S7E16 - Luke 7:36-8:3 - Forgiveness Changes Everything

A woman with a reputation steps into a Pharisee’s house, collapses behind Jesus, and turns her tears into an act of worship. It’s tender, uncomfortable, and impossible to ignore and it forces one big question: do we see our need the way she does, or do we hide behind respectability like Simon?

We walk through Luke 7:36-50 and the parable of the two debtors to show why Christian forgiveness is never something we earn and why pride is so often the real gatekeeper. The conversation hits the difference between knowledge and wisdom, how self-righteousness blinds us to our spiritual debt, and why the fruit of being forgiven is love that spills out into devotion, mercy, and changed relationships. We also connect the dots to everyday discipleship, including marriage, where forgiveness is not optional if we want love to last.

Then Luke 8:1-3 opens up the mission: Jesus proclaims the good news of the kingdom of God, and Luke spotlights women who follow, serve, and provide out of their own means. It’s a clear reminder that the gospel is for all people and that the kingdom advances through faithful partnership, not status.

Listen, share this with a friend who needs hope, and subscribe, rate, and review so more people can find the podcast. What part of this story challenges you most: admitting your need or extending forgiveness?

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Transcript

Welcome Back And Today’s Theme

SPEAKER_02 0:08

Well, what's up, Lifehouse family?

SPEAKER_03 0:10

Welcome back to the Life Talk Podcast coming to you on another Monday, or whenever you may be getting time to listen to us, we do appreciate that you take time out of your day. Uh, we know things are always busy, so we're glad to have some time spent together and bring you another great episode. And man, April, where did April go? Like we are in the spring, it is moving along, but it's gonna be May before we know it. But got the April crew here together again, and we'll start. Rico, man, Rico's back. It's good to see you. You're like a bad penny. You just keep turning up every episode. But it's good to have you, man. How you doing? I appreciate you having me back.

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 0:53

We've been doing this together way too long. We're we're developing too much of a rim.

SPEAKER_04 0:59

Much longer. That'll be very valuable because I don't think they're making them anymore. So you know.

SPEAKER_03 1:03

This is true. That's right. No more pennies. So that that uh is gonna be an interesting experience.

SPEAKER_00 1:08

It's funny how you mentioned that because my fourth my first stop back in Costa Rica, my mom used to give me these shoes that have a penny in the middle. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 1:15

The penny loafers. Yes, what you know about that. Yeah, well, we are glad you turned up today. It's good to have you. And preview Jonathan Bush back with us. Jonathan, what's going on, man? Yeah, I'm just glad uh semester's almost done. Looking forward to summer. Hey, the break is coming. It's uh light at the end of the tunnel for a little while. Yeah, graduations just around the corner. Yep. And then Jeremy Alrich, our QAQC guy. How's Jeremy today?

SPEAKER_01 1:41

Yeah, I checked everything out. I think we're good today.

SPEAKER_03 1:43

I was gonna say April's been good, you know. Like because you're here, you know, we're good. It was your fault in March, but you're back.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

So my sincere apologies for all good.

SPEAKER_03 1:52

So luckily for you, we are gonna talk about forgiveness today. You segued right into it. There you go. Our topic. But we are continuing through Luke. Really enjoying going through God's word with our listeners and all of us together. Hopefully, you all are getting a lot of it. We truly put a lot of effort into really studying and trying to bring you some good discussion on God's word. Last week we were talking about doubts and and on the de-alliteration. I'm told we'll be disappointed today, but Jonathan's going to take us through the rest of chapter seven, really getting into forgiveness. And we're also going to talk a little bit about women that were following Jesus. Sometimes there's a focus on the disciples and the men, but Jesus didn't come just to men, but he also came to women as well. So again, we say this on a weekly basis when we continue through God's word on a verse-by-verse basis. We get into some really great topics that take us a lot of a lot of interesting places. So, Jonathan, what you got for us on the end of chapter seven and start of chapter eight?

