Mike Bickle emphasizes Jesus' unique power and compassion as demonstrated in four episodes from Luke 7. He highlights how Jesus reaches out to societal outcasts, including a centurion, a widow, John the Baptist, and an immoral woman, showcasing His bold compassion and authority. Each story illustrates the transformative power of faith and the importance of recognizing our need for forgiveness. Bickle encourages believers to respond to God's compassion and to understand the depth of their forgiveness, which should inspire a greater love for Him. Ultimately, he calls for a heartfelt response to the messages of both joy and warning in our spiritual lives.

Although the companion passage that supplements it is Matthew chapter 11 But mostly we'll stay in Luke 7 and occasionally make reference to Matthew 11 that gives a bit more detail to the four episodes here in Luke chapter 7 paragraph B What we see is that Jesus not only shows his great power but his bold and unique compassion There's actually four episodes in Luke chapter 7 and in each one of them Jesus is showing his compassion For one that is considered an outcast in society first it's a centurion which is a Gentile a Gentile soldier in Israel they Roman Army was an occupying force. So they were not really appreciated in Israel at all Then after that there's a helpless widow They were on the bottom rung of society in many ways Then there was John the Baptist, but by this point in time Israel had concluded he's in prison had concluded that he had a demon and that his ministry they moved on past him and Nobody was really standing with John, but just a small little handful of disciples And Jesus speaks and vindicates John and then there's an immoral woman The one who breaks the alabaster vial upon his feet with oil and and he forgives her much and she loves him much so the four episodes in this chapter Luke chapter 7 are all of them magnify and Highlight Jesus as unusual unique, but bold compassion tender compassion Well, let's begin with the first of the four stories Paragraph a the local elders Jewish elders in Capernaum, they are They go to Jesus. This is very unusual and they plead With Jesus that he would have favor upon this centurion. That's an odd relationship again Because the Jews did not like the Roman soldiers at all, but this was a very unusual man Let's read the passage and make a few comments on it Luke chapter 7 verse 1 And now when he concluded all of these sayings and the hearing of the people He entered Capernaum now Capernaum was the his up north and that was his base city That's the one city you want to understand because that's where he came and went from there That was his headquarters so to speak and then of course the other city would be down south, which would be the city of Jerusalem But he goes back to Capernaum his headquarters verse 2 a certain centurion His servant who was very dear to him was sick and ready to die Now a centurion was a Roman officer. That was over a hundred soldiers and Again, the Roman army is occupying Israel. So they don't like centurions. They don't like Roman officers at all and the Roman officers a centurion would typically be cruel Be oppressive. They would take money from Israel and use their power to extort things Money from them etc. But this man was really different. He loved the nation of Israel And he had a servant who was very dear to him and he was ready to die in Matthew chapter 8 adds That the servant was paralyzed And he was terribly tormented. So he had great pain on the verge of death and paralyzed Matthew chapter 8 verse 6 ads verse 3 so when he heard about Jesus this Roaming itinerant preacher that was doing miracles because news was spreading everywhere He sent to the elders of the synagogue of Capernaum the local elders Not the elders of the Jews in Jerusalem not the Sanhedrin or not not that level but just the local leaders they said please please come and Go to him and plead with him for me. He won't pay attention to me. I'm a Roman centurion I'm an officer of an occupying army. He surely won't pay attention to me, but maybe he'll listen to you verse 4 so these elders came to Jesus and They're begging him earnestly now, this is interesting because these elders in the synagogue They have this hot-cold relationship with him Because when Jesus heals on the Sabbath or they're picking grain out in the grain fields They're really angry at him. But now this is one of their big money guys Because this Roman centurion he had given tremendous amount of money to build their synagogue to build their building And so they're like hi Jesus, hey, we so appreciate you and it's like, okay It's a different face than our last conversation, but I'm listening She says could you come to this one guy verse 4? He's so deserving he's different than other Romans particularly Roman officers verse 5 he loves Israel and He built us a synagogue. In other words, he provide he provided the the majority of the finance for that synagogue Now most Roman officers took money from Israel, but this guy was giving it. He's very very unusual paragraph B and verse 6 and when Jesus was on the way to the centurion's house He wasn't far from the house The centurion sent friends. I mean maybe just a couple hundred yards down the way I'm guessing Not far from the house and the friends came out said well, well don't don't come to the house don't trouble yourself The trouble wasn't the distance because he was almost there. He's just you know stones throw away from the house But the guy said I'm not worthy for you to enter my roof and what's going on here is for a a Jewish religious leader to go into a gentiles house Would defile them in a ceremonial way meaning What when the when those commentaries talk about being defiled ceremoniously or in a ceremonious way? It means they couldn't participate in the Jewish rituals if they were defiled in various ways And one of them was by going into the house of a Roman So the Jesus just just down the way he goes. No, no, you don't have to come in That's gonna cause you it's gonna defile you and you won't be able to participate in the feast or the sacrifices, etc all the rituals Secondly, well that that was a a Jewish law that was added to the books. It wasn't in the Bible that way But they added that The next thing is that he was thinking It's gonna embarrass you Jesus if you are seen Fraternizing with the enemy coming to my house This could cause you huge stigma in the Jewish community So in that sense, I'm not worthy for you to come into my house an Interesting thing because Jesus was almost there. He's