Posted on June 1, 2026
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We will begin today’s lesson in Luke 7:18 - 20.
18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”
BACKGROUND
The Old Testament prophesied that one would come to prepare the way for Jesus.
Isaiah 40:3 - 5
3
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord[a];
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
4
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
In the New Testament, John’s father, Zacharias, talked about his sons’s destiny.
Luke 1:76
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
Matthew confirms who John the Baptist is in Matthew 3:1, 3.
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea…
3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
There is much speculation about why John the Baptist would send two of his disciples to confirm that Jesus is who He says He is. It is important to remember that John the Baptist is in a horrible prison for speaking out against Herod.
It could be that John was confused. It was commonly believed that the Messiah would redeem Israel from Roman oppression and usher in a Messianic Era where Israel would be great again. But the Kingdom of heaven Jesus is talking about, still looks very much like the kingdom of Herod. John may have expected Jesus to come with judgment and not with mercy.
John may be somewhat disappointed because as far as he can tell from his prison, nothing has changed. His expectations of Jesus may be clouding his vision of what Jesus was actually doing. Again, we don’t know what John the Baptist was actually thinking.
What did John’s disciples tell him?
What does John send two of them to ask?
What do the two disciples do?
Luke 7:21 - 23
21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
At that very time what was Jesus doing?
What does Jesus tell the disciples to go back and tell John?
In verse 23, who does Jesus say is blessed?
Why do you think Jesus may have said this?
Luke 7:24 - 28
24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Who did Jesus begin to speak about after John’s disciples left?
Who did Jesus speak to ?
What questions does Jesus ask about John in verses 24 and 25?
What does Jesus say about John in verses 26 and 27?
BACKGROUND
Jesus is not saying that John is excluded from heaven, nor that the “least” believer is more righteous than John.
John stood at the climax of the Old Testament prophets. He announced the arrival of the Messiah but did not live to see the completion of Jesus’s work (His death, resurrection and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit).
Luke 7:29 - 30
29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
What did “the people” acknowledge?
Why?
What did the Pharisees and the experts in the law reject?
Why?
Luke 7:31 - 35
31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
“‘We played the pipe for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not cry.’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
To what does Jesus compare the people of this generation in verses 31 - 32?
What did the people say about John the Baptist?
What did the people say about the Son of Man?
Jesus is saying that some people would not be happy no matter how God’s word was presented. In verse 35 the children of wisdom are the unlikely people, like tax collectors and sinners, who actually listened to John and Jesus - their transformed lives, repentance, and faith stood as proof that the wisdom of God was right and true regardless of messenger’s style.
What do these passages we have looked at so far in our lesson today teaches us about what mind set we need to have when we approach the teachings of Jesus?
Is it beneficial to come to Jesus’ teachings with pre-conceived ideas about who He is or how He works?
Does doing this actually handicap our ability to “hear” Jesus?
Luke 7:36 - 37
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.
What did one of the Pharisees do?
What did a sinful woman who lived in that town learn?
What did she bring to the house?
BACKGROUND
There are two different occasions in Jesus ministry where it is mentioned in the Gospels that a woman anoints Jesus with an alabaster jar of perfume.
One is here in Luke 7. The woman is an unnamed local woman known as a “sinner” (often historically associated with a prostitute). This events happens early in Jesus’ ministry.
The second occasion takes place in Matthew 26:6 - 13, Mark 14:3 - 9, and John 12:1 - 8. It takes place in Bethany just days before Jesus’ crucifixion. John, in his Gospel, explicitly identifies the woman as Mary (the sister of Lazarus).
ALABASTER was a stone commonly found in Israel. It was a hard stone, resembling white marble. Women put their oils/perfumes in alabaster jars/boxes to keep them pure and unspoiled.
In Luke 7, the woman has perfume in her alabaster jar. In John 12, Mary has nard, a very expensive perfume in hers.
Luke 7:38
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.
Where was the woman?
What was at the woman doing?
What did she do with her tears?
What did she do to Jesus’ feet?
Luke 7:39 - 43
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.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
How did the Pharisee who had invited Jesus to his house respond to the woman’s actions?
What does Jesus say to the Pharisee in verse 40?
What parable does Jesus tell Simon (the Pharisee)?
