The Balm of Gilead
sermon by Manfred Schreyer

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Luke 7:40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. :41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. :42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" :43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. :44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. :45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. :46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. :47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

      The sermon title should really come from Jeremiah 8:19-23. Here Jeremiah describes the terrible things the Israelites had done. They had worshiped other idols and had been unfaithful. God would punish them and place them for 70 years into the hands of the Babylonians, away from their promised land. And just before the captivity the prophet weepingly utters the following words:

Jeremiah 8:19-23, "Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? Is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!"

      As mentioned some seventy years later King Cyrus allows Nehemiah to leave and to return with his people to return to his promised land.

      If we look at history, King Nebuchadnezzar’s placed his Babylonian army in front of the walls for almost two years of Jerusalem . . . and it was a very powerful army!

      One would think that the Israelite army would recognize that there is no hope to withstand this force and to plead with the God who had led them to this land to overcome the danger . . . but they did not. They continued to worship their idols and remained unfaithful to God.

      When you study Deuteronomy, it becomes clear that God does not ask too much of us of the Israelites at that time. One of the things he continuously asks for is NOT to worship other gods (idols). God mentions that He is a jealous God and that any other worship will have consequences for those who do not adhere to His commands.

      The story sets a mark for God’s people in history, then, at Jesus’ time and now.

      In Luke we hear of a woman who comes to Jesus:

Luke 7:36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. :37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, :38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. :39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."

      And Jesus answers: "I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

      Just like in Jeremiah’s time, the Jewish people did not recognize what great things God had done for them, how he had saved them from the armies that wanted to invade them before, how He had protected them, how he had forgave them in the past . . . and with that their love for our God was diminished . . .

      The love of the woman for Jesus Christ was so extensive because she recognized how sinful she had been. She recognized what wonderful gift she had received from God and therefore she loved God so much, since she knew what God had done for her was done out of love. -

      Those who cannot see the love God has for them, will never be able to express their love to God. . . .and in the progression of things they will fall away.

      And that is really our story today. (1) It matters to God that He should be the center of ones life. (2) Better yet, God wants to be in your life.

      I would like to talk about #2 first: If you have in your life not accepted the fact that you need God, God promises you that the darkness of life will take you over and it will destroy you. If you have never given your life over to God and relied on Him I would like for you to look at yourself . . . look at your wounds you are carrying . . . The wounds from this life, from others who betrayed you, who lied to you, who stole from you, who used you, who denied you, etc.

      There was a balm of Gilead which was able to heal wounds. It was precious and a valued commodity which made its way from Gilead by caravans to the cities. It provided healing and soothing to the wound the people had.

      Yes, when you believe in Christ you will still carry wounds, but you will be at peace. God can heal every wound . . . He can heal of every hurt you are carrying.

      And so I ask you do you need soothing in your life? Do you need a balm that brings healing to your wounds?

      Do you need forgiveness? Do you need freedom from this world which seems to cave in on you at times?

      When you give your life to God and trust Him with all you have, then you will experience life like you never experienced it before.

      Talking about #1, that it matters to God and that He wants to be the center of your life. As mentioned before we in this world sometimes know of God and believe in God, but we set priorities in our life. Sunday, God is OK, Monday I have to do this, Tuesday I want to do that, Wednesday I may attend an activity in church if I feel like it, Thursday I may . . . well, you get the idea.

      You think that I seem too overwhelming in my demands in my sermon? No, no, no. . . . Jesus says himself: "I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." And therefore we can judge ourselves how much we love Christ and how much we understand the love He has for us.

      No, we are not getting idols for us when we only go to church on Sunday, but we are substituting God with other activities which seem more important to us. God is telling us that there is nothing MORE important.

      While the troops of Babylon were at the gates of Jerusalem. Jeremiah is crying out for the balm of Gilead.

While this world is ready to pound on you my dear friend, God is ready to hand you His healing balm as you make Him your only God and worship Him in Thanksgiving and praise.


 

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