Sermon
Jesus Has Something to Say to You
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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Well, let's turn for a short time now to Luke chapter 7.
Luke 7 chapter mention
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! We're going to look especially at verses 36 to 50,
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I have something to say to you.
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And he answered, said, teacher.
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In many ways, we could summarize this passage by focusing on two of the questions that are asked in the process of the passage.
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In verse 44, he said to Simon, do you see this woman?
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In other words, Jesus is drawing Simon's attention to this woman, to who she is,
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but especially what she has just done in anointing the feet of Jesus and wiping them with her hair.
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And when you go to verse 49, it's a comment there by Luke when he comes to write this for us.
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He said to her, your sins are forgiven.
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And then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, who is this who even forgives sins?
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And in many ways, you can summarize the passage from both of these questions.
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Do you see this woman?
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Do you see who she is, what she's done?
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And do you see this person, this Jesus, and who he is and what he himself is able to do?
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So in other words, the first question there in verse 44, it's really a challenge to Simon, Simon the Pharisee,
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a challenge as to how he should see people, how he should view people, how he should come to an opinion about people,
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what are the characteristics of his assessment, what is right and what is wrong in making assessments of people.
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The second question is a challenge, and of course that's a challenge to us as well,
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but the second question is a challenge to us too, verse 49,
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who is this who even forgives sins?
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How do we view Jesus?
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Not just how we view other people and how we assess their lives,
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what we make of them, what we think of them,
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what our conclusions are,
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but especially what do we make of him?
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What is Jesus for?
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What have we done with him?
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Who is he to us today?
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An issue which runs right through the Bible,
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but Luke's gospel, in the framework of Luke's gospel,
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that question frequently comes up.
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Who is this man?
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Who is he?
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What is he about?
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So let's see, first of all, this woman.
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Simon, do you see this woman?
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Who was this woman?
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Well, she came to this house of Simon when Jesus was here,
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and we're told that she had something of a reputation.
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A woman of the city who was a sinner,
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when she learned that he was reclining at table,
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brought an alabaster flask of ointment.
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The word sinner, and Simon uses the word as well,
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when he thought about what Jesus had allowed this woman to do.
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If he were a prophet, he wouldn't have allowed this.
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He's saying, for she is a sinner.
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Now, that word could mean a lot of things.
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We're all sinners to some extent.
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To a great extent, we're all sinners deep down,
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and we're sinners by practice as well.
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But when this word is used in this kind of context,
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it means she was a woman who had a reputation,
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a woman who had a lifestyle that just wasn't becoming
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as it should be of a woman in society,
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or of anyone in society.
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It means she had a reputation for being prominently
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or obviously a sinner.
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She lived in a sinful lifestyle,
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possibly a sinful relationship.
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Who knows?
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Maybe she was a prostitute.
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Maybe she was somebody who lived an immoral lifestyle.
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But in any case, she was known as a sinner.
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She was known as somebody who had that sort of reputation,
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that sort of background and practice.
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And she would not be welcome in this kind of society,
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in this kind of situation, in this man's house especially.
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But she came in,
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and as she came in,
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she came to Jesus,
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and she anointed his feet with her tears
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and wiped them with the hair off her head.
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She came weeping.
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She came with his ointment.
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She came and kissed his feet.
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She came and anointed them.
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What is all that telling us?
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Well, it's telling us that she recognized in Jesus
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things which this Pharisee certainly did not.
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It tells us that she loved this Jesus,
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which this Pharisee did not.
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It tells us that despite the fact that she had this reputation,
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she came to love this person, Jesus,
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and she loved him particularly
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because he had forgiven her sins.
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It was all from her love for him
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that she did this.
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Look at verse 47,
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where Jesus says to the Pharisee,
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You didn't anoint my head with oil.
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She has anointed my feet with ointment.
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Therefore I tell you,
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her sins which are many are forgiven,
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for she loved much.
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But he who is forgiven little,
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loves little.
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Now Jesus is not saying,
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because she has done this,
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I've decided to forgive her sins.
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He's not saying,
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by virtue of what she has done,
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by virtue of her action here,
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her doings,
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she has come to be forgiven her sin.
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That's not what he's saying.