What question does Jesus ask Simon after telling him the parable?
How does Simon answer?
Luke 7:44 - 50
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.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
What comparisons does Jesus make between the woman and Simon?
Verse 47 begins with the word “therefore”. Why do you think Jesus begins what he says next to Simon with this word?
What does Jesus tell Simon the consequences are for this woman’s actions?
What does Jesus mean when he says, “those who have been forgiven little, love little”?
Do you think Jesus is saying the depth of a person’s love for God is directly tied to how aware they are of their own sinfulness?
Those who recognize their desperate need for grace and are forgiven much over flow with gratitude and love. In comparison, those who think they only have to be forgiven a little show little love for God or others.
What does Jesus say to the woman in verse 48?
How do the other guests respond to what Jesus says?
What does Jesus go on to say to the woman in verse 50?
How did the woman demonstrate her faith?
Does faith require action?
List two other verses in the New Testament that teach faith requires action.
Next week we will begin Luke 8.
TRUST GOD
OBEY GOD
WAIT ON GOD
DEBBIE
Posted on May 11, 2026
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Sweet Sisters,
We will continue today’s lesson in Luke 6:21 - 23.
21
Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22
Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
Who will be satisfied?
We talked last week about Jesus drawing a contrast between the ones who don’t have an the ones who do. Neither circumstance is better than the other. What made the difference is where the focus of the heart lies.
The poor an the hungry know that they are without resources. They have to rely on God. The ones who have what they need are often self-reliant.
I want to draw your attention to two phrases in these verses. The first one is “the Kingdom of God is yours:. Jesus does not say, Will be yours.” If we rely on God, he will fulfill what we need now.
The second phrase is “now”. Jesus is saying the condition you are in now, will not always be so. Jesus is giving them perspective to what they are currently experiencing.
What consequences from this may occur when one chooses to follow the Son of Man?
How does Jesus say one should view these consequences?
Following Jesus will bring us great joy and great rewards, but it may also put us in hot water. Someone once said, “being in hot water is not necessarily a bad thing. At least it keeps you clean.”
Luke 6:23
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
What do you think “in that day” is referring to?
It may refer to the specific moment when followers of Jesus face persecution, exclusion or slander for their faith.
PERSECUTION: the systematic, severe or long term mistreatment , harassment of individuals or groups.
EXCLUSION: the act of preventing someone from entering a place, participating in an activity or leaving something out (an admission), banishment.
SLANDER: falsely spoken statements that damage a person’s reputation.
How does Jesus say His followers should respond when this happens?
Jesus encourages an immediate, enthusiastic response because events confirm that we belong to Jesus and we have a great reward awaiting us.
Who does Jesus say also experienced these events?
Is Jesus saying that being a follower of God has always come with a price?
Luke 6:24 - 26
24
“But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25
Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
What have the rich already received?
What will happen to those who are well-fed now?
What happens to those who laugh now?
Who does Jesus compare those who everyone speaks well of to?
WOE - intense, deep, sadness, grief or distress as well as great misfortune, trouble or affliction.
Luke 6:27 - 31
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Who does Jesus address in verse 27?
Why is this important?
Who are we to love?
Who are we to do good to?
Who are we to bless?
Who are we to pray for?
How do we respond if someone slaps us?
If someone takes your coat, how do you respond?
Jesus is teaching a shift from vengeance to proactive kindness, breaking cycles of violence by responding to aggression with grace and seeking the well-being of others. This kind of behavior goes beyond mere tolerance. It requires actively being good to those who mistreat you.
Luke 6:30 - 31
30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Who are we to give to?
How do we respond if someone takes something away from us?
Jesus is promoting radical generosity, trusting God to handle our circumstances and focusing on what is truly important. He wants us to learn to live without being attached to our material possessions.
Luke 6:31
31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
How are we to treat others?
How do we often refer to this concept?
The “world” also has a Golden Rule. Do you know what it is?
A totally different way of thinking. He who has the gold, makes the rules.
How does verse 31 summarize everything Jesus has been teaching about our relationships with others?
Luke 6:32 - 36
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
What comparison does Jesus make in verses 32 - 34?
Verse 35 begins with the word “but”. It could also be translated “instead”. It indicates a contrast is coming. How does Jesus say we are to treat our enemies?