Why Luke Writes For Assurance

A “Sinful” Woman Washes His Feet

SPEAKER_04 2:58

Yeah, well, awesome. I I really appreciate this uh time of year with spring and just the renewal of you know warming up with the planting gardens and the flowers and everything. Because in general, I think for most of us, like we see the beauty that God provides this time of year, and like our hearts appreciate that, like we rejoice in that, like it's life, it's it's a time of year that you know everybody kind of looks forward to. And and to some context, like with Luke, this is the journey we've been on with what God or you know, God's story, but what Luke has been accounting for is who the the man and God of Jesus Christ, and how his sole purpose was to bring us life, to bring us, to renew us, to save us from our sins. And you know, if if you look like right at the beginning of Luke, part of what he's uh his account is, you know, and this is you know, like last week, we you know, we talked about doubts. Well, sometimes part of the doubts is we have is the Bible actually what the Bible says. But this account we're going through is to address those doubts, to give us assurance of who Christ is. And in general, we've we've looked at up to this point, you know, we at the beginning of the month we were looking at uh the kingdom of God, and you know, in God's kingdom, the least is the greatest, the greatest is least, and you know it kind of flips things, it's countercultural, it's it's not what it's not how that world operates, but Christ revealed that to us and showed us what that looks like, what his kingdom, what can we expect of his kingdom? But then he also put forth his authority, and we saw that just in him healing the sickness with what Jeremy brought a few weeks ago and being able to raise someone from the dead and overcoming death. And and then this last week we had, you know, well, we brought the the issue of doubt and how that isn't wrong, it's just as humans, that's something we have to we will face, is we we will have to face of well, if this is what God says, if this is God's word, then I it requires a response. And so, you know, what is that what is my response going to be? And that kind of puts us to where we are today in chapter six, or excuse me, chapter seven, verse thirty-six, and we're gonna look at basically, well, why did God come? What was his purpose here? That if we have faith, if we believe, we would be saved. And so we're gonna kind of look at the the first section of, well, who is that? I mean, to some level we know it's it's all sinners, but he's gonna define, well, there's two types of sinners are in this in the context here. And then he's gonna give a uh an account of then, well, as a sinner, uh with these two types, what are their responses? And so we'll we'll get that as an example. And then for someone that repents, for someone that that accepts what Christ has said and done, then he will redeem. And then ultimately, once we are as a redeemed follower of Christ, is well, what is my mission? And and what am I a part of? Well, you're part of the kingdom, and so we're kind of seeing this progression from someone that is a sinner all the way to someone who's a part of his kingdom operating in the context. And it's cool too, kind of like what Nate you teed off with, was you know, he uses the example of women. And you know, in in that day, time, and context, women were the inferior. They were the if if you had to choose like your team of people to go to of to change the world and to overcome sin, you wouldn't pick a group of women. And yet that is the example he's giving here, and he's able to work through because as God, he's able to take something that is inferior or or seen as inferior, but make it new and and and impact and and you know his mission's able to go forth. So that's what we're gonna jump into. I guess any thoughts or think let's get into it. All right. So starting off in uh verse 36 says, One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And behold, a woman of the city who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair, uh with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisees who had in Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, Is this man if this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner. And and we'll see here in a minute the the response, but in this example, we see at least one person that's been identified as a sinner, right? And in Jewish context with this is was that uncleanlin uncleanliness was something that was if you teach touch something unclean, you yourself would become unclean. But when Christ came, we he he he showed is that he makes what is unclean clean. And so there's there's a uh setup here that that the Pharisee just does isn't understanding. But on the same thing, so uh we see so there's the woman, but then he also in this text here is setting up counter to that is the Pharisee. Because he goes, Hey, hey, you know, you she's here doing this for me, she's recognizing and and and washing my feet, yet the Pharisee, what we'll see is hasn't done any of that. So it's it's something I think for all of us to that shows is we're all sinners, and we're gonna either be, are we, you know, the the hopefully the hope is that are you gonna be like the the Pharisee, or are you gonna be like the the woman who's you know weeping at the feet of Christ?

