Sacrificial Offering
21 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Bible Study, Daily Devotion, Joy, Patience, Peace, Purpose, Religion, Spiritual, Uncategorized, Women
Read Luke 7:36-50
In this passage “immoral” implies sexual sin, but this woman could just as easily have been of immoral character – a cheater, liar, a thief, or perhaps someone with no business ethics. Jesus tells us in verse 47 that her sins “are many.”
This woman enters the party and approaches Jesus – not face to face – but from behind his reclining position. Overcome with emotion she begins to cry; kneels and allows her tears to wash over the feet of Jesus. There must have been a great deal of tears as she felt the need to unpin her hair to dry his feet. Then, she opens an elaborate container made of alabaster filled with rare, expensive perfume. The other guests would have expected her to use such extravagance to anoint the guest of honor’s hair. Much to their surprise, she pours the perfume on his feet.
The key to this story is in the parable Jesus tells of someone who loaned 500 pieces of silver to one and to another 50 pieces of silver. Neither could repay the loans, and both were forgiven the debts. Jesus then posed the question to Simon: Which one loved the master more after the loans were forgiven?
Could it be that the women in this Scripture had come face to face with whom and what she had become and knew how very much she needed something outside of herself to have mercy on her?
Driven by a heart broken by sin, the woman with the alabaster jar sacrificed what was precious to her. “For this reason I say to you, her sins which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but she who is forgiven little, loves little.”
I submit that this woman was shaken free from faith that is safe – costing very little at all – to faith that was worth whatever it costs so that she could be in the presence of Jesus.
Is it then safe to assume that we are to grasp all which has been forgiven us for us to then experience to the same degree of understanding the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf? Then are we then free to respond with the same degree of gratitude to the One who sacrificially poured out His blood to pay that price for us?
My challenge: that you be shaken free from faith that is safe – to faith that is worth whatever it costs you – to be in daily communion with God.
Discussion Questions:
1. Discuss the challenge: “that you be shaken free from faith that is safe – to faith that is worth whatever it costs to be in daily communion with God.”
2. What vial of costly perfume do you need sacrifice in order to be changed by Jesus tonight?
