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Luke 6:26-37

Text: Verse 37 "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." KJV

"…pardon, and you will be pardoned." NASB

"…….acquit and forgive and release (give up resentment, let it drop), and you will be acquitted and forgiven and released." AMP

Our sphere of understanding relating to forgives is akin to that of the question that the Apostle Peter asked in Matthew 18:21-22:

[21] Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
[22] Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

One of the most difficult subjects to deal with is the subject and matter of forgiving. What makes it so difficult is because it is an emotion that strikes to the center of the heart, which is the very core of our being. It is a matter that most reveals us as the person for which we are.

ARE YOU READY?

Could two people have been more different?

He is looked up to She is looked down on.

He is a church leader. She is a street walker.

He makes a living promoting standards. She makes a living breaking them.

He's hosting the party. She's crashing it.

Ask the other residents of Capernaum to point out the more pious of the two and they'll pick Simon. After all:

He is a student of theology,

A man of the cloth. Anyone would pick him. Anyone but Jesus. Jesus knew them both. And Jesus would pick the woman. And more than that he would tell Simon why.

Simon was preoccupied with other thoughts:

"How did this woman get in my house in the first place?

After all, this is a formal affair. Invitation only. Upper crust.

Who let the riffraff in?"

Simon is angry. "Just look at her bending at Jesus' feet.

If that is not enough she is kissing them, no less!"

"If Jesus was who he says he is, he would know who she is and have nothing to do with her."

One of the lessons Simon learned that day was this:

Don't think thoughts you don't want Jesus to hear.

Luke 7
[40] Then Jesus spoke up and answered his thoughts. "Simon," he said to the Pharisee, "I have something to say to you."

"All right, Teacher," Simon replied, "go ahead."

[41] Then Jesus told him this story: "A man loaned money to two people--five hundred pieces of silver to one and fifty pieces to the other. [42] But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do
you suppose loved him more after that?"

[43] Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt."

"That's right," Jesus said. [44] Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,

"Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

[45] You didn't give me a kiss of greeting, but she has kissed my feet again and again from the time I first came in. [46] You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. [47] I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."

Simon invites Jesus to his house but treats him like an unwanted step-uncle. No customary courtesies. No kiss of greeting. No washing his feet. No oil for his head.

In other words in today's setting: No one opened the door for him. No one took his coat and no one shook his hand.

The woman does everything that Simon didn't do. We are not told her name. Just her reputation-a sinner. She has no invitation to the party and no standing in the community.

But people's opinions didn't keep her from coming. It's not for them she has come. It's for him.

She has no water, but she has tears.

She has no towel, but she has her hair.

She uses both to bathe the feet of Jesus. One translation reads, " she rained tears" on his feet MSG-Verse 44

She opens a vial of perfume, perhaps her only possession of worth, and pours it on his feet. The aroma is inescapable.

You would think that Simon of all people would show such love. I mean, after all, isn't he the reverend of the church, the student of scripture?

You would think that the woman would avoid Jesus. Is she not the woman of the night, the town harlot? But she can't resist him.

Simon's "love" is calculated and stingy. Her love is extravagant and risky.

What one treasure does she cherish that Simon doesn't?

ANSWER: God's Love

We don't know when she received it.

Just a thought: Could this woman be the same woman that was brought to Jesus caught in the act of adultery? If not, certainly there are some similarities.

We aren't told how she heard about it.

Did she overhear Jesus' words, "Your Father is merciful" Luke 6:36

Was she nearby when Jesus had compassion on the widow of Nain?

Did someone tell her how Jesus touched lepers and turned tax collectors in disciples?

But when Jesus hands her the goblet of grace, she drinks.

She drinks gulping every bit of the liquid and swallowing like the parched pilgrim she is. She drinks until mercy flows down on her chin and onto her neck and chest.

She drinks until every inch of her soul is moist and soft. She comes thirsty and she drinks.

Simon, on the other hand, doesn't even know he is thirsty.

People like Simon don't need grace…….they analyze it.

They don't request mercy……………….they debate and prorate it.

It wasn't that Simon couldn't be forgiven; he just never asks to be.

So while the woman drinks of grace, Simon gets puffed up.

While she has ample love to give he has no love to offer.

Look at verse 47 again,
"I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."

The danger of an attitude of "little forgiveness.

Great forgiveness……………………………Great love

Little forgiveness…………………………….Little love

In other words, we can't give what we've never received. If we've never received love, how can we love others?