just down the road. So it wasn't a inconvenience of time It was the social stigma or the religious defilement that Jesus would That he would incur At least the centurion thought that so he was being humble saying I don't want to bother you with that Matter of fact, why don't you just speak the word? I Know who you are You're you're connected to God. You were sent by God you and God are close. I don't know how it works But you and him are close. I get that He goes verse 7 just say the word You don't have to come to my house bear the social stigma or the religious defilement, etc, etc You just speak the word from where you are For I verse 8 as a Roman officer, I'm a man placed under authority I'm under the authority of Caesar in Rome and because I am under his authority I can command Caesar's resources and assets within my boundaries Because I'm loyal to him and under his authority. I can command his resources to do my job He goes I get that principle. I Tell him to go and they go and come and they come because I have to because the whole of the Roman Army would back me up if they were disobedient to me because they're under me and What he was saying is I know that you have authority over sickness because you're under The God of Israel you and him are really close. He has all power He has way more power than the power of sickness so you could speak and I know that it's gonna work I get who you are now. He didn't really understand the fullness of Jesus identity But he understood he was sent by God in under God's favor Now the leaders at Capernaum the elders that were begging Jesus for this favor to go pray for this man's servant They didn't believe this about Jesus but this Centurion who doesn't have a Bible they didn't have Bible bookstores back in those days Christian bookstores He hadn't had formal training verse 9 Jesus marveled Because how can a guy you don't go to the synagogue regularly? Like the others you're not trained in the Jewish messianic prophecies about the Messiah But you get how me and the God of Israel operate that's remarkable Verse 9 because I haven't seen such great faith and the reason was that's great faith because it had such clear insight with so little Training or evidence. It's not like this centurion saw a hundred miracles He goes I just know how this works and I just know that you're like this I believe the stories I've heard I haven't seen it with my own eyes Jesus said this is remarkable verse 10 and then the guys who were sent they returned back to the house And of course this paralyzed Servant that was suffering greatly was totally healed Completely he'll let's turn to page 2 now in Matthew 8 Because mostly Luke 7 parallels Matthew 11, but there's a small there's a The first 13 verses of Matthew 8 are also part of this because Matthew is not chronological remember Mark and Luke are chronological. So is John but Matthew is thematic. It's organized according to themes So, you know, you never know where you are in Matthew when you're reading straight through because it's according to themes But Matthew tells this story, but he adds another dimension to the story that Luke didn't add And here Matthew he wants the Jewish audience to know that because Matthew's remember he's writing particularly with the Jewish people in mind Whereas Luke was writing with the Greeks mostly in mind Matthew added two more important statements that Jesus said that Luke 7 doesn't say but I think they're really important Jesus is saying and he's making a point. He goes I am Bold about showing compassion to this centurion this Gentile those foreigner this pagan Because he's got a heart for God And he goes I want you to know verse 11 Matthew 8 11 he goes this isn't an isolated situation Many Gentiles are gonna come and when I add the word Gentiles because it says many from the east and the west That means the east and the west of drew of Israel like far in the east and far in the west around the world Because the Jews most of them lived in Jerusalem. Obviously, I mean in Israel he goes The nations from all around the globe we're gonna come to the God of Israel and they're gonna sit down at a Table at a feast is the idea with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom in the resurrections what he's talking about Verse 12 but the sons of the kingdom The nation that was entrusted with the oracles of God with the covenants of God That's why they're called the sons of the kingdom that nation Romans chapter 9 One nation was entrusted by God with the promises The oracles means the Bible the covenants the the patriarchs were Jewish. They were all given to Israel verse 12 Jesus is saying Many of the sons of the kingdom meaning you're in line to know and to believe but many of you are resisting and you're Refusing the Word of God you're gonna be cast out into outer darkness in that day there will be weeping and there will be gnashing of teeth and so Jesus point one that Matthew adds to the story is that this compassion for a Gentile is not a one-off thing God's gonna make it a global thing many in the earth many in the nations. Of course, we're seeing that that Escalated many happening in this generation as the harvest is going forth in the east and the west of Israel meaning You know in the Western world and then and out in the east in Asia and all over the earth Many are coming into the kingdom. I like how the NIV says it says instead of that They were just sit with Abraham. It says they will sit at the feast with Abraham Beloved we're gonna have resurrected physical bodies and we're gonna have physical mills Literally with Abraham Isaac Jacob David with all of the patriarchs through history We're gonna know them and we're gonna have relationship with them and socialize with them And Jesus was talking about the physicality. They're gonna actually sit and have dinners together Of course, then he says in verse 12, but many of you You're in line your sons of the of the kingdom meaning you're not guaranteed salvation But you're in line to know the word to have a heritage of faith to be trained in the prophecies But you're rejecting them then verse 13 Jesus adds another principle That Matthew highlights, but Luke somehow reason doesn't doesn't Focus on this very important Jesus said to the centurion as you have believed so let it be done and Then paragraph 2 this is really important and a lot of believers kind of casually overlooked this ago Well, you know, I don't want to be fanatical about it the Lord releases his blessing in relationship to our response of faith Not all of our blessing is related to the