Title: Who Loves Me More?
Contents
Bible: Luke 7:40-50 Title: Who Loves Me More?
Today is Reformation Sunday.
Reformers such as Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli fought for the truth in Europe and elsewhere, rejecting Catholicism, humanism, and rationalism, under the slogan of only faith, only glory, and only the Bible. However, European churches, like the church in Ephesus, hated the act of Nicolaus, but lost their first love and became like a church that moved the candlestick. European churches have degenerated into liberal beliefs, and the churches have declined and only religious ceremonies remain, and they are sold as mosques of Islam because there is no cost to maintain the chapels. If we insist only on God's justice, man will die. Emphasizing only human love is humanism. The answer to this dilemma is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross.
In the Old Testament times before Jesus came, the prophets emphasized 'faith'. What is faith? It is the reality of things not seen and the evidence of things hoped for. (Hebrews 11:1) After faith came, he became the son of God in Greece, not under a schoolteacher (the law), and became an heir according to the promise (Galatians 3:23). -29)
When Jesus Christ, whom the people of the Old Testament believed and hoped for, came, to love Jesus is to have a relationship with God the Father who sent Jesus Christ. Mark 12:33 And to love God with all your heart, with all your wisdom, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is better than all burnt offerings and other sacrifices offered as a whole.
Simon the Pharisee and the Sinful Woman
Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to a meal. However, at the dinner, a woman who had committed a crime in the town suddenly came to Simon's house as an uninvited guest. Taking the alabaster jar filled with perfume, he went behind Jesus, stood at his feet, wept and wet his feet with her tears, wiped them with his hair, kissed his feet, and anointed them with perfume. To Simon the displeased Pharisee, Jesus told a parable. The creditor has two debtors, one owes 500 denarii and the other 50 denarii. If both were forgiven, who would love him more? I asked a question. Simon answered, "I think he has been forgiven much."
1) When I entered your house, you did not even give me water to wash my feet, but this woman wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
2) You did not kiss me, but this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in.
3) You didn't even pour olive oil on my head, but this woman poured perfume on my feet. Simon the Pharisee lacked even the basic courtesy of Jewish hospitality. For a woman to wash her feet with tears is a symbol of repentance, a kiss is a confession of faith, and pouring perfume on her head is devotion.
Even if faith and a thorough confession of faith are emphasized, if that faith does not bear fruit through love, it is nothing (1 Corinthians 13). Falling down at your feet is the posture of a sinner standing before the presence of a god (King). (Joshua 5:14, 1 Kings 18:39, Matthew 2:11, Revelation 19:4)
woman who gave the alabaster
The master of those who serve money is Mammon. This woman gave up her mammon master and offered Jesus Christ as proof of changing her master. It is possible because we believe in and love Jesus (John 14:23).
Do you love Peter? (John 21:15), love is the most important thing in the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 13:13) In the church in Galatia, circumcision and uncircumcision have no effect, but only faith that works through love. The first fruit is love (Galatians 5:22) The church in Ephesus says that those who love Jesus unconditionally have grace (Ephesians 6:24). John says that those who do not love do not know God (1 John 4:8).
After Jesus came, God is glorified through love, not faith. Love is the fruit of faith. Those who are pleased with and loved by God are not accomplished through great works, but enter into a relationship of love as those who love the Father. When Jesus went down to be baptized, God loved the Son and was pleased with him and sent the Holy Spirit. In the age of the Holy Spirit, you must confirm your faith with the evangelical love that is the greatest among faith, hope and love.