PENTECOST 3, C – June 13, 2010

SCRIPTURES: 2 Samuel 11:1-12:14; Galatians 2:15-3:14; Luke 7:36-8:3

Today’s readings contrast the great and the lowly. There is David, the great king of Israel, and his humble soldier, Uriah. There is Simon the Pharisee, a great man who has devoted his life to learning God’s Word and serving Him.

‡       Think of Billy Graham. In Jesus’ day people would have viewed Simon the way we view Billy Graham today.

He is contrasted with the sinful woman who comes into his house and weeps on Jesus’ feet. Such vastly different people! One of them hears the incredible words, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Which one receives this blessing and praise of Jesus? The sinful woman! She who is nothing, less than nothing in the eyes of the people, is blessed by Jesus above all others! Why? Because of her faith. 

GREAT IS THE FAITH THAT SAVES! 

I.              THE FAITH THAT SEEKS TO BE SAVED FROM SIN’S DESTRUCTION. 

Sin is very powerful and destructive. It can lead even the strongest of believers into hell by denying God! Don’t ever think that you are above temptation, immune from giving into it. Don’t ever think sin is a little thing. Look at the great King David:‡
       Remember how, as a young man armed with only a sling and a stone, he faced in battle Goliath, a giant of a soldier who was heavily armed. David had an unwavering trust in God, and God gave him the victory. ‡
       He knew God’s Word and was the author of many Psalms. He saw clearly in his life God’s love, care, and protection.

And yet, when by accident he saw Bathsheba bathing, he quickly gave in to sexual temptation and committed adultery with her. Then, in an attempt to cover up the pregnancy that resulted, he murdered her husband and corrupted many others. 

Learn from David. Don’t ever think that sin is no big deal, that you can give into it and repent later. How quickly sin and the shame it brings entangle us and lead us into further sin! This is especially so with sexual sin. God created us with beautiful bodies that are to be used for holy purposes. Satan has corrupted us so that our hearts and minds quickly focus upon satisfying our own desires. Sexual temptation and desire, even if not acted upon but only in your heart and mind, corrupts. It has corrupted our society, which is filled with sexual images and the using of one another as toys. It devastates many marriages and harms children as it results in divorce. It leads to the murder of innocent children through abortion in the attempt to hide or rid oneself of an unwanted pregnancy. Abortion may be blessed by society, but it is damned by God. “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery.” It is no accident that these commandments are named together. 

We are all sinners; we know this. But, to believe in Christ is be troubled by this and turn from sin, not excuse it. To believe in God is to repent, to acknowledge your sin as actually being against God, and then to seek His forgiveness.

       King David does this, finally. “I have sinned against the Lord,” he says to Nathan, God’s prophet. Most likely this confession took place publicly, before the members of his court, as this is probably where Nathan met with him.

‡       The sinful woman in the Gospel reading repents, as she humbly bows down, weeps on Jesus’ feet, and kisses them.

To believe in Christ means not pretending to be innocent or hiding your sins, but confessing them and gladly seeking His forgiveness. Our Lord responds to such faith. 

And, how He responds! Do you think it was easy for Jesus to forgive the sinful woman, or forgive us? It cost Him greatly. Our reading from Galatians says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” Bearing sin’s curse began very early on, and was felt in many different ways:

       At 8 days of age Jesus suffered for our sins, as a knife pierced His infant flesh and his foreskin was cut off in circumcision. We sin with our sexual organs, and His holy flesh is cut off and discarded to begin paying the price!

       The woman had a bad reputation, so bad that Simon the Pharisee thought that it was wrong for her to even touch Jesus. Jesus not only forgave her; He even defended her and told Simon that she had served Him more than he had! He welcomed the sinner and her reputation, and stood with her as her protector. He stands with all who seek His forgiveness!

       Ultimately, on the cross He became our sin, became a curse, and offered His death as the payment for what we have done. He is the condemned sinner, and we are saved!

       In those who believe in Him He casts out the spirit of unholiness to fill them with His Holy Spirit and with Himself. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Every believer can say this with Paul.

How we have been save from sin’s destruction through faith in Christ! Death and hell do not lie before us, but heaven and eternal life! But, through faith we not only have great things awaiting us. Through faith God works in our lives now.

II.            THE FAITH THAT SAVES CHANGES ONE’S LIFE.

This is not always obvious. This is because we pay more attention to what we think is good than what God calls good. We see this in Luke 7. How different were Simon the Pharisee and the sinful woman! Simon had devoted his life to knowing and serving God. Again, people would have thought of him like we think of Billy Graham. The sinful woman had been serving herself. People would have loved an invitation to eat at Simon’s house. What an honor! An invitation from her would have been quickly torn up and thrown away. People praised Simon and despised her.