Middletown transcript., 1922-11-18
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
:Si11a2daySchoel q
' Lesson '
(By REV. p. B. FITzwATER. D. D..
Teacher OF English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute Of Chicago)
Copyright, 1922, Western Newspaper Union
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 19
JESUS THE FRIEND OF SINNERS


ing, and worthy of all acceptation, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners.-I Tim. lis.
REFERENCE MATERIALeLuke b:1-
80.
PRIMARY ToPIC-Jesus Loves Every
body.
JUNIOR ToPIC-Jesus the Friend Of
Sinners.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
The Sympathy of Jesus
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Jesus Helps the Sinful and Sorrowfui.
I. A Penitent Woman's Act OF Love
wv. 81, 4S).
I. Place of ". 80. 1t was In the
home of Simon the Pharisee while
Jesus was sitting at meat. The feast
must have been public, else she
could not have so readily gained ac-
cess.
2. The Act of ". 3S). She washed
Jesus feet with her tears and wiped
them with her hair. Through some
means she had heard of Jesus pardon
ing grace. and God had opened her
heart to receive Him as her Saviour.
Out of heart of gratitude she kissed
His feet and anointed them with pre-
cious ointment.
8. Who She Was ". 40. Her name
is not mentioned. She was of n
notoriously bad character. Though
known to the public as bad woman,
something had happened which trans
formed her. She was now a saved
sinner, because she believed on Jesus
Christ. The moment one believes on
Christ he is saved regardless Of what
his former life has been.
II. The Pharisee's Displeasure ".
39).
Simon felt scandalized by such a
happening at his table. He was re-
spectacle man. For Jesus to tolerate
such familiarity on the part of a
woman of such evil repute greatly
perpleXed him. He reasoned that IL
Jesus were a prophet He would have
known the character of this woman
and would have either withdrawn
His feet from her or thrust her back
with them, or If He knew her charac-
ter His tolerance of such familiarity
proved that He was not a good man.
sort which gathers up its skirts and
gives the sinner backward push into
his filth. If he had known who
Jesus was, and what change had
been wrought in the womans heart,
he would not have been so severe.
III. Jesus Teaches the Pharisee (vv.
4a4S). -
IL, ,c,t ty,,J y re
able of a creditor and two debtors.
Observe that Jesus made it very clear
that He not only knew the woman,
but knew Simon also.
1. The Common Debt ". 41). The
woman was a sinner, so was Simon,
though he was not the same kind of a
sinner that she was. There were two
debtors, though the one owed ten
times as much as the other. This is
representative of all sinners still. The
Bible declares AL to be sinners, yet
recognizes degrees of guilt. Full cred
1t ought to be given to the M, who
Is honest, virtuous, generous and
kind. Yet such life will not secure
entrance into heaven. The Savior's
words are a severe rebuke 20 the re-
spectacle Pharisees who are sitting
in judgment against the sinners of a
coarser type.
2. The Common Insolvency ". 42).
"And when they had nothing to pay"
Jesus freely granted the difference in
the degree of the woman's sins and
those of the Pharisee, but drove home
to him the fact that they We're both
debtors and had nothing with which
to pay (Rom. :23). Therefore all
have peed of Saviour. As sinners
we may quit our SHINING and hate our
deeds. but that docs not make salts
faction for the sins Of the past. What
we have done is irrevocable-it has
passed from our reach. Every trans
gression shall receive a just recon-
pense Of reward (Heb. 2:2). We must
come to our Creditor, God Almighty,
and acknowledge our insolvency and
accept the kindness of Jesus Christ
who bore our sins in His own body on
the tree Il Pet. 2:24). We are all
paupers, and instead Of judging each
other as to relative guilt, we should
come to God ana sue for pardon.
8. The Relation Of Forgiveness and
Love wv. 4448. Simons reluctant
answer to Jesus question shows that
he got the point Of Jesus teaching.
In order to make His teaching con-
crete He turned to the woman, call
ing Slmon's attention to what she had
done in contrast to what he had done.
Simon had neglected to extend to
Jesus the common courtesles Of a re-
spectacle guest, but this forgiven
woman had lavished upon HIN her
affection and gifts. The measure Of
ones love is determined by the meas
ure of the apprehension Of sins for
given. The one who is forgiven most
will love most.