River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1922-04-20

S A 20 KS soul. 1t is another
kINsVHA AN that does so, one
with no. name in
Scripture but sinner" And as we
read the story, 1t seems to us that the
Spirit of God has written your name
and mine in that word, for she repre-
sents us all.
but see where this nameless
sinner is. She is at Jesus feet where
He declares Himself her Savior
Savior, though her sins are many /;
Savior, unashamed of her, though
proud enemies are listening and look
ing on, resentful of the grace that
flows forth from Him. Unbidden has
she come unbidden save by her deep,
deep need. She does not covet Simons
dainties, but the Savior's grace, and
He regards her not as an intruder but
as the most welcome guest.
H.-What brings her to His feet?
1t Is her sin. No other claim has she
upon Him, nor seeks to find another.
Enough for her that He is the Savior
and she the sinner that He came to
save. Her heart, outpoured in tears,
may wash His blessed feet; her lips
may kiss them; her hands anoint
them with ointment; and her hair
serve to wipe them. But this lavish
expression of her love creates for her
no claim upon the Savior. 1t is her
sin that does so, for it is sinners that
He is seeking to save.
The host is moral, religious and
proud Pharisee, and his sense of the
proprieties is shocked by what he sees.
He knows not who his guest is-nor
does any man who has not first been,
as sinner, at His feet-and he thinks.
This man, If he were a prophet,
would know who and what manner of
woman this is that toucheth him, for
she is a sinner" And by answering
the unspOken thought of his heart, the
Lord shows Simon that He is far more
than prophet-He is God.
The answer is the story of the cred
itor with two debtors, one owing five
hundred pence and the other fifty, and
when they had nothing to pay he
frankly forgave them both. Can Simon
see in the lesser of>the two, himself;
and in the greater, the woman of
the city? If he does thus understand,
then surely he sees that there is no
difference between himself and her
in this respect, that neither of them
has anything wherewith to pay the
debt.
III.-Wnat, then, does she find at
His feet? She finds forgiveness there
Her sins, which are many, are for
given" He asks no questions nor i'm
poses any conditions and His grace
flows out without measure. ''Who is
this that forgiveth sins alsO?" murmur
the guests at Simons table God alone
can forgive sins. o, do you but come
to His feet with your many sins and
you shall see who it isl The only
being in all the universe who knows
what to do with sins, and how to do it,
Is the Lord Jesus Christ.
But more, she finds salvation there
"Thy faith hath saved thee" Faith,
then, is what He saw. She has be-
Iieved in Him as Savior. Though
SHE fONeu uluCli, IL was not ucT lUNc
that saved. Her love and devoted
service to Him were the result of His
gracious work, In response to her
faith. Saved! oh, what word! One
moment a Skinner OF the city,;
the next, a saint One moment, lost;
the next, saved! A sinners sins and
Savior's grace have met together
and this is the result. o, soul, saliva
ton is on the same terms still. You
the sinner, and He the Savior. You
with your sins, and He with His
grace. You, as your are, at His feet,
and there He saves!
One thing more: She finds there
peace. ''Thy faith hath saved thee,
90 in peace" Peace, because the
cause of all the dispeace has been
met and put away. Someone has taken
her sins upon Himself, and yours and
mine, and has put them away. Peace
now for the believing sinner! Being
justified by faith we have peace with
Cod forevermore. His peace, in ex-
change for all your sins.
o, come to His feet. Come, and you
shall find what she found: forgive
ness, salvation and peace. No one has
ever come there and gone away un-
saved or unbleSt.