Rev. David Holwick ZD The Quest for the Real Jesus, #3
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
September 21, 2008
Luke 7:36-50
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I. Rejects loved Jesus.
A. They were one of the most significant aspects of his ministry.
1) The scum of society sought him out.
a) Prostitutes, crooked politicians, dirty pagans.
2) They showered him with attention and affection.
3) Jesus loved them back.
B. Religious people back then had a problem with this.
1) They criticized Jesus for being too accepting.
a) It seemed like he was loving sinners AND sin.
2) Jesus had a problem with them, too.
a) Perhaps he would have a problem with us.
C. The challenge - do YOU think of sinners the way Jesus did?
II. The dinner party.
A. A religious leader invites Jesus over.
1) The fact that they reclined meant it was a Sabbath meal,
or a banquet. It was a big deal either way.
2) Sort of like having the preacher over.
B. A sinful woman shows up. 7:37
1) Apparently local people did this all the time in their
culture.
2) But there were certain local people you wish wouldn't.
3) She was one of them.
a) "a sinful life" probably alludes to moral issues.
Prostitute? Adulteress? Take your pick.
C. She does something unusual.
1) She brought expensive perfume to anoint him.
2) But before she can do it, she bursts into tears and
they fall on his feet.
3) She wipes them with her hair, kisses them, and pours
on perfume.
a) Kind of gross to us, but a real honor in those days.
b) She is overwhelmed with love and devotion for Jesus.
D. Simon is overwhelmed as well.
1) He has already judged the morality of the woman.
2) Now he inwardly judges Jesus' qualification as a prophet.
a) A REAL prophet would be able to figure her out.
III. Is Simon that wrong?
A. We live in a society that ridicules traditional moral standards.
1) Several states are voting on whether to allow homosexual
marriage.
2) Polygamy has been in the headlines.
3) The Funcoland game store murders have just had a verdict,
six years after the crime.
The men killed two shopkeepers in cold blood, then went
home and played their stolen video games.
At least in this case, the jury made a moral judgment -
the ringleader was sentenced to life without parole,
twice.
4) More and more people DON'T want to make moral judgments.
Pennsylvania's former Senator Rick Santorum, in a speech to
the Heritage Foundation, once said,
"...we are increasingly reluctant to make critical moral
distinctions when necessary.
Whether things are true or false, right or wrong, good or
evil doesn't seem to concern us very much anymore....
Social critic Michael Novak writes, 'I don't know if
"judgmentaphobic" is a word, but it ought to be.
Where conscience used to raise an eyebrow at our slips and
falls, sunny non-judgmentalism winks and slaps us on
the back.'"
Santorum, who is a devout Catholic, went on to cite the
paradox of a people that strives to be both religious
and non-judgmental.
How is it possible, he wondered, to believe in the existence
of God yet refuse to express outrage when his moral code
is flouted?
#33249
B. Even churches get on this bandwagon.
1) Theologian Richard John Neuhaus thinks that our moral
decline did not begin with the moral relativism of the
1960s.
He says began with Norman Vincent Peale in the 1950s, who
preached all positives and no negatives.
This approach is still popular today.
Joel Osteen had an infamous interview with Larry King a
few years back.
Larry pressed him on whether he believed in hell or not,
and Osteen wouldn't give him an answer.
All he would talk about is God's love.
For anything negative, he was silent.
King couldn't even force an answer out of him.
In regard to positive thinking, theologian Neuhaus says,
"We SHOULD dislike much about ourselves, because there is
much about ourselves that is not only profoundly
dislikable but odious.
It's not for nothing that the Ten Commandments are put in
the negative."
#2974
2) One writer has said that the most quoted Bible verse used
to be John 3:16, but now it is Matthew 7:1 - "Judge not,
lest ye be judged."
C. Many Christians don't want to be caught in this trap.
1) We have firm moral convictions and we don't shy from them.
a) This is especially evident in a political season.
2) Jesus did not condone sin, but we seem to.
Remember that billboard I mentioned last week - Jesus Does
Not Care.com.
One of those who wrote a response at the webpage was a
19-year-old male.
He wrote:
Jesus cares about us repenting of our sins, and leading a
life holy and acceptable to Him.
To say that He doesn't care about our sins gives many the
false mindset that it is ok to live a sinful life...
'cause Jesus doesn't care, right?
You guys have Christ-centered hearts, but I'm not fully on
board with you on this "new series".
[Your church proclaims] "Jesus doesn't care about the junk
in your life as much as He cares about having an intimate
relationship with you."
