THE MYSTERY OF GRACE UPON GRACE.

Luke 7:36-38

36. And one of the Pharisees DESIRED Him that He would eat with him. And He went into the house and sat down to meat.

37. And, Behold, a woman in the city, WHICH WAS A SINNER when she knew that Jesus sat at meat at the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment.

And STOOD AT HIS FEET behind Him WEEPING, and began to WASH HIS FEET WITH TEARS, and did WIPE THEM WITH THE HAIRS OF HER HEAD, and KISSED HIS FEET, and ANOINTED THEM WITH OINTMENT.

38. Now when the Pharisee which had hidden Him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, this man, IF HE WERE A PROPHET would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touched Him; for she is a sinner.

Luke 7:44-49

44. And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, see thou this woman? I ENTERED INTO THINE HOUSE THOU GAVEST ME NO WATER FOR MY FEET: but she has washed my feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head. THOU GAVEST ME NO KISS: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

45. MY HEAD WITH OIL THOU DID NOT ANOINT: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

46. Wherefore I say unto thee, HER SINS WHICH ARE MANY ARE FORGIVEN: for SHE LOVED MUCH: but to whom little is forgiven, the same love that little.

47. And He said unto her, thy sins are forgiven.

48. And they that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves, who is this that forgives sins also?

49. And He said to the woman, THY FAITH HATH SAVED THEE; go in peace.

What did this woman do when she came face to face with grace? What did this woman do when she met her Saviour? She sought Him out. She threw herself at His feet seeking His mercy not moved by the scorn and mocking she would receive from those around her. She did not care what others might think of her. She humbled herself washing His feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. In her heart, she knew He was worth more honour than this. She continued kissing His feet over and over. She LOVED Him. There was nothing she would not sacrifice or do for Him. He was her Saviour. The one who spoke the words, “Go, you are free from sin and shame, free from accusation, free from condemnation.” She saw the love in His eyes, the mercy, the total acceptance. She has never felt this kind of love from any man. At that moment she had a revelation of this amazing grace, this extraordinary favour bestowed upon her. She saw how dirty and sinful she was in the light of His glory. She saw the great sacrifice it would take to make her clean. She understood that her Saviour would wash her clean with every drop of blood dripping from His body when He offers up Himself as the perfect Lamb of God. She saw that He would not open His mouth but He would willingly offer up Himself for her. Therefore, she did not hold back but took her alabaster box of expensive ointment and she broke it to anoint her Saviour for burial. This was her sacrifice of worship and thanksgiving toward Him for what He was going to do for her. By breaking the alabaster box, she was proclaiming her brokenness because of the sin she had committed. She was proclaiming unto Him that she would no longer use her body as an instrument of sin, but she would from here on use her body to glorify Him. She broke her vessel of sinful flesh to take up the new life He had so graciously offered her. Old things had passed away and all things have become new. She understood her life was not her own, it has been purchased with a precious price, therefore, she would give her life in return. Her faith and trust, her full reliance on Him was proven by the works she bestowed upon Him on that day. Her faith was alive and active. The reason He said to her, “Thy faith has saved thee.” James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

On the other hand, Simon, the Pharisee was offended by the grace that Jesus showed towards this woman. This sinner. For he trusted and relied on his righteousness and keeping the law to present him as righteous. He believed himself to be righteous in the eyes of the law. His desire for Jesus to eat with him came from a heart of pride. He felt worthy to be in the presence of such a great prophet, but this woman had no right to be in His presence for she was a sinner. He despised the fact that Jesus would even acknowledge this woman, not even mentioning allowing her to touch him. He desired the acknowledgement and praise and attention of Jesus for himself, seeing Jesus being deemed a prophet by many. Simon did not see the state he was in and that even his good works were as filthy rags before a holy God. He turned his face from grace as something to be despised when it visited him? How many of us become offended by grace when it is been shown toward those we deem below ourselves? But the Word of God clearly states we have ALL fallen short of the glory of God. We come to God excepting Him to receive us with open arms as we believe ourselves to be worthy. Believing ourselves to be good enough to stand before the King of glory. The Holy One. How many of us believe ourselves not to be deserving of condemnation, judgement or the wrath of God? Measuring ourselves against what this fallen world deems righteous and good instead of measuring ourselves against the Word of God and as Jesus, who is perfect in holiness. Those that count the gift of grace as unimportant and not worth their notice or attention will never please a holy God and stand condemned.

Behold, the mystery in these scriptures, revealing grace upon grace. Jesus said to Simon, “This woman’s sins which are many are forgiven her; for she loved much.” Jesus spoke of her ever-continuing, never-ending love towards Him and her ever continuing trust and reliance on His gift of grace which produced an ever-continuing, never-ending grace upon grace, grace abounding and superabounding. The grace that she believed and trusted in, that she cherished and loved would keep her to the end.

Let each of us learn from this woman with the alabaster box and from this Pharisee named Simon. It is only by faith in the gift of grace that we are saved and not by our self-effort but more importantly let us not start trusting in the grace and end up becoming prideful trusting in our self-effort. Let us continue in our faith until the end. As you trust in this grace and continue trusting in this grace I can assure you, you will experience grace upon grace that will keep you until the end.

I end with this scripture,

Galatians 3:3

How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you trying to become perfect by your human effort?

Thereze Barnard

Editor-in-Chief

Thread of Hope Blog