I am not worthy

Luke Chapter 7

LUKE 7:1-17

1 When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum

2 And a centurion's slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored Him, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this to him; 5 for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue.” 6 Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; 7 for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 “For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 9 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

11 Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. 12 Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!” 17 This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district.

He sent some Jewish elders

This is a remarkable study about leadership. This Centurion was part of an occupying force the Jewish people loathed and yet, the elders speak to Jesus on his behalf. it is not to sure how much the elders would have loved Jesus either. Perhaps they send him to Jesus as part of a dare. They might have been ineffective at helping this man’s servant so they try to get rid of him by sending him to Jesus. Do I ever send someone to Jesus because I don't really have the time for them?

The story tells us this Roman leader was respected and his actions tell us why, he will do anything to help his slave. Obviously the slave had been loyal to his Roman overseer and now the Roman leader was using his respect to barter for help even if he had to lose face in the process. The Romans had two tiers for servants. There were house servants [G1249 diakonos] who could eventually be considered a part of the household and even have rights as a Roman citizen. Then there were slaves [G1398 duolos] who had no rights whatsoever and no chance of ever having them. Servants may have been taken in battle while slaves were taken in debt for bankruptcy — or it could be that a tax collector had just taken all they possessed. By day they slaved for their overseer, at night they scrounged for their family to pay off their debts. It was a miserable existence with little hope.

The Centurion is a man who would get things done whatever the cost. A complete disregard for his own name or needs. An example to us all but also to the many occupying forces around the world. He is not just going to pray for the servant he is also going to put his reputation on the line for him. He even puts in money to build the local synagogue. Highly unusual considering how much the Romans tried to stay uninvolved in local religion.

No wonder this man has endeared an entire village!

Jesus marks his prayer as one of the most sincere in scripture. A forever-model for all of our prayers.

“I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

“Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

Three elements make this the perfect prayer.

1. Humility

First, it is said with absolute humility. “I am not worthy for you to come under my roof…”

2. Confidence

Second it is said with absolute confidence. “But say the word and my servant will be healed.”

3. Intercessory

The centurion isn’t even praying for himself, he is praying for his slave.

We can make this perfect prayer ourselves by following these three simple steps. Think of someone you know who needs to be restored (from illness, from emotional trauma, from being battered by life), ask in humility, “Lord, I am not worth to receive you, but only say the word and ___ shall be restored.”

Who do you know that needs this prayer? Put this reading aside and lift them up now. God is longing to restore that person as much as you are… Just pray with humility, confidence and on their behalf.

“The poor have the gospel preached to them…”

LUKE 7:18-35

18 The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. 19 Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?” 20 When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’” 21 At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. 23 “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

24 When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! 26 “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. 27 “This is the one about whom it is written,

‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU,

WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’

28 “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God's justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the *lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.

31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 “They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ 33 “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 “Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

“Among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

In the crowd that day were followers of John the Baptist (who would later want to start their own sect around his work) as well as those baptized by John — including Jesus — and those who had refused his baptism. Jesus makes it clear that John was the greatest prophet and the last one prior to the Messiah.

Why does he say, “He who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he?”

Because John would not live to see the resurrection. He believed in it, but he died before Jesus’ sacrifice and although his actions were among the greatest of humans, it is not our actions that save us. This makes John’s work all the more amazing. He gave his life and his life’s work without regard to a reward. It makes me ask, “Do I love Jesus with this kind of mature response? Not like a child seeking reward or avoiding punishment… if there were no reward for loving Jesus? Would I still follow him?”

Yes, because I still believe that what Jesus preached leads to a better life than the selfish ways of this world! I don’t follow Jesus for potential reward or fear of punishment. I follow him because I believe in his way. It is still the way of life!

“Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?”

John was languishing in a Galilean Jail — a prisoner of Herod Antipas who — after the kingdom was divided following Herod the Great’s death — married his brother’s former wife, Herodias. In a lustful fit, Salome (Herod’s stepdaughter) danced for Herod and as a reward asked for John’s head.

John was an avid supporter of his cousin, Jesus, so why the flash of doubt? It is not hard to imagine given the circumstances. Truly there could be few worst places than one of Herod’s pit holes. However, most of Jesus’ supporters were expecting him to be a conquering king and ride into Jerusalem overthrowing the likes of Herod and the Romans. As it became increasingly obvious this was not Jesus’ intent certainly many of them began to wonder. Perhaps John was thinking, “Wouldn’t this be a good time to overthrow Herod?”

