Colossians 1:6 All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.

1. The word that is ____________ in us says that Jesus forgives our sins.

2. This word planted in us produces ____________ before God.

3. Along with this hope, the word produces ___________ and __________.

Scripture Readings
2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-14
Colossians 1:3-8
Luke 7:36-8:3

Take It With You!

Here we will offer thoughts and meditations on the message to help us as we contemplate and discuss and wrestle with what we are hearing.

So take careful note of this Gospel (Luke 7:36-50); and would to God that everyone would take to heart this example of our Lord Jesus Christ, how He behaved toward the proud Pharisee and toward the poor sinner. To Simon, the Pharisee, He is a strict judge and preaches a severe word, making it especially disagreeable and unpalatable. On the other hand, He is a gracious confessor and a consoling preacher. He pronounces over the woman a merciful remission of sins and makes her a saint; but He commits Simon, the Pharisee, to the devil. That is preaching reproof and grace. The miserable harlot He frees from sin and clothes her with heavenly grace. He shows the proud Pharisee his sin, and burdens his conscience; yet He means him no evil, but seeks his salvation, revealing his sin to him so that he would recognize it, seek counsel, and escape damnation with the other presumptuous hypocrites, if he would only obey.

Martin Luther, Sermon on the Day of St. Mary Magdalene in The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, vol. 7, pg. 371-372.