LESSON XXI.
THE SINNER AND SIMON.
Luke, vii. 36 to end.
Why did Jesus come into the world?—To save us from hell.
But why did God say that people must go to hell?—Because everybody was naughty.
Jesus can forgive people their naughtiness, and make them good. But Jesus will not forgive people who are not sorry. I will tell you of a proud man who was not sorry, and of a poor woman who was sorry.
A rich proud man asked Jesus to come and dine with him. Why did he ask Jesus? he did not love him;—he only asked him, that he might hear him talk: but Jesus said he would come.
The proud man treated Jesus very unkindly. He gave him no water to wash his feet, put no sweet ointment upon them, gave him no kiss.
A poor woman, who had been very naughty, saw Jesus go into the rich man’s house. She came up behind Jesus, and began to cry for all her naughtiness. She knew Jesus could forgive her, and she loved Jesus.
She had brought a box of ointment with her: she stooped down, and her tears fell upon Jesus’ feet, and with her tears she washed them: she wiped them with her long hair, and then poured the sweet ointment upon them, and kissed them.
The rich man looked at the woman very angrily; he knew she had been very naughty, and he was angry at seeing Jesus so kind to her.
But Jesus said to the proud man, This woman has been very naughty: but I have forgiven her, and she loves me very much. She loves me a great deal more than you do. You gave me no water for my feet; but she has washed my feet with her tears. You gave me no kiss; but she has kissed my feet ever since I came in. You gave me no ointment; but she has poured very sweet ointment upon my feet.
Then Jesus spoke kindly to the woman, and said to her, Your sins are forgiven.
So Jesus comforted this poor woman, but the proud man and his friends grew still more angry.
Jesus will forgive your sins if you are sorry, and if you ask him; but if you think yourself good, he will not forgive you; for Jesus cannot bear proud people. Though you are but a little child, you have done a great many wrong things; and you do not deserve to go to heaven. Oh, I hope Jesus will forgive you! I hope the Holy Spirit will come into your heart, and make you feel very sorry for your sins. Then Jesus will forgive you, and you will love him, as this poor woman did.