“I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (from Luke 7:36-50).

Yesterday at church Rebekah preached the first sermon in a series of messages on forgiveness. Her text was Luke’s account of one of those famous dinner parties where Jesus makes things interesting by, well, being Jesus.

The short version is this. Simon Pharisee invites Jesus for dinner, but fails to extend common courtesies such as a kiss of greeting, a bowl of water, or anointing his guest’s head. Meanwhile, “a sinful woman” spends the entire meal on the floor; washing Christ’s feet with her tears, pouring expensive ointment over them, and kissing them.

“Can’t be much of a prophet,” Simon thinks to himself, “or he would know what kind of a sinner this woman is.”

“Oh, I know who she is all right,” Jesus responds. “She’s a forgiven child of God. She gets it. The sad thing is that you don’t.”

FORGIVENESS: The point about forgiveness is that it only transforms if we admit that we need to be forgiven. The point about salvation is that is only takes once we see ourselves as standing in need. The point about Jesus is he only leads us into light to the extent that we acknowledge the reality of our darkness.

• The point about forgiveness is it only transforms if we admit that we need to be forgiven.
• The point about salvation is that is only takes once we see ourselves as standing in need.
• The point about Jesus is he only leads us into light to the extent that we acknowledge the reality of our darkness.

Rebekah told the story of a parent (a few years back) who said she wasn’t sure she wanted her children to pray The Lord’s Prayer. “I have an issue with that part about forgive-us-our-sins,” the parent explained. “It suggests that my children are sinners, and I don’t think that’s good for their self-esteem.”

The WFPC congregation groaned and laughed simultaneously (they do that a lot!). But if we don’t acknowledge the reality of our sin, and our need for forgiveness, then there is no basis for legitimate self-esteem; there is no basis for the kind of transformation and freedom that comes when we allow Jesus to say, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

SIN: The problem for Mr. Simon Pharisee was that he let his narrow definition of sin separate him from the love and forgiveness of God – love and forgiveness that was sitting right across from him at the table.

Sin – and we discussed this just a couple of weeks ago – is not something cataloged in a handy list we can refer to and use to “clobber” other people. No, sin is anything that separates us from God. Sin lives in the hearts of individuals, and it literally drives a wedge between people and God, between people and life:

• The life that is truly life (1 Tim 6:19)
• More and better life than we ever dreamed of (John 10:10)

Simon Pharisee used the rules as his reference point and so cut himself off from love. “Sinner Woman” accepted Christ’s forgiveness, and, in the words of Jesus, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

I’ll close with this communion prayer from this Sunday’s bulletin at WFPC. Please pray with me:

Lord Jesus Christ, You have put your life into our hands; now we put our lives into Yours. Take us and remake us. What we have been is past; what we shall be, through You, still awaits us. May we be Your living presence in the world. Amen.