The Third Sunday after Pentecost, 06/17/2007

Sermon on Luke 7:36-8:3, by Walter Harms

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE?

I have some tools with me this morning. (You should have some old tools you rarely use.) These are good tools. They serve their purpose well. Well-built to last; rugged; finely crafted. The only problem with these tools is that I seldom, if ever use, them. I simply don't need them anymore. I have no practical use for them in the place where I live now. Maybe some day I will need them, but... Well, in reality, I must say, I don't need them. But I have them! Just in case I need them.

Almost every Sunday of my life I make confession of my sins. I am not facing you during that time, but from the chorus of voices I hear, it seems that most of you are making noises that sound like the same confession I am using. It's a habit with me now.

Sometimes when I come to this part of this time of worship of God, and there is time for reflection on the activities of the past week, I wonder if I really have any sins to confess to God. I don't particularly come haunted by some dreadful acts I have done this past week. Well, don't ask my family, they could probably give you a list, a long list, but I don't have much sense of sin.

Yes, of course, I know and am fully aware that I have not pleased God in all my ways, my words, my attitude toward others. There is always some lies, some faking of liking things when I don't. Worry, of course, is there, but with rising gas prices and the cost of just about everything going up with no end in sight, it's hard not to. I mean I trust God to take care of me and all that. But it's there. I know I don't read the Bible as much as I ought; pray as much as I ought; help others as much as I could-but these are there all the time. They don't particularly make me fell guilty any more most of the time.

And it is always good to know, really good to know that even if I don't know my sins, God who is gracious is going to forgive all those errors in my life which I don't even have an idea I have. In fact, it could be that I am moving in some very bad directions, but don't know it. So having a gracious God because of Jesus is always a welcome thought.

But how much do I love? Jesus, in today's reading from Luke, seems to tell it quite clearly: the amount of the love I demonstrate is directly in corollary to how much I have been forgiven! A startling statement!

Well, we could, of course, get into a long discussion of what love is. You know, how do I love, how do I demonstrate love, do I now show love because I don't know what love is, or is something needed more to my love.

In my reading lately, I have learned that the greatest fault of a person is that we are totally concerned almost entirely about me. I am the center of the world. All you people simply are to circle around me and make my life happy. When that doesn't happen, it's not my fault. You are to blame. And much of the time, I don't want you around; you're in my way. I can't receive your love because then I am obligated. If there is anything I want to avoid, it is being obligated to someone, unless that is to my advantage!

I may even reject another person's love and attention because I don't believe I deserve it. So while I crave your love and attention, I cannot accept it because I am not worthy, up-to-snuff, as it used to be said. Wow!

I would think that I really don't have to talk about what love is or how I demonstrate it. I pretty well know intuitively what it is. That means, I come with all the antennae to know how to love and that I want to be loved.

This "sinful" woman, known to her neighbors by that term does some outrageous things to Jesus. She barges into a dinner that is by invitation only. She bursts into tears. She undoes her long hair, wipes his feet, and then pours on some kind of ointment she brought with her.

Simon, the Pharisee who invited Jesus to this dinner simply wanted to have a nice meal and conversation with the traveling guru, Jesus. He had no doubt learned that Jesus has some interesting insights into life, God, etc. So why not have him over for a meal?

Simon got more than he bargained for. He got to feast on a demonstration of love which didn't seem like one to him. He got nourished with a lesson about love that he had never ever thought about. He ended up knowing his sin, his Savior, and, I would hope, to love as he had never loved before.

Simon considered himself better than others, particularly flagrant sinners, like this woman. He didn't think he needed forgiveness, only a little polishing of his moral and ethical life-style. He lived by rules and if nothing changed, would die by them eternally!

What Simon needed was this loving, yes, loving confrontation of Jesus. He needed to face the Savior of the world who loved all people, of every political party and religious affiliation and sexual orientation. He found out that he lived in a sterile world, like the bubble-boy of some years ago-away from reality.

We don't know that happened to Simon, the Pharisee. However, there were many former Pharisees in the early church. When confronted by the egotistical notion that somehow I could please God all by myself, they saw their sin. No doubt, they wept as much as this woman who had her sins forgiven and rushed to show God's love through Jesus to others.

So, OK, how much do you love? Still trying to please God by what you are doing? Still trying to measure up to some kind of standard so that God will love you? Still turned in upon yourself, seeing only yourself, believing the world is to make you happy and displeased when it fails?

Take a look at Jesus! All he got for caring, helping, serving, listening to and providing for others (for you) was the cross. And, brother and sister, you are forgiven for all that needs forgiveness in your life. All that remains is to pick up the most valuable tool you have been given, and use it for others. I am talking about God's love. Amen.

Pastor Walter Harms
Austin, TX U. S. A.
E-Mail: waltpast@AOL.com

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