October 13, 2026

Scriptures: Matthew 8:5–13, 11:1–30, Luke 7 |

These chapters show us to people approaching Jesus from very different places. A Roman officer trusts Jesus to heal his servant without even entering the house. A grieving widow encounters Him while carrying her only son to burial. A woman known publicly for her sinful life kneels at His feet in tears. Grace shows up in the way Jesus responds to each person individually! Faith, grief, shame, and desperation all become places where people encounter Him.

Then there is John the Baptist. The man who confidently announced Jesus as the Lamb of God now sits in prison asking if Jesus is actually the Messiah they have been waiting for, or if they should keep waiting. Jesus does not shame John for the question…instead He points him toward what God is doing: the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. Even strong faith can experience moments when circumstances make us question what we once knew clearly.

Luke 7 also contrasts two responses to Jesus. Simon the Pharisee welcomes Jesus into his house but remains emotionally distant, while the sinful woman pours out extravagant love because she understands how much she has been forgiven. Jesus explains the difference simply: “A person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Our awareness of grace creates the depth of our gratitude.

Jesus closes Matthew 11 with an opportunity for exhausted people: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” The centurion brings faith, John brings questions, the widow brings grief, and the woman brings a broken past…and Jesus receives them ALL. We simply have to come to Him.

Challenge Questions:

What question, disappointment, or burden do you need to bring honestly to Jesus instead of pretending it is not there?

Has familiarity with grace caused you to forget how much you have actually been forgiven?