Well, it's that "junk" that gets in the way of us obtaining
that type of relationship.
#35577
3) Lots of other people can feel our heat.
Charles Colson mentions a study that polled young,
unchurched Americans about their attitudes about
Christianity.
They found that millions of young people see Christians as
judgmental, hypocritical, anti-homosexual, too political,
and boring.
Is this a fair assessment?
After all, Christians have done wonderful things like
taking care of AIDS patients and prisoners.
Colson says a hostile media wants to portray us as
judgmental homophobic bigots and it has stuck.
But that is only half of the story.
A shocking 50 percent of those being surveyed said they
base their negative views on personal contacts they
have had with Christians.
As the researchers put it, "Many of those outside
Christianity ... reject Jesus because they feel rejected
by Christians."
#34965
IV. The double-edged blade of judgment.
A. Sinners are not just "over there."
1) But it is much easier to judge others than to judge
ourselves.
2) Jesus knew this, and he knew Simon the Pharisee.
a) He tells a parable about two debtors.
1> (very appropriate for a week in which the federal
government will forgive $700 billion in debts)
b) One owes more than the other, but both are in debt.
1> Both have their debt forgiven.
c) Which one is most grateful?
1> The answer is obvious, even to Simon.
B. Jesus applies the parable.
1) Both the woman and Simon are sinners.
a) Simon is probably correct that the woman is a worse
sinner than he is.
b) But both are in debt before God, and neither can pay
it off.
2) There is a critical difference between the two.
a) The woman is a sinner who knows it.
1> Therefore she is grateful for Jesus' forgiveness.
b) Simon, like a lot of religious people, is a sinner
who cannot admit it.
1> Of course, he can admit it in a general sense.
2> But not in a GENUINE sense.
V. Jesus wants to see changed lives.
A. The story of the sinful woman has some subtle points.
1) Simon knows the woman for what she has been.
2) He is not in tune with what she has become.
a) The woman had a changed heart before she ever wept
over Jesus.
b) She came to him with expensive perfume -- this was not
an impulsive gesture.
c) When she does weep, it would have been in repentance as
well as love.
B. On what basis is the woman forgiven?
1) Verse 47 makes it sound like she loved much, therefore
was forgiven; her actions earned it.
2) However, it is better to see her as already forgiven, and
grateful as a result.
C. Divine forgiveness can only come from one source.
1) We should also notice that Jesus offers her forgiveness,
something that only God can do.
a) His dinner guests were stunned when he did this.
2) Jesus offers this same forgiveness to you.
a) No matter what you have done, Jesus focuses on what you
can be.
b) Another entry on that church's website grabbed my
attention.
It was written by a 27-year-old female.
She said, Jesus cares about my happiness!! and I am not
happy right now.
Jesus doesn't care about: How long I have been an addict.
I was driving home last night after being on a week
binge, and saw this sign.
I have been an addict for as long as I can remember.
I am struggling at staying clean.
I have been up for going on 8 days and I have finally
got the nerve to go home to face my husband.
He is so wonderful and I don't want him to know my
secret.
I am sure his arms will be open as they always are.
I saw this sign, then I came on this web site.
I have lost everything due to my addictions -- my kids,
job, house -- more importantly my relationship with
Jesus Christ.
I am a member of [this church] but have not attended
in a while.
This Sunday is Easter and I don't have my kids but I am
going to take a much needed step and go to church,
come clean with my family and get the help I have
been needing for years.
Thank you.
c) Christ-honoring churches attract this kind of sinner.
1> She is needy and even desperate and her only change
so far is knowing that she needs to change and
that Jesus can help her in this.
2> These people are in our community.
A> Are they in our church?
B> Why not?
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 2974 "The Return of Shame," by Jonathan Alter & Pat Wingert, Newsweek,
February 6, 1995, p. 21.
#33249 "Commitment To Truth Means Making Moral Distinctions," Preaching Now,
www.preaching.com, September 25, 2006. Santorum's speech was
"The Necessity of Truth," Heritage Foundation Lecture,
July 29, 1999.
#34965 "UnChristian: What People Really Think of Us," by Charles Colson,
BreakPoint Commentary, January 4, 2008.
#35577 "Jesus Cares About The Junk," edited By Rev. David Holwick,
www.jesusdoesnotcare.com.
#35579 "An Addict Comes Clean For Jesus," edited By Rev. David Holwick,
www.jesusdoesnotcare.com.
These and 30,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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