Zachary (our 8 year old) and I are in an Easter
production at our church called The Thorn (http://thethorn.net/).
We have sat in the audience for this amazing story and drama about the life of
Jesus. A few years ago, after Zachary watched it with us, he said, “Daddy, can
we be in The Thorn some day?” Working out schedules and plans, we are able to
do it together this year. We are part of the general crowd that witnesses the
miracles of Jesus as well as his death and resurrection portrayed in this amazing
story.
It has been an amazing experience for both of us as we
are involved in the miracles of Jesus. As he heals the sick, a blind man, a
young girl who is dying, and many others, I am in awe of the love shown by this
son of God – Jesus. Another moving part is when an adulterous woman is brought
to Jesus and all of us are yelling, “stone her, stone her.” She is thrown down
on the floor and Jesus walks up to her, talks to her, and forgives her. All of
us in the crowd and the Pharisees are stunned that he would do such a thing (at
least that is our role we are acting out). This scene really touched me deeply
and got me thinking about forgiveness. The next morning I was reading in Luke 7
where Jesus is anointed by a sinful woman. The essence of the story is that a
woman comes to the house of Simon the Pharisee and anoints Jesus with a jar of
perfume, weeping, and wiping his feet with her hair. It is an incredible act of
love. Simon the Pharisee is shocked that Jesus would let this woman do this. I
love the parable Jesus tells next and the interaction with Simon in Luke 7:
41-43:
Two people owed
money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the
other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the
debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose
the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus
said.
Some have read this passage as Jesus then forgiving her
sins because of this act. In other words she had to “work” for it. But that
doesn’t seem right given the parable he just told. The parable talks about two
owing money and both debts are forgiven. Then Jesus illustrates, through a
question and Simon’s answer, that the one with the bigger debt will love more. The
essence of this story then is that this woman had been forgiven a huge debt
(her sin) and she was expressing huge love.
This act of love in response to her recognizing that
Jesus was the source of her forgiveness really impacted me. And it was watching
the scene in The Thorn of the adulteress woman where she turns after having
been forgiven and has the most stunning expression of love and wonder on her
face. Although it was just a practice session for an upcoming Easter
production, it was incredible to watch. It reminds me of how much I am forgiven
every day and what my response should be. I don’t have to earn this
forgiveness. Jesus gives it freely and it should motivate our love response.
And the more we are forgiven, the greater the love.
Amazed by His Love,
Terence
