The Unwelcomed Christ

So happy to be out this afternoon. We're having showers. May we have showers of blessings inside. I am very happy to be here this afternoon. I just love to talk about the Lord. And my interpreter is getting better; he's doing a good job. [Brother Branham laughs.] I got him on that one. He sure has been very good all along. We appreciate that. I would've learned to speak French, too.

Do you know the strange thing was? I heard a baby crying this morning, and it was crying in English. And I seen a little German Dachshund, and he barked in English. I heard some people laughing, and you all laugh in English. That's all the same everywhere. Oh, those guys at Babylon! They mixed us all up.

Well, we sure have enjoyed this time of fellowship.

I always like a Sunday afternoon meeting, because it gives me a time to speak and relax. When I come in at nighttime, I usually go into prayer along about two or three o'clock in the afternoon. And I just keep praying and believing that He's close to me and then I see that light come in the room. Then no one don't talk to me no more. Those who come after me, just come in and get me, and I come right to the platform. And standing in the platform many times I see things happening before it even takes place, that is, in the natural.

Wish I could just speak your language. You've got a wonderful faith! But I can't say those French words. If I could, oh, it would be so much better, but I can't. I see people being healed; I know what their name is, but I can't speak it. And I see places they are from, but it's all wrote in different language. I can't say it, so I can't tell the people. I just have to point, and sometimes that way if it takes quite a little while for the person to recognize it, the vision's moved over on somebody else. So, you can see how much difficult it is. But, we know He's here. That's the main thing. Amen.

I love you very much, and your faith has been a wonderful thing to me. Now, I want to say a little word to these here on these cots and stretchers. I've been watching a little lady each night. She's been here every night. The woman has been so close to being healed so many times, but you see, I can't tell her that until God has already showed that it's done, because it wouldn't be right, see.

And you watch: The healing's always first is “Thus saith the Lord.” Now, you watch while the vision's going on, I'm just speaking of what I see; I'm watching something. If you'll notice, it'll go way back in a person's life. I see them as a little child, and it'll tell them things that they've forgotten years ago. Watch and you'll see them say, “Oh!” They forgot it, but here it is coming up. And then it will come plumb on up to this time. Then if it stops, that's all I know. Then if it starts again, and shows what the future will be, you'll hear it say, “Thus saith the Lord.” Of course, Brother Bosworth and them has explained that to you. I think.... It's inexplainable. You can't explain God; you just got to believe it. Amen.

Someone come to my mother not long ago, and said, “Mrs. Branham, I would like to ask you something. That is about your son, Billy.”

She said, “He's just as much mysterious to me as he is to you.”

So, they went up to my wife. They said, “Sister Branham.” Said, “What about Billy?”

She said, “No one knows.” Said, “He'll be sitting here in the house, a houseful of people, praying for people, and he'll leave; and we won't hear from him for two or three days. Then might come out in the paper or something, where he's been sent way away up in the mountains at some other city, and some cripple that's been healed.”

See, I don't understand it. I just follow Him. I don't try to understand it. Really, I don't want to understand it. I just love to believe Him. And, oh, what a victorious life! What a satisfaction to know that I have eternal life and all my loving friends who love Him and have been born again; they have eternal life. And we're going to meet again. And all the old people are going to be changed and go back young again. Amen. That's what the Bible teaches.

If I ever get back again [Bro. Branham explains to the interpreter]: I want to teach on those things. I can prove to you, dad and mother, by God's Word, that someday, mother with her gray hair, father with his stooped shoulders, will be changed. And she'll become a beautiful young girl again, and him a strong young man; and it'll never change. Death has brought you where you are now, but the only thing death can do is take you out of this life. When you return, you'll not be like that; you'll be beautiful forever. Amen. Oh, what a hope! That's the Bible. Thus saith the Lord. Amen.

I love Him.

So now, we want you all to be of a real good courage. Now one word to these here: I want to talk to you. Believe me, will you? Now you watch, just now and then, you'll find a crippled person get up and walk. “Why is that?” you say. Now the world is watching you; they like to see miracles, because they are unbelievers. Now, here's the reason that you don't see more cripples healed than you do as other things. For instance, a man that's having a toothache, or maybe have a little fluttering in his heart. And he says, “I guess I could be healed alright; there's not too much wrong with me.” And his faith will reach right out and catch it.

But you, when you become crippled, you lose hope. “Oh,” you say, “I can't make it. I just can't.” Well, it's the Father's good pleasure to make you well just as the same as it is the other. Just don't pay no attention to how bad you're crippled, look at who made the promise.

