Great Sin, Great Forgiveness, Great Love
Luke 7:36-50
Dr. Stephen Rummage
Part of How Much?—Discovering Satisfaction in a Never-enough World
August 1, 2021

Great Sin, Great Forgiveness, Great Love

Luke 7:36-50

Luke 7:36 (ESV)
One of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.

Luke 7:37 (ESV)
And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that He was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,

Luke 7:38 (ESV)
and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment.

Luke 7:39 (ESV)
Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

Luke 7:40 (ESV)
And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

Luke 7:41 (ESV)
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

Luke 7:42 (ESV)
When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Luke 7:43 (ESV)
Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Luke 7:44 (ESV)
Then turning toward the woman He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

Luke 7:45 (ESV)
You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss My feet.

Luke 7:46 (ESV)
You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with ointment.

Luke 7:47 (ESV)
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Luke 7:48 (ESV)
And He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 7:49 (ESV)
Then those who were at table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

Luke 7:50 (ESV)
And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 7:48 (ESV)
And He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

for•give•ness \fər-ˈgiv-nəs\ noun: The wiping out of an offense, so that the offense no longer affects the relationship between the offender and the one affronted, and harmony is restored between the two.

1. Forgiveness

Love

Luke 7:36 (ESV)
One of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.

Luke 7:37 (ESV)
And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that He was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,

Luke 7:38 (ESV)
and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment.

1 John 4:10 (ESV)
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:19 (ESV)
We love because He first loved us.

2. Forgiveness

Love

Luke 7:39 (ESV)
Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

Luke 7:40 (ESV)
And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

Luke 7:41 (ESV)
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

Luke 7:42a (ESV)
When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both …”

Numbers 14:19 (ESV)
Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of Your steadfast love, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.

Psalm 86:5 (ESV)
For You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon You.

Psalm 103:12 (ESV)
As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 43:25 (ESV)
I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

The promise to forgive means saying …
“I will not bring this matter up to you again.”
“I will not bring this matter up to others again.”
“I will not bring this matter up to myself again.”

Instead of forgiving …
Minimizing
Ruminating
Stockpiling
Getting even
Ignoring

3. Forgiveness

Love

Luke 7:42 (ESV)
“When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Luke 7:43 (ESV)
Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Luke 7:44 (ESV)
Then turning toward the woman He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

Luke 7:45 (ESV)
You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss My feet.

Luke 7:46 (ESV)
You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with ointment.

Luke 7:47 (ESV)
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

1 John 1:8 (ESV)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:9 (ESV)
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Luke 7:48 (ESV)
And He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 7:49 (ESV)
Then those who were at table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

Luke 7:50 (ESV)
And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”