April 25th, 2020 – Devotion With Pastor Dan
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. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. “You did not anoint to My head with oil, but she anointed my feet with perfume. “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, or she love the much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” (Luke 7:44-48)
Forgiveness is an amazing gift from our Lord. Certainly it speaks volumes about the love the Lord has for us, even while we are yet sinners (Romans 5:8). If we are honest about are sin, and come to the Lord for forgiveness our life will be changed forever. Let’s read (Psalm 32:1-2) so we can three blessings that come into the life of the one who does this.
- Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven
- Transgression – means – to step over a boundary; or to cross a line – it is the act of open rebellion against the clear commands of the Lord – defiance. How has God dealt with our transgressions? Read (Isaiah 53:4-9) (Hebrews 9:11-15). The word for forgiveness – means – to lift up and bear away, so when God extends His forgiveness to us – that sin will be lifted up and taken away from us. Even with how amazing that is, the penalty of that sin will also be removed.
- Whose sin is covered
- Sin means to miss the mark, defective, missing the righteous requirement of God’s law. To cover means to conceal, to put out of sight. How has God dealt with our sin….
- He covered it – (Psalm 32:1)
- He blots them out – (Isaiah 43:25) (Isaiah 44:22)
- He casts them away – (Micah 7:18-19) (Acts 3:19)
- Remembers them no more – (Hebrews 8:12)
- Therefore -we should….
- Lay sin aside – (Hebrews 12:1-2)
- Keep ourselves unspotted – (James 1:26-27) (1 John 5:18-21)
3. To whom the LORD does not impute iniquity
This means – bent or crooked – distorted and bent toward doing evil – our flesh nature. How has God dealt with our iniquities? Read (Isaiah 53:5-6,11). Iniquity is not imputed – that is – a debt is not reckoned – He does not hold those sins against us. What does our response to such an act of grace need to be (2 Timothy 2:14-19).
4. In whose spirit there is no guile (deceit)
Guile – means – deceitful – it refers to that which is dishonest, deceptive and perverted. Therefore, we are made free from the lying, perverted heart and able to be honest before the LORD. So what do we see in the opening verses of this devotion concerning the woman at Jesus’ feet.
A woman comes to Jesus in a Pharisee’s house weeping and washing his feet. No doubt she felt shame as the eyes of Simon communicated to everyone present that this woman was a sinner and that Jesus had no business letting her touch him. Indeed, she was a sinner. There was a place for true shame. But not for too long. Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). And when the guests murmured about this, he strengthened her faith by saying, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7:50). How did Jesus help her battle the crippling effects of shame? He gave her a promise: “Your sins have been forgiven! Your faith has saved you. Your future will be one of peace.” He declared that past pardon would now yield future peace. So, the issue for her was faith in God’s future grace, rooted in the authority of Jesus’s forgiving work and freeing word. That is the way every one of us must battle the effects of well-placed shame — not false shame, but shame that we really should feel, but shame that threatens to linger too long and cripple us. We must battle the unbelief of crippling shame by taking hold of the promises of future grace and peace that come through the forgiveness of our shameful acts.
John Piper
All of us need the forgiveness that only Jesus can offer. When we are rooted in God’s forgiveness, we are freed from the lingering, paralyzing effects even of the shame we deserve to feel. That’s what forgiveness means.
Here are some more verses for you to study when you have a moment (Psalm 130:4) (Isaiah 55:6-7) (1 John 1:9) (Acts 10:43)