SPEAKER_00 9:04

This is so good, this is so rich. This this this is our representation of every sinner that has been forgiven that knows what love means. And to see a woman in discourse where she not just recognized that she was a sinner, but she recognized that she is forgiven. First heart right there, and the second is the doubtness of the Pharisee. Who's this guy? So a couple episodes ago we talked about doubtness. So we have somebody here who recognize the one who can cleanse the soul from every unrighteousness, therefore I'm gonna submit to his feet. And I always say, Hey, my knees should be at his feet and my eyes on his face, therefore, I can love more, but more importantly, this is something that you don't have to earn. He came to set us free. So to see in those first verses that she whipped on her hair on her head, and she kissed his feet, is a representation of how much love you give to the person who can forgive you for all the wrongdoings that you'll be doing in your life.

SPEAKER_03 10:40

Yeah, I think too, as you pointed out, obviously we have two sinners, but it's interesting that the Pharisee says to himself, he doesn't say it out loud, but Christ knows the heart, which we know is a big theme, but not even recognizing and really looking down on this woman is you know pretty significant. And we're gonna see as we keep going through it, like we're just gonna call him out and we're gonna really see that difference in that. But kind of just interesting the way that Christ discerns the heart and the attitude and the posture here. And so a Pharisee who thinks obviously is belied by his attitude, like doesn't think he's a sinner, doesn't really recognize his need, and also looking down and judging Christ of like why are you even letting her do this? So I think, yeah, definitely some things that are important to observe as we're getting into it.

Forgiveness Shows Up As Love

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Yeah, I think the last couple of weeks Rico has been stealing my thunder, but like we're on the same page, like that's like we're of a like mind. Like that, you know, forgiveness, and we can see forgiveness producing love. That's exactly what I was thinking as well, Rico. So I appreciate that. You know, the sinful, this woman's devotion flows from a heart that's overwhelmed by her forgiveness, and that love that the love that she exhibits is not the cause of her forgiveness, but it's the fruit of being forgiving. Um as we get more into this, uh, we'll see, like like like you said, the the other side, the Pharisee, Simon, and what Jesus has to say to him, but we see this, we see uh the the fruit of forgiveness right here, love.

The Two Debtors And True Gratitude

SPEAKER_04 12:15

Yeah, again, the countering these two, it's it's to one is is the response that you know Christ wants for us and versus the the response of someone that is you know is missing the sin that is there in their own life. And and really kind of my takeaway, hopefully, is to realize this we're all sinners. Like we all are faced with this. So what is your response going to be? And are you going to be broken and and seeking God's mercy? Or are you gonna be just looking around saying, Well, I'm better than them. I'm not as I'm I'm not I'm not unclean. I haven't I haven't touched a you know uh done immoral things or are as bad as that, you know? It was just a white lie, you know, all of this that we we justify our own self and and try to say, Well, I'm not as bad as them. Because really, I mean, this was what was the the penalty for for what she had done was death. But that's the same penalty that he faces as well, that we all face. So let's get into kind of and and I think that's what Christ is teed up here with his response. And he says, starting in verse 40, sorry. Just a little side note here is is I'm reaching that age where you gotta kind of put your Bible a little farther away from yourself to uh to focus. Show up with the professor glasses.

SPEAKER_03 13:47

Our listeners can't see it, but we're gonna totally make fun of you if you show up with leading glasses next episode. Definitely.

SPEAKER_04 13:53

Working on my focusing here, you know. And it says in verse 40, and Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he answered, Say it, teacher. It says in verse forty one, a certain money lender had two debtors, one owed him five hundred and a and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more? It gets to what you're talking about, both of you with with the the heart and and loving. And Simon answered, The one I suppose for whom he cancelled the larger debt, and he said to him, You have judged rightly. Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered your house and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You give me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much, but he who is forgiven little loves little. And so I think that really just clarifies the the the issue between the two of you know having a heart that's contrite, having a heart where you you acknowledge your sin and and being repentant versus because you realize the depravity of that, but then the the outcome of that, the the flowing of that is an a repent or a a desire to to value Christ versus just oh I want Christ in my house, dinner, looks good, you know, maybe hear a few good teachings versus going to where he's at to you know to clean his feet with your tears. Like I don't know about you, but I usually don't want to be around feet when they need cleaning.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

