20 October 2019 - Deeply Forgiven and Deeply Transformed - New Creation Church Sermon Notes - Reverend Joe Purcell Sermon NotesPraise and Worship Songs performed: 1. Victor’s Crown - Darlene Zschech 2. Because He Lives - Gloria Gaither 3. The One Thing - New Creation Worship We’re not here to preach principles, but the person of Jesus Christ. There are principles but the apostle Paul always taught them under the umbrella of the person of Christ and Him crucified. Luke 7:29-30 - This is an insert by the author Luke. Those who received John’s baptism declared that God was justified in His judgments on His people. “When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.” (Luke 7:29-30 WEB) Luke 7:31-35 - The people were not responding correctly to God in whatever way He chose to speak to them—both Law and Grace were not getting their attention. ““To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call to one another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned, and you didn’t weep.’ For John the Baptizer came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Wisdom is justified by all her children.”” (Luke 7:31-35 WEB) Luke 7:36-50 - The main theme of the chapter is “Who is Jesus?” Earlier in the chapter, Jesus healed the centurion’s servant with a word and Jesus resurrected a boy who was dead—only God can do that. The people were trying to make sense of what was going on. Some saw Jesus as a great prophet, while others had a greater revelation of Him and said “God has visited His people”—they were gaining a sense of what Immanuel meant. The point of the parable is not that the woman is a greater sinner and the Pharisee is a little sinner. Love is the proof that someone has experienced the forgiveness of God. Simon had not experienced forgiveness of sins yet. Jesus said that whoever didn’t believe that He is “I AM” (Yahweh) will die in their sins. The woman was lavish in her love but Simon was upright in appearance but spiritually bankrupt. The woman had no pretext or illusions about her own righteousness, that’s why it was easy for her to receive God’s forgiveness and know what it means to be truly human. All of us need to be forgiven. The world is an orphan crying out, looking for a Father. “One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at the table. Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment. Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” He said, “Teacher, say on.” “A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?” Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”” (Luke 7:36-50 WEB) 
Reverend Joe Purcell preached that there is only one way out: justification by faith, through Jesus alone, through Grace alone. The default mode of the fallen human race is works and self-righteousness. Our justification is by Grace. Grace is humbling—we have done nothing to deserve it. If someone paid a debt for you, you cannot appreciate it if you don’t know the magnitude of your debt. The test of the authenticity of your spirituality is the extent of your amazement towards the Grace of God.
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Hi I'm Milton Goh,
31, from Singapore. I am married to a beautiful wife and have one adorable 8 year old daughter. I am a Christian writer/author and I blog on this website about Christian, Parenting and Lifestyle content. Thanks for reading!
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