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He's saying,
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what she has done shows,
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it's evidence of the fact that her sin has been forgiven.
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She loves me because I have forgiven her sins,
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because her sins which are many are forgiven.
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Her love for Christ grew out of her knowledge of forgiveness,
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grew out of her situation where her sins had actually been covered,
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had been dealt with by the Lord.
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And that's why she loved him.
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But her love took the form of acting like a slave would act.
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When you came into a house like this,
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for a meal or on a special occasion,
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there were slaves employed to actually wash your feet.
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John chapter 13 has a very famous passage
John 13 chapter mention
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that uses that as a background to it,
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if you like,
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where Jesus began to wash the feet of the disciples.
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You gathered some dust when you walked through the streets
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on the way to wherever you were going,
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and slaves were employed,
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among other things,
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to wash the feet of guests
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who were invited to come to dinner
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or to come to a supper.
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And that's what this woman is really doing.
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She's acting the part of a slave.
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She's taking this position
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in the presence of Simon and his guests
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and Jesus in Simon's house.
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She's taking the lowest position.
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She's happy to do it
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because she loves this Jesus.
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Now there's a challenge in that for ourselves,
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isn't there?
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Our discipleship is not about prominence in public.
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It's not about getting for ourselves
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a position that people can talk about.
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Our discipleship is being prepared
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to take the lowest,
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the smallest,
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the most menial position
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and tasks for the Lord.
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Being able to say to the Lord,
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whatever you give me, Lord,
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whatever you ask me to do,
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whatever service I can be to you,
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I'll be happy to do it
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because it's what I owe you.
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Because it's all too little
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compared to what you have done for me.
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What is washing someone's feet
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compared to having your sins washed?
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That's the point that Jesus is making.
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When your sins are washed away,
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the least you can do for Jesus
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is something you will do most happily.
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The most you can do for Jesus,
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you will do it most happily.
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Why?
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Because you love Him
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and He's worth doing this for Him.
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After all, as we mentioned,
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John chapter 13
John 13 chapter mention
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has a wonderful passage
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where Jesus Himself
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acts the part of a slave
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or a bond servant.
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You remember He
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took off His outer garments.
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He wrapped a towel around Himself.
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All of these details are important.
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And He began to wash
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the feet of the disciples.
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And there's a theological symbolism
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in that in John's Gospel.
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John loves to have
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that symbolism brought out,
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especially where it relates
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to God's love and to Jesus
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and all that Jesus came to do.
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And here is Jesus demonstrating
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by way, if you like,
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of a parable in action
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rather than in words,
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where He had divested Himself
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of the glory that is His as God.
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He's still God.
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It still belongs to Him,
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but He's masked that
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by His place in the world
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as a servant of the Father.
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He's come to be,
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not to be served,
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as He put it Himself,
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but to serve
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and to give His life
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a ransom for many.
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And as He does,
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as He washes these disciples' feet,
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He's demonstrating,
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He's come into the world
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to act the part of a slave,
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the part of a servant,
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bonded to the Father
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and bonded to His people
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and being prepared
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to carry this through
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to the very end.
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And when He had finished
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washing the disciples' feet,
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He took up His place again.
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The towel had done its work.
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He sat again
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where He was to begin with.
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And there's John's symbolism for you.
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The Lord came into this world
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in the form of a servant
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and He humbled Himself
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to the death of the cross,
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as Philippians 2 put it.
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And what happened then?
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Well, He went back
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to the glory He had with the Father
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before the world was.
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But what a wonderful,
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wonderful service
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in between those two great points
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of His coming
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and His going back to the Father.
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He came to wash
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the feet of His disciples
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spiritually,
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as well as literally.
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He came
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to be the Savior of sinners.
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He came into the world
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to show the Father's love
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and to be,
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for us too,
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the example
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above all other examples
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of what it means
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to serve God
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humbly,
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willingly,
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consistently.
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So there's a challenge
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in this woman
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for ourselves.
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Are we today
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prepared
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to follow Jesus?
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To follow Him
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into the most menial tasks?
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Will we go
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wherever He sends us?
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Will we do
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whatever He requires
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of us?
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Will we say,
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Lord,
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when I think
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of what You have done,
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what You ask of me
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to do for You
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is all too little.