I don't want to take much of your time, but I want to give you a little example. How many here are Bible readers? raise your hand. Good. Now, under the old law of redemption.... Now when, say, a mother horse.... [Bro. Branham explains to the interpreter]: All right. And that little ... her colt is a ... he's a mule. And his ears are hanging down, his knees are knocked together, his eyes are crossed. What a mule! Now that little fellow, if he could think, he'd say, “Look what I am! I won't be able to live. For when the man of the house, the owner, when he comes out and sees me, why, he'll just knock me in the head. He'll never ... he'll never feed me; he won't care for me.”

Now listen, you crippled. Now, if the old mother was instructed right by the laws of God, she'd say, “Wait a minute, honey. You know what? The high priest will never see you, but you're born with a birthright. You're my colt, and you're my first one, so you have a birthright.”

Now, what if the man comes out and sees him; there's an awful-looking mule. Now what happens? He has to go get a lamb, a perfect lamb without a blemish, and he has to take it down to the high priest. And the lamb's throat's cut, and the lamb dies so the mule can live. Why? It was born with a birthright. They never examine the mule; they examine the lamb. The priest looks at the lamb.

Now, you Bible readers know that. Under the laws of redemption in the New Testament, no matter what's wrong with you, don't look at yourself, look at your Lamb. Amen.

Can you find any fault in Him? God don't look at you, He looks at the Lamb. So, if there's no fault in the Lamb, there's no fault with you. So, go on and have faith. Rise up, and come to God's given privilege. No matter what it looks like, how sick you feel, how far advanced your stage is, you can be healed.

I got in my home, my home city, one of Mayo's [Bro. Branham explains to the interpreter] nurses ... looking at a cancer case. This woman only weighed 30 pounds when Mayo Brothers gave her up. She lost her mind. And she came ... they brought her to the meeting. She was to die in 24 hours. So, her sister brought her, and her husband. While preaching, I saw a vision and it told all about her, and it commanded her to rise up in Jesus' name. That's been 10 years ago. In a year's time, the woman weighed 170 pounds, and perfectly normal and well.

Now, that's just one of the hundreds. Something has to create there. Faith has to create. The whole organs was gone. Why, even a cancer eat her so bad until holes was in her intestines. They'd eat her up, and today there's not a blemish about her, all because of Jesus Christ.

Now look what had to happen there. Now, it don't have to happen with you that's crippled, see. The spirit has gone out: polio and paralysis. It's just like the devil going into a house and breaking up the lamps, tearing up the beds, then going out. That's the results of him. But God is the one, the housekeeper, who comes in and straightens it up again. Amen.

Now, believe Him. And tonight I want you to put your faith in action. Believe Him with all your heart and God will heal you.

Now, I've got about thirty-five or forty minutes while the showers are falling outside, we pray that the showers will fall inside. And I'm sorry you all are standing. Don't get wet, just move in, and make yourself comfortable if you possibly can. And there's some seats right back in here, if you want to come. There's a corner over here, empty, that you can come to. And for you back in here, right in the corner over there, there's some more seats. Just make yourself welcome. It's for everybody, now.

I'm going to ask my interpreter if he will read for me this afternoon out of Saint Luke the seventh chapter. And I want to begin at the thirty-sixth verse, and read the rest of the chapter. [Brother Branham speaks to the interpreter.]

Now, listen real close to the reading of the Word.

And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

And stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Now when the Pharisee which had bidden Him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: for she is a sinner.

And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

And they that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

And He said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

May the Lord add His blessings. Shall we pray.

Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Thy Word. God, I can hardly pray just now. You know what I was looking at. Be merciful, Father. Grant it, Lord. I pray that You'll come now with Your Word; may the Holy Spirit take the Word, and give it to each heart just as we have need of. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

[Brother Branham speaks to interpreter.]

There's something wrong. What would this Pharisee want with Jesus? For a Pharisee hated Jesus, and here he is asking Him to come eat dinner with him. There's just something wrong. How they hated Him, and here he is asking Him to come to dinner. Just doesn't work right; there's something wrong.

Like a little girl about eight years old, she's hanging around with grandma. Now, there's something wrong. There's too much difference in their age. Now, she might be grandma's pet [Brother Branham explains to the interpreter.] Maybe grandma's got a pocketful of candy. There's some reason. There's too much difference in their age that this little girl just stays with grandma. Now, you see, little children have things in common. And they play together, because they have things in common.