measure of our faith, but a measure of it is Some of the blessing God gives us and we don't even know what's going on And so it's not like we're actively involved in a very intentional faith God's just blessing us But there is an arena of blessing in your life if you believe for it, you will experience it and if you don't you will go without it and Some of the church gets this It's called the faith movement. You've heard it You know, so well the faith movement, but there's been enough people in the faith movement that have overdone it and exaggerated the doctrines And use this just to get more money and to you know And to make an easier more comfortable life with more money The whole focus is on that that a lot of believers go. I don't believe that faith stuff. That's crazy because they've seen some extremes You don't want to throw the baby out with a bathwater You don't want to lose this dynamic principle because a few people not everyone in the faith movement by any means Because there's a few preachers on TV that go real extreme into air when God promises you something if you speak it back to God and say I'm not gonna back down until I see it with my eyes and You keep that confession of the Word of God you hold on to it You will see much more blessing in your life if you go out and God knows my address He knows where I'm at if he wants me to have but he'll give it to me You'll still be blessed, but there's many things you won't experience a blessing in your life. This is a very very important Kingdom principle Let's look at Roman numeral two, I mean Roman over three Let's go to the second now. The first one was the centurion. He shows tremendous compassion there Now he goes to the city of Nain. It's about 25 miles away. I mean, that's a that's a good, you know rigorous walk 25 miles He goes to the city of Nain and when he gets there, there's this big crowd waiting him. I mean the Everywhere he goes a crowd is waiting for him You know, I heard one preacher say Jesus is the only preacher who never called a meeting He never called a meeting there everywhere. He went thousands were waiting for him And that that sounds kind of cool. It might be kind of fun for a few weeks but that was that's intense that's incredible taxing invasion of his own privacy and rest So many other things but he was doing this as a true servant well verse 11 The second episode of Matt of Luke's seven he goes to the city of Nain about 25 miles away There's a large crowd there and he gets there verse 12 just when a funeral procession was taking place They were carrying the coffin of this young man of a widow and Jesus walks right up to the city during the procession and the mother was a widow and this was her only son and So not only is she grieved because she's lost her husband Now she's grieving because she's lost that I mean the emotional pain of losing her son But also she has tremendous financial liability and trouble because a Widow in that day there. There's no welfare system. There's no social security. There's no government aid A widow was in a really difficult position If she did not have a husband or children when she's elderly to supply her needs That was a biblical mandate then it still is now that you would honor your parents in their old age Well, she's lost her only son. She has no source of support. She's and you know undoubtedly the Love of her heart her son. Her only son is now dead after she has lost her husband verse 13 Jesus stops the Funeral procession and he feels tremendous compassion on her very much like he did the centurion although the word compassion isn't used on the centurion, but Centurions deeply troubled that his servant is suffering so greatly He almost dies and Jesus saves a man from almost dying here. He goes the next step He's he heals a man that's already died. I mean the his reputation it just escalates after this I mean, it's it's dramatic to heal blind eyes in a paralytics But calling somebody back from death is like well I mean the blind and the paralytic those kind of miracles are really extreme as well But this takes it to another level now. I mean word goes everywhere He tells the the woman don't weep Of course the people around her undoubtedly like well, how could you tell her that how? How uncaring how cruel to say this to her like just get your eyes on the Lord and the resurrection You'll be together. Don't worry about it. They're thinking that don't say that then verse 13 verse 14 He looks at the young man That's how Jesus often did it. He spoke to the disease He spoke to the person who was dead and called him back. He spoke to the fig tree spoke to the mountain Jesus spoke to the person or the object that was going to be the recipient of the miracle power of God and I feel like there's There's instruction in the way he does this consistently. So he looks at this young man. That's dead young man arise and the man that was dead sat right up and began to speak and of course The fear of God comes over the whole city and they began to glorify God you can read The whole story in Luke 7 and they're saying a great prophet has arised. God has visited us Which is true the visitation of God had come The Messiah was in the flesh in Israel But Israel didn't respond to it, even though they were grasping at little by little what was happening Let's look at Roman numeral 4 here now, we're gonna go to the third episode of Luke 7 now this Story this episode. It's very dear to me I've spent a lot of time on this and I care about this passage because I think it has tremendous Insights and I want to say this humbly This passage in my opinion is mostly misinterpreted It's mostly misinterpreted very common that John the Baptist is wavering He's in prison and he's wavering and he's not sure Jesus is the Messiah and he's having doubts. That's how it's almost always taught that way not always but mostly And I think what's happening is some very opposite John the Baptist is in prison and he's very aware. He's going to die He already proclaimed to his disciples Jesus must increase I must decrease I must phase out of the way Phase off the scene. I know that I know from God. I'm decreasing. I'm finished But John had urged his disciples to follow Jesus But there's a couple of these guys. I mean they were really Strong-minded, I guess they won't follow Jesus John we're with you Guys, I'm here to get you with him. We're with you till the end. I love your heart But it's you know, it's sentiment. I'm here to get you loyal to him Well, Jesus is moving around Israel, but they're staying with John. They won't go a little small