The Woman Who Anoints Jesus

So today we conclude our series that we've called Meeting Jesus.

! And over the last six weeks, we have seen Jesus engage with a variety of people,

! coming to him with many questions, different challenges, varying circumstances.

! And today, as we've just heard, Jesus meets and is anointed by a woman.

And it's an encounter which is actually recorded in all four Gospels.

And when you have a story that's recorded multiple times in the Bible,

it's worth noticing not only that it might be significant,

but also the subtle differences in the way that it's described.

As these can throw a light on what the writer is hoping to kind of draw your attention to.

And here, as we've just heard, it's in Luke's Gospel, the account that he wrote.

And there, the focus actually is not so much on the woman, although we do meet her,

it's in fact on the host of the banquet who receives much of Jesus' attention.

And the first thing that we discover about this host is that he is a Pharisee.

Now, I've always felt that the Pharisees get a bit of bad press.

Now, if we're not too careful, they become the sort of pantomime villains of the Bible.

Boo, hiss, you know, whenever they enter.

Now, the Pharisees were a group of religious leaders in and around the time of Jesus.

And they sought to uphold the teachings of Israel.

And if you think about it, in the context of Roman oppression,

they would have been encouraging the worship of Yahweh instead and against the ways of Rome and the ways of Caesar.

And so the Pharisees, they stood as sort of pillars of distinctiveness for the people of Israel,

encouraging them to live by the laws that were given to their ancestors rather than by anything else.

And the Pharisees, in contrast to the Sadducees, who I believe you met one of those a few weeks ago,

they were another ruling religious group.

The Pharisees weren't so much interested in the institution of the temple and all its politics.

They just wanted to see people's hearts aligned to the word of God.

In many ways, they were the Bible-teaching vicars of their day.

And I've therefore always had a soft spot for them.

And this particular Pharisee was hosting a meal to which he had invited Jesus.

And as you read through the Gospels, you'll realise that Jesus is not all that together well received

by other religious leaders and Pharisees.

And so this Pharisee has really kind of stepped out.

He's gone beyond the normal, taken a social and a status risk to invite Jesus to his home.

Brownie points to him.

Well done.

And to top it all, this Pharisee is called Simon.

What a guy.

Shouldn't we all be like him?

Well, it turns out Jesus has something he needs to teach, Simon.

In fact, when I sat down with this passage a couple of weeks ago to start my preparation in earnest,

I read it through.

And when I got to verse 42, I couldn't help feel that God was speaking directly to me.

Jesus said, Simon, I have something to tell you.

And it turns out he does.

And as you'll soon find out, this actually has had a huge impact on me as I've studied it.

Because as soon as we'll soon discover, this encounter with both Simon the Pharisee

and the woman who anoints Jesus, it will help us understand why some people come to church,

they may be very involved, they might even wear a dog collar,

yet they're quite distant and they're judgmental.

And their lives seem to be unaffected by worship.

And they make people around them feel worse rather than better.

Perhaps you know some people like that.

And yet there are others who come to worship and they are transformed by Jesus.

They live lives of generous love.

They're authentic people.

They're sacrificial.

They're warm.

And they worship with abandonment and with passion.

Now, I don't know about you, but I want to be more like the latter.

But I know I have plenty of traits of the former.

You see, the Simon of this passage, a bit like this Simon, has always tried his best.

My upbringing was one of compliance.

I'll say it like that.

Well behaved, good manners, always regarded as mature for my age.

Yet, in hindsight, there was a big shadow side to this perfectly middle class way of being raised.

There's quite a lot of motivation to behave based on pride.

You know, I wasn't to be like such and such or behave in such and such a way.

Because reading between the lines, that would bring shame on our family.

We don't go that low.

In fact, you're best keeping away from those types of people and what they do.

And that's the best strategy, really, for living life.

And so when I look back, a lot of my behavior was driven by fear.

Fear of going it wrong.

Fear of letting people down.

And of course, the Bible provides plenty of fodder to support that kind of motivation in life.

You know, there's plenty of rules to keep.

There's plenty of fear-mongering that you can use and utilize.

But something was, and to a certain extent still is, lacking.

And what is lacking is revealed in this encounter.

Because as I said, Simon has gone out of his way to host a banquet to which Jesus is invited.

But into this banquet enters a woman who was not on Simon's guest list.

Now, this day and age, it might be a little bit difficult to imagine what this banquet might look like.

No doubt Simon had a bit of a fair-sized property.

And the banquet space would have been open and his guests would have reclined at low tables.

And so when this woman enters, she would have found Jesus reclining.

And we're told that she stands behind him, weeping.