The Bible speaks of that in Isaiah. Said, “Little children playing in the street,” because they have things in common. Now, the young women, they have things in common. They hang together. And the older women, they have things in common. The young men, and the old men, the lodges, the men of the city, they have things in common. They get together and talk about things of the city, because they have things in common.

That's the reason Christians hang together. We have things in common. It doesn't matter whether we are German, Swiss, or American, or what; we just have things in common. We're interested in something. You didn't come out this afternoon because I was American. You come because I'm your brother, and we're speaking about something that we're all interested in.

An old American proverb, my mother used to use it. She said, “Birds of a feather flock together.” You know, doves and buzzards don't have any fellowship. They just don't flock together. Well, that's why ... they don't eat the same things. A buzzard, he eats dead things; a dove couldn't eat that. It would kill him. You see, a dove doesn't have any gall; he couldn't digest that.

A very beautiful type of a Christian. See, when you're converted, God does an operation: He takes the gall out, and then you don't want no more of the buzzard's diet. You got all the gall taken out; you can't digest the things of the world.

But did you ever notice a buzzard or an old crow? Now, he can sit out there and eat on a dead carcass, and he can come over and eat wheat with the dove, too. Now, he's a hypocrite. But the dove, he can't go over and eat with the crow. So, birds of a feather flock together.

There's something wrong with the picture. What could this Pharisee want with Jesus? There's something up somewhere, and now, let's look and see what it was. Now the Hebrew ... or the Greek word for Pharisee means “actor,” somebody that acts like something. We got too much of that in the world today.

In America, we have too many actors, especially out in Hollywood. They are always before the camera, so when they come out in public life; they still think they're before the camera. They're acting, putting on something that they're not. I don't like that; I like for you to be just what you are. Don't you like that? Just be what you are, and everybody will know how to take you.

Too many of us with the television and bioscope. And when we go out, you see little children that go to such places. They go out, act like the actor. The devil does that. I don't want to act; I want to be what I am.

And sometimes, preachers become actors. Oh, yeah! And they get in the pulpit, they use a pulpit voice. [Brother Branham mimics pompous voice.] “Well, brethren, we are here today...” because they're in the pulpit. Pharisee! Get saved! Quit that putting on. God don't want you to be an actor. He wants you to be a partaker of His Holy Spirit. Let it do the acting. Amen.

Notice, this put-on.... Now, I don't believe they do it here, but in America, our sisters do a lot of acting sometimes. When they're in the home, oh, what a different person, and brothers, too. And in the home, sister will say, [Brother Branham mimics gruff voice.] “John, John, hurry up! Get going!”

Then the phone rings, [Brother Branham uses sweet voice.] “Oh, hello!” You actor! Just like with God. Be what you are at home, like you are in church. Amen.

God grant the day when we can be so ... we can either be Christians or say we're not. We'll get right with God, and grow up and stop acting. I don't liking acting. Just be what you are. God will respect you then. You believe that? You like a person that you know what they are. Don't act one way one time, and act another way another time. That's no good. We have to be the same all the time. Amen.

This Pharisee must have had something behind this motive. Oh, he was a great man. He had a lot of prestige. He was a doctor, or perhaps he had a degree of Batchelor of Arts. He might have had an LLD. Oh, he was a great guy. And he was going to have a party. I can see him as he walked up and down his perfumed room upon his fine Persian rug in his fine living room. Oh, he was rich. “I—I—I—I!” That's all you hear. “I'm the greatest man in town. I have the greatest church. I have the nicest people, the best-dressed people, the best paid people. All the public looks up to me. I—I—I.”

So he wanted to get a little more. So I can see him as he starts walking around, rubbing his chubby, fat hands. Fat, fat, roly-poly Pharisee, said, “Wonder what I could do. You know, everybody will come out to my banquet. Say, I wonder who I could get to entertain right good.”

All at once, he said, “Why didn't I think of that? I'll send and get that divine Healer. Ho, ho, ho, ho! He says he's a seer. We know He's a fanatic, we know there's nothing to Him. In the seminary, we learn that that's psychology, or perhaps mental telepathy. If I could only get that holy roller to come to my party, oh, I'd be the talk of the church. Oh, I'll just see if I can get Him, and I'll bring Him over. And when we got Him there, we'll expose Him. I believe it's psychology. Ho, ho, ho! What would Dr. Jones say? He hates that guy as bad as I do. And what would Pharisee Simeon say? Oh, it'll be a joke! Oh, won't that be wonderful? And it will all happen on my place.”

That big hypocrite! They're not all dead, either. They didn't all live back there; they still live today. Amen.

