Great forgiveness, great love
“We love, because he first loved us,” wrote John (1 John 4:19). This summarizes so well what we heard on Sunday morning from Luke 7:36-50. Jerry preached to us about the amazing, extravagant, love that this ‘sinful woman’ showed to Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee. Contrary to the expectations of their culture, Jesus did not reject her but praised her for her faith and display of love. The contrast with Simon is stark: he failed to show even basic hospitality to Jesus!
The short parable which Jesus tells at the heart of the story shows what’s going on in their hearts: “Two people owed money to a certain money-lender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” (Luke 7:41-42) The forgiveness of these debts proves the love of the money-lender. And those who have had their debts cancelled will love him in return, won’t they?! At least, if they recognise his act of kindness…
The Bible makes clear that all of us are indebted to God in ways that we hardly understand, let alone ever can pay back. Our sins are transgressions of our Holy Creator’s good will and laws. But here’s the good news, the gospel: God in his great love sent his Son as a Saviour for sinners (John 3:16). Paul writes, Colossians 2:13-14: “He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”
The woman believed this, and showed her love to Jesus. Simon failed, for he thought he was fine with his own righteousness. May we love ‘extravagantly’ like that woman, as we realise more the greatness of our debt and the greatness of God’s love for us in Christ!
Klaas-Jan Gunnink