So definitely something something to think about. And here we can see how Jesus with his explanation, that's why he was the best teacher ever, stepping this earth. He not just understands where the question is coming from, he recognizes the pride, and there's a teaching process in the making. Two things that I see on these two passages. Number one, Jesus doesn't reject her, he defends her. That is so special to me that in those times, if you defend a woman, you already know what your reward was gonna be. Everything was dealt publicly when a woman trying to be superior on voices through a man to a man. And another explanation here, he receives the broken, not the proud. We talk about proud, that word right there, proud, is something that is more dangerous than doubt. Why? Because the you can resist the truth that is pride is in your heart. We can see that through scripture, but most importantly, we can see the heart and the posture of Christ in this scenario. Is it so hard for you to understand what's happening right now? And I can picture that as we talk about this and as we read it. This lady right here, she was broken, she was lost. I came here to give life, to give strength, to give hope. She has it, therefore, she weeping at my feet because she knows who I am. You on the other hand, wow. Really? You can't even see that.

Pride That Blinds Us To Sin

SPEAKER_03 17:38

I think too, you know, I'm a little bit reminded of Nathan coming to David, you know, and him kind of doing the exact same thing of like, hey, you know, this guy, and you know, he stole this guy's lamb, and of course, David gets very indignant about it, and you know, he's like, You are the man. And so I think Jesus is pointing out like you're actually in a really dangerous place, you know. Like, I think that's a dangerous place to be when you feel like you're a pretty good person, or you can just do enough, you know, to get yourself to heaven. Like, I'm not that bad, so I can offset it with some works. Like, that's actually a really I think what Christ is telling us, like, that's a dangerous place to be, you know. So because you're caught in that mindset and your heart, I think, like you said, Rico, like a prideful standpoint or a works-based rate, so many things that can go wrong. And Jesus is really confronting Simon here. He's like, you know, you you have this little bit of debt, and you go like don't even hardly realize it, you know, and you're not really understanding really the depth of your sin for sure, and how it separates you from God.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

Yeah, on that theme, you know, self-righteousness and pride blinds us to our own debt. Like what kind of like kind of like what you were saying, Nate. And I was reminded of a couple of verses in this in these passages. Romans 2, 1 talks about how I'll just read it, therefore you have no excuse, O man. Every one of you who judges, in passing judgment on on another, you condemn yourself because you, the judge, practice the very same things. So, you know, Simon can't see his own sin. He's like so overcome by his self-righteousness that he can't see his own sin. And it's kind of what we were talking about a few weeks ago with Rico and in and how we should judge. It's not that that we can't judge, it's just that we need to look at ourselves first. And then secondly, when I was also drawn back, like you you were drawn back to Samuel, I was drawn back to Samuel as well. Where God does not look at the outward appearance, but man, but he like man, but he looks at the heart. And Jesus sees in this woman what repentance produces, not necessarily what sin had once defined her as.

SPEAKER_04 20:00

So absolutely the the what Christ does is just miraculous in that you know, in our own in our own actions and what we can effect, if you will, I mean, we we still face death. But through Christ, he's able to change us, renew us. I mean, it is it is just miraculous, like you said. This here, this this reminded me also, it's if you go to Matthew 18, 23, and in there, it's a it's a similar illustration that Christ used, and he's and he's explaining what the kingdom of heaven is like. And I like this because again, I think it it shows fully with like you were saying, Nate, of this is a dangerous place because where does it lead? It leads to death. If you don't end up with where the woman is, where you're at the feet of Christ, you know, weeping, you know, maybe some maybe to at some point literally, like right, is acknowledging I have a perfect God I have stood against. You know, like like there the the penalty of that is is just it's not just a little sin. It's like it is an infinite level of depravity. And in 23 it says, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, and I like it too, it's a king king imagery here, you know, again, it's it's a kingdom and it's in the king. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that they had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. And out of pity for him the master of the servant released him and forgave him the debt. And when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him hundred dinari. A much smaller, just a fraction of you know a fraction of a percent, if you will. But when he the same servant went out, he found it, and seizing him he began choking him and saying, Pay me what you owe. So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, just like he had like that that servant had to the king, and have patience with me and I'll pay you. But this servant refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, You wicked servant, I forgave you all the debt because you pleaded with me, and should not you have the same mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you? And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debts. So also my heavenly father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. And again, I like that 'cause it goes into the the it kind of understanding the heart, and and that is really what we what we need to have is as Christians, as someone of of God's kingdom, is when I come before and I am renewed, is my heart should be like Christ. And part of that is is being able to forgive others, being able to acknowledge, yes, I've been wronged, but I can release that, I can forgive. And and to some level, it's part of what in re-engage going through is as couples, you know, because we look at the at marriage, it's the picture of Christ in the church. But part of that is is in marriage, we have to learn to forgive, otherwise, that marriage will not last for long. Um, and be able to rightly release the the wrongs done because it's two sinners that are married, and and we probably on a daily basis have things that need to be addressed. And and so, yeah, it's it's that imagery of acknowledging our depravity, turning to Christ, and and and allowing him to change us, to give us a heart that seeks him.