What will happen when we treat our enemies as Jesus instructs?
Who is God kind to?
Why should we be merciful?
Luke 6:37
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
What are we told not to do in this verse?
What are we told to do?
Do you think Jesus is telling us that we would have healthier emotional lives if we focused on forgiving instead of judging and condemning?
How does this verse relate to verse 31?
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
What does this verse teach us about generosity?
Luke 6:39
He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?
Who are the blind in this parable?
A wise person once told me “If there is something you want to learn, find someone who is very good at it and learn from them.”
We need to be very careful who we allow to teach us.
Luke 6:40
The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
Once we are fully trained, who will we be like?
Once we become “like our teacher”, what should we do?
Luke 6:41 - 42
41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
What comparison does Jesus make in this passage?
How do these verses relate to the ones we just talked about?
I wonder what it was like for those who were listening to Jesus teach on this day? Most of them could not read or write so they couldn’t take notes. Everything Jesus was teaching was exactly opposite to what they thought they knew.
Sweet Sisters in the days that followed as they went about their lives and thought back to what they had heard, I wonder how they summed it all up?
How do you think you would have summed it all up?
TRUST GOD
OBEY GOD
WAIT ON GOD
Debbie
Posted on May 1, 2026
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Sweet Sisters,
We begin today’s lesson in Luke 5:27 - 32.
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
LEVI is also known as Matthew (Matthew 9:9)
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
When a Jew entered the customs service (tax collecting), in the Jewish world he was regarded as an outcast from society. He was disqualified as a judge or witness in a court session. He was excommunicated from the synagogue, and in the eyes of the community, his disgrace extended to his family (Lane).
There is archeological evidence that fish taken from the Sea of Galilee were taxed. Levi’s tax booth may have been set close to the Sea of Galilee so that Jesus actually walked by it after he left the house where he had healed the paralyzed man.
So Jesus took as His disciple the taxman that took money from Peter, Andrew, James and John and the other fishermen among the disciples.
Levi choosing to follow Jesus was more a sacrifice than some of the other disciples made. Peter, Andrew, James, and John, could more easily go back to their fishing business, but it would be almost impossible for Levi to go back to tax collecting. He had abandoned his tax booth. The Roman government would not be pleased about this and would not forget.
In verse 27, what is Luke referring to when he says “after this”?
What does Jesus say to Levi?
Literally, this phrase means: Join me in the way, travel with Me. Jesus is asking for complete submission, but He asked for it in fellowship. Come and travel with me: Take My road. Be My friend. Be My companion. What does Levi do?
Why do you think Jesus calls Levi to follow Him?
Why do you think Levi does so?
Luke 5:29 - 32.
29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Levi will probably be Jesus’ wealthiest disciple. What is the first thing Levi does after leaving his tax booth?
Why do you think Levi does this?
Who does Levi invite to his banquet?
What were they doing at the banquet?
The Pharisees and the scribes were definitely not part of the banquet festivities. Why is this a safe assumption?
What upset them about the banquet?
Nothing puzzled the religious people of Jesus’ day more than Jesus’ willingness to interact and move among the common everyday people.
In verses 31 - 32, what does Jesus say in response to the questions of the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law?
Jesus is the physician of the soul, and it makes sense for Him to be with those sick with sin. Jesus is the perfect doctor for our sin.
He is always available
He always has a perfect diagnosis
He provides a complete cure
He even pays the doctor bill
Luke 5:33 - 39:
33 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”
34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”
36 He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the first century, students of Rabbis and Pharisees fasted primarily as a gist of piety, devotion to studying the law and to show mourning or repentance.
In verse 33, who are “they”?
What do they say to Jesus?
How does Jesus answer them in verses 34 - 35?
What does Jesus mean in this passage?
In verses 36 - 39, Jesus tells them a parable. What do you think Jesus means when He talks about the patch?
What is the illustration about the wineskins mean?
Enduring Word Bible Commentary has this to say concerning this passage:
Jesus point is clear. You can’t fit His new life into the old forms.
Jesus is saying “I haven’t come to patch up your old practices,
I have come with a whole new set of clothes.”
