your thoughts, over your behavior, over you, how long you stay angry, how long you stay hurt.
You're giving them all of the power, and you're sort of held hostage to whether or not they're going to own up before you decide that you're going to forgive. So don't wait, just go ahead and forgive. And if you're not sure about that, well, first of all, if you're not sure about that, you're going to have to forgive.
And if you're not sure, if you're a Jesus follower, and this is where it gets hard, because if you're a Jesus follower, you are actually required to forgive. You are required to give. Jesus insists that we forgive.
Now, let me be clear, Jesus doesn't insist that you stay in an unhealthy or a dangerous relationship. Really, opposite of that, I believe that Jesus would insist that you get out of a dangerous or an unhealthy relationship, but once you had some separation, I know that he would turn around to you and say, okay, it's time to forgive now.
Now, if you're not sure about that, you're not alone. Neither was Peter. Peter, who is one of his closest friends and disciples. Remember, I think when I taught last time, when we were talking about forgiveness, and I read through this passage that, you know, Peter was like, you know, Jesus, I hear what you're saying, that we're supposed to forgive, but there's like some parameters, right?
So like, maybe it's the perfect number three that I'm supposed to give my brother. So like, how many times do I have to forgive? The perfect number three, maybe the perfect number seven. You know, I understand the whole forgiveness thing, but there's limits, right, Jesus? And he says to him, no, not seven. I tell you, 77 times.
Now, I think that the first question begs us to ask another question, because if Jesus teaches us that there should be unlimited forgiveness from us, and he insisted that we forgive people, even if they don't ask, even if they never ask, and if Jesus teaches us that there should be unlimited forgiveness from us, and he insisted that we forgive people, even if they don't ask, and if Jesus teaches us to represent God, is God like that? Limitless forgiveness before you ask? If you never ask?
Luke chapter seven, we're going to get into that, and in your Bible, it may say a sinful woman anoints Jesus' feet. And before we get into it, I just want to say to everyone in the room, and for those of you that are watching online, you probably are very familiar with this story. You've probably read it many times. You've probably heard people teach on this particular passage, but I want you to go on with an overview of what it means to be a sinner.
And I want you to go on with an overview, open mind and a blank sheet of paper. I want you to ask Holy Spirit right now to help you to not come to a conclusion in your mind before we even get into it, that you would ask Holy Spirit to teach you something new today. Okay, can we do that?
All right, so let me set the scene for you. There's a man named Simon. He's a Pharisee, much like what Jimmy was talking about, a Pharisee who was a religious leader back in Jesus' day. They didn't listen to him. They didn't like Jesus, okay? So the fact that Jesus was getting invited to these dinner parties by Pharisees, you can imagine that they probably weren't inviting him to a party in nature.
On the contrary, what they were doing was they were inviting him in so that they could possibly trip him up, that he would contradict something, that he would show that he wasn't really who he said he was. Now, when Simon would have invited him to his home, it would have been like a big open room where they would have had the dinner party. The windows would have been open, the doors would have been open, and anyone walking by could have stopped, leaned into the window, and they could have listened.
They could have leaned into the door, they could have walked in, they could have stood along the wall, and they could have listened to the conversations that were going around at the table. And at this particular scene, in walks a woman who everyone knew was a sinful woman.
When I say that she was a sinful woman, I don't mean that like what we say to each other, you know, you're a sinner, you were a sinner. No, what they were talking about was she was steeped in sin. She was defined by sin. She lived a life of sin. This is how she was known. She was the sinful woman of the city.
And in she walks. And it's amazing, like how did she even know that Jesus was going to be there, you know? And to have such boldness, and courage to even walk into that room, knowing, I'm sure for full well, there would have been a lot of murmuring, or that they would even let her in. But you know what? I thought about that the other day, and I thought, maybe she had been to Simon's house before.
You'll get that later. Maybe when you're watching your soap opera later, it'll connect, you know. But this woman came in. We don't know her name. Sinful woman, as the Bible describes her. And she comes in, and she goes directly to Jesus.
And she goes directly to Jesus. And she goes directly to Jesus. And she goes to Jesus. Now, everyone at the table, it didn't look like a table that we would be sitting at today at our dining room. It was a very low table, low to the floor. They would have been sitting on like a cushion. They would have been reclining on their one elbow with their feet out like this.
