Friends Church Sermons

Spring has come and with it the time for the Passover. Jesus has spent some weeks after the raising of Lazarus in the city of Ephraim about 15 miles north of Bethany. He stayed there until 6 days before the Passover. Jesus makes His last trip towards Jerusalem before the cross. The remaining week He will spend moving between Jerusalem and Bethany until He celebrates the Passover in the upper room in Jerusalem. John takes this moment to share with us another Kingdom contrast. It happens in the home of Simon the leper in Bethany. Mary, Martha and Lazarus have a home in Bethany but this dinner doesn’t happen there. Matthew and Mark tell us that Simon the leper is the host of the dinner. Simon is one of the lepers who has been healed by Jesus. It’s important to understand the language here. “So they made Him supper there” indicates that this was a celebration dinner in His honor. These two men who have been given back their lives are now honoring Jesus.