Jesus formed a new institution - the church - that brought Jews and Gentiles together in a completely new body. Ephesians 2:16:
and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Jesus came to introduce something new, not to patch something old. This is what salvation is all about.Jesus doesn’t destroy the old (the Law), but He fulfills it.
Luke 6:1 - 5:
6 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
3 Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Deuteronomy 23:25:
If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain.
What does this passage say a traveler could do?
What could he not do?
I Samuel 21:1 - 6:
21 David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”
2 David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. 3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.”
4 But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here—provided the men have kept themselves from women.”
5 David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s bodies are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.
What city did David go to?
Who did David talk to?
What did David ask for?
What did Ahimelek tell David?
How does David respond to what Ahimelek says?
What does Ahimelek then do?
How does Jesus refer to Himself in verse five?
Jesus is referring to His role as the Messiah. It is also significant that Jesus refers to an action of David. It is the Son of David who is Lord. If David could override the Law without blame, how much more could the much greater Son of David do so?
Luke 6:6 - 11:
6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.
9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
In verse six, what day is it?
Where is Jesus?
What was Jesus doing?
Describe the man who was there.
Luke is the only Gospel writer who tells us that the man’s right hand was shriveled (withered). “Shriveled” (whitened) indicates some kind of muscular issue. It may have been due to a stroke or some kind of disease.
What were the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law looking for?
What were they watching for?
What did Jesus know?
What did Jesus tell the man to do?
Why do you think Jesus did this?
What did Jesus ask the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law?
Did they answer Him?
Why do you think they didn’t?
Can the same questions be issues for us today?
The religious people of Jesus’ day, felt to break the traditions of their laws was to do evil. Keeping the law was more important than helping someone that was in need.
Matthew 15:1 - 9:
15 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’”
In verse three what question does Jesus ask the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law?
What illustration does Jesus give in verses 4 - 6?
Jesus quotes Isaiah. What does Isaiah say about rules?
Going back to Luke 6, Jesus asks which is better to save life or destroy it? What does this question mean to you?
I don’t believe Jesus tolerates “sitting on the fence”. He wants us to make an intentional decision concerning how we are going to treat others.
James 4:17:
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Some versions say, “has the ability to help and doesn’t, it is sin”.
In Luke 6:10, 11,
10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
What does Jesus do?
How do the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law react?
Why do you think they were furious?
Sweet Sisters, what did out lesson today teach us about God?
What did it teach us about people?
What does it teach us about our relationship to God?
TRUST GOD
OBEY GOD
WAIT ON GOD
DEBBIE
Posted on May 3, 2026
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Sweet Sisters,
Today’s lesson begins with Luke 6:12 (NASB 1995).
It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.
I find the phrase, “It was at this time”, very interesting. It makes you wonder what “this time” was. Luke goes on to say that Jesus went to the mountain to pray and that Jesus prayed all night. Whatever “this time” was, it was important enough to Jesus, that He wanted to spend a whole night praying about it. If Jesus felt that certain times were important enough to spend hours in prayer about, I imagine it would probably be a good idea if we did did the same thing.
Luke 6:13 (NIV) gives us the reason for Jesus’ prayer.
And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DISCIPLE - a dedicated learner, pupil, or follower, who adheres to the teachings of a leader or a school of thought. It involves imitation of the leader and a willingness to follow and obey.
APOSTLE - one who is sent off, acting as a messenger, envoy or ambassador. One who is commissioned.
What does Jesus do when morning comes?
Why do you think this was a decision that Jesus wanted to spend the night in prayer over?
Notice that the passage says, “Jesus called His disciples to Him”. This phrase indicates that there were enough to choose twelve from the disciples. When choosing a replacement for Judas, Luke records in Acts 1:21,22:
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
This indicates that there were many others who continued to follow Jesus who were not among the twelve, including women (Luke 8:1 - 3).
Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.
Luke lists the twelve Jesus chose in Luke 6:14 - 16.
14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew; 15 and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Let’s look briefly at each one.
PETER - also called Simon. Peter was a fisherman. He is a leader, impulsive, and outspoken.
ANDREW - Andrew was Peter’s brother, also a fisherman. He was a follower of John the Baptist. Andrew is one of the first called to follow Jesus. Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus (John 1:40, 41).
JAMES - the son of Zebedee, brother of John. He was a fisherman. Jesus referred to him as a “Son of Thunder”.
