Story of Jesus, December 7th

Luke Chapter 7

When Jesus had finished speaking to the people, he returned to Capernaum. At that time, the highly valued slave of a Roman centurion, or officer, was sick and near death. The centurion heard of Jesus, and sent some elders of the Jews to ask him to come and heal his servant. They went and pleaded with Jesus earnestly that he was worthy of his help. They said that this man loved their nation and he had even built a synagogue for them.

So Jesus went with them. They were not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come to my house. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.”

When Jesus heard this, he marveled at him, and turned to the crowd that followed him, and said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd followed him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the town was with her.

When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her, and said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Fear seized the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us. God has come to help his people.” The news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. John called for two of his disciples, and he sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”

In the hour, Jesus healed many people of diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Then he told John’s disciples,

“Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. God blesses the ones who are not offended by me.”

-Luke 7:22-23

After John’s messengers had left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds,

“What kind of man did you go into the desert to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of the wind? Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces. Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,
‘I will send my messenger ahead of
you,
and he will prepare your way before
you.’
I tell you, among those who ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”

-Luke 7:24-28

When the people heard this, even the tax collectors, agreed that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism. Then Jesus asked,

“To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,
‘We played wedding songs,
and you didn’t dance;
so we played funeral songs,
and you didn’t weep.’
For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man, has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.”

-Luke 7:31-35

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. As she knelt 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.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him and what kind of woman she is. She is a sinner!”

Jesus answered his thoughts, saying, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

Then Jesus told him this story: “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed five hundred pieces of silver, and the other owed fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had a bigger debt cancelled.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not greet me with a kiss, but this woman has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little, loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Then those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”