"Who will love him more?" | An Invitation to Love Much \\ Luke 7:36-50

We begin a new series this Fall entitled, "Questions from Jesus: Invitations to Grow." Jesus' first recorded words was a question (only 12 years old in Luke 2:50!). In the gospels he asks almost 300 questions! Why? Questions stretch us and force us to deal with issues we often try to avoid. The claim of the semester is that Jesus asks us questions as invitations for us to grow - both in self-awareness of who we are and in our knowledge of God and who He is. Each week we look at a different interaction where Jesus asks someone a question. I invite you to take Jesus' questions seriously - he's asking you because he loves you and wants you to grow!

This week we look at an interaction between a very important Pharisee named Simon and a broken 'woman of the city'. Simon hosts a dinner party and invites Jesus to eat with him. During the meal, a prostitute causes a scandalous scene by throwing herself at Jesus'  feet with ointment and great sobs. While Simon judges the weeping woman (for her sins) and Jesus (for allowing her to touch him), Jesus receives her broken love. He then tells Simon a story reminding us that only forgiven sinners are able to love much. We will look at what stops us from loving much, who shows us how to love much, and how can we start to love much.
TEXT:  Luke 7:36-50