handful Matter of fact, there was a few years later. I mean a couple decades later in Acts chapter 19 in In the city of Ephesus, which is modern-day Turkey there were some disciples and they were John the Baptist disciples I mean a couple decades later. They don't even know about Jesus. They're still going for John the Baptist It's like John's going guys. Don't do that. I mean, I love that you're zealous I love you're strong-minded or you probably wouldn't even be listening to me if you didn't have that kind of personality But you got to do what I tell you behold the Lamb of God there he is Well, there was a few of them that they just wouldn't let go John's in prison and I believe John sure he's going to die. That's just my Strong opinion so he gets these two guys. He goes. Hey, would you guys run an errand for me? You know, he's kind of whispering to the to the through the prison, you know the window there Hey, would you do a favor anything for you John? Okay good You know Jesus. Oh, yeah. Everybody's talking about him. We're loyal to you Johnny. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know I know Would you go ask him? About who he is for me. Would you do that? Would you go on that Aaron? Yeah, anything for you John and so the story goes and they go ask Jesus. Who are you and their eyes open? Oh my goodness. You're the one they come back John. He's the one John says good Got it I'm glad you got it now And I think that John sent them on the mission for the sake of the disciples not because John was wavering Let's read the story John called two of his disciples verse 19 He sent them to Jesus and they asked the question Are you the coming one and you got to read the Luke 7 to get the whole story because I edited it down a little bit Just for the class and for the notes verse 20 when the men came to Jesus John sent us on an errand to ask you this question now again at a casual reading You think John's asking it because he needs the answer. I believe the disciples of John need the answer not John and that very hour verse 21 Jesus They asked him he says are you the one he goes just guys in John Jesus looks out of smiles because I love these guys I love John and I love what's going on here and I get what John's doing guys. Come over here So they stand next to him. I'm adding that to the text That very hour verse 21. He cured many He had a bunch of People that were blind touch them. I don't know if he said in the name of Jesus I don't know if he said it that way would be healed be healed. These eyes are all popping wide open I mean, they're completely healed and these guys are just They're blown away verse 22 Go tell John the things that you heard and the things that you've seen Go tell him the blind see right? He goes. Yeah the lame walk. He goes. You just saw the lame what lepers just got healed Yeah The deaf are hearing the dead are raised Now this is a direct Prophecy from Isaiah 35 of the Messiah and every young Jewish boy Who went through the synagogue training as a boy or a young child? They all knew this messianic prophecy Isaiah 35 and They're going wait This is it and Jesus is going good. You got it John. We saw him. He did Isaiah 35 Good, you got it. But look at verse verse 23 Jesus goes, okay. You've seen the miracles. I gave you the prophecy Isaiah 35 But I want to give you a proverb now or a beatitude a blessing Blessed are you if you're not offended? Because of me Well, why would we be? offended Because of you, I mean you just raised you just open blind eyes you just fulfilled Isaiah 35 the messianic prophecy Why would we ever be offended by you? Jesus said remember that Blessed if you're not offended at me So they're come back and they tell John the story He did the Isaiah 35 miracles like the prophecy says John goes. Did he say anything else? No, not really. Well some little proverb about not being mad at him or something. I don't know John. What what was that? They said don't be offended at him Why would we be offended at him and I can just picture this conversation John saying that's important that you get that Let's go down to number three Because people are offended at God for two reasons What God does and what God doesn't do? And Jesus knew He was not going to deliver John the Baptist He was sure he wasn't and I believe John knew that because he knew that his time already declared it he's increasing I'm decreasing I'm phasing out of the picture completely and Jesus knew that their idea of the Messiah Isaiah 35 open blind eyes the lame walk Isaiah 61, you know, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me to do what? open prison doors Set the captive free if he's the Messiah John you're gonna get set free John goes well, not necessarily. I'm again. I'm adding that conversation in This is one of the most important teachings of Jesus in the midst of miracle power Because when the power of God begins to even increase We bring Western. I'm because we're Westerners most of us we bring our natural mindset into the Equation or into the perspective and we assume that bigger is always better Easier is always better always and the Lord says no, even when I'm manifesting my power There will be times you have to trust my leadership Because of things I do that completely opposite of what you think I should be doing or things I'm not doing that you think I should be because I'm God Like delivering the most righteous man that ever walked the earth John the Baptist the greatest prophet They had a view of the Messiah that would open prison doors because Isaiah 61, you know in Luke chapter 4 verse 18 He will set the captives free top of page 3 so now paragraph B Jesus now speaks to the multitudes This is a another reason why I feel strongly John was not confused. Well first John's not confused because He saw the Spirit come on Jesus. He heard the audible voice of the Father. This is my son We're gonna read in a minute Jesus said John the Baptist was my father's messenger my father trained him and sent him and I just am sure that God Was adequate in his training of John. He's called God's messenger sent by God the Father for Jesus I'm sure that God didn't forget to tell John clearly and Jesus said John's the greatest man ever born of a woman There's many many men and women under persecution that stood strong surely the greatest prophet ever is not wavering in Persecution and in doubt right now the greatest prophet has the clearest perception of any prophet ever in history verse 24 He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John And he's gonna vindicate John He says what'd you go out