LUKE CHAPTER 7

LUKE CHAPTER 7

SCRIPTURE

Today I will summarize Luke chapter 7 where Luke wrote about Jesus healing a Roman slave.  Jesus raising a dead person to life.  Jesus discussed John the Baptist and where a woman anointed Jesus’s feet with perfume.  Jesus was nearing a city called Capernaum.  Before he got there a Roman soldier sent some Jewish elders to see Jesus.  The soldier had a slave who was very ill and about to die. That slave was very dear to him.  The Roman soldier new that only Jesus could him.  He sent the Jewish elders to Jesus and asked him to come and heal his slave.  They came to Jesus and begged him earnestly.  They said,” this man deserves your help.  He loves our people and he built a synagogue for us.”  Jesus started on his way.  As he was walking some friends of the soldier came to convey a message to Jesus.    They said,” Sir, don’t trouble yourself further. 

All you have to do is say the word and my slave will be made well.  I know about authority.  I give orders and y slaves obey me.  I know that you have authority over sickness and death.  Just say the word and he will be made well.  Jesus marveled at the Roman soldier’s faith.  Jesus said I haven’t seen this kind of faith anywhere ever.  This man knows what faith is all about.  He knows my power and authority.  So, Jesus gave the word and the soldier’s slave was made well immediately.  Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain.  His disciples and a large crowd followed him.  Jesus saw a widow weeping.  She was weeping for her only son who had died. 

She was on her way to the graveyard to bury him.  Jesus saw this and felt compassion for the widow. Jesus walked up to her and said,” Don’t weep”.  Jesus went up to the coffin and said,” Young man I command you to come alive and the young man sat up and started talking. Jesus brought the widow over and said,” here’s your son who is alive again.  Everyone was in shock and gave glory to God.  This incident was reported by everyone all over the countryside.  The word about what Jesus was doing got back to John the Baptist who was in prison.  John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus with a question.  John said, “Go and ask Jesus if he is the Christ the long-awaited Messiah. Or if she would look for someone else?   So, they went and asked.  Jesus replied, “Watch what I do and remember the scriptures.” Jesus cured many people of diseases and evil spirits.  He gave sight to many who were blind, the lame could walk, and those who suffered from deaf could hear.  The lepers are cleaned.  The dead were raised to life and the Good news was preached to the poor.  Jesus then told John’s disciples,” go and tell John what you just saw. 

“Happy are those who have no doubts about me!  The messengers left John what they had witnessed.  Jesus then started speaking to the crowds about John the Baptist.  He said what did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed is shaken by the wind? A man dressed in fancy clothes?  What did you go out to see? A prophet?  Yes, a prophet indeed.  This is the one whom the other prophet spoke about saying,” Behold the lord will send his messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you.   I proclaim to you now among those born of women there is no one greater than John the Baptist but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than John.  When the crowd heard this, they glorified God because they were baptized by John.  When the Pharisees heard this, they sneered.  They were not baptized by John but instead rejected God’s purpose for their lives.  Jesus looked at the Pharisees and said, “What shall I compare you to? 

You are like children in a marketplace who won’t dance or cry.  He won’t do anything.   John the Baptist came fasting and not drinking any wine and you said he had a demon.  I came eating and drinking and you call me a glutton and a drunkard.  Wisdom s indicated by her children.  Later one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have a meal with him.  Jesus accepted his offer.  He went into the home and reclined at the table.  A woman named Mary who led a sinful life came to know about Jesus’s visit to the Pharisee’s house for dinner.   She brought an alabaster jar full of expensive perfume.  She began weeping and knelt at Jesus’s feet She wet his feet with her tears and wiped them off with her hair and kissed them.  She anointed his feet with perfume as well.  When the Pharisees saw this, he said to himself,” If this man were a prophet, he would know that this woman is a sinner and e would stop her.”  Jesus knew what he was thinking. 

He said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.  A money lender had two debtors.  One owed him five hundred silver coins and the other owed him fifty.  Neither of them could pay him back, so he canceled both debts.  Which one, then, will love him more?”  Simon said, “I suppose the one who was forgiven more”.  Jesus said,” You have answered correctly.  Do you see this woman? I came to your house and you gave me no water to clean my feet or anoint my head with any oil.  But she cleaned my feet with her tears and anointed me with perfume.  Her many sins have been forgiven.  The people who were at the table were astonished and said,” Who is this man who forgives sins against God?”  Jesus looked at the woman and said, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

OBSERVATION

The thing I think the lord wants us to understand after reading this chapter is that Jesus pointed out The Roman soldier’s faith and said it was great and strong.  From this, we can see that great faith is the understanding that God can do anything that he wants at any time he wants and that he has the power and authority to do it.  The Lord wants us to see that when people ask Jesus to tell them if he was the Messiah, Jesus them to Old Testament Scriptures and told them to watch what he did.  To see if the words and actions matched what they read.  God wants us to see that it is a good thing to repent and be forgiven for many sins because whoever has been forgiven much will love God much.  If you think that you have done too many sins where God will not forgive you.  You are mistaken.  Do you have a strong faith like the soldier?  The secret to having great faith is to know who Jesus is more accurately.  Once you know who he is you’ll see his strength and great authority and your faith will go strong.  Come let us get to know God by reading and believing the Bible.  Why don’t you start consistently reading the bible today?                                                          

 What is faith?  Faith is described as confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 

     In our lives, there are many changing seasons.  We go from feeling Joyful and close to the Lord, to grieving and feeling he is distant.  We wrestle with our doubts and questions, wondering if he is even real.  Our faith decreases when we look around us, not up to God and his purpose.  No Christian through this life without feeling weak in their faith at times, but we all can take comfort in knowing our God is Immanuel – He is with us in every season, whether Good or bad. 

PRAYER

Father, I humbly request you to please help strengthen my faith in you.    Instead of trying to fix things on my own help me to turn to you first.  Father help me with my unbelief. 

Oh, Blessed Lord, sometimes I feel my faith is weak and shallow.  But I want more, oh lord, show me how.

Help me to trust and depend on you to guide me.  Give me the hunger for your word, A thirst for your presence, And the courage to live as a disciple of Christ. 

Show me, Oh Lord, where I must put my faith to the test to make it authentic and strong.

And even if the enemy sends his legions against me.  May I stand firm knowing my faith defends me and your word will strike Satan.      

Above all, oh loving Lord, reveal to my heart how great faith comes to the humble, As God is all I have and all I need.  I ask this in the name of your beloved son our lord Jesus Christ Amen.