Luke 07

Introduction

We’ve going through Luke’s gospel at a fairly brisk pace. For instance, last week we studied the whole of the Sermon on the Plain in one go, when in theory I could have divided it into four or five separate sermons. And the time before that we took the calling of Levi, the controversy over fasting, the controversy over the Sabbath and the calling of the twelve apostles all at once, when I could have spent four or so sermons on that one passage. I’m able to go at a fairly brisk pace because I’ve preached more slowly through the other three gospels in previous years and my sermons on Matthew and Mark are available on my website if you’re looking for more detail.

And while there are benefits to going slowly, there are also benefits to going quickly, because when we go quickly we focus on the main themes rather than focussing on the details. Sometimes it’s good to focus on something in detail and sometimes it’s good to stand back and look at the big picture. Each individual tree in a forest is interesting and repays study. But the forest as a whole is also interesting.

And so, this evening I want to take the whole of chapter 7 which can be divided into four parts. Part 1 is verses 1 to 10 which are about the Lord Jesus and the centurion. Part 2 is verses 11 to 17 which are about the Lord Jesus and the widow of Nain. Part 3 is verses 18 to 35 which are about the Lord Jesus and John the Baptist. And finally part 4 is verses 36 to 50 which are about the Lord Jesus and Simon the Pharisee and the sinful woman.

One of the big themes throughout Luke’s gospel is that the Lord Jesus is God’s Spirit-Anointed and Conquering Saviour-King. God promised to send him into the world; and now he has come. And he saves us from our sin and misery. In fact, he’s even able to raise the dead and to give us eternal life in God’s presence. That’s one of the big themes of Luke’s gospel and we see it in today’s passage. But the first part of today’s passage and the last part of today’s passage — the story of the centurion and the story of the sinful woman — make clear to us the importance of faith. God’s Spirit-Anointed and Conquering King has come; and we must all believe in him.

Verses 1 to 10

Let’s turn to verses 1 to 10 which is about the Lord Jesus and the centurion.

Luke tells us in verse 1 that when the Lord finished his Sermon on the Plain in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. And then he tells us in verse 2 about a centurion who had a servant who was very sick. Centurions were officers in the Roman army and each one was responsible for 100 men. They were normally well-off and that’s clear from this passage, because we’re told that this particular centurion had paid for the building of a synagogue for the local people. Since he was a centurion, he was probably a Gentile. However, since we’re told that he loved the Jewish nation and paid for their synagogue, he may have been what are called God-fearers: people who worshipped the Lord without actually becoming a Jew through circumcision. He was clearly sympathetic towards the Jewish people.

And he had this sick servant. We’re told in verse 2 that the centurion valued this servant highly. While in the eyes of the law, servants were just another piece of property which their masters could buy and sell and replace easily, this particular centurion treated this servant as an important member of his household.

But he was sick. In fact, he was so sick, he was about to die. He was at death’s door and it seemed there was nothing more that could be done for him. He was done-for. Or so it seemed until the centurion heard about the Lord Jesus. Presumably he heard about the things which the Lord had been doing: healing the sick and driving out demons as well as preaching the good news. If anyone could help his servant, it was the Lord Jesus.

And so, he sent some elders of the Jews to the Lord. Apparently it was the custom in those days for Jews to send a delegation on their behalf to attend to important matters. And it seems the centurion was familiar with this custom and complied with it. And the elders, when they arrived, pleaded with the Lord on the man’s behalf. According to verses 4 and 5 they told the Lord that he was worthy to receive the Lord’s help because he loved the Jews and built them a synagogue. And according to verse 6, the Lord went with them. This shows us the Lord’s willingness to help all kinds of people. Whenever people came to him asking for his help, the Lord was always willing to respond. He sent the proud away with nothing, but he always responded to those who sought his help. And that should encourage us to look to the Lord for the help we need and not to try to make do on our own.