Instead of trying to convince John — or anyone — theologically, Jesus teaches us to simply point to our work and primarily that… “The poor have the Gospel preached to them!” Is that how people will know we follow the Christ? Because the poor have the Gospel preached to them?

Do I try to make Jesus fit into my assumptions? Am I waiting for him to ride into my life and solve my problems?

How do others know I am a follower of Christ? Is it by the Gospel standards that Jesus sets? “The Blind receive sight and the Poor have the gospel preached to them?”

“Go and report to John what you have seen and heard”

Jesus doesn’t debate with John’s followers, he just tells them to look at the results of his work. Our results should always speak for themselves. Will people know I followed Christ by the results of my works and not just my words? In this reading we can see it doesn’t matter who I say I am — it matters who the poor say I am.

Certainly John’s followers must have been wondering as well why Jesus didn’t just overthrow Herod and Pontius. If enough priests had spoken up, John would have been released. What Herod and Pontius feared most was insurrection and they were both on the edge of it already. It would have barely taken a nudge and the insurrection would have occurred. Jesus had thousands following him. Perhaps tens of thousands by the time he made it to Jerusalem. Certainly he could have thrown them into battle on his behalf and become cannon fodder in the war against the occupiers. However, Jesus knew this was futile. In fact, he was about to preach about the coming destruction of Jerusalem [Luke 21:20-24].

Other leaders might use followers to secure their political agendas, but not Jesus. Even at the cost of his beloved cousin, Jesus would not use the world’s ways to get the world’s ends. Expedience would be used against Jesus — but not by Jesus. He was wise to the ways of the world but he wouldn’t use the world’s ways.

Matthew 10:16

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

The woman who was a sinner

Luke 7:36-50

[Lk 7:36] Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. [37] And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, [38] and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

[40] And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” [41] “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [42] “When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” [43] Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” [44] 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. [45] “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. [46] “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. [47] “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” [48] Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” [49] Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” [50] And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

LUKE 7:36-39

One of the Pharisees was requesting

What was the motive behind this Pharisee’s invitation? From the way he treats Jesus it is obviously not respect. He is not bringing Jesus to his home to welcome him as Savior for he doesn’t even welcome him as a common guest, let alone a reputed Rabbi.

So, what is at the core of his invitation if it isn’t based in respect?

The basic courtesies the Pharisee refuses his houseguest are not merely an oversight; they are intentionally disrespectful. He doesn’t forget to welcome his guest when he comes to the door; he refuses!

· He refuses Jesus a kiss (for most of us that would be like not accepting an outstretched hand for a handshake)

· He refuses Jesus the scented oil of an honored guest

· He refuses not only to wash Jesus’ feet but also to even have a servant wash them

It is the ultimate in disrespect to invite a guest into your house and then to treat him/her with absolute disregard. So what is the motive behind this man’s invitation if not to intentionally assert himself over Jesus, perhaps even entrap him in conversation? Indeed, this was the pattern of the religious leaders, to entrap Jesus, whether that be by attacking our Prince for healing the palsied man’s arm on the Sabbath [Luke 6:10] or using a woman caught in adultery to create a public showdown [John 8:1-11].

These were men trapped in ideologies and Jesus didn’t fit into them. So, rather than risk listening, rather than reviewing the evidence, rather than changing ideologies, they attacked Jesus publicly and privately. To an ideologue, truth is the primary threat. It was easier to attack truth than to admit the testimony of Scripture, the words of John, the preaching and the works of Jesus supported his Messianic claim. The ideologue would rather change the truth than change his beliefs.

In what ways am I like Simon the Pharisee? I can remember as a younger man, driven by success and pride, that I would justify my lack of compassion with ideology. I formed a prejudiced wall around myself that locked out the vulnerable. Sure, I had invited Jesus in but I didn’t serve his words to support my own ideas. He was part of the pomp and circumstance of my life, putting on my Sunday suit and showing up in my pew. Yet, Jesus sat at the back of my life, ignored.

I had invited Jesus into my life and instead of leading him to the dining room; I tried to hang him with the hats in my closet. I would wear his insignia only when it suited my purpose.

This is a frightening sin, which seems to infect many of us Christians today. In a society of fast food and convenient stores, we have bought into a convenient Jesus. We invite Jesus into our lives, but we don’t change our ways. We read the scriptures, but only for the truths that will fortify our established ideologies.

