messy sinner, magnificent Savior

 

And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 7:48-50

Sinners in repentance look scandalous to the self-righteous, but Jesus brings them forgiveness and peace. What just occurred in this episode could hardly have been more controversial for Jesus. At a dinner with Pharisees and religious leaders (a rare moment in the gospels for sure), Jesus is placed at the center of the night when the dinner is interrupted by the town's notorious prostitute, who in broken repentance washes Jesus' feet with her own tears of broken confession and then wipes his feet dry using her own hair as the towel. It's got to look crazy to everyone there. Everyone, that is, except Jesus.

In context Jesus has shown extraordinary power in healing a centurion's son at a distance at Capernaum and then raising a dead man DURING HIS OWN FUNERAL PROCESSION at the town of Nain. He was doing so much healing ministry that John's disciples were sent to ask of Him His mission. It is clear in the context that Jesus has overwhelming power to turn any bad situation around, and goes after those in the worst of pains and difficulties, responding to the broken world around Him. He does that very same thing for this repentant woman in the most personal of interactions. He forgives her (something only God can do) and gives her peace (again, a work only God could do). And it made no small stir among the squirming sanctimonious dinner guests to have Jesus simultaneously accept this woman, receive her worship, and forgive her sin.

As a Christian, my hope is that Jesus is working in and through me. So it follows that if Jesus is working in me, I'll expect messy sinners to be a part of my life. I should not cloister with the judgmental. I should welcome those under judgment! I hope that I can tell the gospel to sinners whom Jesus loves so that they might come to the same place this woman did, and that I too can love them the best that I can like Jesus. I need to be done with sanctimony.