Luke 07 Round Two: Jesus is Amazed

Have you ever wondered what it takes to amaze Jesus? In this illuminating exploration of Luke 7, we discover the remarkable story of a Roman centurion whose faith left Jesus marveling—the only recorded instance of Jesus being amazed by someone's belief in Scripture.

The chapter unfolds with powerful demonstrations of Jesus's authority over sickness, death, and sin. We witness the centurion who understood that Jesus's words alone carried power, showing a level of faith that surpassed anything Jesus had seen in Israel. This military man grasped something profound about spiritual authority that many religious leaders missed completely.

We then encounter the heart-wrenching scene of a widow's only son being carried to burial. With a heart full of compassion, Jesus performs one of his most dramatic miracles, raising the young man from death and returning him to his mother. The crowd's response—"God has visited his people!"—captures the magnitude of this moment.

The narrative takes an interesting turn when John the Baptist, now imprisoned, sends messengers questioning if Jesus is truly the Messiah. Rather than being offended, Jesus points to the evidence—the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised, and good news is preached to the poor. We explore what this exchange reveals about doubt, faith, and how Jesus responds to our questions.

Perhaps most touching is the story of the sinful woman who crashes a dinner party to anoint Jesus's feet with expensive perfume, wash them with her tears, and dry them with her hair. When the religious host silently judges, Jesus delivers a powerful lesson about forgiveness, love, and what truly matters to God. The woman who had been forgiven much loved much—a principle that challenges us to examine our own gratitude and devotion.

Join us as we unpack these powerful stories and discover what it means to have faith that amazes Jesus, compassion that moves him to action, and love that flows from experiencing his forgiveness. How might your relationship with Jesus transform if you approached him with the faith of the centurion or the devoted gratitude of the forgiven woman?

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The More We Dig. The More We Find.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Luke Chapter 7
• 3:30 The Centurion's Amazing Faith
• 5:20 Raising the Widow's Son
• 7:10 John the Baptist Questions Jesus
• 11:35 The Sinful Woman Forgiven
• 15:20 Closing Thoughts

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the Bible Breakdown Podcast. Every day, we take one chapter of the Bible, dig deeper and discover that the more we dig, the more we find. You can find out more at thebiblebreakdowncom. Now let's grow in God's Word together. Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to your tour through the book of Luke.

Speaker 1: 0:18

Today is Luke, chapter seven, and this is gonna be a really good one. I'm really excited about this one because we get to see the only time where the Bible says Jesus was amazed, like somebody amazed Jesus. So we're going to see what this person did to actually amaze Jesus. Jesus is going to raise somebody from the dead, and then he is going to talk about John the Baptist and kind of where that was, and I'm I'm curious what you think about. John is going to have a question for them and I'm curious from your point of view, like how do you think Jesus should have took this question? And then we're going to end up with this lady that is, she's thought of as a sinful woman comes and does something for Jesus. It's just very interesting. There's a lot here. There's like 50 verses. So we're going to jump in and see if we can get through this together, but don't forget the focus of this.

Speaker 1: 1:06

This is Luke being inspired by the Holy Spirit. He's a doctor by trade, but he's turned into an investigative journalist. He's been sent to the area of Judea to see if he can confirm the stories that this guy named Theopolis has heard about this Savior named Jesus. He believes it, but he wants to know that it's true. And I wonder if maybe he's been reading the Gospel of Mark, because the Gospel of Mark was already written at this point. And he's like Luke, can you help a brother, can you help confirm some of this? And so he's like man, theo, I got you, I'm going to go fix this. And so the Bible says in Luke, chapter 1, first part he went and he examined those different things, and he's put it in chronological order. And so my question is who's he talking to? Like? Who did he interview in this? And I wonder if you know kind of just mental picture. There's no Bible for this. So make sure you understand If I ever just am not reading straight from Scripture. Go with what God's Word says, not Pastor Brandon's imagination, okay, but just to kind of bring color to this where we can, I wonder if he's sitting across from the Roman soldier we're about to read about. And this Roman soldier is saying man, let me tell you about what Jesus did. Or maybe he's sitting across from a young man who would now be older, that he raised from the dead. I don't know, I'm curious. So as we read this, I want you to, in your mind, see Luke as that investigative journalist you know scribbling out notes as he is talking to these people, as the Holy Spirit is inspiring this. So here we go.

