You think of every dollar, euro or yen you make as being yours – it is what you earned.
This is not a reminder of what you may owe the government on ‘tax day’ nor a reminder that our benevolent government may “refund” some money to you (as if you had not earned it instead of them).
This is not even a Biblical reminder that we are obligated to give one tenth of our income back to God (a tithe) and also give to Caesar what is Caesar’s (another tithe, or so…).
Jesus poses a question to us about what we owe to God; in this context, not so much as may be measured in dollars and cents, euros or any measure of gold, but what we fail to measure of God giving what they deserve to those who we think deserve something different.
Consider this:
What do you deserve from God?
(Should you expect a large refund?)
Luke 7
English Standard Version (ESV)
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
Let’s pause here for a moment from a story of which you may be too familiar.
Suppose Jesus comes over to your house? What would you have for dinner? Where would He sit? How would you welcome Jesus to eat at your table?
We are Pharisees. We know a lot about God and we know a lot about the Bible. Jesus, (of questionable parentage, from Nazareth) a sojourner in His own land, accepts your invitation to dinner. The crowds have been talking about Him and even fellow worshipers of God have witnessed miracles.
“Come in. Sit over here. Let’s talk about God. 🙂 ”
Now, a common prostitute slips in while you are eating! (You know her, because she came to church once, but is still plying her trade. {Of course, none of the men of the church hang out with here at the pub down the street.}) Before you can ask her to leave, she makes a scene directly with your guest. (What would God think?)
The woman has thrown herself on Jesus at His feet. (No doubt this woman has thrown herself at many men.) She is crying out to Jesus and caressing His feet. (Who knows what she may do next?) Then she splashes a large amount of expensive perfume over Jesus’ sandals and feet – the odor so great as to ruin the aroma of our well-prepared meal. What will this teacher of God do? Will He allow me, even ask me to throw her out of my house?
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
(Here it comes… Jesus’ permission for me to get rid of her.)
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
(What? This Jesus has gone back to talk about God and things of God as we were doing before. Maybe this so-called prophet couldn’t care less what’s going on here.
Let’s see… what answer?)
43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
(Of course. That was an easy one. But what is His point? I know this Rabbi is going somewhere with this. What does this comparison have to do with God? God is no moneylender. I guess the moneylender is like God. I think I would want both men to pay me back.)
Then Jesus looks down to His feet and the woman making the scene.
(Now, at last, He has had enough and will ask me to have her leave. I guess she has caused us no harm… only embarrassment.)
44 Then 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. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
(I should have welcomed Jesus. He is right: I was unsure of Him and did not treat Him as my guest of honor. But this woman! This is not her house. She should not even be here.)
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
(Remarkable! He did know. Now He’ll send her on her way. … “But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” The debtors! She is the debtor. Of course. She owes God much because of all of her sins.)
49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
(My guest has just told a prostitute, “Your sins are forgiven.” What can this mean? He said, “Your faith has saved you.” How can this be?)
Romans 1
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Romans 2
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Two debtors: one, a repentant prostitute; the other, an unrepentant believer (expecting a refund).
Which are you?
Romans 3
No One Is Righteous
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all.
For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, areunder sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
How much do you owe God?
For our Heavenly Father has sent His only Son to the cross for our sins – a great debt none can repay.
Yet, fellow sinner, we do owe Jesus our Lord much worship and love; love as unabashedly shown by the humility and repentance of the woman who bowed and wept at Jesus’ feet.
Though we are sinners and great debtors, Christ Jesus IS a great and gracious Lord.
Worship Him will all your love; for He sacrificed all of His love for you.
Luke 7:11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.
And he said, “Young man, I say to you,arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
8 One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food.
Jesus returns to his new home, followed by the crowds of onlookers.
4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He (this gentile, Roman centurion) is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”