Jesus and the Dinner Party

Ever been to a dinner party? I know I have a few times, and we have had people over to our place quite a lot. We had met a few new friends at one time because we had joined a new church.

Jesus was invited to a dinner party at Simon the Pharisee's house, which I can imagine would have been pretty unusual, especially at that time, because let's face it, Jesus wasn't the most popular person among the Pharisees and others in that circle at that time. They were more interested in finding out exactly who this person was and what he was doing coming into their realm of aristocracy.

Jesus did accept the invitation, and having walked all the way there in his sandals, like everyone wore in those days, he found himself reclining at the table along with all the guests. 

I guess he was feeling pretty grubby, like everyone else in those days, after walking the streets. You can read about it in the Bible in Luke 7, starting at verse 41

Then, suddenly, a woman comes in, a sinful woman according to the passage. She had worked out that Jesus was eating at the Pharisees' house, so she suddenly appeared with an alabaster jar of perfume. She stood behind him and, crying, she wet his feet with her tears and then wiped his feet with her long hair and then poured the alabaster jar of perfume on his feet.

The Pharisee who owned the house was utterly dismayed and pretty angry, really! He said, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is - that she is a sinner."

Well, that said it! Obviously, the Pharisee certainly figured out that he certainly wasn't a sinner, and a lot of people he obviously knew weren't either. How wrong could he be?

Jesus answered Simon, and I quote: "Simon, I have something to tell you/"Tell me, teacher," said Simon.

"Two people owed money to a certain moneylender, one owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven". "You have judged correctly",  Jesus said

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't 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 poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

Then Jesus said to her. "Your sins have been forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" He then said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Jesus must have been getting quite famous in those days because he really did have something different to tell the people. Well-known and pretty superior people really wanted to find out who this person was and wanted to ask him all sorts of questions.

So you can imagine their surprise when a woman with a reputation comes into the home of one of the Pharisees of all people. She must have been really brave and so desperate to see Jesus.

She must have known he was going to be there, and she also must have known what people said about her, but all she wanted to do was to come to Jesus and ask him for forgiveness. She was so very brave and so ready to give her life to him. To have him lead her life and to change her life for eternity.

My mum died a while ago, that's her photo on the left, and before she went, she wrote the following, and you can read it for yourself if you copy the link below:-

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/preview/3490652599496574582/2025970280472155384

and it is so relevant to what that lady felt when she came to Jesus that day, washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair, and then anointing them with expensive perfume. All to ask his forgiveness and to change her heart. Part of what my mother wrote I have included below:-

My mother said:-  No one can be saved unless they are convicted or conscious of sin, and when that consciousness of sin is present, the way is opened to bring that one to the feet of the Saviour.

To confess and repent, that is being sorry for sins committed, and being determined to turn to Christ's way of living, will enable us to partake freely of the peace, joy, and love that can be found on this earth.

Are you conscious of sin in your life? I know I am, and I am always ready to come to Christ and ask him to forgive my sins.

When that lady came to Jesus, she was so aware of the huge sins she had committed, and she really felt she had no right to come to him at all. How wrong could she have been?

On the other hand, here was Simon the Pharisee, who had Jesus come into his home. He obviously felt way above all the guests, especially Jesus. Did Simon make Jesus feel welcome? I don't think so. In those days, the host did all the things mentioned above to make their guests feel very welcome. 

Simon certainly didn't do those things to make Jesus feel welcome in his home. He was much more interested in finding out who this Jesus person was and what he was on about, 

Simon should have made sure that Jesus, as a guest, felt right at home, washing his feet, etc., and making him feel that he was an important guest.  Did Simon do that? No way. Jesus, in Simon's thinking, was way below Him and was not treated like a guest at all. 

Simon reckoned that he personally was one of the best people in the town; he didn't have to earn the respect of the people around him, and being a Pharisee, he reckoned God was pretty good with him.

When the lady came to Jesus, she was totally focused on asking Jesus to forgive her sins and be totally committed to him. Did Simon feel like this? No, because he felt he didn't need to. 

We all need to ask for forgiveness, regardless of who we are. In the Bible, Romans 3:23 says, "We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." That means you and me and everyone else, regardless of who we are or what we have done.

It's truly amazing the depth of God's love towards us, and that God is so willing to forgive us our sins, regardless of what those sins may be. God sees us and not our problems and sins if we ask him to come into our lives. God's amazing grace towards us is truly enough for us to obey our Lord and make him first in our lives.

Putting God first in our lives just means to love him more and more. Putting him above everything and loving him more than anyone or anything. In Matthew 22: 37-38 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind - this is the first and great commandment."

When we truly love God with everything we have, everything else in our lives just falls into its proper place. Our jobs, family, relationships, schools, university, etc., in fact, everything we do and everyone we meet becomes a real channel of his love.

If you feel you would really and truly ask Jesus into your life, you may pray even a simple prayer like this:- Father God, I know I am a sinner, so I truly thank you for sending Jesus to die for me on that cross and kill my sin. Thank you for loving me so much.  Please come into my life and help me to put you first in everything I do.

Hope you have a good week, and I hope to see you soon - God bless.