to see? Do you got to see a reed shaken by the wind a reed shaken by the wind picture reed? is real weak and fragile and even a little wind I mean a little bit more than little but a Wind even of a not great power can break a reed over because you think he's bending He's breaking under the pressure of Herod in the prison You think he's a reed that's breaking because he's being persecuted because you don't know John That's not what's happening here He goes verse 25. Did you go out to see a man in soft garments? He goes guys who wear real good clothing They're in the king's palace John's under the king's palace in the prison because he won't compromise you know, it's interesting that in Mark chapter 6 I have it in the notes there that Herod Enjoyed talking to John. He was totally fascinated by John and Herod didn't want to kill John It was the the Herodias and the dance and all of that They got him in trouble and we'll look at that later Most of you familiar with that but Herod actually didn't want to kill him. They wanted him to be quiet He wanted him to quit speaking out against him Herod John be quiet and I'll free you Johnson's now I'm not gonna be quiet John's in prison. He could have easily Agreed with Herod and made peace with him Jesus said verse 28 is what you got to see a prophet a man that clearly Understands God's heart and God's will he goes? Yeah, he's much more than a prophet He's much more than a man with supernatural insight Verse 27 this is the one That Malachi chapter 3 verse 1 the prophet Malachi wrote about You read Malachi chapter 3 verse 1 and it says this the God the father speaking. He says behold I will send my messenger before you it's the father talking to the son and Malachi picks up on that conversation The father says to the son. I will raise up a messenger I will train him and I will send him and I will be with him And Jesus said John's much more Than an anointed prophet with spiritual insight He is the Messenger from the father sent to prepare my way. He totally gets who I am. He's not bending or now under pressure He says more than that or in addition to that verse 28 among those born of women In other words a human that's another way to say of all humans There's not a greater prophet than John the Baptist the greatest prophet ever to walk the earth He's the father's messenger he's my forerunner the greatest prophet ever But Jesus pauses which is interesting And he says but let me tell you something as great as John is as an Old Testament prophet the greatest prophet of the Old Testament era He who was least in the kingdom Actually has greater Privilege than John it says he's greater than John and what it means is greater privilege and that being because John the because John the Baptist wasn't in the Old Testament Old Covenant time John the Baptist was before the cross and though John was the greatest of everyone in the Old Covenant all the prophets a Born-again believer after the resurrection of Jesus and after the day of Pentecost because God dwells in our spirit Beloved the newest believer has more privilege spiritual privilege than John the Baptist Because we have the indwelling spirit living in us paragraph see Well, we've just looked at the passage where Jesus Thought the crowd thought John was wavering and Jesus. He's not wavering He goes. Well, let me tell you now. Let's not move away from John Let's now talk about you stalking to the generation to the leaders particularly He goes John's clear. He's not compromising But are you compromising? He shifts the conversation and they're going Because John Jesus has just taken this bold stand For this prophet who's been forsaken by the nation in a minute. We'll see it. They think he's got a demon He's godforsaken. Everybody left him. The crowds aren't there no more Nobody's listening to him. But a few little crazy guys that you know, they're loyal to him fanatically loyal to it So Jesus says verse 4 31 of Luke 7 He goes now. Let me talk about you. I've talked about John Let's talk about you and how you're responding to God under pressure or even under this glorious new hour of salvation history in other words, what are the Implications that John the Baptist is on the earth. I mean the father's messenger Who's preparing the way of the Messiah? Salvation history is shifting dramatically. The implications are very very serious for that generation that was a generation that In which human history shifted in that one generation of time the same thing is gonna happen in the generation the Lord returns It's a unique generation of which all of history shifts in one generation Just like it did in Jesus that generation is coming again. I believe we're in the early days of it right now He goes let me tell you what I think about this generation verse 31 He said they're like children sitting in the marketplace and one group of children are crying out over to the other group of children and The first group which is representative of John and Jesus They say to the second group of children. We played the flute for you Now you play a flute at a wedding you play a flute at a Celebrating festive occasion and typically the wedding is the idea We played the flute But you didn't dance it in celebrate We told you the good news You didn't say it's time to change our life. It's glorious. You went. Oh, so what? He says not only did we tell you the good news We told you the bad news We mourned for you It says in one translation the New American Standard. I like this We sang a dirge the New American Standard says that which is the funeral song and when we sang the funeral song You didn't weep because we gave you the Glorious news and you didn't celebrate and respond Then we told you the terrible news of the trouble that's coming and it you didn't move you either you didn't Mourn you you didn't take it serious. You didn't become sober the glory and the gory Neither of them moved you You were completely unmoved by the good and the bad news and the same thing is happening in this generation The song the flute is going out The the knowledge of the great in time revival the prayer movement the great harvest the power of God Pouring out God's spirits signs and wonders that's emerging in the earth and it is emerging in the earth quickly Lot of believers go cool Back to business as usual the greatest judgments of human history are coming The same preachers that preach about the wedding are preaching about the funeral because both of them are having Simultaneously just like John and Jesus happened in their generation But the many of God's people are unmoved By the