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But then you see
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Simon's conclusions.
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Jesus said to him,
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Do you see this woman?
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But he had concluded beforehand,
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and I think this is one of the reasons
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Jesus drew His attention again
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to this woman
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when the Pharisee,
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when He saw this woman
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doing what she'd done,
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He said,
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If this man were a prophet,
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he would have known
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who and what sort of woman
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this is
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who is touching him,
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for she is a sinner.
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What is Simon doing
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with this woman?
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What are his conclusions
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based upon?
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They're based upon
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his own ideas
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of what's right and wrong.
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He's putting her
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in a category,
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not regarding her
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as a person.
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He just says,
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This woman is a sinner.
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This man, Jesus,
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shouldn't have allowed
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this woman to touch Him.
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She's a sinner.
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She's in the category
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of being a sinner.
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He should have just
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excluded her.
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He should have put her aside.
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How do we assess people?
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Do we put them
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in categories?
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Do we say about them,
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Well, yes,
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but they're of the world
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and just ignore them?
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Or do we say,
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Oh, yeah,
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but they're not our denomination.
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They're not our congregation.
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Or do we say of them,
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They're not communicant members
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of the congregation.
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Therefore,
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it's not so important
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what they do
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or don't do
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with their life.
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We're constantly,
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aren't we,
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in the business
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of categorizing people,
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putting them
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into different categories,
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and quite often
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absolving ourselves
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of responsibilities
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concerning them.
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That's what this man
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was doing.
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She is a sinner.
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Let's leave it there.
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So Jesus shouldn't
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have touched her,
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allowed her to touch Him
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at all.
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And he's concluded
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about Jesus,
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this man can't be a prophet.
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He's a fake.
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If he were a real prophet,
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he would have known
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what sort of woman this is.
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It's really telling
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how Jesus responded.
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Here is Simon saying,
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If this man only knew
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what this woman is,
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if he really knew,
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he wouldn't have allowed her
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to do this.
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And in the response,
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what becomes obvious
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is that not only
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did Jesus know
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who this woman was,
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but he knew
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what Simon was thinking.
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You see,
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it's interesting.
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It's important,
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actually.
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Simon said
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to himself.
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He didn't say
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anything out loud.
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He said to himself,
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If this man
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were a prophet,
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he would have known
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who this woman,
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what sort of woman it is
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who's touching him.
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It's quite clear.
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In verse 39,
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the Pharisee,
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when he saw it,
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he said to himself.
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He didn't say anything
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out loud.
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He didn't say to Jesus,
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Why are you allowing
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this woman to do this?
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Don't you know
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that she's a sinner?
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It's all inside
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his own head.
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It's all in his soul.
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It's the thoughts
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of his mind.
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And all the time
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that he's saying
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about Jesus,
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if only he knew,
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he really doesn't know
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that Jesus
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knows not only
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who this woman is,
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but the very thoughts
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that he's thinking.
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Simon never spoke
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a word,
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and Jesus knew
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everything
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that was in his mind.
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And so it is
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with you and me today,
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just as truly
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as it was
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on that occasion.
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Your response
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to the gospel,
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your response
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to the call
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of the gospel,
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calling you
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to come to Christ,
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your response
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to Christ's call
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to go to serve him,
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to be his servant,
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to be openly his,
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to be willingly his,
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to do for him
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whatever he's calling
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upon you to do,
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whatever thoughts
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are in your mind
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regarding those things
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right now,
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the Lord is reading them.
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He knows them.
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He's reached
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his own conclusions.
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Whatever conclusions
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we've come to
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about him.
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But he doesn't
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condemn Simon
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outrightly.
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He doesn't come
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to rebuke him openly.
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Instead,
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you find from
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verse 41 there,
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he actually tells him
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about this moneylender.
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And he puts Simon
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to the test again
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when he goes through
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the various parts
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of that account
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about the moneylender.
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And he then
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comes to the point
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which of them
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will love him
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the most.
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And Simon
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rightly concludes,
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well,
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it's the one
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to whom most
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is forgiven.
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And that's what
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leads him again,
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leads Jesus to
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speak about this woman.
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Because Christ's concern
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is to lead
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this Pharisee
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towards the light.