Speaker 1: 2:26

Luke, chapter seven, verse one. The Bible says when Jesus had finished saying all of this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. By the way, capernaum was like his ministry headquarters, so when he would go to other places he would always come back to Capernaum, because that's kind of where he had set up shop. Verse 2, at that time, the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. So they earnestly begged Jesus to help this man. If anyone deserves your help, he does, they said, for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us. So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some of the friends to him saying Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming in my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers and I have the authority over my soldiers. I only need to say go, and they go, or come and they come. And if I say to my slave do this, they do it. Listen to this, verse 9. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd of his followers that followed him, he said I tell you I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel. And when the officer's friend returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed. Now what just happened?

Speaker 1: 3:55

The Roman officer is saying like when I say things like I'm an officer, so when I have superiors and they tell me to go do something, I go, do it. Their word carries weight with me. But just like that, I know that when I tell people that are my subordinates, if I tell them, go check the lights, go check this, that that I don't have to worry if they're going to do it. They're going to go do it because my word carries weight, jesus. Your word carries weight. Your word carries weight, jesus. Your word carries weight. Your word carries authority. So I know that if you just say be healed, my servant will be healed. And Jesus is saying all you people are coming to me because you think I need to touch you, and that's just fine. But this joker believes in me so much that he doesn't even think that I need to touch them. Just my word is powerful enough. Somebody's finally getting it. Somebody's finally starting to understand who I really am. Jesus was amazed that this person had that much confidence in just his very words. He's finally getting it, and so I love that idea, which helps us realize that God's love language is faith. God's love language is trust. When you trust him, he likes it, and I think that's awesome. All right, here we go, verse 11.

Speaker 1: 5:10

Soon afterward, jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out. As he approached the village gate, a young man who had died was a widow's only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. Don't cry, he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it and the bearer stopped. Young man, he said I tell you, get up. Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk and Jesus gave him back to his mother. Great fear swept over the crowd and they praised God, saying a mighty prophet has risen among us and God has visited his people today. And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.

Speaker 1: 5:56

Okay, pause, real quick. Can you imagine this moment? This lady has lost her only son. She's already lost her husband. Everything is going down the road to be buried, everything in her life. And Jesus says oh, no, no, no, no, that is not how this is going to go. He touches the coffin and the boy sits up.

Speaker 1: 6:16

Can I go and tell you that's the moment when I would have died. Okay, listen, I have faith in Jesus. I know he can do anything he wants to do. It's not that, it's just. I ain't never seen that before. And so if I'm ever at a funeral and Joker just sits up hey y'all, I'm hungry, you got something to eat? I'm going to go be with Jesus that day. That's the day I need to die. If you're going to sit there and act like, oh, you'd have been, like, ah, no problem, jesus got this. You are a better Christian than me. I completely know that Jesus can do it. But I mean, come on, come on Again, think about it. Think about it. They're going to bury this guy and he wakes up. So, praise the Lord, it's amazing. All right, verse 18, which, by the way, I'm not I'm saying it is amazing, I'm just saying it would have been terrifying to see. I think that's why these people were saying a mighty prophet has risen among us. You think you think? All right? Yeah, absolutely, here we go, verse 18.

Speaker 1: 7:09

This is an interesting conversation between the disciples of John the Baptist and Jesus. It says this in verse 18. The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called two of his disciples and he sent them to the Lord and asked him are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else? Now, here's the thing why would John do that? John, we know from the gospel of John, which wasn't written by John, it was written by the apostle John we talked about in the last chapter. John says that when John the Baptist. Now that's kind of confusing. But John the Baptist saw Jesus. He said look, there is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And so he's already said publicly who Jesus is. But now he sends disciples to ask the question Look what happens. John's two disciples found Jesus and asked him. John the Baptist sent us to ask are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?

Speaker 1: 8:05

At that very time, jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Then he told the disciples go back to John and tell him what you have heard or seen. And heard the blind see the lame walk leprosy are cured, deaf hear the dead are raised to life and the good news is preached to the poor. Then he added God blesses, though, those who do not fall away because of me. After John's disciples left Jesus, jesus began talking about him to the crowds. What kind of man did you go out into the wilderness to see? Was it a weak reed swayed by every breath of wind? Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces when you look for a prophet. Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, he is more than a prophet.