JOHN - Son of Zebedee. Brother of James. John was also a fisherman. Jesus also referred to him as a “Son of Thunder”. Later he will be known “as the disciple Jesus loved”.
PHILIP (of Bathsaida) - He was one of the first called. He immediately brought Nathanael to Jesus. Philip is often portrayed as being analytical, asking practical questions.
BARTHOLOMEW - also called Nathanael. Jesus described him as “an Israelite in whom there was no guile” (John 1:47).
MATTHEW - sometimes called Levi, son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14). He was a tax collector and wrote the Gospel of Matthew.
THOMAS - (Didymus, “the twin”). Thomas was deeply devoted to Jesus. John 11:16
Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
JAMES - Son of Alphaeus. He is often called “James the Less.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Even though Matthew and James both have fathers with the same name, no where in the Bible are they referred to as brothers.
SIMON - a Zealot. A member of a group that favored rebellion against Rome. He was a political activist.
JUDAS - son of James, also knows Thaddeus and Jude.
JUDAS ISCARIOT - he was the treasurer of the group. He was probably the only apostle from Judea. The others were from Galilee. Luke is the only one to refer to Judas as a traitor.
Twelve different men. Twelve different personalities with varied backgrounds. In Jesus’ eyes, each of them brought something special and unique to the group.
Luke 6:17-19.
17 Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured. 19 And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.
In verse 17 where does it say Jesus went with them?
Who is the “them”?
Going back to Luke 6:12 (page 1), where does Luke say Jesus went?
“A level place” refers to an accessible plateau on a mountainside. Symbolically, it represents Jesus leveling the playing field, making God’s Kingdom accessible to all - poor, outcast and marginalized alike - rather than setting Himself apart from them.
Where had the people who were waiting for Jesus come from?
They represented Jew and Gentile. Powerful and suffering. Why did they come?
Who were cured?
What did the people try to do?
Why?
Jesus’ healing acts established His authority, preparing the audience to hear the life changing words that followed.
Luke 6:20a
And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say,
Jesus transitions now from healing to teaching to demonstrate His mission involves both transforming physical bodies and reshaping hearts through the Kingdom of God’s message.
After dealing with the great multitude who had come out of curiosity or to have their needs met, Jesus turns to the disciples who had come because they wanted to learn better how to follow this one they called “Teacher”. The lessons Jesus is going to begin to teach them are going to turn everything they thought they knew upside down.
Luke 6:20
And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Who does Luke say is blessed?
Many commentators stress that Luke implies here a concrete literal poverty (from the Greek ptochos, meaning a destitute beggar) declaring that those who are materially impoverished or downtrodden are indeed blessed because they are the focus of God’s Kingdom. This concept is in direct opposition to what they were used to hearing. Jesus is saying those of you who are considered unfortunate or rejected by society are actually “blessed by God”. Jesus is bringing comfort to the poor and a challenge to the self-sufficient. Jesus’ disciples are being called to act on this, transforming their lives to reflect the generosity and justice of this “new” kingdom.
Sweet Sisters, as we come to this place in Jesus’ ministry, we will see that Jesus is really getting serious about His purpose for being here. He knows that those who consider themselves religious are now very angry with Him and are determined to destroy Him. He has chose His inner circle who He will teach and train to be sent out when those who think they have accomplished their purpose by crucifying Him. He is now beginning to teach His disciples that His Kingdom is a totally different way of living and thinking than they can ever imagine.
Next week we will begin in Luke 6:21.
TRUST GOD
OBEY GOD
WAIT ON GOD
DEBBIE
Posted on April 19, 2026
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Sweet Sisters,
I want to begin today’s lesson with information about leprosy.
In Palestine there were two kinds of leprosy. One was like a bad skin disease, and was the less of the two.
The second started as a small spot that slowly ate away at the flesh, until the one who had it was left with a stump of a hand or leg. It attacked the nerves as well so it also took away the ability to feel anything in the areas it affected. It was literally a living death.
Society and religious people scorned lepers. According to the law, they were unclean (Leviticus 13). Rabbis especially despised them. They saw lepers as under special judgement of God, deserving no pity and no mercy.