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Not to leave him
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in the darkness.
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The darkness
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of his own understanding.
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The darkness
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of his own conclusions.
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The wrongness
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of his own thinking.
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He's all the time
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leading him
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towards
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considering
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the truth
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as he ought
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to consider it.
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And he's saying,
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well,
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you have judged rightly.
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And then he turned
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again to the woman
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so that he would
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focus again
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on what that woman
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had done.
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You see,
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he's drawing
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Simon's mind
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all the time
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to what he ought
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to have concluded.
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What he ought
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to have thought.
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And to what kind
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of opinion
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he should have had
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about Jesus
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himself.
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And that's how
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the gospel
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is today for you.
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The gospel
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of which Christ
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is the centerpiece.
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Where Jesus
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stands
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at the very heart
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of this gospel
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message
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of salvation
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in him.
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That's the concern
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of the Lord.
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That's what the gospel
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is concerned
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for you and I
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to do.
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To lead us
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into the light.
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Not to leave us
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in our darkness.
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Not to leave us
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to our own conclusions.
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And that's why
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you find
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through this passage
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that Christ's
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response here
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to Simon
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is to get
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his attention.
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Verse 40
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Simon
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I have something
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to say to you.
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Jesus knew
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who he was
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knew who this
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woman was
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knew the thoughts
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of Simon's heart
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now he turns
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to Simon
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and says
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Simon
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I have
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something to
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say to you.
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And he's
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saying that
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to you
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and to me
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today.
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He's reading
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your thoughts.
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He knows
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your heart.
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He knows
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what conclusions
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you've come to
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about himself
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about other
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human beings
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or about the
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church
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whatever it is
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he's reading
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your thoughts
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he knows
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your mind.
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And today
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this gospel
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or Jesus
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through the gospel
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is saying
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Simon
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I have
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something
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to say
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to you.
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He's not
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saying it
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to whoever's
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beside you
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in the pew.
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He's not
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saying this
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to somebody
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else in
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this congregation
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today.
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Yes he may
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be doing that
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but as far
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as you're
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concerned
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as far
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as I'm
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concerned
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Jesus
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is saying
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I have
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something
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to say
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to you.
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Because
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this gospel
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is not
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a generalized
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presentation
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of truth
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to us.
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This gospel
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of Jesus
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and Jesus
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through the gospel
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is not
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just addressing
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us as if
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we didn't
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have individual
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needs that
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he is able
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to meet.
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He's not
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lumping us
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all together
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and saying
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here's something
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I want you
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all to consider
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and discuss
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together.
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No he's
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saying I
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have something
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to say
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to you
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today.
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Doesn't
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matter how
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you've come
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here today.
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What your
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thoughts have
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been.
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What your
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life has
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been up to
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now.
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However
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long you've
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been on the
-
road of
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following the
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Lord.
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Lord.
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Or even
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if you've
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not yet
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come to
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begin to
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follow him.
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Jesus
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today is
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addressing
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your soul
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and saying
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you put
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your own
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name into
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it instead
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of Simon.
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I have
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something
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to say
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to you.
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Aren't
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you thankful
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today that
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Jesus is not
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saying I
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could speak
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to you but
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I'd rather
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that I go to
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somebody else
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in this
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congregation
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first of
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all and
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then I'll
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come back
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to you.
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No he's
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saying I
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have something
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today to
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say to
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you.
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Wonderful
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way the
-
gospel
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directly
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addresses us
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as individuals
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in our
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individual
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need in
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our
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individual
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relationship
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with God
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and to
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eternity
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and to
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the truth
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of the
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gospel
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itself.
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Thanks be
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to God
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that he
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didn't walk
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past me
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in my
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life.
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God
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and say
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I'm
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going to
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leave you
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here.
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I'm
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going to
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speak to
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someone
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else.
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And you're
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thankful
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today as a
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Christian
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that he
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didn't
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bypass you
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on the
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way through
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life but
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that he
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came and
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spoke directly
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into your
-
soul and
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said today
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I have
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something to
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say to
-
you.
