Primary Text: Luke 7:1-50
Memory Verse: And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Luke 7:37-38
Introduction:
Faith is the only effective approach to God, but we must understand the depth of our need as we approach Him. The first Beatitude Jesus taught was to be “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). The humanist says that the answers to life’s conflicts lie within ourselves, that it is the destiny of mankind to solve its own problems and to advance society. True faith opposes that notion. It requires that we first understand our own need, our inability to meet that need, and that the only One who can help us is Jesus Christ. He alone is God’s way of salvation for mankind.
This unites faith and repentance, for no one can approach God without a heart of faith in the spirit of repentance. We come to Him knowing that we are entirely undeserving, and that the only plea we have is that He is a gracious and merciful Savior. The moment we believe that we deserve God’s grace more than another person does, we’ve missed the entire point of true repentance. The only thing any one of us deserves is death.
Hosea 14 aptly illustrates true repentance. The three-fold process includes: turning to God humbly in faith; repenting of our past failure; and renouncing our old ways and the things in which we once trusted:
“O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; take words with you, and return to the Lord. Say to Him, ‘Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride on horses, nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, “You are our gods.” For in You the fatherless finds mercy’” (Hosea 14:1-3).
Hosea 14:4-9 illustrates the beautiful blessings God has for the truly repentant.
Studying the Word
Lesson Study
- Why did Jesus marvel at the centurion’s faith? Matthew 8:1, 5-13; Luke 7:1-10
- Why might Jesus be criticized for stopping a funeral procession and touching the funeral bier and corpse? Luke 7:14-15; Numbers 19:20-21; Numbers 5:2-3; 19:11-20
- Explain why Jesus was justified in ignoring the Law of Moses to raise the widow’s dead son. Luke 7:13-15
- What did Jesus do so that John’s disciples would know Jesus was the Christ? Matthew 11:4-6; Luke 7:21-23
- Describe Jesus’ honoring of John the Baptist. Matthew 11:7-19; Luke 7:24-28
- What did Jesus teach about the childishness of the Pharisees and lawyers? Matthew 11:16-19; Luke 7:30-35
- What shocking contrast did Jesus make to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum? Matthew 11:20-30
- How did Simon show great discourtesy to Jesus? Luke 7:44-46.
- What truths was Jesus teaching in the mini-parable He shared with Simon? Luke 7:41-43
- What does the encounter between Jesus, Simon, and the woman teach about self-righteousness?