Brent Kuhlman

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Third Sunday after Pentecost / Proper 6                                                                                     

13 June 2010                                   

Luke 7:36-8:3

Do you know what one of the huge complaints about Jesus was and still is to this day?  Well do you?  It’s this:  that Jesus is a friend of sinners.  That’s right:  the friend of sinners!  Always hanging around sinners.  And not just little ones!  But big-time sinners!  Associating with them.  Welcoming them.  And then the biggest scandal of all:  He forgives them!  Freely!  Completely!  No strings attached!    

And that really hacked off many people.  Scandalized them.  Outraged them.  Many people won’t come to church because the church is full of … SINNERS!   Full time, 24-7-365 on purpose sinners!  And if Jesus trucks with folks like that, well . . . many don’t want to have anything to do with that kind of a Jesus.     

Is Jesus the friend of sinners a problem for you?  Are you ashamed of Jesus friend of sinners?  Do you believe that Jesus shouldn’t associate Himself with sinners?

That’s Simon the Pharisee.  He’s Mister Pure.  Mister I’m Not So Bad.  Mister I Do The Best I Can.  Mister I’m Not Perfect But I’m Certainly Not Like That Sinful Woman Who Appears To Be Putting The Moves On Jesus At My Dinner Party!

“Good grief Jesus!  If you’re truly a prophet you would certainly know who is touching you AND then you would shrink from her physical advances!  Do I have to spell it out to you Jesus?  Holy cow Jesus!  The lavish perfume!  The messing around with your feet with her kisses, tears and hair! This woman’s a prostitute Jesus!  Don’t you get it?  Sinners don’t belong here!  If you don’t kick her out I’ll have my bouncers throw her out on the street where she belongs!  And once she’s removed, then we can get on with my party.  And then you can make a toast telling everyone how impressed you are with my purity, my good life, my holiness.  After all, I don’t think I need to remind you who your friends should be!” 

Poor Simon the Pharisee.  Ashamed of Jesus Friend of Sinners.  Mr. I’m Not A Sinner.  So he doesn’t want or need Savior Jesus.  Didn’t want to hear:  “Simon, your sins are forgiven.”  Forgiven little.  Little love for Jesus.  Or none at all.  How sad.  How tragic.     

But not the woman.  Oh yes, she’s a sinner all right.  A gargantuan sinner.  The vial of perfume hanging around her neck gave her “sinner” status away.  The vial scented her breath and her bosom.  So that she could more easily seduce men both young and old into paying her for her services.    

But now her lavish devotion is on Friend of Sinners Jesus.  She’s not putting the moves on Him.  She loves Jesus – but not in that way.  She loves Him because He first loved her as her Savior.  Yes, the Savior – of sinners.  Even a sinner like her.  She is very precious to Him.  He forgives her.  Of everything.  “Your sins are forgiven,” He says.  And His words do and give what they say.

Her past – all her wicked, sinful, naughty past – forgiven.  Every bit of it.  Now she can live in the present.  Start over.  In the freedom of Christ’s promise that she is forgiven.  And her future – well – that’s taken care of too with Christ’s absolution.  Past, present, future – her entire life -- all handled in Jesus’ words:  “Your sins are forgiven.  Your faith in me has saved you.  Go in peace.”      

She loves Jesus so much because she’s been forgiven so much – everything.  The perfume, the kisses, the tears, the hair – all flow from the fact that she believes Jesus is the friend of sinners.  And that He’s the Savior.  The only one.  For her.  And for you.  Are you a sinner?  Well, are you?  Of course you are.  So Jesus is your friend.  He insists on taking your sin into His Body on the cross.  He’s loves to hang around you.  Welcome you.  And absolve you.  He says to you:  “Your sin is mine.  You can’t have it any more.  Your sins – all of them – no matter what you’ve done or not done -- are forgiven.  Your faith in me who died for you has saved you.”    

Any complaints about Friend of Sinners Jesus now?  I didn’t think so.  What a Savior!  Thank you Jesus for your forgiveness. 

In the Name of Jesus.  Amen.