Weeping so much that tears fall onto Jesus' feet.

And then she knelt down.

Using her hair, she wipes his feet.

And she begins to kiss his feet.

And then she takes a jar of alabaster, an alabaster jar of perfume.

So hugely costly and precious.

And she breaks it over Jesus.

Over his feet.

Releasing what must have been a sort of sensuous aroma across the whole gathering.

It was an act that was vulnerable, intimate, and lavish.

And it would have caused quite a stir.

You can imagine kind of murmurs rippling across the room.

Because these locals, they knew who this woman was.

Certainly Simon did.

This was a sinful woman.

Now, we don't know exactly what she did.

But it certainly wasn't in the rules.

And she'd done enough of it to be labelled a sinful woman.

In the sight of the law and in the sight of society.

Shame on her.

That's the impression you get.

And to Simon's mind, the fact that Jesus allowed even this woman to touch him.

Let alone perform such a lavish, intimate act.

Well, that dented his estimation of Jesus' spiritual status.

Perhaps this man isn't such a prophet as everyone says he is.

He thinks to himself.

You see, for Simon, and for so many people, holiness is about how distant one can be from things and people that might contaminate you.

Avoidance and prohibition are the tools so many use and employ to keep their self-righteous status aloof and above others.

And that has the effect, of course, when you stand aloof of looking down your nose slightly at people.

I remember being told as a teenager, Simon, you don't suffer fools lightly, do you?

Now, as a teenager, I didn't even know what that phrase meant.

But I am now realising that the impact of my pride must have been having on those around me.

But for Jesus, holiness and righteousness come from an entirely different place.

And they have a completely different effect on people around him.

So, sensing the contours of Simon's heart, and I don't think to condemn Simon, but because he loves him,

Jesus turns to Simon, answering his unsaid thoughts, and says,

Simon, I have something to tell you.

And Simon, who is open, replies, tell me, teacher.

And so we get this little mini parable that he speaks, presumably to all those gathered, but directed at Simon.

And it's this, two people owe money to a certain moneylender.

One owes him £100,000 and the other £10,000.

Neither of them have the money to pay him back, so he wipes the debt of both.

Now, which of them, he asks Simon, will love him more?

Simon replies correctly.

The one who had the bigger debt forgiven.

Now, this puts a finger on the difference.

The difference between a cold religious type and a passionate worshipper.

Knowing forgiveness.

Jesus continues.

Compare and contrast, says Jesus.

You, Simon, did not give me any water for my feet,

but this woman wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You did not give me a kiss,

but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.

You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.

Therefore, Jesus says, I tell you,

her many sins have been forgiven,

as her great love has shown.

But whoever has been forgiven little,

loves little.

Now, I have to say, this made me laugh.

When I was reading a couple of weeks ago,

I've opened my Bible, I use at home,

and I noticed that these verses

had a highlight through them.

Not because they hold the heart of what Jesus is trying to teach us here,

but in the margin, I'd scribbled,

but when was she forgiven?

Forgiven.

Because perhaps in only a way a Pharisee can,

my main concern was about getting clear

the order of the doctrine of forgiveness.

You know, surely this woman must have met Jesus before,

he must have explained the gospel,

the atonement,

and given her absolution,

so that she knew she was forgiven,

and then her act of worship must have followed.

Otherwise, you know,

these actions would be perceived as if you can kind of earn your forgiveness.

Oh, my goodness me, it had me all in a tither.

But all we know,

all we see in this passage,

is that Jesus says that how many sins are forgiven,

because her great love shows it.

And then afterwards, he declares to the woman,

your sins are forgiven.

This woman,

however she knew it,

knew enough about Jesus

to know,

A, that he was worthy of her love,

and B,

that if she came to him,

he would give her everything she needed.

And in this case,

it was the forgiveness of her sins.

You know,

we don't need to know it all,

or have it all worked out,

before we come to Jesus.

We don't even need to know what it is we need.

The grace and mercy that flows from Jesus,

flows before we've even understood who he really is.

And that grace and mercy is enough.

The woman instinctively knew

Jesus was good news.

This was no mere man.

This man was a source of life and love.

This was a man who could do

only what God could do,

to forgive sins.

And as he declared forgiveness of sins

to that woman

in this banquet,

people were shocked.

They had far less of an idea

of his true identity

than this

woman.

Despite their superior religious knowledge,

this woman really understood

who Jesus was

so much more.

This was the Lord of love.

This was the source

of grace and truth.

The one who holds

the key to freedom

and unlocks our hearts

from all that prevents it

from knowing love,

giving and receiving love.

And her actions

demonstrated it,

didn't they?