-
God's
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and as
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we're
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thankful for
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God's
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address to
-
us
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individually
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so we're
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thankful for
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all that
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that contains
-
focusing
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specifically on
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our need to
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serve him
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on our need
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to humble
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ourselves before
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him or
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our need to
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be like this
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woman to
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take the
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lowest place
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to wash
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his feet
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spiritually
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without tears
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actually to
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if we need
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to.
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She
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honored Jesus
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by her
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actions.
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And that's
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what Jesus
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is pointing
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to speaking
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this way to
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Simon.
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She has
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honored me
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Simon.
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I want you
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to look at
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her.
-
I want you
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to think
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about her.
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I want you
-
to consider
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what I have
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to say to
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you about
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her and
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about yourself.
-
and so
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Simon has
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much to
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think about.
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And that's
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how it is
-
for me
-
today.
-
I stand
-
in this
-
pulpit and
-
Jesus is
-
addressing me
-
and saying
-
you speak
-
to these
-
people about
-
the gospel
-
you speak
-
to them
-
about their
-
need of
-
Christ
-
what about
-
yourself?
-
I have
-
something to
-
say to
-
you today.
-
He's not
-
bypassing me
-
or any of
-
us who
-
preach the
-
gospel.
-
for all
-
of us
-
for each
-
of us
-
it's our
-
great privilege
-
to know
-
God speaking
-
to us.
-
God not
-
leaving us
-
to our
-
own
-
devices.
-
God not
-
telling us
-
I'm done
-
with you.
-
No he's
-
speaking
-
to you
-
and to
-
me
-
in this
-
building
-
at this
-
moment.
-
And he
-
needs your
-
response.
-
he needs
-
to know
-
what you're
-
going to
-
make of
-
what he
-
has to
-
say to
-
you.
-
He's not
-
just throwing
-
it at
-
you and
-
just leaving
-
it as if
-
it didn't
-
matter.
-
Why is
-
he speaking
-
to us
-
directly?
-
Why is
-
he calling
-
our attention
-
to the
-
Bible and
-
to the
-
teaching of
-
the Bible?
-
So that
-
we will
-
come to
-
know him
-
and know
-
him intimately
-
and know
-
him continually
-
from now
-
on and
-
know him
-
as the
-
only one
-
in existence
-
who is
-
able to
-
meet all
-
of our
-
needs in
-
all its
-
scope,
-
in all its
-
detail,
-
in all its
-
depth.
-
Nobody can
-
do for you
-
what Jesus
-
can.
-
And that's
-
why the
-
gospel is
-
concerned.
-
Or Christ
-
through the
-
gospel is
-
drawing you
-
to think
-
deeply of
-
this relationship
-
with himself.
-
Do you
-
see this
-
woman?
-
But then
-
you find
-
near the
-
end of
-
the
-
chapter
-
as we
-
saw
-
in
-
verse 47
-
who is
-
this
-
who
-
even
-
forgives
-
sins?
-
As we
-
said,
-
she loved
-
the Lord
-
because her
-
sins were
-
forgiven.
-
This is
-
what he's
-
saying.
-
I tell
-
you,
-
her sins
-
which are
-
many are
-
forgiven,
-
for she
-
loved much,
-
but to
-
whom little
-
is forgiven,
-
they love
-
little.
-
And he
-
said to
-
her,
-
your sins
-
are
-
forgiven.
-
And then
-
the question,
-
who is
-
this who
-
even forgives
-
sins?
-
Now this
-
is the
-
burden of
-
Luke's
-
gospel all
-
the way
-
through as
-
you read
-
it from
-
beginning to
-
end.
-
This is
-
in many
-
ways the
-
main
-
burden of
-
his
-
gospel as
-
he's
-
taking us
-
through
-
the
-
incidents
-
in
-
Christ's
-
life while
-
he was
-
in the
-
world,
-
through to
-
his death
-
and resurrection
-
and then
-
ascension to
-
glory.
-
Who is
-
this?
-
What is
-
he about?
-
that's the
-
concern of
-
Luke for
-
his readers
-
that they
-
will come
-
to know
-
who exactly
-
this is
-
and what
-
they need
-
to make
-
of him.
-
And he
-
says here,
-
who is
-
this who
-
even forgives
-
sins?
-
That's what
-
they said
-
among
-
themselves,
-
those who
-
are at
-
table with
-
him.
