“Shame”
The Savior for Suffering Sinners
Luke 7:36-50 / March 18, 2020
What do you think it took that woman to walk into the Pharisee’s house? It took Jesus. It took love – His love for her and her love for Him.
Saint Luke does not tell us what sort of “sinner” this woman was. Perhaps he does this because he knows we’ll imagine the worst about her (just as the Pharisees did). Or perhaps the Holy Spirit doesn’t want us to think this woman was any more or less a sinner than we are. There is something different about the woman though. Her sin was public. The Pharisees and the town’s people knew her sin.
Our own sin brings guilt upon us. When other people know our sins we are ashamed. It’s one thing if you get pulled over for speeding in Nebraska. It’s quite another when it is Sunday morning and you’re pulled over on Third Street wearing a clerical collar. An even greater shame comes upon those who are abused. They believe they are unloved, soiled, an object instead of a person. They don’t just question their worth before others, they question their worth before God. When we feel guilt for sin we try to cover it up. When we experience shame we hide ourselves from the eyes of others. We become disgusted with ourselves and falsely imagine that no one could ever look upon us with delight or love or kindness. We are “soiled goods” that no one would want.
Learn from this woman. She had a double load of guilt and shame, but she knew Jesus. She knew that God’s only begotten Son did not look upon her like the Pharisees or the townspeople. Had she sinned? Yes. Had she been sinned against? Most certainly. Jesus brought an astonishing Word from His Father in heaven to this woman and to us. God does not treat us like we deserve. Our Father does not turn His face away from us in our shame. In Jesus He not only turns toward us, but runs after us. He pursues us with His love and forgiveness. He wants us to return to Him and be washed in the blood of the Lamb and cleansed from our guilt and shame. He holds the robe of Christ’s righteousness which actually covers our shame and truly heals our wounded soul.
When this woman entered the home of the Pharisee people only looked at her long enough to turn away in disgust. They also looked long enough to see that Jesus did not look away or walk away, but stood there silently as this woman worshipped him with her tears and perfume.
The Pharisees thought this was sure proof that Jesus wasn’t from God. “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him.”
Jesus knew exactly who and what sort of a woman this was. He knows exactly who you are and what you are and that is why He came. That is why He went to the cross. Jesus is the Son of God – the God who does not condemn the world, but forgives it. The God who covers our shame with Jesus and declares us righteous, holy, without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, beautiful in His eyes. The Father covers us with His Son so that we can be and are His beloved children.
This woman loved Jesus with an expensive ointment, with her tears, with her worship, because He had loved her much with forgiveness, with His favor, and with His presence. He loves you with much forgiveness for all your sins and with the cleansing of His blood. With much favor He removes your shame. With His presence He saves you and heals you. Jesus has loved you much – more than any other suffering sinner that you know. And so we love Him much with our gifts, our service, our love for others – in the name of Jesus. Amen.