Once a whore, always a whore…not so with Jesus

Luke 7:39-43 says:  “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."  Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two men 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 canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"   Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.”

A certain Pharisee was having a dinner party and invited “the Prophet” Jesus for dinner.  When Jesus entered the Pharisees dinner party, he was treated with indifference.  He was not afforded the customary or traditional feet washing due a guest as they entered someone’s home.

An uninvited guest came in, a local woman of ill repute.  It says in verse 39 “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."  Notice, the Pharisee “said to himself,” then Jesus answers him (v.40) “Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.”  Note:  Jesus knows our thoughts.  Have we confessed our sin of distracted evil thoughts?  A sobering reminder.

In verse 39, the Pharisee questions whether Jesus was a prophet since a prophet would know “what kind of woman was touching Him.”  The Pharisee at best thought Jesus a prophet not God himself in human form.  The thought that this woman’s life was transformed by the Living God never entered the Pharisees mind—once a whore, always a whore.  Not so with Jesus…this woman’s very open display of love, in the midst of uppity Pharisees, proved a life touched by the Living God is and will continue to be transformed.

The question to ask is this:  do we give people a second chance?  Do we believe God moves in the lives of people?  Do we believe in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit?  The world says “once a whore, always a whore.”  God inspired word says, “Be ye transformed.”  The transformed woman’s acts of love did not save her, her faith in Jesus did.  “Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."  Luke 7:50

Only Jesus makes new.  We can live in peace with each other and with God for eternity no matter where we came from.  God changes and transforms lives…that’s good news for us sinners.