Redeemed Woman

“Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much.”

-Jesus (luke 7:47, esv)

The Bible never named her. The Bible doesn’t give her life story. The Bible doesn’t record any words spoken from her lips. But, this woman found in Luke 7:36-50 experienced the greatest miracle that could ever be experienced by any human being.

In this blog post, I want to share with you that this miracle matters to you and me in the deepest way. Please take a few minutes to read Luke 7:36-50. My prayer is that your own meditation on this miracle will fill your heart with deep, overflowing love for Jesus.

The Greatest Human Need

Jesus graciously accepted a dining invitation from a Pharisee named Simon (Luke 7:36). A sinful “woman of the city” sought Jesus out and crashed Simon’s party (Luke 7:37). Her sinfulness was confirmed in the text three times (Luke 7:37, 39, 47). In fact, this is all we know about this woman. We can safely assume that she heard Jesus’ Gospel teachings to repent and the testimonies about all He had done (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 4:14-15; Luke 4:37, 43-44; Luke 5:1, 15; Luke 6:17-19; Luke 7:11, 17).

To Simon’s surprise, Jesus knew exactly who this woman was and why she was there at His feet (Luke 7:39-40, 44-47). She came there, uninvited, prepared to do exactly what she planned to do – to show Him her upmost respect and love (Luke 7:37-38). Perhaps as she heard His voice and knelt in His presence, His words spoken before that simultaneously brought deep conviction of sin and hope of God’s mercies again pierced her heart. We see that her tears become as a stream washing the LORD’s feet. Her sinfulness was evident to others and, most importantly, now realized by her (Psalm 51:3-4). This is the greatest human need: forgiveness of sin.

The Greatest healing received

She had no disease that was cured. She had no demons that were casted out. What she had was a heart heavy with the guilt and shame of sin (Luke 7:47; Psalm 32:3-4; Psalm 38:3-4). What she had was a broken heart and contrite spirit (Luke 7:38; Psalm 34:18; Psalm 38:5-8; Psalm 51:17). What crippled her was her utter nakedness before the all-knowing, holy God. And in her surrender to Him, she found the greatest healing (Psalm 32:5; Psalm 34:4-6, 22; Psalm 51:7-8, 10). Through His forgiveness, He healed her spirit. He gave her rest. She received the peace of God and had peace with God.

“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

-Jesus (Luke 7:50, ESV)

the greatest cost paid

Simon was fixed on the fact that this woman was a sinner (Luke 7:39). However, Simon failed to realize that he, too, was a sinner. Hence, in Jesus’ teaching, there were two debtors, one owed five hundred days worth of full wages while the other owed fifty (Luke 7:41). Jesus’ point: A debt owed is a debt owed, no matter how great or small. It doesn’t matter if you are a great sinner or a little sinner; sin is a debt no one can pay (Luke 7:42).

On this side of history we know fully now the cost of salvation – the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross (Luke 22:37, 41-44; Luke 24:44-47). In Jesus’ story, the moneylender freely forgave his two debtors when they could not pay their debts. The two debtors walked away, no strings attached, no punishment executed. Forgiveness is a free gift, a grace of God, to the sinner. But, let us remember, that it cost God His Son. (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-8; Romans 6:23)

conclusion

Many persons were healed of diseases and evil spirits, and a few even brought back from the dead physically. However, a forgiven sinful woman made new is the greatest miracle of all. The spiritually dead heart brought back to life, the heart full of darkness brought into and filled with light is the center of the Gospel. Have you experienced this miracle, my friend? Only Jesus’ work on the cross can do this. (Matthew 19:25-26; Luke 5:21; Luke 7:49; Luke 18:26-27)

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. -Romans 8:1-4, ESV

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” -Ephesians 2:4-9, ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” – Jesus (John 14:12, ESV)

The realization of our own sin and the receiving of His immense grace through our repentance will cause in us a deep love for our Savior as it did in this woman. We can testify with John that “we love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Furthermore, Jesus’ affirmation of this miraculous spiritual experience will echo true in our own lives: “Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much.”

Father, open our eyes to see clearer this great salvation that we have in Jesus. Help our minds to grasp how deep and how wide your mercies are to us. May we be fast to confess our sins to You for we know that in You there is forgiveness. May we live repentant lives in worship and love to our great God and Savior. Open our eyes to Your ways and lift our burdens!