Notice, so he's got the runner, the courier, to go see if he could find Him. Up on the mountains, down through the valleys, across the deserts he goes. It's evening time now, and I can see him standing on his toes, perspiration running down his face, dirty, and he's looking over. “Ah,” he sighs, “That's Him. Look at that crowd of people; they're all listening at His feet.”

Oh, I would've liked to have been standing there! Wouldn't you have loved to stand there? To hear them lips that spake like never a man spake before.

As he stands and listens, Jesus is teaching, the sun's going down, the courier's tired. Jesus quits teaching, and He starts praying for the sick. Here comes the courier, elbowing his way through; he's trying to get to Jesus.

The first thing you know, he runs into Phillip, and he says, “Sir, could I see your Master? I have a message for Him.” Phillip was busy; the disciples keeping the people away from Jesus, so he had to push him back. And here he comes again. He says, “Sir, I have a message for your Master. I'll only take a moment of His time. Can I speak to Him?”

Finally, Phillip takes him up to where Jesus is. Says, “Master, this man has something to speak.”

The Master said, “Say on.”

He said, “My lord, the Pharisee, has set a great dinner. Oh, he's a great man! And he's invited You to come and be his guest.”

I can hear Peter, then, “Don't go, Lord. No! No, Lord. Don't go to that Pharisee. He don't have no need of You. Look at the sick and the afflicted. They're all wanting a moment with You. Don't go to that Pharisee. His motives are not right. He don't need You, he's wealthy, and he doesn't need You.”

But Jesus will always go where He's invited. Isn't that wonderful? He'll go to anybody that'll invite Him.

I can see the courier as he bows and says, “Master, will you receive my lord's message and his invitation?”

Jesus looks at him, smiles a little, said, “I'll be there on that day.”

And then the courier turns and runs away. Oh, my! How did he do it? I'd like to took his place; I'd liked to have been up and talking to Him. Wouldn't you? I'd talk to Him more about something else. I'd have fell down at His feet, and said, “Lord, have mercy on me!”

Wish I could've stood there in His presence, to hear Him speak. I'd give more than a message from a Pharisee. I'd have told Him I loved Him. I'd have poured out my soul to Him. I would've liked to put my hands on His feet, to pat Him a little bit. “Oh, Master, I love You!”

Listen. So many people in that day missed their opportunity. You know, there's so many people today missing that opportunity, when you come into His presence and then turn away. Oh, what an opportunity that men and women, boys and girls, to come before Christ and pour out their soul.

But he had a mission that seemed to be more important. Listen! Is it the truth today? Our work and our housework, the washing tomorrow, or some little card party we belong to, or our social standing is too important to come to an old-fashioned altar and weep before Jesus and receive Him into our heart. Oh, how earthly things, the ties of this earth seems to be so much greater to us than meeting Jesus.

That's the way this courier felt. To get this big, fat Pharisee's message to Jesus was more important than the destination of his soul. There he stood in the very presence of the fountain of life, and his duties of earth had him so bound until he could not see his own need for Jesus, and he turns away. And back across the mountains he goes down through Palestine.

How did he do it? Could you imagine it, such an opportunity and then lay it down? Don't let that be your sin. What if he could raise up today, and have the same opportunity? What a difference it'd be. You do it today.

Now, when he gets back to Pharisee, Pharisee said, “Did you find Him?”

“Yes, my lord. And He's coming.”

“Oh, good! Now, that'll help my social standing. I could even sway the divine healer to come to my feast. Why, sure! I can put the best spread on in town. I can hire out the best servants. Look at my beautiful garden.

“Now, let me see. Now I believe I will not have the dinner inside. I'll take it outside; I'll put it out on the lawn. Oh, those beautiful grapes hanging down! And when it's cool in the evening, all the people will come around, all the city will come out, and they'll see it, and they'll know what a great man I am.

“And I'll set out my best table, and I'll invite all the celebrities. Oh, they'll all be glad to come. Oh, I'll get the best cooks; I have the fatted lambs, the best wine. Oh, I can do it, because I'm a ... I'm a rich man. And then for entertainment we'll have this holy roller, that divine healer. We'll call his hand.”

Now isn't that just like one of them today? Shame on you that would treat Jesus such a way! Sometimes you use your church for a place of entertainment, dances and so forth, parties. Shame on you! You should never do that. Reverence Christ.

