Tears of Worship; Luke 7:36-38

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 8/14/2022. After a poignant parable of the hypocrisy of those who rejected the the Good News as preached by both John the Baptist and Jesus, Luke gives us a surprising illustration of the kind of worship that flows from the full-orbed Gospel. A woman of ill-repute publicly anoints Jesus with both her tears and an expensive ointment in a profound act of worship. We will analyze the first three verses of this story and concentrate on the nature of this woman, the nature of her contrition, and therefore the nature of her worship. After identifying the various aspects of her worship, we will consider how our own worship measures up. In other words, when we come together to worship our Lord, is there the same compulsion, the same courage, the same humility, the same contrition, the same passionate love, the same reverence and the same Christ-honoring focus as was evident in this woman whose "sins were many"? And ultimately, as we approach the Lord's Table and celebrate His great sacrifice, to ask ourselves, "Are our hearts truly bathed in the tears of worship?"