-
That's the
-
question.
-
Who is
-
this who
-
even forgives
-
sins?
-
Well,
-
only God
-
can forgive
-
sins.
-
No minister
-
can forgive
-
sins.
-
No priest
-
can forgive
-
sins.
-
No church
-
can confer
-
forgiveness
-
of sins,
-
wipe our
-
sins away.
-
Only God
-
can do it.
-
But you
-
see, the
-
point is,
-
here is
-
God doing
-
it.
-
Who is
-
this who
-
forgives,
-
even forgives
-
sins?
-
He has
-
the authority
-
to forgive
-
sins.
-
That's why
-
he's able
-
to speak
-
to this
-
woman.
-
your faith
-
has saved
-
you.
-
Your sins
-
are forgiven.
-
There's no
-
salvation
-
without
-
forgiveness.
-
We can
-
persuade
-
ourselves
-
that somehow
-
we'll make
-
our way
-
into the
-
kingdom of
-
God
-
without really
-
paying much
-
attention to
-
our sin
-
and our
-
need to
-
have our
-
sin forgiven.
-
It's not
-
like that.
-
There are
-
many voices
-
that will
-
try and
-
persuade you
-
of that.
-
There are
-
many voices
-
that will
-
tell you,
-
well, you
-
don't need
-
to deal
-
with your
-
sins yet.
-
You don't
-
need to be
-
that serious
-
about things
-
yet.
-
you can do
-
that.
-
You can do
-
that at some
-
later stage
-
in your
-
life.
-
You've got
-
enough to
-
be doing
-
with at
-
the moment.
-
But you
-
have to
-
realize, and
-
I have to
-
realize, that
-
without Jesus
-
we're still in
-
our sins.
-
Without faith
-
in Christ,
-
our sin is
-
not forgiven.
-
And when
-
our sin is
-
not forgiven,
-
we're not
-
right with
-
God.
-
Who is
-
this who
-
even forgives
-
sins?
-
The world
-
in which we
-
live hates
-
the idea of
-
sinfulness.
-
The biblical
-
idea of sin,
-
the biblical
-
teaching on
-
sin, what
-
sin is,
-
what sin
-
deserves.
-
What we
-
are as
-
sinners from
-
the day of
-
our birth
-
onwards, or
-
even prior to
-
that, as
-
Psalm 51
-
put us, we
-
are conceived
-
in iniquity
-
and sin.
-
And we
-
bring forth
-
sin as soon
-
as we're
-
into the
-
world.
-
The world
-
out there
-
hates that.
-
You don't
-
tell people
-
you're a
-
sinner.
-
You don't
-
tell people
-
you need
-
your life
-
changed,
-
you need
-
a fresh
-
and a new
-
start.
-
Do you
-
need a
-
relationship
-
with God?
-
The world
-
doesn't want
-
to hear
-
that.
-
As
-
sinners, we
-
don't want
-
to hear
-
that.
-
But our
-
privilege under
-
the gospel is
-
that in his
-
own goodness
-
and mercy
-
and grace,
-
God brings
-
us to hear
-
that.
-
God brings
-
us to
-
consider that.
-
And we
-
come to know
-
our need
-
of forgiveness
-
because that's
-
what God is
-
telling us.
-
and Jesus
-
says to
-
this woman,
-
your faith
-
has saved
-
you.
-
Go in
-
peace.
-
Now, it
-
doesn't mean
-
that her
-
faith was
-
meritorious.
-
It doesn't
-
mean that she
-
earned
-
salvation by
-
her faith.
-
But it
-
does mean
-
that her
-
faith had
-
connected her
-
to this
-
salvation,
-
this forgiveness,
-
this salvation
-
that Jesus
-
is speaking
-
of.
-
Your faith
-
has saved
-
you.
-
It's faith.
-
What is faith?
-
Faith,
-
essentially,
-
is our
-
coming to
-
trust in
-
the Lord.
-
To put
-
all our
-
trust in
-
him for
-
time and
-
for eternity,
-
that trust
-
is really
-
faith.
-
Our faith
-
is trust,
-
essentially.
-
There are
-
other things
-
to it as
-
well.
