Luke Chapter 7

Luk 7:1 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
Luk 7:2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
Luk 7:3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
Luk 7:4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
Luk 7:5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
Luk 7:6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
Luk 7:7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.

The elders of the Jews asked Jesus to come and heal a man's servant because in their opinion the man was worthy to be granted this request. He was a good man who loved the nation and built synagogues. That is not why the Lord was willing to come however. The man in question proved himself to be a man of great character because of his humility. He didn't feel as the elders did that he was worthy of any special attention from the Lord. He felt unworthy for the Lord to even enter into his home. The thing that really stands out about this man was that he had faith in the Lord's power and authority to heal. He knew that if Jesus only spoke the word, his servant would be made well. Jesus Himself marveled at the faith He saw in this centurion. The centurion knew what authority was and knew that the Lord had similar authority in the spirit realm.

Luk 7:8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Luk 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Luk 7:10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

The servant was healed, not because the centurion was great as the elders thought him to be but because of his faith.

Luk 7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
Luk 7:12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
Luk 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

Another reason we see healing and miracles are not so much a result of great faith but just to help the hurting. Here is a woman who probably didn't believe her son was going to be raised but because of her mourning and sorrow, the Lord had compassion. Back then there wasn't as many working women as we see in today's world. If a husband or son died, they would be without support unless they were lucky to have relatives that had compassion. There was no welfare as we know it today.

Luk 7:14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

We as believers in Jesus Christ need to revive our compassion within us. We must live and walk in compassion. Love will be the key to a good balance between judgment, correction and overlooking faults. If we walk in love both for the Lord and for one another, I believe things would be balanced and we would have less prone to practice unrighteous judgments.

If we loved God, we would not agree with those that ignored God's commandments and took them lightly. If we loved our neighbor as ourselves, we would not purposely look for faults and criticize them unfairly but if we did see something that would harm their eternal soul, we would first pray and then try to help that person.
I believe true love and compassion would keep everything in balance so that we don't go too far one way and love so much that we fail to correct sin but on other hand we will not be nitpickers and gossips either.

Luk 7:15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Luk 7:16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

Its hard to understand why many later forsook Jesus and rejected Him as the Messiah when they saw all these miracles. Miracles are great and a good way to spread the message of the gospel but in order to endure to the end and remain faithful to God we need the word deep inside of our innermost being. The word is what will keep us from returning to sin. I'm not putting down miracles. I would like to see more of them; but the word will keep us going when we don't see the miracles. The word will keep us strong when the trials and hardships come.

Most of us love great praise and worship services in our churches, but we must not just have those and neglect the teaching of the word.

Luk 7:17 And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about.
Luk 7:18 And the disciples of John showed him of all these things.
Luk 7:19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come or look we for another?
Luk 7:20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come or look we for another?
Luk 7:21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

These were all signs that God was among them. What a visitation they had and yet failed to realize who was in their midst.

Luk 7:22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
Luk 7:23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Even today we see many offended in Christ. You can mention God once in a while and no one cares but I just read an article yesterday where a group conducting a certain public meeting agreed to have opening prayer but the prayer had to be politically correct and the name of Jesus was not to be mentioned. To me, that is a wasted prayer. It means nothing for without Jesus we can't get to God. He is the only mediator. If we reject Jesus, we reject God. God sent Jesus to bring us back to Him. Jesus had to make the sacrifice for our sins to be removed. Our sins separate us from God. Without that sacrifice, we would still be sinners and apart from God. To not mention His name is equal to slapping God in the face by rejecting the gift of salvation He offers to us.  They can keep their phony prayers.

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Luk 7:24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Luk 7:25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously appareled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
Luk 7:26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
Luk 7:27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Luk 7:28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

Jesus' death, burial and resurrection fulfilled the law and ushered in the kingdom of Heaven. When we believe in Jesus and accept Him, we become part of that Kingdom. The least one of us is greater than John, not because we have earned that greatness but because of what Jesus did on our behalf. Our faith in Him makes us part of that kingdom. John died before seeing the fulfillment of the promised Messiah and the kingdom of God. He was the greatest under the old covenant and pointed us to Christ. Those that were privileged to have known Christ and enter into His kingdom by the New Covenant are greater because of Jesus' work on the cross. Our minds can't really understand the fullness of what Jesus really did for us. We can't possibly understand the depth of it all. Yet, it had to be the greatest event in the history of mankind. It was so important that God allowed His Son to go through this so that He could bring in the new covenant and new kingdom of righteousness.

Luk 7:29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
Luk 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Luk 7:31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
Luk 7:32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

If a band played in front of a crowd of people and played well, yet there was no response from the crowd, how would they feel? They would feel that their work was for nothing and they were being ignored.

So many ignore the message of the gospel today and are missing the way to eternal life. So many go on about their daily lives no realizing that they are in a lost dangerous position.
We have the opportunity to know the greatest one that ever existed on the face of the earth but we ignore Him. We have the opportunity to study the greatest book ever written but it sits and collects dust if we own one at all and that is the bible. We have access to the very Spirit of God available to each and every one that receives Jesus Christ as savior, yet we couldn't care less.

Luk 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
Luk 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

We can't win for losing. They accused John of being full of the devil and also Jesus. One was a loner who ate locust and wild honey, the other mingled with the crowds eating and drinking what they offered. Both were contemned by the people.

Luk 7:35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

Its the fruits of our lives that counts. What we bring forth proves if we have wisdom or not.

Luk 7:36 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.
Luk 7:37 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,
Luk 7:38 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.
Luk 7:39 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.

Again the religious entirely missed the whole point of the gospel.

Luk 7:40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
Luk 7:41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
Luk 7:42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Luk 7:43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
Luk 7:44 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.
Luk 7:45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
Luk 7:46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Luk 7:47 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.
Luk 7:48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Luk 7:49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
Luk 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

The humble, those that know that they have sinned and those that repent of sin, are justified more than those who do not do any outward sins but never see any need to repent. This woman saw herself as a sinner and in need of a savior from sin. This is the attitude that brings forth salvation.
Jesus came to save people like this woman. This is why He came. He came to save the worst sinner imaginable. If there were no sinners, He would not have had to come. The fact that the Pharisees thought if Jesus ate with sinners, that proved He wasn't from God, was totally false. They missed the whole reason for His coming. To save people from sin. The Pharisees probably were just as guilty of sin as this woman but kept it hidden and did not acknowledge themselves as sinners. This will keep one from being saved. If we think that we are so great, do so many good works and have no need or repentance, then we will die lost and without God.
In order to be saved, we must realize that we are sinners in need of Jesus Christ to save us.

Luke 8