SPEAKER_03 24:07

I think too is a Francis Schaefer thing that I think one time he was asked, you know, if you had you know an hour with somebody on the train to share the gospel with him, and he said I would spend the first 50 minutes, you know, the bulk of the time convincing him of his sinfulness and his depravity, essentially, because we're so in a culture that yeah, wants to have because we're like modern western and we feel like we have you know not a lot of hardship, like we just don't feel like we're that bad. And that kind of postmodernism, relativism that even builds into justifying those things. So truly understanding that is is pretty critical, which I know then is gonna lead to the actual then forgiveness and receiving it, you know, is is critical, like how you even receive that. And like you said, marriage will reveal your sinfulness when you get into marriage too. Like it's gonna reveal some people think, oh, it'll be easy. You two sinners get together every day, all day. It's uh yeah, it's gonna you're gonna find out, you know, real fast. Absolutely.

Forgiven People Forgive Others

SPEAKER_04 25:17

So the response is repentance, and like you said, Nate, the repentance brings up forgiveness. And in verse 40, he it says, and he said to her, Your sins are forgiven. Then those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, Who is this who even forgives sins? And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you, go in peace. And so, you know, it is she believed, she repented, and and the result of that was salvation. You know, right there is the gospel, right in those two verses.

SPEAKER_03 25:57

And I think this harkens, uh, you know, there's a lot of cross-references too, of Jesus being God, multiple things here, but all sin being against God, that truly, you know, when it comes to forgiveness, Psalm 51, you know, David, against you, Lord, have I sinned, and then Jesus as God, you know, so it's another one of those, you know, areas where people like to say, oh, Jesus never claimed to be God. Well, he forgave sins, you know, amongst many other things, excepting worship, etc., etc. I am statements. But yeah, just another one right here where you know people are even realizing, like, hey, this guy's forgiving sins that in their mind might not have been against him. So I think really important takeaways from these verses.

SPEAKER_04 26:41

So with it, just and I'll open this up kind of as a question. We understand, okay, so like you said, if the first 50 minutes you explain, I'm a sinner, right? And and like we looked at there, there are doubts, right? But it's really, are we going to be offended or not by what I've been told? So why is it that what keeps us from responding? Like, what is it that is what is it about the heart? I guess the heart is deceptively wicked, you know, so maybe I answer my own question, but what what can we do to help, you know, like if we have someone that is uh we know either a family member or otherwise that that needs to know Christ, that's a Pharisee, if you will, that has heard the gospel but has not yet responded.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

