Jesus loves sinners
SERMON STARTER
Can a Christian be cursed?
No and yes, Jesus was cursed and hung on a tree. Jesus bore all the curses of mankind on His cross where He died for them. All curses by God and man were nailed to His cross.
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought.
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!
When we are cursed by any third party, we take the sting of that rejection and reproach and lay it at the foot of Jesus’ cross. We cannot be hurt by any words of darkness that are uttered against us.
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13,14
On the other hand as we associate with Him, we too will feel the reproach of the judgment of sinners, but Jesus bore it first. We identify with him and share in his reproach when in conflict with cursers. Remember, Jesus ate and drank with sinners and was referred to by the religious elite as a glutton and a drunkard. (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34) He was guilty by association.
This sermon explores deeply how that we will know the world’s reproach as we love sinners they way He loves them. We love them, anyway!
Sheepfold Ministries, June 24, 2007
pastor Phil Roland
Jesus loves sinners
Luke 7:36-50
“There is a natural arrogance felt by the religious in our midst who perform all the expectations of religion. Jesus loves them and the non-religious sinners.” Pastor Phil
Luke 15:10 – Heaven rejoices when one repents
"Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Romans 3:23 – All have sinned
”for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 6:23 – Wages of sin is death
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Deut. 21:23 – Cursed is the one who hangs on a tree
"If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.”
Gal. 3:13 – Jesus was cursed in our place
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),”
Luke 6:17-19 – Jesus loves, saves and heals sinners
“And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.”
Luke 5:30-32 – Jesus bore the reproach of sinners
“And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
Leviticus 11-15 – Laws of uncleanness, Two-Fold Purpose:
1) To remind Israel to be separate unto Him
2) To instruct in basic cleanliness and personal hygiene
Observe how Jesus loved. . .
I. SIMON, THE PHARISEE -Verses 36 and 39
Simon was blind to three persons:
A. He was blind to the woman as a person
B. He was blind to Jesus as a person
C. He was blind to himself as a person
II. THE SINFUL WOMAN - Verses 37-38
Notice the woman was safe with Jesus:
A. She was safe with her emotions
B. She was safe with her love
Observe how Jesus loved. . .
III. HIMSELF, THE PERSON OF JESUS - Verse 38
A. He accepted her love at incredible personal cost
1. Priests must not marry defiles women - Lev. 21:7
"'They (priests) must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced
from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God.”
2. Alabaster box was technically unclean - Deut. 23:18
“You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male
prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because
he LORD your God detests them both.”
B. Two Lessons about Jesus
1. Jesus is with us
2. Jesus is "at home" with us
Jesus loves sinners, Text:
Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.
37 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,
38 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.
39 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."
40 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it."
41 "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 "And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, 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 rightly judged."
44 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.
45 "You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
47 "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."
48 Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
50 Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."
Christian
By Maya Angelou
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!
ENTERING HEAVEN
I was shocked, confused, bewildered as I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all, Nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven who made me sputter and gasp......
the thieves, the liars, the sinners, the alcoholics, the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor who never said anything nice.
Herb, who I always thought was rotting away in hell,
was sitting pretty on cloud nine, looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, "What's the deal? I would love to hear your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here? God must've made a mistake."
"And why's everyone so quiet and so somber,
Can you give me a clue?"
"Hush, child," said He, "They're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you!"
Author Unknown