Dr. A. B. MacDonald, who worked in colonies of lepers, wrote, “The leper’s sick in mind as well as body. For some reason there is an attitude towards leprosy that is different than other disfiguring diseases. It is associated with shame and horror, and carries, in some mysterious way, a sense of guilt and shame.” Lepers felt like they were being punished by God.
Let’s go now to our first passage in today’s lesson. Luke 5:12 - 16 (ESV).
12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Where was Jesus?
Who came to Him?
Dr. Luke uses the term “full of leprosy”. This phrase indicates an advance stage of leprosy.
What does the leper do?
What does he say to Jesus?
The leper totally believed that Jesus had the power to heal him. What he did not know was if Jesus would be willing to heal him.
What does Jesus do?
What did Jesus say?
Jesus did not have to touch the leper to heal him. Yet He did. Why do you think Jesus reached out and touched the leper?
I wonder how long it had been since this leper had felt someone touch him in a loving, compassionate way? Jesus was letting the leper know that He was not only willing to heal him physically, but He was willing to heal him emotionally. People tend to doubt the love of God for them more than His power to heal them.
What happened when Jesus touched the leper?
IMMEDIATELY = without any lapse of time, delay or intervention. It signifies dong something instantly, right away. It describes an action that occurs simultaneously.
“Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will, be clean’, and immediately the leprosy left him.” Jesus’ words and action worked as one.
What does Jesus tell the leper not to do?
What does Jesus tell the leper to do?
Going to the priest helped bring the former leper back into society.
I want to show you these verses in Mark 1:43 - 45 (ESV).
43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
What does Mark tell us the leper did?
It’s a strange fact that the one Jesus commands to tell no one, tells everyone and we who are commanded to tell everyone often tell no one.
What were the consequences for Jesus of his healing the leper?
How does Jesus respond?
In this season of increasing popularity and publicity, Jesus makes a special point to withdraw into the wilderness and spend time in prayer.
Why do you think Jesus did this?
Luke 5:17 - 19 (ESV)
17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.
Who came to hear Jesus teach?
Where did they come from?
PHARISEE - an influential First Century Jewish sect dedicated to strict Torah observance, oral tradition and personal piety. They believed they sere “set apart”, they prioritized ritual purity and synagogue life. They were often portrayed as holding rigid, externalized legalistic views.
TEACHERS OF THE LAW were lawyers, scribes, and rabbis. They were experts in the Mosaic Law and its interpretation.
Why do you think these two groups of men showed up to hear Jesus teach?
What “power was on Jesus”?
This phrase signifies that the divine, miracle-working Holy Spirit was actively present with Jesus. It emphasizes that Jesus did not operate independently but through the direct empowerment of God to heal.
Who did some men bring to Jesus?
What was going on when they got the man to the house where Jesus was teaching?
What did they do?
Luke 5:20 - 26 (ESV)
20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
It appears that the men said nothing but that their actions were a testimony to their faith.
What happens in verse 20?
How do the Pharisees and the scribes respond to this?
How does Jesus respond in verses 22 and 23?
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
“SON OF MAN”. This is Luke’s first use of this expression. He will use it 26 times. It is Jesus’ favorite self-designation (phrase Jesus uses to describe himself). It is found in all the Gospels and used over 80 times. It appears to be Jesus’ way of referring to His Messiahship.
In verse 24, what does Jesus call Himself?
What does Jesus say to the paralyzed man?
Why does Jesus say these words?
What did the paralyzed man do?
Notice that once again, Luke uses the word “immediately”. Luke is the only Gospel writer who tells us that the man went home glorifying God. Why do you think the man glorified God?
More than anyone else, the paralyzed man experienced the power of “the Son of Man”. Luke tells us that not only did the man leave glorifying God, but the reaction of the people was that they also glorified God. Why?
EXTRAORDINARY = going beyond what is normal, ordinary or expected. It describes something exceptional, remarkable, or highly unusual. It indicates a high degree of quality or rarity.
The people who witnessed the healing of the paralyzed man saw something they could not understand or explain, but could only attribute to God. We like to call moments like these, “God Moments”.
Sweet Sisters, I want to encourage you as you go about your life this week to look for “God Moments”. I suspect you will find yourself, like the people in Luke 5, amazed and praising God.
TRUST GOD
OBEY GOD
WAIT ON GOD
Debbie