These verses serve as a critical reminder of hubris and humility. If we invite Jesus in the door but our hearts do not soften or our lives lack compassion or our goals and patterns do not change to model his, then we are no different than Simon the Pharisee trapped in his ideology.

To Simon, Jesus was a footnote in his history, but to us, Simon has gone down in history as the fool who hosted the Son of God and treated him contemptuously. Simon the Pharisee is now the footnote, remembered only for his hubris.

There was a woman in the city who was a sinner

This scene offers us the ultimate in human irony.

· A religious leader hosts Jesus in his home and treats him with intentional disrespect.

· The town prostitute and most despised sinner crashes the party and treats Jesus with selfless humility.

· The ruler mocks Jesus with his inaction and then is further insulted by the actions of this “sinner,” even her very presence.

Simon, the Pharisee, never realizes that he is doubly-bound by his hatred and prejudice. Meanwhile, this woman treats Jesus with the respect Simon should have offered our Lord and, in the process, she is freed from the bonds of sin.

Salvation is as close as humility but what gate do we need to crash in order to find Jesus? What spoils of sin do we need to break — like this woman’s jar filled with expensive ointment — upon our Lord’s feet?

The perfumed oil was the tool of this woman’s trade. Like Matthew leaving behind his money or the disciples walking away from their nets, this woman was breaking the tools (and bonds) of her sinful life on the feet of Christ. What are the tools and bonds of my life, my sin?

Simon the Pharisee’s tools were his pseudo-knowledge, his religious position and his earthly pride. He was trapped by his arrogance and self-righteousness. He felt above everyone in his house even though the Author of Salvation was dining at his table.

How will I respond when the Author dines at my table? Will I scoff at sinners and offend their advocate – Jesus Christ? Will I realize that to the extent I show compassionate I will receive compassion?

Luke 6:37

[Lk 6:37] “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” [HCSB]

Let us not allow this irony to pass us by. Our salvation lies in bowing low with the sinner not in being seated proudly with the righteous. Consider again the perfect prayer of the Centurion.

These verses can be summarized into one statement; “There was a woman… who was a sinner.”

Simon the Pharisee embraced his condescending pride and his sin clung to him like a million tentacles. This woman crashed the gate, broke the profits of her sin, ignored all the scoffers and swallowed all her pride in order to anoint the feet of Jesus. Because of that, she will forever be known as “the woman who was a sinner.”

“If this man were a prophet He would know...”

Herein is another irony of this story. Simon the Pharisee states; “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

The irony was this; if Simon had read the prophets, without the judgmental ideology of a Pharisee, he would have known that sinners (like this woman) were exactly who this “Prophet” was sent to touch!

However, Simon’s religion was an ideology of privilege and classism. He believed that distance from sinners translated into closeness to God. He couldn’t have been any more deceived. Our love for God must inevitably lead into a self-abandoning love for the lost. Ultimately, we are all no more than sojourners who were given a glimpse of the way. The true response to God is not to run ahead to the banquet and leave all the rest behind, but to bravely return to those still lost so they can find the path too.

The irony is this if Simon had truly studied the prophets, without his biases, he would have been the first to seek out this woman, wash her feet and seat her next to Jesus. Then, he would have rushed out like the servants at the wedding banquet of the King to find even more [Matthew 22:1-4]!

Does that resemble my faith? Am I running out to find the “unclean?” Are they dining at my table?

Does that sound like my church? Are we running out to fill our potlucks and (God forbid) our communion services with sinners?

Many churches demand a pseudo-purity before allowing sinners to come to Jesus, this woman fought such ingrained prejudice just to get close to him. She broke in as a sinner and walked out with a new title: The woman who was a sinner. Do I daily seek out others to whom I can offer that title in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Every church is filled with sinners or liars.

Jesus looks at this woman and says, “She was a sinner.” Simon looks at her and says, “She is a sinner.” Which way do I see people?

This woman admitted her sin and was freed from its bondage; Simon the Pharisee scoffed at her sin embraced his own ideology and missed the whole point of life (the very definition of sin). And what was that point? The point was that if Simon had understood the heart of God he would have recognized that his salvation was sitting at his own table and had been treated with disdain. He wouldn’t be saying: “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

Instead, he would have been saying; “Who else do I need to bring in from my village, Lord?” His friends wouldn’t have scoffed at this woman, but they would have gone out, like Zacchaeus the tax collector, to invite every sinner they could find to dine with Jesus.