So she would have come up behind him, and she would have knelt down at his feet. So she's here, and Jesus, you know, is like that, okay? And so she begins to, I can't even picture this, because I have never cried enough to wash someone's feet. Have you ever, we just read things, and we don't really like think about and sit in the words that we read in the Bible.
But I'm thinking to myself, man, this woman was so broken that she produced enough tears to wash Jesus's feet. Jesus's feet would have been very dirty, because everywhere was dirt, and they wore sandals, right? So she begins to wash his feet with her tears, dry his feet with her hair, and opens up an expensive bottle of perfume, and pours it over his feet.
Now, can you imagine the room at this point? Awkward. Like, could you imagine being there, and all of a sudden this woman starts crying on his feet, and drying it with her hair, and pours, you know, perfume all over his feet? They'd have been like, what? It's going to end being who she was.
Simon is sitting over there going, how in the world did this woman get in here? And if I would have known that this was going to go on, because he wasn't mad about it. Hear me, he wasn't mad about it, because in that moment, he's watching this unfold, and going, we got him. We got him, because if he knew who she was, if he knew the kind of woman she was, if he knew the kind of life that she lived, and she's touching him, he would know that she is ceremonially unclean, and therefore making him unclean.
He could never have been sent by God. These are the thoughts that Simon is thinking. So he's thinking, you could have maybe spared me all of the money I had to pay to put this dinner party on, you know, but, so he's thinking these things to himself. He doesn't utter a word in this moment. He's thinking them to himself, and Jesus, because he's awesome, answers his thoughts.
He answers his thoughts, and he says, Simon, I want to tell you something. And Simon's like, okay, teacher, tell me. And he completely, right then and there, launches into a parable. And he talks about, there's this money lender, and there's these two merchants, the two merchants borrowed money from this money lender, and they got themselves into a situation where the interest just compounded, and they found themselves in a place where they could not pay.
The one owed 50 pieces of silver, which would have been about a month and a half's worth of daily wages, and the other one owed 500 pieces of silver, which was about a year and a half's daily wages worth, right? So they come to the money lender, and they say, we don't, we don't know what to do. We just, we don't have the money. We can't pay you back.
And the money lender kindly says, okay, your debt is completely forgiven. He canceled their debts. And at this point in the room, the people are going, that would never happen. Money lender and merchants, and the money lender is forgiven, just willy-nilly forgiven debts. Like, that would never happen.
And Jesus asked Simon a simple question. Now, which one of them not will be more grateful? Because that's where our mind goes, right? Which one of them would be more grateful? No, that's not what he says. He says, now, which one of them will love him more? Which one of the merchants will love the money lender more?
To which everyone in the room would have been like, love, merchants, money lender, I don't really think there's any love there, Jesus, but whatever. And Simon answers, well, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven. And Jesus answers, you're exactly right. You're exactly right. You're exactly right. You're exactly right. You're exactly right. You have judged correctly.
And then something remarkable happens. And I think that we tend to miss it. I missed the fullness of what we're getting ready to talk about. The unthinkable happens in this moment. For the first time, see, before when all of this was going on, Jesus never acknowledged the woman. He didn't, he was unbothered by it. He was not even acknowledging her.
But for the first time in this moment, he turns and he looks to the woman and he speaks to Simon. He's looking at the woman, setting his gaze on her. She's looking at him and he begins to speak to Simon. Now, let me tell you, look at me for a moment. If you think that you have sinned so much that God may love you, but can never like you, if you're like some people when asked, do you think that you'll go to heaven?
And your answer is, I don't know, man, I've done a lot of sin. I've done a lot of sin. I've done a lot of stuff. Maybe you believe in Jesus that he paid for your sin, but you've done a lot of stuff. Maybe you've heard the story that God forgives and you've heard the story about Jesus and that he went to the cross and he died for you, but you've done a lot of stuff.
This story is for you. Simon, Jesus says. Now, remember, he's looking at the woman and he's speaking to Simon. He says, Simon, do you see this woman? I do. You don't. You despise her. She's outside the covenant. She's ceremonially unclean because of the life she's lived. But Simon, just so you know, she's been a better host to me than you have.
