Our Debt of Gratitude

Base Text: Luke 7:36-50

I. Introduction
   A. Gracious, thankful, grateful people-- a joy for others!
   B. We all appreciate people who appreciate what others do for 
      them
   C. It is difficult to like those who are ungrateful and show no 
      concern for others
   D. True also in spiritual terms
   E. There is an expectation that people will show gratitude for 
      what has been done for their souls!
   F. In reality, God expects Christians to act in certain ways 
      because of it!
   G. Let us consider our debt of gratitude

II. The Contrast: Luke 7:36-50
   A. Jesus helps us understand a noteworthy contrast between 
      different types of persons in Luke 7:36-50
   B. He is invited into the house of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36)
   C. A woman comes up to Jesus (Luke 7:37-38)
      1. A "sinner"
      2. Uses expensive ointment, wipes His feet with her hair, wets 
         them with her tears
      3. Very penitent, sorrowful
   D. Simon doubts Jesus' prophetic abilities since He has allowed 
      this sinner to act in this manner (Luke 7:39)
   E. Jesus explains with a parable (Luke 7:40-47)
      1. Involves Simon himself
      2. Two men with different levels of debt, both forgiven
      3. Which is more thankful?  The one who was forgiven more
      4. Jesus contrasts the actions of Simon and the woman
      5. In the end, although she sinned much, she loved much and 
         was greatly penitent, and she was forgiven
      6. Simon, who perhaps sinned "less", since he loved little, 
         was forgiven little!
   F. Woman's sins are cleansed, saved by her faith (Luke 7:48-50)

III. Simon the Pharisee
   A. What a strong contrast!
   B. Consider Simon the Pharisee
      1. A "religious person"
      2. Devoted to the God of Israel, the traditions of the Jews
      3. Devoted himself to ritual purity
   C. As with many Pharisees, however, he did not understand mercy 
      or compassion (Matthew 9:13, Matthew 23:23)
      1. Think about his internal reasoning in Luke 7:39
      2. What does that thinking indicate?
      3. Sinners are to be separate, left to themselves
      4. They "defile"
      5. He wanted nothing to do with them, felt superior to them, 
         and Jesus was lessened in his own mind because He was 
         merciful and compassionate
   D. In his "religiosity", Simon thought quite highly of himself
      1. He indeed thought he was better than the "sinner" woman!
      2. An attitude like the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-11
      3. In professing to be so close to God, Simon actually 
         distanced himself from Him
   E. Jesus could do little for such persons in that state!
      1. Such are the "righteous" or "healthy" of Matthew 9:10-13
      2. Jesus did not come calling such ones
      3. Such are not really "righteous" or "healthy"; they just 
         think that they are
      4. Indeed, how can such escape the sentence of Hell 
         (Matthew 23:33)?

IV. The "Sinner Woman"
   A. And yet we see the sinful woman
      1. No one doubts that she has sinned
      2. She would not be the one whom you would expect Jesus to 
         be around
  B. She comes to Jesus (Luke 7:37)
      1. Recognition that even though Jesus is the Christ, to 
         receive forgiveness, she had to come to Him
      2. Parallel to James 4:8-- we must draw near to God!
   C. She was highly repentant (Luke 7:38-39)
      1. She brought herself down low
      2. Acted in most humiliating ways, wiping His feet of all 
         things with her hair
      3. How many would stoop to such a level?
      4. Such reflected the sorrow and pain in her heart on account 
         of her sin
      5. Such humility is a necessary aspect for those who would 
         come to God (Matthew 18:1-4, Matthew 23:10, James 4:10)
   D. She received forgiveness (Luke 7:41-50)
      1. She walked out of the room more justified than the 
         Pharisee!
      2. Because of her penitence, she received that which she 
         desired
      3. Parallel to Luke 18:10-14: the tax collector and the 
         Pharisee
   E. Such a woman represents exactly who Jesus came to save!
      1. Luke 19:10
      2. Such persons are the "sick" or "sinners" of Matthew 9:10-13
      3. Their recognition of their past and desire for forgiveness 
         leads them to God and He is willing to forgive them!

V. What Shall We Do?
   A. It is clear from this passage, therefore, that we must be as 
      the "sinner woman" and avoid being like the "Pharisee"
   B. But how?
      1. As Christians, we must seek to live according to God's 
         standard (Galatians 5:17-24)
      2. We know that "bad company corrupts good morals" 
         (1 Corinthians 15:33)
      3. How can we avoid becoming like the Pharisee?
   C. The way is spelled out for us in the New Testament
   D. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Titus 3:3-8
      1. We must never forget from whence we came!
      2. We were once foolish and disobedient
      3. We were once lost in sin
      4. The difference is that we have come to the realization of 
         the truth in Christ Jesus
      5. That does not mean that we're great or wonderful all of a 
         sudden, or better than unbelievers
   E. Indeed, God expects that on the basis of our salvation, we 
      act appropriately!
      1. Hebrews 2:1-4
      2. Romans 6:6-13
      3. 1 John 4:9-11
      4. The fact that we have been delivered in ways that we could 
         never deliver ourselves should not lead us to be 
         complacent, but indeed to act with fervent zeal and desire 
         for the Lord!
   F. God gave His best, and He expects us to give our best back to 
      Him!
      1. He expects us to obey His Son Jesus and to do His will
      2. Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:3-7
      3. We are to put ourselves to death so that we can be more 
         like Him
   G. We will never be able to repay the debt
      1. ...but that is not what is expected of us!
      2. Instead, we are to live as a people released from that debt 
         and who act accordingly!
      3. Since we have been so forgiven, we forgive 
         (Matthew 18:21-35)
      4. As we have been deeply loved, so we love (1 John 4:9-11)
      5. As we have received mercy, we show mercy (Luke 6:36)
      6. As Christ humbled Himself to be exalted, so we must humble 
         ourselves (Philippians 2:5-11)
   H. If we do such things, we demonstrate that the death of Christ 
      on our behalf was not in vain!

VI. Conclusion
   A. It is hard to love ungrateful people
      1. Such persons never know how good they have it, and never 
         appreciate what has been done for them
      2. We often gripe about such ones!
   B. As we have seen, it is important that we do not become 
      ungrateful to God for what He has done!
      1. We have seen the Pharisee and the sinner woman of 
         Luke 7:36-50
      2. The Pharisee thought he was well and good, not grateful to 
         God for what he had or who he was, and showed open 
         contempt for others
      3. The sinner woman, however, humbled herself before Jesus, 
         and received pardon
   C. We must be as the sinner woman and not the Pharisee!
      1. We must always remember from whence we came
      2. That memory ought to lead us to live lives in accordance 
         with God's will
   D. Let us show God our gratitude for His work on our behalf, 
      not merely in word, but also in the way we live our lives!
   E. Songbook/invitation