Now, the way they eat in the old ... in Palestine, they don't sit down like we do. They lie down to eat. They push a little cot out, like a little sofa, and they push it into the table. And the patient ... or, the man comes, he sits down, he lies back, and puts his hand like this, and there he eats. Hours, oh, what luxury! And could they put it on! Why, they had the very best waiters; they even had music on their clothes, little bells, and as they walked, they'd play music. Oh, my! You ought to visit Palestine. It's very interesting.

And now, now he's got everything fixed up. Now, the day of the feast arrives. Oh, my! Here comes Pharisee with all of his religious clothes on. Oh, he's a big fellow! And he comes walking out and here comes a chariot up. “Oh, that's Dr. Jones!” Walks out. “Dr. Jones, I am so glad to see you come to my feast.”

Now, in Palestine for a real reception ... a man that travels, many times by foot, walking. Now listen close. Now the Palestine garment underneath fits just above the knee, and the robe went over the outside. And as they walked the dust of the wind from the road picked up dirt, dust. And along the Palestine roads in those days they didn't have them paved like ours, neither was they oiled; they were dusty and very rugged. Animals passed over the roads, like horses and caravans of camels, and the animal droppings on the road with birds pecking at it, scattering it, and the dung had turned back to dust and a person walking, that dust come up on their legs. And when they was perspiring, it stuck to their legs. So, it smelled, and they had to be washed before they come in.

So, the rich people usually had a bunch of flunkies around, and the one that washed the feet (listen) was the worst paid flunky of the bunch. He had the lowest job of any of the rest of the flunkies.

That breaks my heart to think that my Lord took the place of the lowest flunky and washed the feet of His disciples. Then we go on with our head up in the air like we're something, and the Prince of Glory washed men's feet, took the place of the lowest flunky. Shame on you when you think you're something! Remember, you're nothing: just six foot of ground. Dust you come and dust you return.

Now listen. Here's the way they did it. They got a clean basin of water; and the flunky took the man's foot, laid it over his own leg and took the water and washed his feet. Then he took his sandals and set them up on a little shelf. And then he went back, with compliments of the host, and got a nice pair of satin slippers and put them on his feet, make him feel comfortable. And then when he was leaving, he got his sandals back.

Now listen. Now, when that happens, the next thing he did, he went into another little chamber. And there was poured out in his hands spikenard oil. It's a very famous thing, very smelly, and it's made out of a little thing that comes from Arabia. The oil, when it becomes contaminated, stinks. But when this spikenard is mixed with it, it will last for years. Smells real good.

I had two little balls of it once. It comes off of a famous tree out in the world from Egypt, and I rubbed it in my hand and it would smell for two weeks. That was some of the treasure that the Queen of Sheba brought to Solomon. Very expensive.

So, in the direct rays of the sun in Palestine, it burned the face of the traveler. So they give him a little oil; they rubbed his face, behind his neck, then he gets a clean towel, wipes it off. Now, that's the second course.

Now he goes into the main room. Now look at this, and you'll see where he's entertained. Then the host comes out, and he meets him like this, like my brother. Now the first thing he does, he takes a hold of his hand, his right hand; he bows down. Then he takes his other hand, and he bows down. Then he takes him, puts his hands like this, and then like this, and then he kisses on both cheeks. And as he kisses on both cheeks, he kisses him welcome. Then, he's a full brother.

Look, his feet's washed, he's anointed, he's refreshed, he's kissed welcome, why, he's just a brother. He's welcome. He can go in, sit down, get in the icebox and get something to eat. He's a brother; that's the way they was welcomed.

Now, how did it happen? Jesus got in without being made welcome. Pharisee was too busy. He was heeding the doctors and the best celebrities. He had too much to do to see Jesus come in.

Listen! I wonder if that isn't the case today: if we're not too busy with our occupation and other things and we fail to entertain Jesus. Oh, my!

And I see Him come in and He left His work to come to where He was invited. And that's the way He gets entertained. Is it that way at your house? Is it that way at your church? Is it that way in your life? Do you pray, “Lord Jesus, come.” And when He comes, you don't pay any attention to Him. Is that the way you're treating my Lord? If it is, shame on you.

How did He get by that flunky? How did He do it? I wish I could have been that flunky. I would have liked to have been there. If I knowed He was coming, I'd been watching for Him. I wouldn't have cared about Dr. Jones, all those big, old Pharisees. I'd have been looking for my Lord. Hallelujah! I'd been looking for Him, watching for Him, so I could give Him courtesy and made Him welcome. But today, we're looking for everything but the Lord. That's the reason we miss Him.

