Gospel-centered Worship

At the end of Luke 7, Jesus is invited to eat at a Pharisee's home named Simon.  At some point in the evening, a "woman of the city" comes in and begins to wipe the feet of Jesus with her tears and hair.  Simon, seeing this play out, thinks to himself, "If Jesus really is a prophet, he would know that this woman is considered by everyone to be a prostitute and not someone you want to associate with...much less have touching you."

Jesus, knowing his thoughts, tells him a short parable.  “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” (Luke 7:41, 42)  Simon answers, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt."

There is much here for consideration, but one thing stands out to me.  Jesus defends the woman who has clearly repented of her sins and is looking to Jesus as her Lord and Savior.  In verse 47, Jesus says, "I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven - for she loved much.  But he who is forgiven little, loves little."

I believe the reason my love for God is so languid is because of self-righteousness.  It is easy for me to act like a Pharisee.  Anytime I believe the lie that I'm a pretty good person and disregard the Holy Spirit's work of sanctification in my life, my love for God and his people greatly suffers.

That is why I regularly need the gospel preached and applied to my life.  It is only when I see the magnitude of my self-righteous sin that I will run to Jesus for forgiveness.