Date: Third Sunday after Pentecost, June 13, 2010

Text: Luke 7:36–8:3

Title: Saved by grace through faith

What’s the big deal about the Lord telling this woman that her faith has saved her? We’re Lutherans; we know that it is by grace we have been saved through faith, that it’s God’s gift, not by any works of ours. Right?

If we are going to get supreme value from this deluxe-pizza worth of a lesson from our Lord Jesus, we have to see the contrast: Jesus is going for supper at the house of a Pharisee. A "woman of the city, who was a sinner" learns that He is there, so she goes to the house.

The Pharisee represents a certain group of people. The Pharisees were those Jews who thought they made themselves acceptable to God by how they kept all of their little man-made laws. They washed their pots and pans, just so, before their ritual meals. They spoke their prayers, they attended worship, they rested on the Sabbath—everything they did, they did to make themselves look good—good to each other and, especially, good to God.

The woman, who would wash the Lord’s feet, represents another group of people. That she is called "a woman of the city, who was a sinner" is the first clue that she is nothing like a Pharisee. That the Lord said that she loved much because she was forgiven much—well, it wouldn’t shock us if she were some sort of notorious woman, if you catch my drift.

Now, Jesus can read hearts, and that’s important for us to remember because, on the surface, the woman could appear to be no different than a Pharisee. She came into the Pharisee’s house and she did something; she performed a work for Jesus, washing His feet.

But, she washed Jesus’ feet with tears. Her actions spoke what was in her heart: she knew that she was a poor, miserable sinner, who didn’t deserve God’s favor. When she learned that Jesus was at this house, she made it her number one priority to go to Jesus, to humble herself before Jesus, and to believe that Jesus would have a merciful heart for her.

That, dear Christians, is what we call faith. This "woman of the city, who was a sinner" didn’t wash her Lord’s feet to try to impress Jesus; she washed His feet because she loved Jesus. By contrast, the Pharisees didn’t perform their many obligations because they loved God; they did this, and did that, in order to impress God.

Jesus said that the woman loved much because she had been forgiven much.  There is your answer as to why the Pharisees didn't love God much; they didn't think they had much for which to need God's forgiveness.  The Pharisees thought they were pretty good people, thus they didn't need much from God.  The "woman of the city, who was a sinner" knew exactly whom she was, thus she needed everything from God.

Who are you? Do you see yourself as a pretty good person? Do you need much from God? Is God pleased with you because you are a faithful little worshiper, a splendid spouse, a fantastic father or a marvelous mom? Do you think that God has a room for you in heaven because, come on, who wouldn’t want you?

Many years ago, a woman told me about a friend, who was near death, that, certainly, she was going to heaven because she was such a good person: she had taught Sunday School, she was a lifelong Lutheran, she was just an all-around dandy of a woman.

What would the Lord say to this woman? Would He say, as He said to the "woman of the city, who was a sinner," "Your faith has saved you, go in peace"?

Where was the faith of the "woman of the city, who was a sinner"? Was her faith in her good deed, washing Jesus’ feet, or was her faith in Jesus’ merciful heart?

The "woman of the city, who was a sinner," had her faith in Jesus’ merciful heart. The woman, who spoke to me, many years ago, about her friend—where was her faith? Folks, that woman—that Lutheran woman—was talking like a Pharisee, as she was pointing to the good works of a human being as reason for going to heaven.

Who are you? Where do you point, when you point to your salvation? The moment you point to a single thing about you, you are pointing to a sinner who deserves nothing better than eternal damnation in hell.

When asked, "Why do believe you are going to heaven," never answer any of these, or anything remotely like these:

Never point to you; always point to Jesus Christ.

Is this you, the "woman of the city, who was a sinner"? It is, if you have a sure and certain hope that you are a child of God because of Jesus’ merciful heart for you.

Do you love Jesus much, because you have been forgiven much? Do you grasp that you have been forgiven much? Do you recognize that you are one of the human race, with whom you share one thing, one hundred percent of the time: that you are going to die? Do you know, in both your head and in your heart, that only Jesus’ merciful heart for you is the cure for your coming death?

You do know these things, even if your sinful pride tries to get you to point at what a good guy or gal you are, and how could heaven be complete without you?

You know these things because God has given you His Holy Spirit, who lives in you by the power of the Gospel—the Good News that, despite you being just another man or woman of the world, who is a sinner, Jesus has a merciful heart for you—and, He proved it by laying down His life by dying on the cross.

You know these things, and you love Jesus much, because He has washed you in the Baptism of eternal life. You are strengthened to love Jesus much in His feeding you the Holy Communion of His resurrected body and blood, by which you also will be resurrected to eternal life.

Every one of you is the "woman of the city, who was a sinner," and you love Jesus much because He has forgiven you much. He has forgiven you so much that you are holy children of the heavenly Father. He has forgiven you so much that you have not a spot or wrinkle or stain of sin upon you. He has forgiven you so much that death will not be able to hold you.

Because your faith is in Jesus’ merciful heart, your faith has saved you. Go in peace. Amen.