In her mind,

Jesus was worthy

of such an act

of lavish,

costly,

passionate,

intimate,

public worship.

This was a woman

who knew

she needed forgiveness.

Simon

was a man

who thought

she needed it,

but that he didn't.

Jesus says,

those who are forgiven little

love little.

So I'm estimating

there will be

at least

two types of people

listening to this

this morning.

There will be those

like me

whose hearts

are more shaped,

if we're honest,

like the Pharisees.

Our tactic

through life

has been

to avoid,

to steer clear

of wrong things

and wrong people.

But that has also

caused us

to avoid

our own hearts.

which have

gone wrong.

We've so

wanted to

protect ourselves

from hurt

and failure

that we've

wrapped

our hearts,

our inner being,

in some sort

of blanket

of protective

aluminium foil.

Can you imagine

that?

And what

a layer

like that does,

it prevents

anything getting

in

and also

getting out.

that's why

we lack

love.

We lack

love for God.

We lack

love for

other people,

especially those

who are different

from us.

Again,

seeing myself

in this story,

when I look back

at so many

of my relationships,

even with

past friends

and parents,

so much of this

has been based

on avoiding

conflict,

trying not

to step

on other

people's toes,

seeking their

approval,

not wanting

to let people

down,

getting validation

from others

that, you know,

I'm good,

I'm okay,

I'm alright,

I'm accepted.

Now,

if that's

sounding a bit

like you,

please don't

beat yourself

up.

This posture

has protected

you and I

through life.

You know,

it's kept you

alive even,

you've learnt

this behaviour

because that

is how you

survive in the

world.

But Jesus

doesn't want

us to stay

like that.

Jesus has

something he

wants to

tell you.

Those who

are forgiven

little,

love little.

And probably

you see,

and you might

see already,

that that

self-protectiveness

is propped

up by pride

and self-righteousness.

Sometimes that

can masquerade

as self-pity

and rage.

Self-pity

and rage,

they sound

a little bit

more dangerous,

don't they?

And that

is sin.

And that

needs

forgiving

by God.

So,

maybe this

morning God

wants to

free up

some Pharisees

here to

live lives

of lavish

love,

of true

holiness

and true

righteousness,

to have

relationships

that aren't

all about

just not

avoiding

treading on

eggshells

and running

from fears,

but where

actually

forgiveness

is freely

offered

and freely

received,

where there

are ruptures

and there's

always ruptures

in relationships.

Rather than

avoiding them,

actually,

we can recognise

those ruptures

for what they

are and we

can repair

them.

That's certainly

what God's been

speaking to me

about as I've

engaged with

this story.

But maybe

there are also

those here

this morning

who relate

much more

to the woman

in the story.

Your life

is broken

and you know

it.

You don't need

the preacher

to labour

the point.

You're aware

of your sins.

And I'd say

to you this

morning,

and perhaps

Jesus does,

don't let the

Pharisees around

you put you

off.

Come to

Jesus.

He has got

everything you

need.

He will

forgive and

continue to

forgive you

your sins

and set

your lives

free to

live lives

of lavish

love.

And you

know what?

Just like

this story,

Jesus holds

you up as

an example

of grace

in action.

Come to

him.

Thank him.

Worship him

with abandonment

for he is

good.

folks,

we want to

be a church

community

that is

increasingly

inclusive,

intergenerational

and inspired.

To be

those things,

we need to

be a church

that is

forgiving

freely,

casting away

those

pharisaical

mess avoidance

strategies,

and instead

getting stuck

in to the

mess of

relationships,

and the

mess of

our own

hearts,

really getting

to grips

with who

we are

and what

shadow sides

lie there.

And also

not afraid

to be with

those who

also need

forgiveness,

and that's

all of us,

and that's

everyone outside

this building

and outside

our church

community.

1 John 4

1 John 4:8

verse 8

says,

there is no

fear in

love,

but perfect

love casts

out fear,

for fear has

to do with

punishment,

and whoever

fears has not

been perfected

in love.

love.

In Jesus,

we need

have no

fear of

punishment,

because in

him is

perfect

forgiveness,

because his

perfect,

lavish

love

demonstrated

with such

abandonment

and vulnerability

and costliness

as he poured

out his

tears

and his

sweat

and his

blood

on the

cross.

That is

the love

of Jesus.

That love

is poured

out on

us,

the undeserving,

not just

on our feet,

but into

our hearts

by his

Holy Spirit.

As we

finish now,

my questions

are simple.

Will you

receive it?

And will

you share

it?

Let's just

be still.

And perhaps

like me,

God has

something he

wants to

tell you.

Please

may may

Thank you.