Touching Him

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

36 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!” 40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. 41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” 50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:36-50 NLT)

Simon the Pharisee was shocked that this immoral woman had the audacity to enter his house and crash his party! And he was more shocked that Jesus allowed her to touch his feet, to wash his feet with her tears, and then to pour perfume on his head right in front of God and everybody! Simon was convinced Jesus was a fake or he wouldn’t have allowed himself to be made unclean by her touch.

Here’s a special bulletin for Simon: Jesus isn’t afraid to touch or be touched by lepers and sick people, little kids and big sinners, women (moral or immoral), even people like me! You see, the clean that Jesus has is stronger than the unclean that I have and instead of making him unclean the touch makes me (and the woman in the story) clean! Touching Jesus is stronger than dirt!

Prayer:

Father, Thank you for a Jesus who is both a toucher and touchable! Amen!