intensity of the good or the intensity of the difficult He goes on in verse 33 goes He goes what how did you respond to John? Well, you dismissed him as a fanatic He came fasting He wasn't eating or drinking. He's out in the wilderness You said he's demonized the crowds left him. Nobody's with him. It's all over. He's deceived. He's a cult leader. He's demonized He goes so you dismissed him because he was intense and fanatical but John said the good news and the bad news Now some people commentator say John said the bad. No John declared the kingdom and the glory of God I mean John said the good news. He talked about the bridegroom is come and he was a friend of the bridegroom He celebrated who Jesus was He goes now I got a very different approach he goes I Come the Son of Man verse 34. I'm not out in the wilderness this intense Ascetic, you know self-denying man in the wilderness like John although Jesus had his you know, it's 40-day fast He goes I come eating and drinking I'm Socializing I'm interacting and you say he eats too much. He's a glutton. He's a wine beverage drinks too much By the way, he hangs out with the wrong people too. He's a compromiser He goes one guy's too intense John you think I'm too lax We both sang this the wedding song played the flute We both sang the dirge and none of you are responding in a way that you should respond And then Jesus gives us very powerful It's kind of his second proverb so to speak of Luke chapter 7 The first one is blessed are you if you're not offended if God doesn't do things the way you think he's going to Don't be offended trust his leadership. This one is wisdom is justified by her children What Jesus is saying another a translation the New American Standard says wisdom is vindicated By her deeds and what Jesus is saying is it looks like John missed it All of Israel's just forgotten him and written him off as having a demon. They don't listen to his message They think he completely made wrong choices. He goes you'll see one day We're all before the Lord Wisdom of his life will be fully vindicated openly displayed the wisdom of his choices on that day The people that actually followed him that their lives that were transformed will bear witness that he walked in the wisdom of God and They're gonna kill Jesus and he knows they're gonna kill him He goes but on the last day. I will be vindicated You will see my wise choices, even though eventually in John chapter 8 verse 48 they ended up saying Jesus had a demon and They wrote him off as being demonized Jesus said wisdom the wisdom of my choices and John's choices and the people that we Impacted and their radical responses to God though They're written off even by the people of God in that generation One day their choices will be vindicated in the presence of God and seem to be wise By what they produce eternal rewards the favor of God on their life Eternity will show forth the wisdom of the righteous in the way they chose to live Wisdom will be justified by her deeds eventually by their her children by what happens down the back down the road The offspring of their choices will vindicate them when the Lord it has in all of his purposes come to pass Okay, let's look at paragraph D Now this is interesting But remember we're reading Luke 7 and the parallel passage is Matthew 11 So in Luke 7 I Mean Matthew 11 Matthew adds another part of what Jesus said that Luke doesn't so we're gonna go over To Matthew chapter 11 for a moment verse 20 right here in the notes. And this is the verse right after Jesus said We sang we played the flute for you you didn't dance we sang the dirge, but you didn't mourn Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds. This is the very next verse Jesus looks at the three main cities because he's in Capernaum. Remember that's his home base Remember the elders of Capernaum just came to him earlier and said hey our buddy Jesus Would you help our buddy the centurion who gave us millions of dollars to help our building fund? Hey, everybody's happy Those elders Jesus now is talking to them He goes. Well, I just told you That you didn't respond when John and I gave you the wedding song the flute you didn't dance You didn't you didn't celebrate nor did you mourn when we told you the negative you didn't you didn't move either one of the messages verse 20 Then he rebuked the three cities that he did most of his miracles in He rebuked him now. He's still uh, he's still about a year and a half away from the cross But he's coming to the end of his time of Capernaum. I mean he's he's already telling them They're rebuking him on some occasions that he's rebuking them openly They're not appreciating this at all Because he's in Capernaum he's in that area when he's saying this and the news it's got massive crowds Because when he rebuked the cities he's rebuking the religious leaders in the cities and the people that follow them Which was the majority of the people? They rebuked the cities which most of his mighty works had been done Because they wouldn't repent under the preaching of John or the preaching of Jesus The funeral or the wedding whichever theme they use neither of them move them Woe to you Chorazin Chorazin was only three miles north of Capernaum the main city where Jesus was based Woe to you Bethsaida. This is the city four miles east there. They're just right next to each other One is three miles north the others four miles east Jesus said if the miracles that were done in you in your cities Had been done in Tyre and Sidon Tyre and Sidon were up north like in Lebanon and Syria that area If Tyre and Sidon their Gentile Idolatrous cities Didn't know God If I did the miracles in those cities They would have repented long ago heathen cities idolatrous cities Verse 22 then he says it's really intense something. We don't really grasp. I don't really know what this me I've thought about this for years. I still don't have a good answer for it Verse 22 It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon again these cities a little bit to the north of Israel They're not Israeli cities. They're Gentile cities Phoenician cities Those cities it will be more tolerable for them in the Day of Judgment than for you That means the Day of Judgment has many dimensions. I mean the most Important dimension of the Day of Judgment is the personal account that people will give to God for their life but then there's cities collectively and There's generations Collectively that have some kind of response of reward and judgment It's mostly the judgment is individual, but there are generation and There's