If You Had God's Eyes...
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Considering the futility of self-redeeming religiosity-- as seen through the eyes of God.
Text: Luke 7:39-47
Date: 08/21/2022, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 73
Description:
In this message we continue with the story of the woman of ill-repute and her heartfelt worship of Jesus at the house of Simon the Pharisee. When the Pharisee's thoughts betray the shallowness of his heart, Jesus responds with a scathing commentary on the distinction between the two. We will analyze this distinction and boil it down to the difference between self-righteous, autonomous, religiosity and true contrition and repentance. In doing so, we will establish the importance of divine forgiveness for sins as the prerequisite to a radically changed heart capable of truly loving God. The supreme importance of this will be emphasized by trying to look at ourselves and the world around us through God's eyes rather than our own-- at least to the degree that His "eyes" have been revealed to us in Scripture. Ultimately we will realize how important God's sovereign plan of redemption is to Him; and that it would be equally important to us and indeed govern our existence-- if we only had God's eyes!
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I. Introduction, Isa. 55:8-9.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 7:39-47.
A. Context, Luke 7:29-30.
B. Jesus, the woman, and the negligent host.
1. The tears of worship, vs. 36-38.
2. The ironic interchange, vs. 39-40.
a. Simon's "secret" thoughts, vs. 39.
i. The nature of the thoughts.
ii. A known sinner.
iii. A self-satisfying disgust.
b. Jesus' ironic response, vs. 40.
i. Not "Simon the leper".
ii. Discerning Simon's thoughts, John 2:24-25.
iii. Simon's disrespectful reply.
3. The parable of the two debtors, vs. 41-43.
a. The parable proper, vs. 41-42a.
i. The two debts, vs. 41.
ii. An act of pure grace, vs. 42a, Matt. 18:30.
1) Total forgiveness.
2) Expanding the principle of the parable.
b. From forgiveness to love, vs. 42b-43.
i. The leading question, vs 42b.
ii. The reluctant answer, vs. 43.
iii. The right-judgment.
4. Jesus' scathing commentary, vs. 44-47.
a. The dirty feet, vs. 44.
i. An act of worship.
ii. An act of "non-worship".
b. The kiss of affection.
i. An act of adoration.
ii. An act of disdain, 1Pet. 5:14.
c. The anointing.
i. An exalting and honoring gift.
ii. Clearly no respect or honor.
iii. Emphasizing the value of the gift, John 12:3-5.
5. The "love equation", vs. 47.
a. The outflow of the full-orbed Gospel.
b. Analyzing the equation.
i. Emphasizing the criteria for forgiveness, Luke 5:20.
ii. The importance of "sin-awareness".
III. Application, Deut. 6:4-5.
IV. Conclusion
