Opening Prayer
O draw us to You, merciful Friend of sinners. Amen.
Text: Luke 7:36–50
Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” And He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Devotion
Whoever is offended that Jesus receives sinners is still a stranger to the mind of the Savior. Nothing pleases the Lord as much as drying the tears of a penitent sinner. The sinner’s distress is the Lord’s distress, the sinner’s pain is His pain. This is what the poor need to hear and remember, and not listen to the voice of the devil who wants to entice and frighten him away from the Lord. When no one is able to keep the sinner away from Jesus, when his own need urges him, and the Lord’s friendship draws him, then he comes and touches His feet. It is exactly as it should be when the woman with an issue of blood, despite fear of heart and the crowd of people, presses forward and touches the hem of Jesus’ garment. It is entirely proper when Zacchaeus overcomes all difficulties to see Jesus. It is very pleasing to the Lord when the Canaanite woman keeps crying: “Lord, help me.” It is a beautiful thing to the Lord that this sinner in our text presses in to find Him at the home of the Pharisee, washes His feet with her tears and dries them with her hair, kisses them and anoints them with fragrant oil. O how the most holy Savior’s merciful heart is stirred by this tender love, which comes with comfort and healing over the woman’s soul! There is no joy like Jesus’ joy over the salvation of a sinner. Whoever learns in his sinful need to know this saving love and experiences it daily, is not offended at the Lord’s mercy toward other lost sinners, but adores it and loves Him more and more for the forgiveness of many sins, both of his own sins and those of others.
Closing Prayer
We praise You, Lord Jesus, for Your great mercy which takes away all our sin. May our souls be filled with holy joy that we may rejoice together as children because of Your love for sinners. Grant me by Your Holy Spirit to hear You say also to me: “Your faith has saved you, go in peace!” Amen.
Hymn
You sinners, poor, come seek His face,
Come quickly in this time of grace,
For you are in great danger!
But Jesus’ heart is open now
For all who with repentance bow;
O come, be not a stranger!
See, Jesus sinners does receive,
And free salvation He does give,
So you shall never perish.
Come with your heartfelt penitence
And bow in lowly reverence,
His mercy humbly cherish.
Laurenti: I arme Syndre L 467:1-2 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Kommt her zu mir (ELH 189); alternate hymn: Jesus sinners doth receive ELH 426:3