MORNING DEW: 14-10-2018
TOPIC: APPRECIATION
TEXT: LUKE 7:36-50
- Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. So he went to the Pharisees home and took his place at the table.
- There was a woman who was a notorious sinner in that city. When she learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisees home, she took an alabaster jar of perfume
- and knelt at his feet behind him. She was crying and began to wash his feet with her tears and dry them with her hair. Then she kissed his feet over and over again, anointing them constantly with the perfume.
- Now the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and told himself, If this man were a prophet, he would have known who is touching him and what kind of woman she is. She’s a sinner!
- Jesus told him, Simon, I have something to ask you. Teacher, he replied, ask it.
- Two men were in debt to a moneylender. One owed him 500 denarii, and the other 50.
- When they couldn’t pay it back, he generously cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?
- Simon answered, I suppose the one who had the larger debt cancelled. Jesus told him, You have answered correctly.
- Then, turning to the woman, he told Simon, Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You didn’t give me any water for my feet, but this woman has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.
- You didn’t give me a kiss, but this woman, from the moment I came in, has not stopped kissing my feet.
- You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but this woman has anointed my feet with perfume.
- So I’m telling you that her sins, as many as they are, have been forgiven, and that’s why she has shown such great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.
- Then Jesus told her, your sins are forgiven!
- Those who were at the table with them began to say among themselves, Who is this man who even forgives sins?
- But Jesus told the woman, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.
THE MEANING OF APPRECIATION
To appreciate God or someone means to be grateful or thankful for what God or the person has done to you or your family. Appreciation is using your heart and mind to achieve its purpose. Your mind will communicate with your heart to come out with the best.
If you plan with only your mind without the heart you will present “just anything” to please onlookers but not God, like Cain (Genesis 4:1-6) and Ananias and his wife (Acts 5:1-11).
FORMS OF APPRECIATION
Appreciation can be any of the following:
- Giving of gifts
- Giving of money
- Washing for the person
- Sweeping or weeding for the person
- Running errands for the person
- Calling the person on phone
- Saying “thank you”
- Feeding the person
- Praying for the person
The woman under study was a notorious sinner according to the Bible. Jesus once encountered her, probably delivered her from demonic oppression. So when she heard that Jesus was in town she bought the precious oil, very costly. She used her tears as water, washed Jesus’ feet and applied the oil on His feet.
She was saying;
“thank you Jesus for what you have done for me. I don’t know what to do to you Jesus, just to appreciate you with this.”
This notorious sinner believed to be Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2).
You will only be silent when you don’t know what God or someone has done for you.
WHY SOME PEOPLE DON’T APPRECIATE
- They are ungrateful
- They compare situations
- Their hearts are full of evil
- They don’t know how
- They are ignorant – they think giving is only material
This woman’s appreciation challenged Jesus and He had to forgive her numerous sins. The woman didn’t pray for her sins to be forgiven, but her appreciation did it all.
Do you appreciate God? Do you appreciate people for their services rendered to you? Do you appreciate your pastor for the prayers, counselling, correcting, rebuking, feeding you with the Word of God?
Have a blessed Sunday!
Prayer: Give me an appreciative heart, Lord, in Jesus Name!
Amen!
Rev. John Wundengba
0209422159