But while the Lord was on the way to the centurion’s home, the centurion sent other people to tell him not to trouble himself by coming to his home. And his message to the Lord is an interesting comparison to what the Jewish elders said about him. The elders said to the Lord Jesus: he is worthy. But the man said about himself: I am not worthy. That’s the way to be, isn’t it? We should live in such a way that other people are able to speak well of us. But we ourselves should always remember to speak of ourselves with humility, because whatever we accomplish in life is due to the kindness of the Lord who helps us; and it’s not from ourselves. But it’s the often reverse, isn’t it? We boast about ourselves, but we’ve done nothing to impress the people around us. But this man had the right approach: his neighbours were able to praise him for his good deeds, whereas he himself was humble.

And so, he sent word to the Lord not to trouble himself by coming to his home. He says that he does not deserve to have the Lord Jesus come to his house. And in any case, the centurion goes on to say in his message, the Lord doesn’t need to come to his home. Since the Lord is a man of authority, all he has to do is say the word. All he has to do is say the word, and issue a command, and it will be done. That’s how it works in the army. As a centurion, he gives an order and it’s done. And the Lord, who is far greater than the centurion, only has to say the word and the servant will be healed.

And sure enough, the story ends with the centurion’s son recovering from his illness. The Lord Jesus Christ is God’s Spirit-Anointed Saviour-King who has come to save us from our sin and misery. God has come in the person of his Son to restore the world to what it was meant to be. And so, God’s Spirit-Anointed Saviour-King saved this man from his illness.

We’ve seen the Lord do this before. We’re expecting it now. And so, the really remarkable thing about this story is not the healing. It’s the centurion’s faith. It says in verse 9 that the Lord was amazed at him because of his great faith. Whereas the elders of the Jews praised him for his good deeds, the Lord praises him for his faith. That’s not because the Lord is not interested in what we do. It’s not that he doesn’t care about our good deeds. After all, throughout the Sermon on the Plain, he taught us to do what is good and right and pleasing in the sight of the Lord. And in Matthew 25, for instance, the Lord commends his faithful servants who inherit eternal life for the things they have done here on earth. And in Revelation 14, the Spirit of the Lord says about believers who die that they will rest from their labour and their deeds will follow them. In other words, while we go on living on the earth, we’re to labour for the Lord. We’re to work for him. We’re to serve him. And what we’ve done will not be forgotten in the life to come, because our deeds will follow us.

So, it’s not that the Lord Jesus does not care about our good deeds. He wants us to live for him. But our good deeds count for nothing if we do not believe, because we are saved from our sin and misery through faith in the Saviour.

Verses 11 to 17

Let’s move on to the second part of today’s passage which is verses 11 to 17 which is about the Lord Jesus and the widow of Nain.

Soon afterwards, the Lord went to a town called Nain. Like a conquering king, the Lord is going from place to place, rescuing his people from their sin and misery. And now he has come to this place called Nain. And his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. And as he approached the town, a funeral procession was coming out. In those days, cemeteries were located outside the walls of the town or the city; and so this procession of people is leaving the town; and the people are on their way to the cemetery for the burial. And it was a funeral for a man who had died — and this man had been the only son of a widow.

And the Lord sees the widow. And there’s also a crowd of friends and neighbours who have come to support her in her time of grief. And, of course, the woman who has lost her son is weeping. In biblical times, funerals took place very soon after the death. Usually on the very same day, once the death was confirmed, the body was buried. And so, we know that this woman’s grief is fresh. Maybe only a few hours before she was told the terrible news that her son has died. Maybe he had been unwell for a time; maybe there was a terrible accident. We don’t know what happened to her son. But just a few hours before, someone came to her with the news: ‘He’s gone.’ And, though she may have had lots of friends and neighbours to support her, really, though, she’s all alone in the world now that her only son is dead. And she’s weeping, just as we weep when someone we loved has died.

But then, in verse 13, we see the Lord’s compassion, don’t we? Luke tells us that when the Lord saw the woman, his heart went out to her. He was concerned for her. He cared about her and her sorrow and he was moved to do something to help her.

