Sat Oct 31

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words woman, sin, sins, and sinner.

Reading

Luke 7:36-50—He Even Forgives Sins

Optional Reading

Matthew 26:6–16

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

A sinful woman cared deeply for Jesus, unlike Simon.
She cared because she knew she needed much forgiveness.
Jesus forgave her sins.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

Why do you think Simon invited Jesus to dinner?
How did the woman show her love for Jesus.
Who can forgive sons?

Catechism

WSC #90

How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?

That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.

(Proverbs 8:34; 1 Peter 2:1-2; Psalms 119:18; Hebrews 4:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:10; Psalms 119:11; Luke 8:15; James 1:25)

Notes

(See below for all authors.)

Bently calls this account a tale of two sinners. And so it is. For all have sinned. Some are given the grace to repent of their sin and turn to Christ. Others are content that their sin isn’t all that bad.

Simon, a Pharisee, seems to think he’s not all that bad. The woman was a sinner—and, it seems, was aware of her sins. What her sins were we aren’t told. But in her sinful condition she came weeping to Jesus. She was caring for Him as an honored guest who should have been cared for. Simon, in spite of inviting Jesus to be his guest, was not caring for Him. All Simon could see was the sin of this sinful woman and the carelessness of Jesus for allowing this sinful woman to touch Him.

So, Jesus asked Simon if someone forgiven a debt of more than a year and a half’s wages would love more than someone forgiven a debt of a bit less than two months’ wages. Of course, the bigger the forgiveness the more love in response.

Simon didn’t think he needed to be forgiven much, if any. This woman knew she needed to be forgiven a whole lot. So, Jesus forgave the woman and sent her away in peace with God. And if Jesus has forgiven you, you too have peace with God (Rom 5:1).

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 85a, 22c

Prayer

Give thanks if Jesus has forgiven your sins.
Pray for the reading and preaching of God’s word tomorrow.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.

Notes this week are drawn in part from writings by John Calvin, William Hendriksen, Kent Hughes, Michael Bentley, the Theological Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments (TDOT, TDNT) and notes from the CSB Study Bible, and the Reformation Study Bible (RSB).