cities. I don't know how that works. I'm sure the Lord's got it all figured out So it will be not be confusing to him at all but that's an interesting when I think of Kansas City Chicago New York, San Francisco Cities in different time frames will have collective Responses from God that that will matter somehow. I don't know how that works Maybe it affects the city's place in the Millennium the city itself. I don't know then he goes verse 23. He goes Oh Capernaum Because I'm not talking now to Corson and Bethsaida the city's next to you I'm talking to you my home base He goes you will be brought down to hell one day like what? I Mean they don't like this message at all Who is this itinerant preacher from Nazareth telling them he has no degrees no theology and he's declaring future judgment over cities and generations with clarity and boldness The miracles had been done in Sodom and Gomorrah That were done in your city Sodom would have repented That is intense When you consider who's saying it? It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom Than for the city of Capernaum in the day of judgment for Capernaum in this generation Again, that's that's intense Paragraph two down here There's great privilege in seeing this is something a lot of folks don't think that much about if God releases power He demands a higher response of commitment People are always saying we want revival Moses. I'll send you revival, but the level of accountability Will Be commensurate with the level of the power I gave a city or a people or generation and that accountability will be on the last day and There's somewhere in God's kindness and wisdom where revival and accountability and what happens he gets it all in a way We don't get and he's going I know what I'm doing when I'm restraining and when I'm releasing the greater moves of my spirit I have a bigger picture that you don't have And then in other principles there's greater degrees of judgment in hell Everyone that's in hell that goes to the lake of fire. Some will have a more severe judgment than others even in the lake of fire The Bible is really clear on that the same is true of heaven Though we are we all have believers. I have free access there will be those called great and those called least in the New Jerusalem and their Capacity in the glory of God in the resurrected bodies will differ in very the Bible is really clear about that as well top of page 4 We'll go to just the final episode the fourth one this and we'll end with this one This is the immoral woman who anoints Jesus feet Again, the one we looked at was John and and the compassion was John was forsaken by the nation written off as demon-possessed Nobody was listening to him. He's in jail and the nation all thought he was compromising and losing his way and Jesus speaks up for him Jesus had a couple other messages to add but there was a part of it where Jesus was speaking up for him as well But importantly he was showing compassion on his disciples on John's disciples as well saying hey Hey, you're not forgotten. You're this you had the big movement now. It's kind of dwindled down to nothing but I Love you, and I'm gonna bring you into my purposes So there was a compassion being shown by Jesus even even those few disciples who wouldn't let go of John top of page 4 Again, we'll end here Luke 7 with this final story Jesus verse 36 he went to a Pharisee's house. He had dinner There was a woman in the city She was a sinner which typically means a prostitute that not always but that's that's the idea that most people understand Though it doesn't say it super clear, but that's the general consensus. She has an alabaster flask of Fragrant oil she has this fragrant expensive perfume and the idea is she used the perfume in her profession and She financed the perfume from her profession. She used it a little perfume But then she used the money from her prostitution to pay for the perfume So it's it's kind of her bank account as part of part of as well as part of her her You know job and all that kind of thing. Okay verse 38 she took it and She began to wash Jesus's feet. She brought this flask which is worth a lot of money the oil in there She washed Jesus feet with tears Have you ever seen somebody Cry so much That dirty dusty feet from walking in the ancient world in the sandals. They could actually wash their feet with tears I look at that go that's intense Not only intense I Mean be a little bit embarrassing wouldn't it? I mean what if you're at someone's house for dinner and a stranger breaks in You got sandals on and just starts weeping over your feet in front of this. Okay. Thanks. Hey I love you. Can we talk later? I mean, I think of Jesus because he's so secure and he's so Connected with her being connected because what we're gonna see in this final episode here. We're gonna see Jesus's heart. He sees her That's what's so beautiful. He feels for her and then we see her heart and then we see the Pharisees heart We see three different hearts here Now she takes her hair and wipes The tears off, you know, cuz there's feet are dirty. So now she's got a little bit of mud in her hair Now she's kissing his feet Come on I Mean, I'm really picturing this going. Oh my goodness And then after she gets them all clean then she pulls out the expensive oil because the feet are all clean and they're dry now She puts the really nice perfume paragraph verse 40 Jesus answered I mean the Pharisee he is really he's more he's embarrassed. He's troubled He's saying if you knew if you were a true prophet, you would know who she was well Simon the Pharisee You don't have to be a prophet everybody in town knows who's what job she has it doesn't take a prophet to get that But Simon's writing off Jesus you obviously aren't a prophet or you wouldn't let this woman touch you because she will defile you again It's that ceremonial defilement if you're touched in a wrong way You can't participate in the feast to the celebrations. That's what they mean by the ceremonial defilement Jesus Said verse 40 Simon. He goes. Let me tell you a parable. There's a creditor One guy owed 500 denarii and other 50 in other words one guy owed about two years Not quite worth of their salary and debt and another guy owed about two months Those are just kind of round figures to kind of get your brain around it Not exact figures He goes and verse 42 They were freely forgiven the man says, you know, I'll free the guy of the two years of salary You know if they made 50,000 a year, that's a hundred thousand The other guy, you know if they made five thousand a month, that's