Can you imagine a community where all the churches commissioned their flock to invite the sinners to a banquet? That is what Jesus imagined. Not only did he imagine it, he commanded it [Maatthew 22:9-10].

LUKE 7:40-47

“Simon, I have something to say to you.”

Someday, Jesus is going to have something to say to me too. The way I am living my life now is an indication of what those words will be.

Will he say; “Jerry, you forgave much.”

Is my life a model of forgiveness now? Do others respond to my humility? Do they come to me bearing sins and seeking assistance to find God’s love? Do people walk away from me with a new title for their life; “The person who was a sinner!”

Or, is my life a reflection of Simon’s self-righteousness and prejudice? Am I steeped in opinions and full of contempt? Do I look at those around me and see people striving for compassion and faith or are they coarse, judgmental and rude: Whomever I see when I look around; they are merely a reflection of my inner life. Do people walk away from me hearing me say, “That person is a sinner?”

Lord, please help my short and small life be focused on “you and yours” not “me and mine” so that on that day when you say, “Jerry, I have something to say to you,” it will be about love and not self-deception.

“Her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much.”

Theologians spend lifetimes trying to split the hairs of faith and works. Jesus never does, he makes it simple. If my faith does not lead to works then it wasn’t faith from the beginning.

Thus we see in this story a religious leader who is condemned and a sinner who is set free. What is the defining difference? One person treats Jesus with contempt; the other treats him with humility.

· Is humility the defining difference in my life?

· Christ’s words are simple; “Love much, be forgiven much.”

Empty words enflamed Jesus, his harshest words are reserved for those who make a mockery of God by professing His name while abandoning the wounded [see the story of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37].

God is love so it is only love that can place me in His presence. To know God’s forgiveness is to love and to forgive is to be in God’s presence.

LUKE 7:49-50

[49] Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” [50] And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

“Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

There are two primary words for sin in scripture that are very similar, but worlds apart. The first is [G266 hamartia], which the aggravated crowd uses to condemn the woman in this scripture. It is generally used for sin but it is seen in non-religious Greek texts as failure. To these men, this woman was a failure, hamartia.

In contradiction, Jesus does not see her as a failure or a lost cause, he sees her as poised for salvation; she is ready to be liberated. Ironically, the men at that table were infinitely further than her from salvation. This woman’s humility made her sin easy to forgive; she was so hungry for Jesus to be her Lord.

The other term for sin [G264 hamartano] is much graver. It deals with an attitudinal sin rather than an incidental sin. Hamartano means to miss the target completely. Simon may have invited Jesus into his home but he completely missed the mark by his spiteful attitude. We do not ask forgiveness if our attitude and ideology convinces us that we are always in the right. We cannot receive forgiveness if we will not humble ourselves to ask for it.

Humility must accompany forgiveness. Without humility we will never even ask for forgiveness! Humility is the precursor to salvation so how do we attain it?

1. First, we pray with absolute humility.

The first step to wholeness is humility. Remember the eloquent meditation prayer of Francis of Assisi? “My dearest God who are you and who am I but your useless servant?”

Only from humility do we see our true place in creation; otherwise we are simply self-deceived.

2. We compare ourselves to Christ alone;

We might compare ourselves with others and think that we have a “right” to be saved. This type of comparison leads to the false pride that is at the root of self-deception. Our only comparison should be to compare ourselves against Jesus and see how we stand.

At the foot of the cross, where Jesus died for our sins, that is where lies our only true perspective of life. As we read this story, we can even see that Simon and his friends were “greater sinners” even though they had done “less sinning (failed less).”

Why? Because they felt themselves above sinners and even above Jesus.

When Jesus does say, “Jerry, I have some thing to tell you,” he won’t be pointing an accusatory finger at someone else. It will be about me and about my attitude. Did I take whatever circumstances life had given me and make it into a recipe of love?

3. We place ourselves in humbling situations, places where we must serve others.

The fastest way to change our attitudes and become more humble is to place our lives into humbling situations. There is no place more humbling than those places where we serve those who cannot serve us back.

Many times I have taken others with me to visit the elderly in a rest home or to be friends among the homeless or incarcerated and heard them walk out saying; “I need to quit whining, my faith is nothing compared to theirs.”

The most liberating experience from our own selfish sin is to serve and especially to serve those who cannot serve us back.

It is in loving Jesus that the “woman who was a sinner” hears the blessing of our Lord: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

We too can love Jesus and hear his words of salvation and love [Matthew 25:35-36].