QUESTIONS JESUS ASKS

Week Two

Luke 7: 36-40, 44-47

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with

him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that

Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with
an alabaster jar of perfume.

38 As she stood 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.

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

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do

you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give
me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and
wiped them with her hair.

45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I
entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume
on my feet.

47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as

her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little
loves little.”

Jesus is at the home of the Pharisee Simon for dinner when the
most embarrassing thing happened. “A woman in the city, who
was a sinner,” barged in, uninvited. She knelt at Jesus’ feet. She
began to weep. She let down her hair. She bathed his feet with
her tears, dried them with her hair, (a sign of a harlot) then
kissed and anointed his feet with expensive oil.

What is more significant is that unlike Simon, this woman has

no name. She is known as “a sinner.”

In response to Simon’s shock at Jesus kindness to the “sinner”

he tells a story about two debtors with different amounts of debt.
They are forgiven, and the one who owed more shows more
gratitude. He subtly makes that point that we all need
forgiveness.

Then Jesus asked the crucial question: “Simon, do you see this
woman...?” That is a provocative and striking question. Simon,
do you really see this woman? Do you see people or only their
sins, or their roles in society?

We church people have a tendency to try to hide the sinner part

of ourselves because we are ashamed. We are terrified of what
people will think if they find out that we are not as smart,
successful, or as good as they think we are. We long to be better
than we are, and more obedient to God.

The last thing we want is for our inner sinner to get out in
public. But if you are having a party to which you have invited
Jesus, like worship, you had better believe that everything about
you will show up. You did not invite the sinner. Jesus did.

Jesus does not just love your good side. Jesus loves all of you—
and out of his love, he died to forgive all of you. Biblically,
forgiveness is synonymous with freedom. You can never be free
of the sins you are still trying to manage.

As Jesus explained to Simon, the sinner, having received

forgiveness was free to love extravagantly as she showed
through her actions.

Do you see? Do you see this woman? Do you see those in need?
Do you see those who are broken? Do you see those who
appear respectable but are empty and hurt? Do you see them in
the faces of others, and do you in some way see them in yourself
at times?

Jesus can see who we really are, love us; and we can love others.
People who are forgiven discover so much love from God that it
overflows.
They can truly see, and are capable of doing the most amazing
things because they love people, and they see people as more
then their sins. They are gracious to those around them and have
no patience for mean spiritedness. They give, not because they
have to, but because they get to give as a love gift to God.

They can become the light of the world.

It is all a way of celebrating the miracle that they have found

forgiveness, or grace, or love.

They can open their eyes to the love God sees in each person.
They can see it in their own mirror. God truly loves you…do
you see? Do you see?
Week 2 Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. Why do you think that Jesus visited the house of Simon the
Pharisee? Does Jesus love Pharisees?

2. Can you imagine having a dinner party for someone famous,

then having a stranger break in and do something odd? What
would you do? Did anyone ask Jesus how he felt about it?

3. It is easy to walk past people who are in trouble, or have

addictions, or illnesses. It is painful to see them. What might
Jesus want you to notice the people around you, no matter who
they are?

4. Have you ever been surprised when you got to know someone
better? Did you ever find that once your understood someone
you liked them more? Maybe less? What was your experience?

5. Do you think people in the world see you for who you really
are? Why?

6. Do you feel that God asks you to meet people in unusual

situations, like shopping or at the doctor’s office because they
need a kind word? When?
7. What would surprise people about you if they knew it? (You
don’t have to answer out loud if you’d rather not.) Do you ever
pretend to be okay when you are not, or in a good mood when
you are hurting?

8. Do you think God wants you to, at times, show your hurt or
vulnerability? What might that be true or false?

9. If you treat others with kindness and compassion, do you ever

feel called to accept the kindness of others for yourself? Do you
see yourself or are there times when you would rather not?

10. Do you believe God truly loves people like the woman in
the story or like his disciples who make mistakes at times? Does
Jesus limit his love? Why or why not?

11. Each day this next week, find a moment and reflect on
God’s love for YOU. Do you feel uncomfortable? Face the
reality that God truly loves you. God truly sees you. You are
free. Work on seeing this in your own life.