And he said to her, ‘Don’t cry.’ And he said this to her, not because it’s wrong to grieve. After all, God does not make us blocks of wood which cannot feel anything. And so, he did not tell her not to cry because grieving is wrong, but because he was going to do something remarkable to take away her sorrow and sadness. He is God’s Spirit-Anointed Saviour-King who came to save us from our sin and misery. And on this occasion, he went up to the coffin and touched it. And those who were carrying it stood still. They perhaps wondered to themselves: ‘What’s he going to do?’ And I’m sure none of them imagined for a moment what he did, in fact, do, because the Lord spoke to the dead man. If you or I speak to a dead man, nothing happens. But since the Holy Spirit was working powerfully through the Lord Jesus, then when he speaks to the dead, the dead respond! And so, the Lord to said to this dead man: ‘I say to you: Get up!’ And wonderfully, marvellously, miraculously, the dead man sat up and began to talk. The Lord Jesus brought this dead man back to life.

And the end of verse 15 is interesting because the words at the end match what we read in 1 Kings 17 and the story of the time when Elijah brought back to life the son of the widow of Zarephath who had died. And after Elijah brought him back to life, it says that Elijah gave him back to his mother. And so, just like Elijah, the Lord Jesus gave him back to his mother. But, of course, it’s not exactly like Elijah. In 1 Kings 17, Elijah had to call out to the Lord to heal the boy. However, in Luke 7 the Lord Jesus did not call out to the Lord. He did not call out to the Lord, because the Lord Jesus is the Lord. God has come to earth in the person of his Son to restore the world to what it was meant to be. He came as God’s Spirit-Anointed Saviour-King to save us from our sin and misery. And on this occasion, he saved this widow from her misery by restoring the life of her son.

And according to verse 16, the people were filled with awe and their praised God. And they said that a great prophet has appeared among them; and that God has come to help his people. And God had come to help them, because the Lord Jesus is God in the flesh.

And, of course, what’s remarkable about this miracle is that it’s the first time in Luke’e gospel that the Lord has brought the dead back to life. Until now he has cast out demons and he’s healed the sick. In the previous story, he healed a man who was nearly dead. But for the first time he has brought the dead back to life. And when he comes again in glory and with power he will raise all of his people from the dead to live forever and forever in the new heavens and earth, where there will be no more sin or misery ever again and where we’ll be happy forever.

Verses 18 to 35

And so, we turn now to verses 18 to 35 which are about the Lord Jesus and John the Baptist.

John’s disciples told John about all these things which the Lord was doing. And so, he sent his disciples to the Lord to ask him if he is the one who is to come or should they expect someone else? So, throughout the pages of the Old Testament, God made clear that he was going to send the Saviour-King into the world. But John was clearly puzzled. On the one hand, the Lord’s mighty miracles seem to indicate that he had come from God. Who else but someone sent from God could raise the dead? But on the other hand, John was presumably expecting the Saviour-King to do what King David did when he was alive. When David was alive, he killed and destroyed the Philistines who were living in the Promised Land and he set up his kingdom in Jerusalem. And presumably John was expecting God’s Saviour-King to do the same: to kill and destroy the Romans who were living in the Promised Land in those days and to set up his kingdom in Jerusalem. And so, John was puzzled. Is he the one to come or should they expect someone else?