And there He was, unwashed feet, run Him back in the crowd in that condition. Isn't that pitiful? But that's the way it is; that's the way it is today. That's the way it is in too many homes.

Listen, in America when we send ... when the President comes to a city, why, they lay out the carpet, they drape the flag, put flowers everywhere, the band plays, everything, to show he's welcome. Everybody, they love to make him welcome, but when Jesus comes, you push Him in a mission. You make ready for everything else but Jesus. That's the way that Pharisee did. Oh, my, what a pity to see that condition!

Listen, I want to ask you something now. Did you ever pray for Jesus to come to your house? If you have, say, Amen. Sure you have. How did you treat Him when He come? Do you give Him a little place up in the attic? Maybe your sewing party is there that day when Jesus comes to your heart. You feel like crying, you feel like weeping out, you feel like praising Him, but what do you do with Him? You put Him up in the attic. You go up in the attic, over in a little room or down in the cellar and you get down there and say, “Thank you, Jesus, for coming.” You're ashamed of Him before your company. If you are, you ought to repent today. Amen.

Give Jesus first place, first place. First in life, first your best, not your second. Your first. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, other things will be added.”

But do you let Him sit back? When you're talking to your boss, and Jesus comes down and He wants you to testify to him and tell your boss that the love of God's in your heart. Are you ashamed of Him? Do you give Him a little corner?

I might ask this to Jesus, “Jesus, will You take second place?”

“Yes.”

“Would you take third place?”

“Yes.”

“Will you take fifth place?”

“Yes. I'll come anyhow.”

Do you think your neighbor would come if he taken fifth place? No. That's what makes me love Him, makes me to know that He's the God of heaven; He'll take any place (Hallelujah!) that man will give Him.

Some of you people that go to church once a year—oh, my! It's Easter morning, you put on your most charming garment, your beautiful hat, and you go down to church and you sit twenty minutes; and when you come back, you say, “That settles it till next year.” Will Jesus accept it? Amen.

Yes, He'll accept it. Any place you'll give Him, He will accept it. He'll never rebuke you; He will give you [blank spot on tape]. Oh, yes. We have other things, too, that we think is more important. My brother, my sister, the most important thing in your life is to entertain Jesus Christ. Do you believe that? Amen.

I believe that the most important thing in any life is to entertain Jesus Christ properly in first place in your worship, first place in your life, first place in everything. Jesus Christ deserves that place. Amen. I believe it with all my heart. But if you don't, He'll take second place, He'll go down the basement with you. If you're ashamed of Him when you're out among the people, then you go down in the basement where nobody will see you, He'll still come. That ought to make you love Him above everything in the world.

Jesus in second place, Jesus for fourth place, Jesus in tenth place, but still He comes. You invited Him.

Now that's what you do in church a lot of times.

Listen, I want to say this with reverence: You'll call for a revival [blank spot on tape] and you'll pray hard, and then when the Holy Spirit's comes in, you'll cast it off. “I don't want none of that! That's holy rollers.”

You are upsetting Jesus for pride. When somebody testifies to being healed, you're ashamed. “Oh, I don't know her. I won't stand with her.” You ought to give Christ your first place then, stand by that person, “That's my brother! I love Jesus, too.” He wants first place. “I don't care what anybody else says.” Give Jesus first place. Amen. That's what we want to do always.

But here's Jesus sitting over there. Look at Him! Oh, He was unpleasant! All the people, as the Easterners do, usually gap around, looking on, hundreds was standing around. Here was big Pharisee talking to Dr. Jones; and poor Jesus, sitting over there with dirty feet, unanointed face, unkissed lips—oh, what a type!

Think of it: Jesus with dirty feet. Jesus with dirty feet. Oh, it does something to me! That big Pharisee ask my Lord to come and let Him sit over there with that dung on His feet, wouldn't give Him any oil, let Him sit there stinking, unpleasant, unrefreshed, unwelcome, and all of them looking on. Oh, look at Him!

Oh, God, have mercy on this sinful world! What a horrible curse pride is. Oh, you're too good, sure. “We go to a church that knows better than that. We don't believe in divine healing. Nah, we have nothing to do with that.” Pharisee! Jesus is in your town. Amen. Entertain Him, love Him, [words unclear] and love Him.

Oh, I see Him sitting there, His head bowed. He's usually unwelcome among the rich. They got so much of the world, they don't have time for Jesus. Very religious orders, they don't have time for Him.

So there He sat, with unwashed feet, nobody paid any attention to Him. I can imagine Peter and John, His disciples, they were looking at Him. But they wasn't invited; they couldn't come.

