An Unloving Response to an Outsider...

This week we are looking at an encounter that an individual had with Jesus that is recorded for us in an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. Yesterday, we looked on as a woman who was far from God and who is viewed as being an outsider by others crashed a dinner party that Jesus was attending with the self righteous religious leaders of the day.

We imagined looking on as this woman who had a story and a reputation walked into a room filled with self righteous religious men who clearly viewed her as an outsider as every conversation stopped and every stare was directed at her. We imagined the murmurs and the grumbling. We talked about the courage that this woman would have had to have to go to Simon the Pharisees house and walk into a room full of men with her story and your reputation.

We talked about the reality that it is not as though this woman did not know that she was far from God and was viewed as an outsider when it came to having a relationship with God. It was not as though this woman did not know how the men in the room viewed her. However, all this woman knew was that she was fallen, flawed and broken. All this woman knew is that she needed to be with Jesus, whatever the risk and whatever the cost.

Today we see Luke record how the owner of the house responded to this woman who was far from God and who was viewed as an outsider crashing his dinner party in Luke 7:39:

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."

Now Simon the Pharisee’s response, if it was communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Can you believe that Jesus is even letting this woman near him? After all, if this man was really was a spokesperson for God who is inspired by God to proclaim the word of God to us; if this man was really an important insider like us, he would know that this woman is an outsider who is far from God.”

You see, Simon the Pharisee, as a self righteous religious person, unlovingly judged this woman because he believed that he was better than her. Because that is what self righteous religious people do. Self righteous religious people unlovingly judge others as being outsiders, while considering themselves to be insiders who are better than anyone else.

But did you notice that Luke tells us that Simon the Pharisee said this to himself? In other words, this was a conversation that Simon was having with himself that was unknown to anyone else. At least that was what Simon thought. However, whether it was something about the body language that Simon displayed to this woman that was far from God and was viewed as an outsider; or whether it was Jesus knowing what was running through Simon’s mind, Simon’s conversation with himself was clear to Jesus. And as a result, we see Jesus begin to engage Simon in verse 40:

 And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"

Luke tells us that Jesus began to engage Simon the Pharisee with a parable that was in the form of a question. Now a parable is an earthly story that reveals a deeper spiritual truth. Jesus parable to Simon, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Simon, I have a question for you. A credit card company had two clients: one client’s credit card bill was the equivalent of 1 ¾ years salary, while the other client’s credit card bill was the equivalent of two months’ salary. However neither client was able to pay their bill. When the owner of the credit card company heard about their situation, he decided to cancel the debts that they owed so that they would not have to pay the bill. So which one of the credit cards clients will love the credit card company more?” Luke records for us how Simon answered Jesus in verse 43:

 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."

Luke tells us that Simon the Pharisee answered Jesus by basically saying “Well I suppose the client who had the greater debt cancelled.” Jesus then explained to Simon the Pharisee that he had provided the right answer to his question.

However, Simon the Pharisees right answer to Jesus question revealed what was wrong with the heart of Simon the Pharisee. Friday, we will see Jesus expose what was wrong with the heart of Simon the Pharisee...