Divisions:
Luke 7:1-10 Believing without seeing
Luke 7:11-17 Seeing without believing
Main Truth: Following Jesus requires that we walk by faith not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
Luke 7:1-10 – Jesus heals the Centurion’s servant.
Study Questions:
- What was a Roman Centurion? Take time to research the typical dynamics between Roman officials and the Jews.
- What was unique about this Roman Centurion?
- What do the Centurion’s decisions and instructions say about what he believes about Jesus?
- How did the Centurion’s opinion of himself differ from other’s opinions of him?
- Why did Jesus marvel at the faith of the Centurion?
- Define/Explain the word “faith”.
Application Questions:
- Where am I tempted to find my “worthiness” in what the world recognizes as good?
- Who gives me my worth? Do my thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors align with the answer to the first part of this question? If not, why?
- How does the story of Jesus healing the Centurion’s servant help me turn to Jesus when I face difficult circumstances or need help?
Luke 7:11-17 – Jesus raises the widow’s son from death to life.
Study Questions:
- Compare/contrast the two great crowds that met at the city gate. What was the purpose and demeanor of each crowd?
- What were the ramifications in that time for a widow to lose her only son?
- What was Jesus’s reaction to the grieving widow? How do we see God the father in this reaction?
- Jesus spoke and the man sat up and began to speak. What does this tell you about Jesus’s power and authority over death?
- What were the people’s reactions to this miracle and their conclusions about Jesus? What types of conclusions do people come to about Jesus in our current time and culture?
- There is a popular phrase “Seeing is believing”. How does this section of scripture contradict this statement? Why did some still not believe that Jesus was the Messiah?
- What did the centurion and the widow have in common from these two sections of scripture? How were they different?
Application Questions:
- How has God been compassionate towards me?
- Imagine the widow’s joy when Jesus reunited her to her living son, what hope and joy can I claim in Jesus now and in the future?