Now listen close before closing. I want you to get this.

In that city was a prostitute, a bad woman. We won't go into details of that; you know what I'm talking of. A poor human being that took the wrong road. Many of you point your finger at her. Did you ever stop to think that's some mother's daughter? There can't be a fallen woman without a fallen man; it takes them both. Maybe some sweetheart introduced her to this life. Some boyfriend. Maybe he told her how he loved her until he won her heart and then he introduced her to this kind of life. I don't know, but anyhow the Bible said she was a fallen woman. She was an outcast. The churches wouldn't have her; they wanted nothing to do with her.

And I can imagine seeing her coming along the street and she says, “Where's everybody at? The town seems to be evacuated.”

Then she hears a noise, she hears the wine glasses sipping. She says, “It must be up to Pharisee's house, the pastor.” And she goes up and she raises up, says, “What's all it about?”

When she comes up, I can see some men standing over to one side, all self-righteous, “Look! Look what's coming.” Oh, Pharisee!

She stands up, she looks over and she sees Him sitting with dirty feet, unwelcome. Oh, she couldn't stand it. She said, “Look at Him!” Oh, she started weeping.

“Oh, that's not right,” she said. “Look at Him. How sad He looks. He had to be invited, or He wouldn't be there. And look at Him, uncomfortable, feet's dirty, his face is not anointed, [unclear words] still in His face. He's so unwelcome. She said, ”I can't stand it. I heard Him preach one time, 'Whosoever will, let him come.' That must have meant me.“

Away she goes.

Let's follow her. I see her go down the street, little, thin alley, up the little, creaking steps. She entered in a room. She opens up her little treasure box, and taking out her money, she lays it down. She said, “No! I can't do it! He would know how I got this money. He would know how I got that. He's a prophet, He's a seer; He'd know how I got this. I just can't do it.”

And she puts it back. But she thinks again, “It's all I got. And look at Him. Oh, I want to do something for Him.”

I wish you could get that attitude. You look at Him today, healing the sick, saving the lost, and we sit around indifferent about it. Let's do something. Show Him He's welcome.

Now, look at her then. She weeps; she feels sorry for her life, but everybody's turned her down. And she said, “Surely, He won't mind.”

There's something about women that's a little different than men. Usually, she's got a high instinct. I would that she would use it for God.

She gets her coin, I can see her put it in her sock. She gathered up her clothes up around her; down the street she goes. She goes into a perfume shop, and there's an old boss sitting there. He says, “Bah! My, the business has been bad today. I haven't even made the rent.”

And here comes this woman in, and he comes out. He don't act nice, say, “How do you do? What can I do for you?” He said, “Well, what do you want?”

She said, “I want the best spikenard box you got.” And she lays the money down.

When he hears the clink of the money, oh, that's different! And he says, “See how much you got.” She counted out 280 Roman denarius, and it's just enough. So he gives it to her. I can hear him say, “Wonder where she's going. Wonder what she's going to do with that.”

That was the last penny she had, but she knew it, and she knew He was deserving of the best. She never said, “Give me a good one.” [Bro. Branham explains to the interpreter.] Said, “Give me the best you got.” Praise God!

That's what we ought to do: Give Him the best there is—the youth of your life, the best of your life, praise of your lips [blank spot on tape].

Notice. Here he goes. She comes up; she looks in there. Now she sees Him over there, so miserable. Now, she's not welcome; they'll probably throw her out, but there she goes, elbowing her way, trying to get to Jesus.

Did you do the same? Would you elbow your way through critics? Would you elbow your way today through unbelief, to get to Jesus to treat Him well? Would you push aside everything, all the criticism, all the unbelief, elbow your way? He said, “Come.” Said you can come.

Get through the crowd until she got to Him, and there she stood, weeping. She couldn't hold herself, tears was running down her cheeks. She fell down at His feet, the tears running down her. Tried to stand up, she couldn't do it. Oh, that tears running down her cheeks! And the first thing you know, she said, “I must be beside myself.” Oh, but you would get beside yourself!

Listen, brethren! I wish the Christian church would get beside themselves long enough to get saved. Sure, she broke all the rules. Who cares about the rules? Let's get to Christ! We don't care about the church rules; let's get to Jesus. Oh, when I come to Him, I broke every church rule. I wept, I screamed, I was beside myself, I was by Jesus.

There's where this poor woman was standing. Oh, God, that we could stand there!

There she stood; the only One could forgive her. Her opportunity to receive Him, maybe the last time in her life. The only One could take her stain away, the only fountain that could help her.