Speaker 1: 8:59

John is the man whom the scriptures refer to when they say look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you and he will prepare your way before you. I tell all of you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the kingdom of God is greater than he is. When they heard this, all the people, even the tax collectors, agreed that God's way was right, for they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts of religious law rejected God's plan for them, for they refused John's baptism.

Speaker 1: 9:29

To what shall I compare the people of this generation? Jesus asked, and how can I describe them? They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends. We played a wedding song and you didn't dance. We played funeral songs and you didn't weep, for John the Baptist didn't spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you said he is possessed by a demon. The Son of man speaking of himself, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say he is a glutton and a drunkard and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners.

Speaker 1: 9:56

But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it. So what just happened was is John hears that Jesus is doing amazing things and so he sends those people who have told him and says, hey, go ask him who he is, go ask him, go ask him who he is. And then Jesus says let me show you who I am. And he goes and he does all that and he says you go back and you tell John what I'm up to. And so some people use this as a chance to say that they wondered if John believed that Jesus was really who he hoped he was, and so he was going to get confirmation that maybe in the final minutes of John the Baptist's life because he's going to be beheaded here pretty soon that he may be doubted.

Speaker 1: 10:42

The way I read this, I don't get that at all. I get that what happened was is the disciples are coming and bringing word to John about what's going on, and I wonder if there's like a conversation we're not privy to that say is this who this is, is this who this is? And I almost can kind of see John the Baptist, with a smirk on his face going go ask him. You go ask him. You don't believe me, go ask him. And then, jesus I wonder, as soon as he hears this, he kind of smirks back and he says watch, watch and see. And then he tells them go back and show John what I just go, tell John what I just did. I don't see this as John not having faith. I see almost as if there is this unstated, you know, maybe inside joke between John the Baptist and Jesus and they're showing these disciples. You know, don't just listen, or don't just listen, watch, don't just watch but listen. And when you see all of this, the miracles, the signs, the wonders and the gospel being preached, that's who I am and I love that so very much. All right, let's finish this up. Verse 36.

Speaker 1: 11:37

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet and she wiped them off with her hair. And she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.

Speaker 1: 12:00

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this. He said to himself If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner. And when Jesus answered his thoughts and said Simon, he said to the Pharisee I have something to say to you. Go ahead, teacher. Simon replied. Then Jesus told him, a man loaned money to two people 500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces of silver to the other, but neither of them could repay him. So he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose, loved him more for that? Simon answered well, I suppose the one who he canceled the larger debt. That's right, jesus said.

Speaker 1: 12:40

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, look at this woman who keeps kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you, her sins and they are many have been forgiven for she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only a little love.

Speaker 1: 13:15

Then Jesus said to the woman your sins are forgiven. Then the men at the table said among themselves who is this man who thinks he can go around, or that he goes around forgiving sins? And Jesus said to the woman your faith has saved you. Go in peace. I really don't have anything to add to that. Is that not just beautiful? Jesus is not interested in how much you sin, as much as he's interested in the fact that he can forgive you.

Speaker 1: 13:42

He saw this woman. He did not deny that she was a sinner. Did you notice that? He did not say, ah no, she just made a couple mistakes. He said oh, no, no, no, she's got some sin, she got a lot of sin, she got a lot of sin, she got all the sin.

Speaker 1: 13:58

And I even wonder if some of these guys who are frustrated you know why they know she's got a lot of sin. You know, I don't know maybe, but he's saying she's got all the sin, but she brought them to me. That's the difference between her and all you fools. So all of her sins, though they are many, are forgiven. You know why? Because she has shown me love.

Speaker 1: 14:16

She brought them to me and then, even when everybody else is criticizing her, jesus just said baby girl, your faith has saved you. Go in peace. Can I tell you, jesus does not care how many times you fall down, as much as he cares about the fact that he wants to pick you back up every single time. Now, that doesn't mean that we glory in our sin. That doesn't mean that we say, well, jesus loves me, so I can sin all I want to. No, no, no, no. That means that when we sin, we have the ability to bring those sins back to Jesus and he forgives us every time and he sets us free and he says go in peace, leave the sin with me, don't keep sinning. Leave the sin with me and you go in peace. I think that's powerful, I think it's amazing. Oh, what an amazing savior that we serve. Right, all right, I love you so much. I hope you got something out of this today. I will see you tomorrow for Luke, chapter eight. Thank you.