When John’s disciples came to the Lord Jesus, they repeated John’s question. And before the Lord replied, Luke inserts verse 21 to say that at that time, the Lord cured many who had diseases and sicknesses and evil spirits and he gave sight to the blind. So, we’re to imagine all these sick people who have gathered around the Lord. And he’s healing them all. And John’s disciples push through the crowd and kind of interrupt him: ‘Excuse us, for a moment. If we could just have your attention? Would you mind answering our question? Are you the one who is to come?’ Well, look around, why don’t you? Look around and say what you see: The blind receive their sight. The lame walk. Those with leprosy are cured. The deaf hear. The dead are raised. You can imagine the Lord pointing to this person and this person and this person. This person was blind, but now he can see. This person was lame, but now he can walk. This one had leprosy, but not any more. And so on. All of the people are all the evidence that is needed to confirm that the Lord Jesus is the one who was to come. So, go to John and tell him what you have seen and heard. And the Lord also says that not only has he done all these things, but he’s also proclaiming good news to the poor. In other words, he’s the Spirit-Anointed and Conquering Saviour-King whom Isaiah wrote about in Isaiah 61. In fact, everything the Lord mentions in verse 22 — giving sight to the blind, enabling the lame to walk and so on — recalls what we read in Isaiah about the coming of the Saviour-King. There’s no doubt about who he really is.

And after John’s disciples left, the Lord began to praise John. What was John? He wasn’t like a reed which is blown about by the wind. And he wasn’t like a rich man who dresses up in finery. There was nothing weak about John and he wore rough and simple clothes. So, who or what was he? He was a prophet like Elijah and Elisha. But he was more than a prophet, because he was in a sense the last of the prophets. He was the last of the prophets, because all the other prophets were sent by God to proclaim that God’s Saviour-King was coming. But John could announce that God’s Saviour-King has come. Now that he had heard and seen what the Lord did, he could announce that the Saviour-King has come and his name is Jesus.

And the question for the people of that generation was now: Will you believe in him? And the question for people in every generation is: Will you believe in him? Will you believe in him, because he is God’s Spirit-Anointed Saviour-King who has come to save us from our sin and our misery in this world and to give us everlasting life in the new and better world to come, where everything will be renewed and restored to what it was always meant to be. Will you believe in him?

And that’s the point of the saying about the children sitting and playing in the market-place. Some of the children are complaining about some of the other children. So, they’re playing let’s pretend. And some say: Let’s pretend we’re at a wedding and we’ll play our flutes and you can dance. But the others won’t cooperate. They won’t join in. They don’t want to dance. And so, the first group say: Let’s pretend we’re at a funeral and we’ll play a sad song and you can pretend you’re mourning. But the others don’t want to do that either. So, they won’t dance and they won’t mourn. They’re not satisfied with either game.

And the Lord’s point is that the people around him are just like those children. They complained about John who did not eat or drink and who kept himself apart. But then they also complained about the Lord Jesus, who used to eat and drink with sinners. And so, they rejected John; and they rejected Jesus. Both were sent from God; but many people would not accept either of them.

That’s what many of the people in that generation were like. And that’s what many of the people in every generation are like. But those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as God’s Spirit-Anointed Saviour-King receive his salvation: he saves them from the penalty they deserve for their sins, which is death; and he saves them from their misery in this life; and he promises them everlasting happiness in the new and better world to come when he comes to restore all things to the way they were meant to be.

Verses 36 to 50

And so, we come to the fourth and final part of today’s passage which is about the Lord Jesus and Simon the Pharisee. Or is it about the Lord Jesus and the sinful woman? Well, it’s about both: it’s about Simon the Pharisee and the sinful woman. And it’s important that we include this passage this evening, because whereas the previous three parts were about the way the Lord saves us from our misery, this one is about the way he frees us from our sin.

Luke tells us that one of the Pharisees invited the Lord Jesus to have dinner with him. His name, we discover, was Simon. And the Lord went to his home, because the Lord was willing to mix with all kinds of people: with Pharisees and those like them who were often proud and self-deceived; and with tax collectors and those like them who knew that they were sinners. The Lord was ready to reach out to all kinds of people.