Remember, looking at this woman and he says, because when I came in, you didn't give me any water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and dried my feet with her hair. She's been a better host to me. You didn't give me a kiss of greeting when I walked in the door and she has kissed my feet as she has cleansed my feet.
You did not give me any oil for my head and she has opened this expensive bottle of perfume and poured perfume over my feet, much less my head. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins. Now, remember, he's looking at her. He's talking to Simon and he says, her many sins are forgiven.
In other words, Jesus is saying, I know what you've done. I'm not cutting you any slack. Let's not pretend. He says, Simon, her many sins, and she's looking at Jesus in the eye and he's acknowledging her sin, all of it, her many sins, no secrets. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven.
Imagine this moment she's stunned. Simon and all of her guests, all of the guests are confused. Forgiven? See, in the Greek, it's the perfect tense, which means she is in a forgiven state. He's saying, I'm not forgiving a particular sin. I'm forgiving all of her sin. She is now a forgiven person.
And everyone in the room is like, wait a minute, but how? There's no temple. There's no altar. There's no priest. She didn't even ask. She hasn't repented. And of all the people in this town, she's forgiven. She's in some kind of right standing with God, her, of all people.
And the woman, you can imagine this moment, hearing all the murmuring, maybe she's thinking to herself, did I hear this correctly? Is this true? Now, remember the whole time he's talking to Simon about her sin, never breaking his gaze with her. He's looking at her and he looks at you and he looks at me.
And as if to smile, he says, yeah, you heard me correctly. And then he says, your sins are forgiven. See, he changes in that moment, his language. He no longer was talking to Simon about her. Now he's talking directly to her, not her sins. He says, your sins are forgiven. All of them.
How? Because Jesus had been given the power to forgive sin on earth at will, without permission, without even being asked. And what if he's done that for you? One of the most fascinating things about this encounter, according to Luke, who brings it to us is the woman never utters a word. She never said one word. And she leaves forgiven.
She's the only one, according to this passage, that leaves forgiven that day. See, if we don't recognize our need for or accept his forgiveness, we too run the risk of being like everyone else that was in Simon's house that day. We will walk away from an encounter with Jesus unforgiven, not because God didn't forgive, but because we rejected his forgiveness that was displayed through his son, on the cross.
Not only that, but as Christ followers, if we don't understand the fullness of his forgiveness, we won't love him or others with a radical love, and we will never reflect the true nature of our Father in heaven. Look and see what Luke 7:47 says. She has been forgiven of all her many sins. This is why she has shown me such extravagant love.
But those who assume they have very little to be forgiven will love me very little. So what's the point of the story? Why is it significant to you and I? If you heard nothing else today, if you can only remember one thing, let it be this: God sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you. God sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you. Period. Nothing added to that and nothing taken away from that truth.
He sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you. So what do we do with this information? What do we do with this truth? Because if we do nothing with it, you'll walk out those doors the same way you walked in. There will be no change in your life. There will be no growth in your life. And the word says that we are not to just be hearers of the word, but we're to be doers of the word, which tells me we're supposed to hear, we're supposed to learn, and then we're supposed to take action.
So everybody here today has a next step. Everyone, no matter where your journey is, no matter if you haven't even started the journey yet, if you've been on the journey for 65 years, you have a next step to take. The first step is this: if you've never done this, you need to accept Jesus's free gift of forgiveness.
Maybe at one time you did, but you find yourself and you realize in this moment that you have walked so far away from your relationship with Jesus that maybe you need to recommit today. So maybe you need to make a first-time decision and commitment, or maybe you need to make a recommitment. That is one step you could take.
The second step, if you've already done that, if you've accepted Jesus's forgiveness, you need to be baptized. That's your second step that you need to take. And how awesome is it that next week is baptism Sunday? So you can get signed up for baptism Sunday next week, and you can already go ahead and take that next step.
You want to know how you do that? Write it on your connection card. Take a connection card that's in the seat back in front of you. Put your name on it and write on there, I need to get baptized. Don't wait. Don't think about it. Don't wait. Just know this is your next step. This is your next step towards a close relationship with Jesus.
