I Will Serve Others
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.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.
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,t 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.
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.”
(Luke 7:36-50)
Key Verse
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
(1 Peter 4:10)
Materials Needed: Paper or journal, pen and a Bible
Family Discussion
- How did others view the woman in the Bible Story?
- How do you think this made the woman feel?
- How did Jesus view this woman?
Child Activities
Imagine you are the woman at Bethany, serving Jesus, and you hear the people talking about the wrong things you had sone. How would you feel when Jesus stood up for you in front of others? Write down their names on a piece of paper (or journal if you are keeping one.) The next time you see them, pray and ask God for a chance to help them just like Jesus helped the sinful woman when He defended her. This could be as simple as sitting next to them at lunch or standing up for them whenever someone says something mean toward them.
