36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting 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 what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” 40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. 41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Knowing how much God loves us, fills us with a love worth giving to others.

1. Undeserved invitation.

God’s love is an undeserved invitation that needs a response.

2. Unconditional demonstration.

A person who is forgiven little shows only little love.

3. Worthwhile sacrifice.

How am I living in the overflow of God’s love?

How does the way I treat others reflect the way God has treated me?

Have each person share a high and low from this past week.

Knowing how much God loves us fills us with a love worth giving to others.

Choose one or two questions for your group to discuss as time allows.

▶ What are some ways people can know they are loved by God?

▶ Are the people God wants you to love more like Simon or the woman?

▶ Read 1 John 4:9-11. Who deserves to be invited to receive God’s love?

▶ Read Romans 5:8. What did we do to deserve God’s love? What do people around us need to do to deserve our love?

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being overflowing, where would you put yourself in knowing God’s love for you? What would it take for you to receive a deposit in your account?

Read Ephesians 5:1-2. How is God prompting you to love?

Pray for the Church to truly know God’s love and share it freely.