Music Blog 02-20-2025

MUSIC BLOG

02/20/2025

Forgiven of Much

Luke 7:36-50  NKJV

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

³⁶ Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. ³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸ and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

⁴¹ “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” ⁴⁴ Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. ⁴⁷ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

⁴⁸ Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Our First Place Bible Study is focusing our attention on the life and times of King David.  We have learned that David was a man after God’s own heart.  We learned that God testified of David.  We have learned that David was brave in the face of danger and trusted in God for the victory.  We have also learned that David confessed His sins before God and could be deeply moved in worship. 

I think we separate the exploits of David from his acts of worship, maybe to our detriment.  Yes, David was a fierce warrior.  He stood down Goliath and all the enemies of the armies of the Almighty God.  He was also chased like a flea by King Saul in the wilderness because he, David, did not want to harm God’s elect.  David wanted God’s blessing so he planned on bringing the Ark of God back into Jerusalem, but on the way the ark nearly took a tumble and a man died in the act of saving the Ark.  David left the ark for quite a while in the home of Obed.  It wasn’t until much time had passed that he heard Obed was being blessed greatly by having the Ark around.  Then next time David planned to move the Ark to Jerusalem, he prepared himself and all the people involved.  The priests sanctified themselves, The Levites tuned their voices and instruments.  The people came out in droves and David dressed like a priest.  When everything was right, they went to Obed’s house and carried the Ark on poles, just like Moses had commanded.  Every few steps they stopped, praised, and sacrificed.  Step by step the anticipation and joy grew as Jerusalem neared.  By the time the Ark reached Jerusalem the people and David were dancing with joy before the Lord. What do you think would happen in our church buildings if that kind of worship broke out this Sunday?

The woman in the story also had a profound worship experience.  She was indeed a sinner.  She came to Jesus at a formal dinner and anointed him with precious oil and her tears.  She performed an act of a slave that the host of the party did not extend to Jesus.  The parable that Jesus told is poignant.  Two slaves owed their master.  One had a great debt, the other owed a couple of bucks.  Both slaves had their debts forgiven, which slave loved the master the most?  We are all sinners like the slave who owed a huge debt, impossible to repay.  Those who are in Christ have the assurance that all our debts have been paid in full, yet we, of all people, act as if God only forgave us a couple of bucks.  We come into worship, with our arms crossed and our minds disengaged.  We are critical of everything and everyone leading the time of worship as if the service has been planned with them in mind. 

Is there a solution?  How can we experience the kind of worship that David experienced?  Prepare your heart before you come before God.  Thanksgiving and praise are the prerequisites of worship.  Do you spend a few minutes in Thanksgiving and a few minutes in praise before you step into the church building?  Why not try that this week?  None of us have gathered to praise ourselves.  The worship of God is a choice that we make, but the ways to worship God effectively are spelled out in His Word.  Spend time with God before you enter His presence.  It might just change your life.

Blessings,

Marty