Jesus was baptized. We want to follow him into water baptism. If you've done those two things, maybe your next step is this: commit to the local church where you can grow and be discipled. Now, when I say that, I don't mean just go through the motions and come on Sundays or come every other Sunday or every third Sunday or whatever the case is.
Come today and then come Christmas or whatever. No, I mean commit. Commit to the gathering of God's people in his house where we learn about him, where we grow, where we are strengthened, where we are encouraged so that we can go out and we can make a difference in the world. Commit. And if it's not here, that's okay. If this, if the Father is not for you, if our stylistics are not for you, that's okay. No hard feelings.
Find yourself a Bible-believing, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led church and commit. Commit. Commit to the body of Christ. If you've done all of those things, all three of those things, then number four is your next step. Ask Holy Spirit to continually give you greater understanding of the fullness of God's forgiveness.
I heard a story one time, a father and his teenage son who, their relationship was, became strained and to the point of breaking and the son ran away from home. His father, however, began a journey in search of his rebellious son and in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad out in the newspaper. The ad read this: Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon tomorrow. All is forgiven. I love you, your father.
The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office, a hundred Pacos showed up. They were all seeking forgiveness and love from their fathers. See, your heavenly father put a message out over 2,000 years ago. It wasn't in a newspaper ad, but it was through his son, Jesus, on the cross. Each of us, like the two merchants in Jesus' parable, owe a debt, a debt that must be reconciled.
The debt is too great. We could never even come close to paying it. God knew that. So he sent his son to pay the debt we owe by taking on all of our sin and dying a death that honestly, you and I both deserved. We didn't even ask for it, but he did it anyway. He shed his blood for the forgiveness of all sin, conquering sin and death to give us life.
And he has stamped each and everyone's account paid in full. The only question that remains is, have you accepted the forgiveness of your account? It's been forgiven. He's just waiting for you to recognize it and accept it.
Let's bow our heads and close our eyes. Maybe that's you today. Maybe you realize through this story that even though you've done a lot of stuff, that God really does see you. He really does love you and he really does forgive you no matter all the stuff that you've done in your life.
Maybe you realize in this moment the weightiness of the debt that you owe, knowing like those two merchants did in the parable, your understanding that you could never pay the debt that you owe to your creator. But Jesus, he went to the cross and he paid for our sin. He paid for your account. He paid for it in full.
And over 2,000 years ago, he said it is finished. And today, if that's you, if you recognize that and you want a change in your life, you're tired of running around doing the same thing over and over again with the same results. You're tired of having no peace. You're tired of having chaos in your life.
Can I tell you that all those things won't go away magically when you accept him, but I will tell you that you will get something very valuable and something that you could never get anywhere else, and that is Jesus, the Holy Spirit, his leading, his guiding. He'll never leave you. He'll never forsake you. He'll guide you into all things if you will trust him with your life.
So I'm just going to ask a simple question. Is that you? Do you need to recognize and accept the free gift? And if that's you, just raise your hand. Just raise your hand boldly. Make eye contact with me. I'm not going to make you stand up. I'm not going to ask you to give a speech and tell us what all you did all throughout your life, but let me tell you that this is the best decision that you'll ever make in your life.
He's waiting for you. He's been loving you. He's been loving you. He's been loving you. He's been loving you. He's been loving you. He's been longing for you. He's been longing for that relationship to be restored. He's already forgiven, but he's waiting for you to recognize it and accept it.
And maybe you already did that a long time ago, but as I said before, you realize you need to recommit. So whether you are making a first decision today, a first-time decision, or you need to recommit, take this next step and raise your hand. Raise your hand because I want to pray with you. I know that there's at least one person in here who is feeling this, who needs to make a change, who needs to make a decision.
Maybe that's you online. I see your hand. Thank you for being honest. Thank you for being bold. Yes, I see your hand. Thank you for being old. Thank you for being honest. Yes, thank you. Thank you. Maybe you're watching online and that's you and I'm speaking directly to you. Just raise your hand. Just say, I'm raising my hand right there in the chat because I want to include you in this prayer.
So let's all say this prayer together so nobody has to say it alone. Let's say it as a family.
Dear Jesus, I recognize that I'm a sinner in need of a Savior. Thank you for making a way to pay my debt. Father, with all that I have, I will do everything that I can to live a life according to what you say in your principles. I thank you, Jesus, for what you've done on the cross.