And she was so sorry, and she was weeping; and she got beside herself. And as the tears began to run on His feet, she was rubbing His feet. Oh, she was so sorry! She was washing her ... washing His feet with her tears. What a beautiful water, better than Pharisee could have give her.

Tears of a repentant sinner, washing the dirty feet of Jesus. Hallelujah! The dirty feet of Jesus.

The world stands back, “Look at those holy rollers.” But the tears from sinners, saying, “Yes, Lord! Yes, Lord! We believe You, the whole Gospel.”

There she was [blank spot on tape] all she had, all of her money was spent and here she was, crying, washing His feet. And notice, something happened. She had her hair all fixed up and it fell down. Oh, she took her hair.... And she was beside herself, she was so happy. She was wiping His feet with her hair.

You know what? Some women today would have a hard time doing that; some cut it all off. You'd have to stand on your head to do that. It's a shame! The Bible said that a woman's hair is her glory. That's what the Bible said. Too bad you cut your glory off. What you need over here is a good, old-time, Holy Ghost revival. Amen. Not only here, but the whole world needs it: a good, old-fashioned Gospel shaking again, back to the Word of God.

The Bible said that it was her glory.

Look at this poor woman of the street. All the money she had, lay here in this spikenard box, the tears from her eyes furnishing the water. The only decent thing she had was her hair, her glory, and it fell at Jesus' feet. Oh, God! Lay your glory, everything, at the feet of Jesus. That's what you want to do. He's in your city, He's in your midst. Don't be different towards Him. Believe Him, love Him!

And she washed His feet, and wiped them with her hair. Now, she picks up the spikenard box; she breaks the box. She just can't hardly stand up; her head stooped. And about that time, old Pharisee, head turned white, then his face turned red with rage. She was breaking up his party. Hallelujah! God grant that people will be sincere enough and love Jesus enough to break up some old, cold, formal worship, and get to Jesus. You have need of Him!

There she was, and Pharisee said, “Now, see, He's no prophet, for if He was a prophet, He would know what kind of a woman that was.” Self-righteous Pharisee! Shame on him!

He said, “Now, she'll ruin his reputation.”

How different it was. Listen. Jesus' reputation is made where sinners is; Jesus' reputation is made with sinners. It takes sinners to realize they're sinners, to realize they're lost, to realize they're away from God, that'll get beside themselves and worship Him. That's where His reputation's made.

That's how His reputation made of this paralyzed woman the other night, with the deaf and dumb, with the blind. They get beside themselves. Said, (probably some), “Don't go up there. Nonsense! Nothing to it.” But they get beside themselves, they come anyhow, and they press in, elbowing their way through every circumstance until they get to Jesus. Then, His reputation's made. Yes.

Here she was washing His feet. She broke the spikenard. Never just poured a little bit; she poured it all, all she had, over Jesus. And all the time, she was so beside herself she was kissing His feet, constantly kissing His feet, all the time.

Simon said, “Master, if You only knew what kind of a woman that was.”

Jesus said, “Simon, I've got something to say to you. You invited me to your home, and you didn't wash my feet. You never give me any oil for my face. You didn't even kiss me welcome. But this poor woman, ever since she's come in here, she's continually kissed my feet, and washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.”

Then He turns to the poor prostitute looking at Him. She's standing there, her hair's dripping down, the tears down her cheeks. She wondered what He was going to say. Is He going to rebuke her? Say, “Get out of here, you horrible woman”? No. He turned to her and He said, “Child, your sins, which are many, is all forgiven you. Your faith in Me, has made you whole.”

Oh, God, let me stand there! Let me stand where she stood, I'll get beside myself. Oh, God, if this sinful world could only see it and would worship Him like that, then the same words would come back, “All your sins are forgiven.”

I'll probably never be able to stand where she stood, but one of these days I'm going to preach my last sermon. My last drop of perspiration will fall from me, the last time tears will ever dim my eyes, I'm going to stand in His presence. There I want to come up.... I don't want a palace, I don't want nothing great. I just want to crawl up to His precious feet and pat them a little, kiss them once, and then turn away. It'd pay me for everything I ever done.

Let us pray.

Jesus, with dirty feet! Oh, God! Today, the world's treating You the same way. They'll invite You, then make fun of You. Oh, God, how can You be so patient? You lovely One, the Rose of Sharon, Lily of the Valley. Come to the earth, has raised from the dead, walking among us, and people are ashamed of You. Oh [words unclear] the fountain of life, the sweet One, the only One.