ten thousand. I'll forgive the hundred thousand and the ten thousand I'll just forgive equally freely Jesus said which one will be more grateful Said he says which one will love more but the idea is which one will be more grateful and verse 44 Simon the Pharisee is well, I guess the guy that was forgiven the hundred thousand the two years of salary type thing the 500 denarii. Sure He said Simon Here you're one of the religious leaders and the idea is I'm the son of man. I am God in the flesh I'm in your home. I Mean it having God in the flesh in your home The son of man and this religious leader knew all the prophecies and Jesus was fulfilling them right in front of him He goes you didn't even give me water for my feet. This lady used tears You didn't kiss me. You didn't greet me with a warm affection. Oh brother. So good. Oh, you're here Oh, I love it. None of that. This lady hasn't stopped kissing my feet That's another subject for another time, but she would there it's her Radical extravagance Verse 46 you didn't anoint my head She anointed my feet with perfume with real expensive stuff Verse 47 is the key principle Therefore her sins which are many are forgiven For she loved much But to whom little is forgiven that person loves just a little bit Let's read verse 47 again. I'm gonna have the worship team come up To the person that is forgiven much they love much That's what it means the person that thinks they're forgiven a little they love little Now everybody's been forgiven a lot if they're forgiven but one guy goes that you know I don't really think about that that much anymore and to the degree let's look at paragraph B The the text here, I'm in the writing those who understand they have been forgiven much we all have been every believer We've been forgiven a lot, but those that stay in touch with it. I Don't mean just because I had a scandal a month ago. They even look back years ago And they go. Ah I'm getting a way better deal than I would deserve They'll love God much they'll have gratitude the people that lose sight of How much they've been forgiven I don't care if you haven't walked in those issues for 10 20 30 years You walked in in one time. You've been totally forgiven The person that loses sight they'll lack gratitude And when they like gratitude, they lose the ability to be zealous in love Our love is directly related to our sense of gratitude Whenever I Have a situation and a person's not treating me right and I want to go. I'm not being treated, right? What the Holy Spirit wants me to do take a step back Turn my attention on the Lord and say I'm getting a lot better deal from you God that I deserve I can handle this bad deal with what's-his-name because I'm getting such a good deal with you. I Love you my gratitude of being treated well by you forgiven everything So overpowers my annoyance by being mistreated and my disrespect my offense by the little guy Who doesn't have power over me like you do and that's what Jesus is telling Simon the Pharisee He goes figure out what's really going on here. Then he says in verse 50 Your faith has saved you go in peace What a great statement, you know many Believers Not many all of us. We've been saved we but many have been said forgiven, but they don't go in peace. They walk in condemnation Romans 8 to 8 chapter 8 verse 1. There's no condemnation. There's no condemnation There's some of you right now. You're fully forgiven, but you're not walking in peace The Lord says go in peace Go the assurance My heart is bigger than you can imagine My heart is bigger than your sin the finished work of the cross the meditation on the finished work of the cross beloved it awakens such Zeal in our heart again the guy over here that offended me. I Turned my attention at the great deal. I'm getting from the Lord I'm getting such a better deal from God that I deserve I can endure the guy over there not giving me the deal I deserve I deserve to be treated the Lord says yeah, but the big pictures I'm treating you so much better than you could get lost in that narrative not in the little narrative And when I forgive you don't let the devil lie to you Don't walk in some kind of religious kind of condemnation of shame. Well poor poor woe is me You know that I just want a little cabin on the edge of glory. I don't want to bother nobody Get rid of all that Walk in peace because I had good news for you The least in the kingdom of heaven has greater privileges than John the Baptist in the spirit. We have full forgiveness We have the indwelling spirit. We live in the New Covenant era God. It's beloved It's the time for us to give everything to the Lord and to walk in peace and confidence gratitude Amen, and amen, that's my story and I'm sticking with it. Amen. Let's stand. Oh, we love you Jesus We love you Jesus, I'm gonna call for two different responses The Word of God and even preachers and singers they're singing the wedding song a great revival is coming Others are singing the dirge trouble is coming. Both of them are the biblical message Some of you are not responding Your life is unmoved by both messages. We don't choose one or the other we take them both But we our hearts are moved Some of you it's business as usual out. It's just I'm just caught up in my life But what's I really really want you to pay attention. I want you to respond tonight to the Lord You don't have to come up here to do it But in your own heart say you know what? I need to pay attention Beloved we're in a generation More dynamic than even the first coming the generation of the second coming. I Mean it's greater shifts are going to take place on the earth Than others of you. You've been fully forgiven, but you're living under condemnation for yesterday's sin and the Lord says go in peace And others of you you're saying, you know, I want the Lord to touch my body He's the God that heals and has compassion. I needed to touch my heart or my body in a different way So I want to open up the ministry time up here Invite any of you to come forward who went ministry for anything. Go ahead and come on up Beautiful You're beautiful Jesus so beautiful come on up to the lines Beautiful, oh, you're beautiful Jesus So beautiful Maybe Lord wants us to respond with the whole To me, I believe we live in the most important time in history The early days of that hour that generation So beautiful Beautiful Oh Passionate God Anybody can obey with a God of compassion like Jesus Oh I Got me wasted Your 70 so compassionate Beautiful can help us in our weakness to respond You'll give us a second chance 100 You Beautiful Oh