Well, one of the things that scripture tell us is especially for for for believers, you are the light of the world. And this comes with maturity in knowing scripture that for people who do not know the gospel, you might be the only Bible they will read. At the same time, the way that you live your life, the way that you represent Christ, the way that you speak to those individuals are the necessities or questions for them to ask why we're different. They know we are different for a reason, they know we don't react on the things on worldly things. Maturity comes with that, right? So uh very great question in where we can see here the repentance heart and something, the posture of knowing when you're tired. When you're tired of doing the same thing over and over and over, there's no change for some of them the change needs to happen, and when you're broken, scripture gets fulfilled. Why Jesus said, Hey, I came here for the broken hearted. So for us, if you're listening, how do you even represent Christ to people who do not believe in Christ? My first question to you is are you living how Jesus wants you to live? Are you representing him not just by scripture? Because the Pharisees they know scripture, they know the word, but the bigger thing is the P issue where your pride is because you can be in the kingdom of heaven, but your pride can be in there also. We can see that in the story of the Prodigal Son. We can see the Prodigal Son coming back home, but the one who was at home had a hard pasture that is not there. We see that in the church. You can come to church every time, but you can be far away from the Lord. So, a very great question. And if you are listening and we listen at this story of the woman weeping and Christ forgiving her sins, which that's a different conversation by itself. How the Pharisees, why who is this guy? Forgive what and only God can do that. But the heart is so corrupted on knowledge, not on wisdom, because wisdom comes from the Lord. Knowledge is what we see, what we enter into our heart. So, to answer to your question is are we living how we're supposed to be living in this world?

Your Faith Has Saved You

SPEAKER_01 30:17

Yeah, I I agree. It's you know, as as we're transformed, as we're new creations in Christ, are we are we are we living that out? Are we walking that walk? Are we being salt, the salt and the light, salt of the earth and uh the light of the world? You know, and are we taking those opportunities that the Lord opens up in our in our lives? Like if we you you know you have someone who comes up to you and wants to talk about God and you're like, oh that's nice, have a nice day, and you you know, that's you know, or or are you going, hey, let me tell you about how God changed me. I think that we have to just we have to continue to be faithful with in what the Lord opens, the doors the Lord opens for us.

SPEAKER_03 30:58

Yeah, I'll tell a very quick story. I've mentioned this, I don't know if on the podcast, but it was I had a great opportunity, a friend of mine who I got to share the gospel with and shared it with him and keep it short, you know, at the end I'd explained the gospel, you know, really taking him through, you know, we're sinners, but through Christ by faith, as it says in this work. And he looked at me and said, Is it really that simple? And it was a total Hillary Spirit thing. But I said, Yes, but no. I said it's super simple, but you have to get over yourself is the hardest part. And I think, you know, Rico, you've been on the pride theme. It's so even responding all the way to your question on that. People have to get over themselves, that either the idea that I'm not that bad or that I can do it or I can work my way, all of those are pride. You know, all of them are self-centered, all of them are caught up in myself. I can do it myself, or I'm not that bad. I'm self-justifying. And so that's what keeps people from coming to faith is this focus on self. And that's why I always say the gospel turns you inside out, because you have to get off yourself and on to Christ. Amen.

Why We Resist And How To Witness

SPEAKER_04 32:04

Yeah, it's it's hard sometimes because you got people you love and you and you, you know, you got the truth, and it's like, well, why just just believe, right? But it's not my belief, it's their belief. And and we see like it's interesting because even in this example with Simon, the Pharisee, we see Christ how he's still trying to reach out and help Simon understand his lack of belief and lack of understanding of okay, you understand the the physical laws of what what is holy and what's not, but what is where's your heart? And so that is what only the spirit can do. And and so a lot of you know, I encourage if you got loved ones or uh co-workers, whoever who don't believe, be praying for them, be lifting them up before God to on on their behalf that they would be saved. I mean that you'd have opp like you were saying, Rico, that you'd have opportunity to share, to be a light. And and sometimes, yeah, they may not want to go through Luke. They may not want to listen to this podcast, but they they realize, okay, I'm in a tough spot right now, and it looks like you know Nate has it is doing well, so I I go talk with him and figure out because I I know he had some similar circumstances or whatever, and he made it through, right? So all right, so that brings us here to the we'll finish up with this last little section. We're gonna jump into chapter eight. Again, sometimes these these chapters don't always align necessarily with with the original scripture per se of something that was added many years later, but in chapter eight, one, it talks now. We're gonna look at the basically the mission, and really now that I've I've been saved, what is what is it that I should do? And we use the uh we'll see the example here of a group of women and how they basically enabled and supported what Jesus Christ and his disciples what they did. And it says in verse one, soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, many called Magnaline, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chusa, Herod's household manager, and Susanna and many others who provided for them out of their means. So it doesn't just end with salvation, we now have life, and and so we have a mission. And so for them at that time, their mission was to proclaim the gospel. And and I mean, mezingly enough, with the disciples, they're right there, they're they're the original disciples, if you will, like we talked about with the D's last time. But but it also there were physical needs as well, and so the women came along and supported them in that, uh, made sure that they were taking care of themselves, getting rest, I'm sure some good food and and whatnot. And you know, so yeah, we got like our mission now as Christians, for those that believe in Christ, is to preach the gospel, to share, go, you know, the Great Commission, but then also is to support each other and minister where there is need.

