Part of Jesus’ Last RequestSample

MANY SINS FORGIVEN = MORE LOVE SHOWN!

Many times, because of the magnitude of our sin, we have a hard time thinking God can forgive us. Today, I want us to look at the account in the Bible of Simon the Pharisee and the woman who showed Jesus much love.

In Luke 7 we read of a sinful woman who showed Jesus great love from the moment He arrived. She poured perfume over His feet, kissing them, and wiping them with her hair. Because the woman was known as a notorious sinner, all Simon could see was her past. It isn’t easy for us to blot out what our eyes have seen, but Jesus has great power in His grace to do just that.

"You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume. Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:46-48

Simon was there when Jesus arrived but did he bother to pour oil on Him or greet Jesus with such love and compassion as this woman who was full of sin? In this culture it was very common to greet a guest by washing their feet and kissing them, which the Pharisee failed to do, yet here was a willing woman who knew her sins were great, humbling herself before Him and treating Jesus the way she so desired to be treated.

In the verses that follow Jesus was quick to forgive this woman of her sin because of her faith. He then told her to go in peace. That seems to be the hard part for us because we sometimes need to be persuaded that we have been truly forgiven. It is hard for us to believe that when we are the notorious sinner, God could want us to have peace, but indeed He does!

TODAY’S EXERCISE:

This is where the truth of how we approach Him for forgiveness comes in. Are we truly remorseful for what we did? Has our sin broken us? Are we willing to humble ourselves and kneel before Him? Are we willing to give up that sin, to turn away from it and give it totally to the Lord?