The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-08
SERMON BY MIR. TIPPY.
What Took Place at the Dinner in
the House of simon.


At the evening service at the Broadway
Church the pastor, the Rev. Worth NJ
Tippy spoke on THE Dinner I'm the House
of Simon. the Pharisee." The sermon was
a study of the methods of Jesus and of the
gladness of an evil life that has been for
given and cleansed. Mr.. Tippy said, in
part:
This story is one of the most illumi-
mating of all the recorded incidents in the
eventful life of the Master. II il is studied
carefully it will reveal the way in which
the Lord and His disciples lived and also
the frank openness and friendliness of the
spirit of Jesus. The apostolic band lived,
for the most part. upon the hospitality of
the humble, but the wealthy and infiuen-
tial were glad to have these guests In their
homes.
Galilee at the time, and one of the Phari-
sees desired that He would eat with him.
The Lord went just as freely as He was
asked. Possibly the next meal He would
dine in the home of a despised publican
or with man whose reputation was bad
That was what perplexed and often enough
scandalized the fastidous. 1t was not that
He made no moral discrimination. but that
He refused to be separated from any group
of the people, except as a man might him
self refuse to be friendly.
THE picture is full of life. The host
with his guests, lie upon touches while the
meal Is being I'd. The servants are
guests there is animated conversation The
Master is the center of interest. for His
fame is at its height and the bitterness OF
the later months had not yet come. His
Journeys have been as yet triumphal pro-
cessions. Suddenly there is the sound of a
controversy among the servants with some
stranger, and in a moment a woman hurries
into the room and, walking rapidly to the
rear of 1he couch where Jesus reclined
she falls on her knees. weeping. Her tears
drench His bare feet and she hastily wipes
them with her long hair. She then anonts
them with a rich perfume that fills the
room with its fragrance.
1T was a striking and dramatic scene
Conversation stopped, the servants stood
still watching the scene. and the host looked
on with amazement The intruder was
doubtless, but she had led an abandoned
life. Meanwhile. the woman. regardless of
the gaze of guests and servants, continued,
with uncontroilapie emotion to anoint
His feet.
Simon was a gentleman, and said moth
ing. He did not even appear to suspect
Jesus of an evil life. The Pharisees code
of morals had nothing but hopeless ostra-
cism for such a woman, and to see his
guest sit calmly through the ordeal, with
out so much as a gesture of .disapproval.
was sufficient to discredit him as a prophet.
II Jesus were prophet, he thought to
himself, He would know the life of this
woman. He was sure that IL He knew
what she had done, He would have in
disnantly resented her action.
but the Master saw what the Pharisee
could not see: woman who had been a.
sinner, but who had been redeemed. Pos
| sibly that very day as He had been teach
| ing she had come out OF curiosity to hear
| Him and to see His wonderful works While
| He healed the sick with a suppressed pas
| sion of tenderness and patience, while He
| spoke afterwards. with words that cut their
way deep into the souls of the people: and
while she saw into His own pure high
minded. compassionate SOUL the fountains
of her own life were unsealed All the
latent goodness all the holy love of wom-
ans SOUL all the hatred of evil of a wOm-
| ans heart broke forth. In the silence of
| her heart as she listened she abandoned
| her life of sin. and. lifting her heart 10
God. she felt her old life forgiven and its
| vileness pass away.
How she lived the rest of that day she
never knew. The hours flew along in the
| came she must see Him and pour out her
| gratitude. She found that He was at the
home of Simon the Pharisee. an invited
| guest. That made no difference. for she
I literally could not wait IL was a psychical
| impossibility. She went TO the house and
breaking through the line of servants. hur-
! ried to the Saviors feet. And then she
/ could say nothing for joy. She broke into
uncomfortable tears. she humbly bent
over His feet. All. that was a sight for
| angels. and for men who could understand
/ The Pharisee had no place I'm his world
theory for anything like that and so the
Master gently explained ii to him.
THE MASTER SPOKE.
when II was all over He spoke to the
kneeling woman: Thy sins are forgiven.
| Thy faith hath saved thee: go i'm peace
She arose and looked into His face, and
she saw as IL were the face OF God. She
saw the compassion OF God in the face of
man. something she had never seen before.
| She went out calmly from the presence of
the guests sure Of His respect and there
| fore self-respecting. There Is that about
= the life that has been saved that casts out