SPEAKER_03 35:24

I think a lot of takeaways from just a couple verses, as always, like you say, the response of supporting the mission. And this is also a good little chunk here of Luke pointing out that, you know, again, we've talked on some previous episodes. In the ancient times, you would not bring up women as part of your your party, you know, but Christ turning the world upside down, and many people want to say, you know, Christianity is anti-woman and you know it's all patriarchal. Well, no, right here we see that Jesus very much it was all a community that was walking in faith. And so Luke is pointing out some very important women who were part of the mission of Christ, even Herod's manager, right? So, like we know who Herod was, we've been studying a little bit about that, but his manager, his wife, was a believer, a follower, a supporter of Christ. And so, yes, the response, as well as we see really the diversity of the kingdom of God in these verses as well.

SPEAKER_01 36:22

Right along with like one of Luke's big themes is that the gospel is for all people, and you know, and we see that in just in here, like what you what you said, Nate, or like Jonathan, you said it earlier in the episode, like that if you're going to be listing a group of people in this time, in this day and age, you wouldn't have listed commonly listed women along with men. But you know, these these women are listed as being faithful and they're supporting the ministry through their through fun through their own funds, through out of their own means, modeling sacrificial partnership. And so Luke highlights that showing and and essentially praising them for their for their faithfulness.

SPEAKER_00 37:04

Now you too the words out of my mouth.

SPEAKER_03 37:07

Turning the table, here we go.

Women In The Mission And Closing

SPEAKER_00 37:10

If you're listening to right, you you should have seen my face, but it's the movement of the kingdom. The movement of the kingdom does not have a preference on gender. We both are important. Just to clarify, there's roles in the church, but more importantly, there's a role that the woman, especially in this time, if you know history, women were not set up to be leaders at that time. They were not even supposed to speak even to the point that the men was supposed to teach them everything. So with the clarification of Jesus does here and the information that everybody, especially men on power, that we see Simon was like, who's this? Especially on a woman, it speaks volume of how much we as a society cannot exclude a person who's alive and can potentially have the spirit of the living God inside of them. So this is something very vital for all of us. And I, if you're listening to here right now, this is a good example of what the gospel is about. It's not about you earning salvation, it's not about you doing the right thing, saying the right things, have the knowledge that you need in order to just earn a ticket in heaven. This is something that is free, yet persistency, yet do what is right. Yes, repentance and the again the P word, the pride. So my advice is to keep running your race, your knees on his feet, eyes on his face, and allow him to transform you in what your gift and your purpose is in life in this period of time.

SPEAKER_01 39:15

I think one of my big takeaways from this passage, from this whole story, is that no one is is too far gone. Jesus welcomes the broken. No one's no one's too stained or too complicated for the mercy of Christ.

SPEAKER_03 39:29

That can be the other extreme of some people think they're too good, which we've talked a lot. Some people can think they're too far gone. Both are equal and opposite lies that Satan wants to send into the world. You're never too far gone, but you're also never good enough. So don't fall for either lie, depend on Christ. Well, Jonathan, good stuff. And we're continuing through Luke. So forgiveness, uh, even the equality of women, so many things that are in God's word that we can take away. So we hope you've enjoyed this episode, and we will look forward. We'll get into parables in the next episode. So come back next week and we'll look forward to talking with you then. Thanks for tuning in to the Life Talk Podcast. If this episode encouraged you, please be sure to like, comment, subscribe, and leave a review so others can find this content as well. And we'll look forward to seeing you next Monday for another great episode.