I believe that you are the Son of God. I believe that you died and rose again on the third day to give me a brand new life. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that you seal this moment. Come into my life. I want a different, brand new, amazing, awesome life. And I thank you for it in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
Let's celebrate. Wow. That is so awesome. For those of you that raised your hand, you'll see on the wall on either side of the auditorium that there it says first step. You've already taken a first step, but this is your next first step, that you would go over there and that you would get some information because we know that you don't go into this alone.
And we want to be right there with you. We want to put tools in your hand. We want to help you to be discipled. So church, let's celebrate again as Michael comes and talks to us about tithe and offering.
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "You know, if we'll look to God, if we'll look to his word, he tells us what we're supposed to do. And there's one thing that I know that he doesn't tell us to do. And he doesn't tell us in the midst of chaos, in the midst of stuff. He doesn't tell us to run to Facebook. He doesn't tell us to run to Facebook. He doesn't tell us to run to social media to spew our opinion. He calls us to prayer." [12:58] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Because Father, as the world gets darker, we need to be the light in that world. And Father, if we pull out, if we are timid, if we back away, then the dark just gets darker. So Father, help us to boldly run into the dark as your light. But Father, with peace, with kindness, with love, with unity, lining up with your word and what you say, Father." [17:20] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "If you think that you have sinned so much that God may love you, but can never like you, if you're like some people when asked, do you think that you'll go to heaven? And your answer is, I don't know, man, I've done a lot of sin. I've done a lot of sin. I've done a lot of stuff. Maybe you believe in Jesus that he paid for your sin, but you've done a lot of stuff. Maybe you've heard the story that God forgives and you've heard the story about Jesus and that he went to the cross and he died for you, but you've done a lot of stuff. This story is for you." [01:02:00] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "God sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you. God sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you. Period. Nothing added to that and nothing taken away from that truth. He sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you. So what do we do with this information? What do we do with this truth? Because if we do nothing with it, you'll walk out those doors the same way you walked in. There will be no change in your life. There will be no growth in your life." [01:07:30] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Your heavenly father put a message out over 2,000 years ago. It wasn't in a newspaper ad, but it was through his son, Jesus, on the cross. Each of us, like the two merchants in Jesus' parable, owe a debt, a debt that must be reconciled. The debt is too great. We could never even come close to paying it. God knew that. So he sent his son to pay the debt we owe by taking on all of our sin and dying a death that honestly, you and I both deserved." [01:11:30] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "If we don't recognize our need for or accept his forgiveness, we too run the risk of being like everyone else that was in Simon's house that day. We will walk away from an encounter with Jesus unforgiven, not because God didn't forgive, but because we rejected his forgiveness that was displayed through his son, on the cross. Not only that, but as Christ followers, if we don't understand the fullness of his forgiveness, we won't love him or others with a radical love, and we will never reflect the true nature of our Father in heaven." [01:06:33] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "So what's the point of the story? Why is it significant to you and I? If you heard nothing else today, if you can only remember one thing, let it be this. God sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you. God sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you. Period. Nothing added to that and nothing taken away from that truth. He sees you, he loves you, and he forgives you." [01:07:30] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Everyone, no matter where your journey is, no matter if you haven't even started the journey yet, if you've been on the journey for 65 years, you have a next step to take. The first step is this. If you've never done this, you need to accept Jesus's free gift of forgiveness. Maybe at one time you did, but you find yourself and you realize in this moment that you have walked so far away from your relationship with Jesus that maybe you need to recommit today." [01:08:08] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Commit to the local church where you can grow and be discipled. Now, when I say that, I don't mean, just go through the motions and come on Sundays or come every other Sunday or every third Sunday or whatever the case is. Come today and then come Christmas or whatever. No, I mean commit. Commit to the gathering of God's people in his house where we learn about him, where we grow, where we are strengthened, where we are encouraged so that we can go out and we can make a difference in the world." [01:09:23] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "He shed his blood for the forgiveness of all sin, conquering sin and death to give us life. And he has stamped each and everyone's account paid in full. The only question that remains is, have you accepted the forgiveness of your account? It's been forgiven. He's just waiting for you to recognize that. it and accept it." [01:12:21] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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