And Luke tells us that the Lord was reclining at table. In those days, when there was a formal dinner, the guests lay down on couches with their heads next to the table and they would lean on one elbow and reach the food with their other arm. And then Luke tells us about this woman who had lived a sinful life. He doesn’t go into the specifics and we don’t need to know and cannot guess what she had done. But when she learned that the Lord Jesus was there, she took a jar of perfume and went into Simon’s home and stood behind the Lord at his feet. Homes in those days weren’t like ours. When we have guests, we close the door and perhaps even lock it so that no one else can get in. But homes in those days were more open and people could wander in easily.

And the woman was weeping. And her tears fell on the Lord’s feet. And so, she wiped his feet dry with her hair. In those days, when people were sorry for their sins, they might put on sackcloth and go about with dishevelled hair. And so, if this woman’s hair was loose, it may have been because she was sorry for her sins. And then, after she dried the Lord’s feet with her hair, she then washed his feet with the perfume from her jar.

And Simon the Pharisee was disapproving. According to him, if the Lord really was a prophet, then he would know what kind of woman this was. And so, he disapproves of the woman, because of her sinful past. And he disapproves of the Lord, because if he really was a prophet from the Lord, he would have nothing to do with such a sinful woman.

And the Lord knew what Simon was thinking and he went on to explain to him that the reason the woman treated him in this way is because she’s so grateful to him for God’s forgiveness. Take a look at verse 47 where the Lord says that her sins, which were many, have been forgiven. That’s why she wanted to come and display her love and gratitude to the Lord Jesus.

Now we have to get the order right, don’t we? Verse 47 sounds as if the Lord is saying that her many sins have been forgiven because she loved him very much. So, because of her love for him, and what she has done to him, she has been forgiven. And that would mean our salvation depends on what we do: because of what we do, God saves us. But that’s not right, because everywhere else in the Bible it makes clear that we’re saved because of what Christ has done for us and not because of what we do ourselves. All we contribute to our salvation is our sin.

And so, what the Lord means is that her many sins have been forgiven — and that’s why she loves him much. And the Lord goes on to say about her in verse 50 that she has been saved because of her faith. So, she trusted in God for forgiveness. She trusted him to show her mercy. And God has forgiven her. He has washed her many sins away. He has cleansed her conscience. He has removed her sins from her as far as the east is from the west.

And now that she has received salvation and forgiveness through faith, she wanted to come to God’s Spirit-Anointed Saviour-King and do something for God.

And, of course, there are two ways to serve God. We can serve God, because we’ve been told we have to. Maybe your parents told you you have to serve the Lord. Maybe a Sunday School teacher told you you have to serve God. Maybe a minister told you you have to serve God. You were told that you have to serve God, because it’s the right thing to do. All good boys and girls should serve him. All good man and woman should serve him. You may not want to serve him, but you have to do it. It’s your duty.

And if that’s as far as we go, then serving the Lord is always a burden. It’s like cleaning the house: you don’t really want to do it, but it has to be done. And so, you do it, but you do it reluctantly.

And once we serve the Lord like that, then we start to think that he owes us. We think to ourselves: Look what I’ve done for you; what are you going to do for me?

So, that’s one way to serve God. But the other way to serve God is when we become like this woman. It’s when we realise our sinfulness: that we’ve lived a sinful life and we don’t deserve anything from God except his wrath and curse. It’s when we begin to weep over our sins and to mourn over our sinfulness. And then we turn to God and ask him to have mercy on us for the sake of Christ who died for sinners; and to give us what we don’t deserve, which is forgiveness.

And once we’ve received what we don’t deserve, then the outcome will be that we will serve God. But we’ll serve God, not just because we have to, but because we want to. We have to serve him, because he is God and he’s Lord over all. But not only do we have to serve him, but we want to serve him. We want to serve him, because we’re so grateful to him for what he has done for us. And we’re grateful for what he continues to do for us, because every day he fills our lives with good things which we don’t deserve and he relieves our suffering in this world. And we’re grateful for what he will do for us, because he has promised to raise us from the dead and to give us everlasting life and everlasting happiness in the presence of God forever. That’s the way to serve God: serving him to express our gratitude for what he does for us in Christ Jesus.