GRACE WINSSample

This is an unusual invitation for Jesus to receive—and Luke’s gospel, and way Luke orders his words in the original language, both highlight this point. Luke is setting the scene for us to show that what is about to take place is not normal, even though Jesus accepted the invitation as if it was normal. Jesus displayed no hesitation in accepting the invitation from the religious leader. The fact that He was especially interested in the forgotten people did not mean that He was uninterested in the more religious members of society; they too needed the gospel.  

But then the dinner party becomes even more unusual. Not only was Jesus welcomed into Simon’s home but a woman, who is described as most likely being a prostitute, invites herself into the Pharisee’s home. This was scandalous to those in attendance, but Jesus seems to think this is normal! To a person of grace, the bringing together of people is always normal. To those living with eyes of judgment, it will always seem abnormal.  

Often we see people from all walks of life come to our church: criminals, homeless, prostitutes, celebrities, influencers, and the list goes on. But it always amazes me when people who are already in the church find this unusual, as if those who are already in the church deserve to be there. Grace changes all that. Jesus’ aggressive forgiveness—His expression of grace—always make it normal for anyone, of any background, to walk into the church. And the church is the place where all can feel free to sit at the feet of Jesus, and hear Him speak. 

This woman was seen as an intrusion, but Jesus saw her as His daughter, whom He created and loved so much. Jesus didn’t see her past, He saw her future. Jesus didn’t see her brokenness as a barrier to her wholeness, for He knew His love could make her whole. Jesus created no barrier, no opposition to let her come close. For in the presence of Jesus she would receive grace, and that grace would overwhelm—win out—against the power of her sin.  

Sitting, weeping, and kissing the feet of Jesus, she found grace and safety. She found a man that would not take advantage of her but rather treat her with dignity and integrity.  Any man that she sat with before would have taken advantage of her brokenness, but Jesus just simply accepted her and received her. In that moment, Jesus exchanged His wholeness for her brokenness. While the religious squirmed because of their own lustful desires and memories of their own mistakes, Jesus sat still and restored this woman through the power of grace. This may seem unusual, but to Jesus this is normal. May aggressive forgiveness, may this kind of grace, be normal in our lives.

- Josh Kelsey