-
You believe
-
certain things
-
to be true,
-
certain things
-
not to be
-
true,
-
and so on.
-
But faith
-
at its
-
very
-
center
-
is trusting
-
in God.
-
Putting your
-
trust,
-
your confidence
-
in him,
-
handing over
-
your life
-
to him,
-
and saying,
-
Lord,
-
here is my
-
life,
-
the life I've
-
had up to
-
now.
-
It's not
-
been the kind
-
of life
-
that you're
-
pleased with.
-
But I hand
-
my life over
-
to you.
-
I know
-
it's right
-
for me
-
to do
-
it.
-
I know
-
it's what
-
you're
-
calling on
-
me to
-
do.
-
And this
-
woman here,
-
your faith
-
has saved
-
you.
-
Is there
-
anyone here
-
today who's
-
not yet
-
saved?
-
Anyone
-
who's not
-
come yet
-
to trust
-
in the
-
living
-
Christ?
-
Anyone
-
who knows
-
the gospel
-
as you do
-
so well?
-
But still
-
you're in
-
your sins.
-
And your
-
sins will
-
condemn you
-
if you die
-
like that.
-
And you
-
have Jesus
-
today speaking
-
to you.
-
I have
-
something to
-
say to you.
-
And what
-
he's saying
-
to you is,
-
here is
-
salvation.
-
Here is
-
what you
-
need.
-
Trust in
-
me.
-
And you
-
will have
-
this salvation
-
to enjoy
-
for time
-
and for
-
eternity.
-
No one
-
will be able
-
to take it
-
from you.
-
Nobody
-
can actually
-
change
-
the
-
circumstances,
-
the relationship
-
then that
-
you have
-
with God.
-
Your
-
faith
-
has saved
-
you.
-
And then
-
he says,
-
go in
-
peace.
-
And
-
actually
-
literally
-
what Luke
-
is recording
-
for us
-
here is
-
that Jesus
-
said,
-
go into
-
peace.
-
Really to
-
translate it
-
literally,
-
it's the
-
word into,
-
go into
-
peace.
-
peace.
-
He's not
-
just saying
-
to her,
-
go now
-
in peace
-
from this
-
place.
-
He's
-
saying,
-
go into
-
peace.
-
Enter
-
into
-
peace,
-
the peace
-
that you
-
have in
-
your
-
salvation.
-
Enter
-
into that
-
peace.
-
Enjoy
-
that
-
peace.
-
Do you
-
lack
-
peace in
-
your life?
-
Are you
-
looking for
-
peace?
-
peace?
-
I'm
-
assuming
-
that
-
everyone
-
here,
-
including
-
myself,
-
is aware
-
of their
-
need for
-
peace in
-
their life.
-
The world
-
out there
-
is full
-
of the
-
lack of
-
peace.
-
But you
-
and I
-
are here
-
under the
-
gospel
-
where peace
-
is being
-
presented to
-
us in
-
Christ.
-
Go
-
into
-
peace.
-
Enjoy
-
peace with
-
God.
-
Enjoy
-
peace as
-
you
-
anticipate
-
death
-
and
-
eternity.
-
These
-
things are
-
not
-
morbid
-
to focus
-
on them,
-
to think
-
about them.
-
The world
-
will tell
-
you,
-
I don't
-
want to
-
think about
-
these
-
things.
-
I have
-
far too
-
much to
-
live for.
-
Why should
-
I be
-
thinking of
-
death and
-
eternity and
-
sin and
-
judgment and
-
all that
-
stuff?
-
Here is
-
Jesus
-
saying,
-
if you
-
want peace
-
you've
-
got to
-
think about
-
them.
-
If you
-
want peace
-
there's only
-
one place
-
you can
-
find it
-
and that's
-
in Him.
-
Go
-
into
-
peace.
-
A
-
peace
-
that will
-
not
-
in any
-
way free
-
you from
-
all your
-
troubles.
-
It will
-
not inoculate
-
you in
-
such a
-
way that
-
you won't
-
feel any
-
pains or
-
concerns or
-
anxieties or
-
troubles anymore.
-
It's not like
-
that.
