Break It Open and Pour It on Jesus
One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined for the meal. A woman in that city, a sinner, knew that Jesus was there and took a precious alabaster box of ointment. At Jesus’ feet behind him she was weeping and began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, which she wiped with the hair of her head, instead of a towel. She also kissed Jesus’ feet and anointed them with the ointment.
But the Pharisee who had invited Jesus spoke within himself, “This man Jesus, if he was a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him: for she is a sinner”. But Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have somewhat to say to you.” The Pharisee replied, “Master, say on.” Jesus said, “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors, the one owed five hundred pence and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which one will love the creditor most?”
Simon the Pharisee replied, “I suppose that he to whom he forgave most.” Jesus said to Simon, “You have rightly judged.” And he turned to the woman and said directly to Simon, “Have you seen this woman? I entered this house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head. You gave me no kiss, but this woman, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment. I say, therefore, to her that her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much and therefore much is forgiven.”
And those who were at the meal with Jesus began to say, “Who is this who forgives sins also?” And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
I am certain that in our Christadelphian community worldwide, which is the ecclesia of the household of God, there are many people, both men and women, who cry before the Lord Jesus Christ shedding tears in secret in silence breaking open, not an alabaster box of ointment, but their hearts, to let flow tears in faith and secret prayer to Jesus Christ (Matt 6:6). They have come to Jesus Christ not in the house of Simon the Pharisee, but in the house of God, the ecclesia, the body of Jesus Christ. He takes away the sins of men and women of those who have the same faith as the woman who was despised by Simon the Pharisee and all those who were with him in that house.
In the house of the Lord, there are those who were prostitutes, some having HIV/AIDS, but they have come into the house of the Lord by faith in Jesus. There are others who grew up in the family of God and all of us must beware of despising the ex-prostitutes. None of us must ever forget that all brothers and sisters in Christ are forgiven.
We must love those ex-prostitutes with HIV/AIDS and not shun them, including when we all break bread together. Our heavenly Father is a loving God, willing that none of us should perish (1 John 1:9). So let us not look down upon, or condemn, any of our brothers or sisters. We must accept them and love them as God does. Let us help them in their sufferings by assisting them in their difficulties. Where possible, give them material things that can improve their lives while we are waiting for the return of the Lord. Whoso has this world’s good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how does the love of God dwell in that brother? … Brethren and sisters, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:17,19).
We should not hate our brothers and sisters, even if they were prostitutes with HIV/AIDS because they really are our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we should hate them, we make ourselves murderers, walking in darkness, not knowing where we are going (1 John 2:9-11).
Some of the brothers and sisters who had been ‘the greatest sinners’ previously, have been blessed by our heavenly Father with talents which should be put to use in the ecclesia for the glory of God. In contrast, if we condemn or despise them, we may find that we are fighting against the Lord Himself. And which of us would care to fight the Lord?
The Lord Jesus Christ is our High Priest in heaven, our advocate, whatever our lives may have been. He is not a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities because he was like us, tempted like us even though he was without sin. He is able to help all those being tempted. If we have sinned, he is able to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (Heb 4:13-16).
Shunning any of our brothers and sisters, such as those suffering from HIV/AIDS (unfortunately and misleadingly known as a shameful disease), not always acquired by immorality, will not make us more righteous. Rather it will make us be judges, condemning our brothers and sisters with the disease: but we have only one judge, Jesus Christ. If we act as judges, we ourselves bring condemnation upon ourselves.
Even when helping our brothers and sisters suffering from HIV/AIDS, we should remember to do our deeds of love in the way that Jesus directed: not blowing trumpets, giving advertisements announcing them, as some do (Matthew 6:1-4).
We are all waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven. We shall then all be gathered to him for judgement and the giving of immortality or condemnation. This applies to everyone whether afflicted with HIV/AIDS or not (Dan 12:1-3; Ecc 12:13,14). So let us all be humble before the Lord, not proud like Simon the Pharisee.
Bro Reuben Kaambeu, (Kabombo, Zambia)
