One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” Luke 7:36–39 (NLT)
A most blessed day to us all. I wish to draw your attention to how we receive known “sinners” into the house of God. During this Christmas season, we should expect for Jesus to draw all manner of people into His house.
They will all come to meet whatever spiritual appointment God has for them that day. For the “immoral” woman, the posture of her heart and a desire to be forgiven drove her to do the unthinkable and to give a worship unlike any in the New Testament.
Jesus’ response is to use the moment as a teachable moment regarding worship, inclusion, love, appreciation, money, hypocrisy, and forgiveness. He said: Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:47.
The question to us is: Will repentant hearts find a house of forgiveness and acceptance when they come into our churches? Will they find this Jesus, starting from our ushering teams through to the end of the service welcoming of visiting members?
May God grant us all the help we need to win every winnable soul for Him.
AMEN
By Rev Kofi Owusu Boakye,
PENSA International Coordinator