Stories from the Bible - Ep 20 Jesus - Powerful and Kind (Luke 7)

Episode Date: June 29, 2022

Last time Jesus looked up at his disciples and told them the truth about popularity, wealth and happiness. Which, if they have ears to understand what he is saying should flip their world upside down. He opens their eyes to eternal everlasting reality. He teaches them that the human experience is not as it seems. He teaches them to see and frame themselves and their experiences through God’s eternal lens. The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® http://netbible.com copyright ©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved

Beauty, perfection, desire, deception, rebellion, judgment, hope. You're listening to Stories from the Bible. Bible stories told in order, using the words of the Bible, with introductions to give a recap and provide context. At the end of each story, you might want to pause and take a moment to reflect on what you noticed in the story. Things you liked or didn't like. Something the story showed you about God or about people. Don't worry if not everything makes sense. Keep listening to each episode and sit with the journey. I'm stoked to have you on the ride. Hello and welcome to our 20th episode. If you've just joined us, we've been hearing

stories about Jesus from Luke's Gospel. Last time we heard how Jesus spent all night praying on a mountain before choosing 12 of his disciples to be his apostles. These days, because we sometimes hear this group called the 12 disciples, we miss the fact that Jesus actually had heaps and heaps of disciples, but only 12 apostles. It literally means sent person. Naming them apostles tells us that these particular 12 are unique among all his disciples, and that they're going to be sent out by Jesus at some point, sent probably with the same authority and message as Jesus. And then Jesus comes down the mountain to a bit of flat piece of ground, and he is with the twelve apostles,

as well as a large number of disciples. And we're told that there is also an enormous multitude of people. They've come from the far northern seacoast and from the south of the country too. They've heard what Jesus has been doing, and they've come to be healed and to hear Jesus. Luke tells us the whole crowd was trying to touch Jesus because power was coming out from him and healing them all. Can you just imagine that? One man with thousands of people trying to touch him, and he lets them touch him, and his touch heals them. Jesus is certainly not like a normal human king with bodyguards and soldiers and barriers to protect him and keep the people back. And imagine what the disciples think is the meaning of all this for them.

Are they getting heady with the thought of being so close to the guy who is so popular and powerful. Well, at this point, Luke tells us, Jesus looked up at his disciples and tells them the truth, which, if they have ears to understand what he is saying, should flip their world upside down. Jesus teaches them the truth about power and popularity and happiness. He opens their eyes to eternal, everlasting reality. He teaches them that the human experience is not as it seems. He teaches them to see and frame themselves and their experiences through God's eternal lens, and not to see themselves or judge their circumstances or judge one another in the ways

that come naturally. He says, happy are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you. Happy are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Happy are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Happy are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and jump for joy, because your reward is great in heaven. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort already. Woe to you who are well satisfied with food now, for you will be Jesus tells his disciples that they are truly happy if they are poor, hungry, weeping, and unpopular because of him. He's not talking about poverty and hunger in general, but in his disciples. Jesus tells them that when they are poor and hungry in this age,

that is not self-reliant, not self-satisfied, they will one day have heaven to enjoy. Not because they've earned it, but because they wept and mourned over their sin, they gladly receive the gift of God's forgiveness. And in contrast, Jesus teaches that everything that people usually chase to find happiness, riches, popularity, laughter, good food, will ultimately result in misery. From an eternal point of view, people who are satisfied with themselves and these things in the here and now aren't interested in longing for God's kingdom. But in light of eternity, the satisfaction they enjoy now is going to be over in the blink of an eye, and they will ultimately miss out on the real party, heaven, where real

happiness, real food, real satisfaction will be found forever. Today's story starts here. After Jesus had finished teaching all this to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they urged him earnestly. He is worthy to have you do this for him, because he loves our nation and even built our synagogue. So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.

That is why I did not presume to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well. Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the town gate, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, who was a widow,

and a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, Do not weep. Then he came up and touched the beer, and those who carried it stood still. He said, Young man, I say to you, get up. So the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying, A great prophet has appeared among us, and God has come to help his people. This report about Jesus circulated throughout Judea and all the surrounding country. John's disciples informed him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus to ask, Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another? When the men came to Jesus, they said, John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another? At that very time, Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil

spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind. So he answered them, Go tell John what you have seen and heard. The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me. When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. shaken by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Look, those who wear soft clothing and live in luxury are in the royal palaces. What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written. Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you. I tell you, Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God's justice because they had been baptised with John's baptism. However, the Pharisees and the

experts in religious law rejected God's purpose for themselves because they had not been baptised by John. To what then should I compare the people of this generation? And what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another. We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance. We wailed in mourning, yet you did not 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 drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. But wisdom is vindicated by all her children. Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him.

So he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner. So Jesus answered him, Simon, I have something to say to you. He replied, Say it, teacher.

A certain creditor had two debtors. One owed him 500 silver coins and the other 50. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more? Simon answered, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled. Jesus said to him, You have judged rightly. Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven. Thus she loved much, but the one who is forgiven little loves little. Then Jesus said to her, Your sins are forgiven. But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, who is this who even forgives sins? He said to the woman, your faith has saved you.

Go in peace. The story ends here. Thanks for joining us for today's story. You might like to take a moment to pause and think about what you noticed. Things you liked. Things you didn't like. Something the story showed you about Jesus. To read it for yourself, it's in the book of Luke, chapter 7. If you can find someone willing to read it and talk about it with you, even better. You've been listening to Stories from the Bible.

I'm Jen, and I look forward to sharing more stories with you.