When God's Amazing Love Changes Everything: Lessons from Two Women Who Met Jesus

As we begin the season of Lent, we're invited to journey alongside those who witnessed firsthand what God's amazing love looks like and how it transforms lives. Today we explore the powerful stories of two women whose encounters with Jesus demonstrate the radical nature of divine grace and forgiveness.

What Does True Worship Look Like?

The first woman we meet crashes a dinner party at Simon the Pharisee's house. This wasn't your typical gathering. It was likely a formal, black-tie affair where everything was proper and controlled. But then she arrives.

A Desperate Act of Love

This woman, described as living "a sinful life," brings an alabaster jar of expensive perfume. What happens next is one of the most beautiful expressions of worship found in Scripture. She stands behind Jesus, weeping, and begins to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wipes them with her hair, kisses them, and pours the perfume on them.

This wasn't just expensive. It may have been worth 300 denarii, representing nearly a year's wages. This perfume might have been her dowry, her financial security, perhaps the most precious thing she owned. Yet she pours it all out as an expression of her love for Christ.

The Risk of Real Worship

We must understand what this woman risked. In that culture, Pharisees stoned people like her. She was unwelcome, considered a sinner who didn't belong in polite society. It would be like walking into a formal event wearing dirty work clothes.

But she didn't care about her reputation. The only thing that mattered was expressing her love to Christ because of what she had received: new life, forgiveness, freedom from shame and guilt. She had been loved in a real way, perhaps for the first time.

How Do We Respond to Forgiveness?

Jesus uses this moment to teach through a simple parable about two debtors, one owing 500 denarii and another owing 50. When both debts are forgiven, Jesus asks Simon which debtor will love the creditor more. The answer is obvious: the one forgiven the greater debt.

The Religious Response vs. The Grace Response

Simon's reaction reveals a common religious attitude. He thinks to himself that if Jesus were really a prophet, he would know what kind of woman was touching him. Simon sees her sin as disqualifying her from God's grace.

But sin doesn't disqualify us from grace. It is precisely why we need it. The only thing that qualifies us for God's love is God's grace itself.

Who Was Mary Magdalene?

The second woman in our story is Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus cast out seven demons. Magdala was a remote area on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, and Mary's condition left her hopeless and isolated.

A Life Transformed

After her deliverance, Mary became one of Jesus' most devoted followers. She served him throughout his ministry, stood by the cross when others fled, and was among the first to witness his resurrection.

Life Application

This week, examine your own response to God's amazing love. Is following Christ just a part of your life, or is it everything?

• What "alabaster jar" in your life could you pour out as an expression of love for Christ?
• Do you see others through the eyes of grace or judgment?
• What story of God's grace in your life are you eager to share?