-
But the
-
big thing
-
is,
-
when you
-
go into
-
peace,
-
when you
-
place your
-
trust in
-
Christ and
-
He says
-
to you,
-
now go
-
into
-
peace,
-
what He's
-
saying,
-
you might
-
have
-
troubles,
-
you will
-
have
-
troubles,
-
but you'll
-
have
-
me.
-
And
-
because
-
you'll
-
have
-
me,
-
you'll
-
have
-
peace.
-
You'll
-
be able
-
to face
-
your
-
troubles
-
as never
-
before,
-
through the
-
peace that
-
I will
-
give you.
-
Simon,
-
do you
-
see this
-
woman?
-
Who is
-
this who
-
even
-
forgives
-
sins?
-
Simon,
-
I have
-
something
-
to say
-
to you
-
today.
-
Let's
-
pray.
-
Lord,
-
our God,
-
we thank
-
you for
-
the peace
-
of the
-
gospel.
-
We thank
-
you for
-
the way
-
that it
-
has come
-
about,
-
that you
-
have come
-
into this
-
world and
-
given of
-
yourself the
-
Prince of
-
Peace to
-
die for
-
our peace.
-
We bless
-
you,
-
Lord,
-
today that
-
that peace
-
is real,
-
that it
-
far exceeds
-
anything that
-
any human
-
being can
-
conceive of
-
by way of
-
peace.
-
Bring us,
-
we pray,
-
into that
-
peace,
-
and if we
-
will already
-
come to
-
know you
-
as peace,
-
O Lord,
-
help us to
-
travel onwards
-
in the
-
peace of
-
Christ,
-
and enable
-
us to value
-
that peace
-
in such a
-
way that
-
would treasure
-
it in our
-
own hearts,
-
but would
-
also value
-
sharing it
-
with others.
-
Receive our
-
thanks now,
-
we pray,
-
pardoning
-
all our
-
sin,
-
for
-
Jesus'
-
sake.
-
Amen.
-
Well,
-
we're going
-
to conclude
-
our worship
-
today singing
-
in Psalm
-
103,
-
from the
-
Scottish
-
Psalter,
-
Psalm 103,
-
and
-
verses
-
8 to
-
12.
-
The
-
Lord,
-
our God,
-
is merciful,
-
and he
-
is gracious,
-
long-suffering,
-
and slow to
-
wrath,
-
and mercy
-
plenteous.
-
He will
-
not chide
-
continually,
-
nor keep
-
his anger
-
still.
-
With us
-
he dealt
-
not as we
-
sinned,
-
nor did
-
requite
-
our ill.
-
For as
-
the heaven
-
and its
-
height,
-
the earth
-
surmounteth
-
far,
-
so great
-
to those
-
that do
-
him fear
-
his tender
-
mercies
-
are.
-
As far
-
as east,
-
as distant
-
from the
-
west,
-
so far
-
hath he
-
from us
-
removed
-
in his
-
love
-
all our
-
iniquity.
-
all these
-
verses
-
then to
-
God's
-
praise
-
in
-
Psalm 103
-
from
-
verse 8,
-
the Lord
-
our God
-
is merciful.
-
and he is
-
gracious,
-
from
-
suffering
-
and slow
-
to
-
wrath
-
in
-
mercy
-
plenty
-
of
-
He
-
will
-
not
-
continually,
-
nor
-
keep
-
his
-
anger
-
still.
-
with
-
us
-
he
-
can't
-
nor
-
does
-
we
-
sin
-
nor
-
give
-
we
-
quite
-
ado.
-
For
-
us
-
the
-
heaven
-
in
-
its
-
height,
-
the
-
earth
-
surmounted
-
fire.
-
so
-
great
-
to
-
those
-
that
-
do
-
in
-
fear
-
his
-
tender
-
mercy
-
side.
-
!
-
As
-
far
-
as
-
he
-
distant
-
from
-
the
-
west
-
of
-
the
-
sea,
-
from
-
us
-
to
-
us
-
to
-
us
-
the
-
of
-
the
-
and
-
the
-
Father
-
the
-
the
-
Lord
-
the
-
Lord
-
the
-
Lord
-
Lord
-
Father
-
and
-
the
-
Holy
-
you
-
evermore.
-
Amen.
-
the
-
of
-
the
-
of
-
the
-
the
-
!
-
holy