"My spouse needs my forgiveness? I don't know how but I am going to give it."

"I don't care how much it hurts, I'm going to be nice to that bum."

"I'm supposed to love my neighbor? Okay, I will."

Could it be that the first step of love should not be toward them but toward him?

Could it be that the secret to loving is receiving? You give love by first receiving it.

"We love him, because he first loved us."

Ephesians 5
[1] Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
[2] And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. KJV

Ephesians 5

[1] Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children [2] and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. NIV

Want to learn to forgive? Then consider how you have been forgiven.

Ephesians 4
[32] And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Finding it hard to put others first? Think of the way that Jesus Christ put you first.

Philippians 2
[6] Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God.

Having trouble putting up with ungrateful relatives or cranky neighbors?

God puts up with you and I when we act the same.

Luke 6
[35] But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Our relationships need more than just a social gesture. Some of our spouses need a foot washing. A few of our friends need a flood of tears. Our children need to be covered in the oil of our love.

But if we haven't received these things, how can we give them to others?

A marriage-saving love is not within us.

A friendship-preserving devotion cannot be found in our hearts.

We need help from an outside source. A transfusion. Would we love as God loves?

If so, then we must start by receiving God's love.

The Apostle John models the rights order of things. He makes a deposit before he tells us to write the check.

First, the deposit:

1 John 4
[9] God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Now John call on us to pull out the checkbook and write the check:

1 John 4
[11] Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.

Does bumping into certain people leave you brittle, breakable and barren?

Many people tell us to love. Only God give us the power to do so.

1 John 3
[23] And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

How can we be kind to the vow breakers?

How can we be kind to those who are unkind to us?

How can we be patient with people who have the warmth of a vulture and tenderness of a porcupine?

How can we forgive moneygrubbers and backstabbers we meet, love and marry?

ANSWER: By Living Loved

Principle: Receive first, love second.

Let me talk to you about one of my favorite Bible characters:

J - O - S - E - P - H

Joseph is given a dream

His brothers hate him for it

His father reproves him because of it

But Joseph dreams on

His dream lands him in a pit

His dream causes him to be sold as a slave or possession

His dream sends him to a far country

His dream causes others to lie about him

His dream brings horrible damage to his reputation

His dream again sends him to a pit - prison

His dream allows others to forget about him

But Joseph dreams on

And the GIVER OF DREAMS has not forgotten

The dream begins to elevate him

The dream pardons him from prison

The dream brings power

The dream allows him to be ruler - second in command to the leader of the land

The dream one day comes face to face with reality

There's his brothers

There's his chance to even the score

There's his opportunity for revenge

There's his door for an eye-for-and-eye, tooth-for-a tooth

No one knows

No one would ever know

But conscience sees the dream

Conscience demands forgiveness

Conscience is tested in allowing his brothers testing

Conscience won't give up

A dream and a future is at stake

Joseph, what are you going to do?

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH: Genesis 42:18-24 (verse 8-9)
" 45:1-

The dreamer reveals the dream

The dreamless expect the worse

But the dreamer forgives to the uttermost!

CONCLUSION:

1 Corinthians 13

[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. [8] Love never fails.

Try replacing the word love in this passage with your name.

[4] David is patient,
David is kind.
David does not envy,
David does not boast,
David is not proud.
[5] David is not rude,
David is not self-seeking,
David is not easily angered,
David keeps no record of wrongs.
[6] David does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
[7] David always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8David never fails.

H - E - L - P !!! That is not true……………..

Now, let's put Jesus Name in the place of love:

[4] Jesus is patient,
Jesus is kind.
Jesus does not envy,
Jesus does not boast,
Jesus is not proud.
[5] Jesus is not rude,
Jesus is not self-seeking,
Jesus is not easily angered,
Jesus keeps no record of wrongs.
[6] Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
[7] Jesus always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
[8] Jesus never fails.

W - 0 - W ! What a difference a name makes.

This scripture reminds us of a love we cannot resist. - God's love.

Some of you are so thirsty for this type of love.

Those who should have loved you didn't.

Those who could have loved you didn't.

You were left at the hospital.

Left at the altar.

Left with an empty bed.

Left with a broken heart.

Left with your question, "Does anybody love me?"

GOD LOVES YOU

Personally. Powerfully. Passionately.

Others have promised and failed.

But God has promised and succeeded.

He loves you with an unfailing love.

And his love - if you will let it - can fill you and leave you with a love worth giving.

C - O - M - E