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She Loved Much

A dinner party, an uninvited guest, a two-debtor math problem, and a new face at youth night

  • 🏔️ Youth 16–18
  • Week 9
  • 📅 Sunday, February 28, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ came to heal sinners, not to condemn them, and when we let Him forgive and calm us, we love Him more and see other people the way He does.

I can bring my sins and my storms to Jesus Christ, trust Him to heal both, and stop sizing other people up the way Simon did.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; Luke 7 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; Luke 7)
Know the chapters

This block is full of healings. There’s a leper in Matthew 8:1–4 and a centurion’s servant in Matthew 8:5–13 and Luke 7:1–10. There’s Peter’s mother-in-law in Matthew 8:14–15 and a man lowered through a roof in Mark 2:1–12. There’s a withered hand in Mark 3:1–5. And a widow’s only son is raised at Nain, in Luke 7:11–16. Mark 2 is the key to reading all of them. Jesus forgave the paralyzed man’s sins first. Then He healed his body so people would know He had power to forgive, in Mark 2:10. The physical miracles point to a deeper healing everyone needs. Mark 4:35–41 adds the calming of the storm. Four questions are asked in seven verses, two by the disciples and two by Jesus.

Luke 7:36–50 is the heart of today’s case. Guests at a formal meal usually reclined on their sides with their feet stretched away from the table. That’s how a woman could stand “at his feet behind him.” Simon, a respected Pharisee, skipped the ordinary courtesies for a guest. He gave no water for the feet, no kiss of greeting and no oil for the head. A woman the town called a sinner gave all three, with tears and ointment. Jesus answered Simon’s silent judgment with a parable about two debtors. One owed 500 pence and the other 50. A penny, or denarius, was about a day’s pay for a laborer, in Matthew 20:2. So one debt was well over a year of work.

Here’s a doctrinal note worth making. In the parable, the debtor loves because he was forgiven, not to earn forgiveness. Her love was the evidence of a forgiven heart. Jesus told her it was her faith that saved her, in Luke 7:50. Simon’s problem wasn’t that he had fewer sins. He didn’t think he needed much forgiving. Elder Ulisses Soares taught from this very account in “The Savior’s Abiding Compassion,” from October 2021.

For 16–18-year-olds, be honest. Not every prayer for healing is answered with a physical cure. The Lord has promised healing to those with faith to be healed who are “not appointed unto death,” in D&C 42:48. He also carries our pains and sicknesses so He knows how to help us, in Alma 7:11–12. Many of your youth have prayed for a grandparent or friend who wasn’t healed. Give room for that. Matthew 8:19–22 also fits this age. Jesus invites would-be followers to put Him ahead of everything. That’s the exact decision many of them face with missions, college plans and the temple.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Luke 7:36–50 and Mark 4:35–41. Open with the Two Debts poll. Walk through Jade’s case from the screen with its questions and verses. Read Luke 7:47 together. Keep two discussion questions and end quietly with Luke 7:50.

What to bring2 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Read Luke 7:36–50 slowly. Notice every contrast Jesus draws between Simon and the woman in verses 44–46.
  2. Read Mark 4:35–41. Then read Jade’s case in the story scenes once, so you can tell it naturally.
  3. Think of a time the Savior calmed a storm for you, or forgave you when you felt undeserving. If there’s time, read Elder Ulisses Soares’s talk “The Savior’s Abiding Compassion.”

If your class is wild

  • Jade and Ben are made up. Say so up front, so nobody wonders if the case is about someone in your ward.
  • Let the class be honest about what people think when someone like Jade walks in. Honesty first. Then Luke 7 does the work.
  • Simon wasn’t a villain, and neither is Ben. He was a respected church guy who invited Jesus over. He just didn’t think he needed much.
  • Some youth are carrying a real storm, like a sick parent, a breakup or anxiety. Never ask anyone to name theirs out loud.
  • Let youth lead. Youth read the verses in the case, a discussion leader asks the questions, and someone says the closing prayer.

The 25-minute plan23 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

The Two Debts

3 min

A quick gut-check poll sets up the exact question Jesus asked Simon, before anyone knows it’s from the scriptures.

  1. SAY“Two people owe the same lender. One owes five hundred days of wages. The other owes fifty. Neither can pay. So the lender cancels both debts.”
  2. Ask, “Who is more grateful?” Hands up for the five-hundred person, then for the fifty person.
  3. Ask, “What if the fifty person doesn’t think they owe anything at all?” Let them talk for about thirty seconds.
  4. SAY“Jesus asked this exact question at a dinner party. Hold that thought. First, a case from youth night.”

Class screen: 💰 Two debts cancelled. Who is more grateful? · Debt A: 500 days of wages · Debt B: 50 days of wages · Both forgiven

2. Story

Case Study: Youth Night

8 min

A realistic situation, worked through with Luke 7 and Mark 4, shows how easily good people size others up, and how the Savior sees them.

  1. SAY“Jade and Ben are made up, but you’ve seen this. Let’s work through it with Luke 7 and Mark 4.”
  2. Tell each scene from the screen. Youth read the verses each scene names from their own scriptures.
  3. Ask each scene’s question and let them disagree. Your only rule is “give a reason from the verses.”
  4. After the last scene, say, “Simon wasn’t a villain. He just didn’t think he needed much from Jesus. Neither did Ben, at first.”
🌪️ If the class gets harsh about Jade, ask, “Would you want someone to size you up by your worst week?”

Class screen: 🗂️ Case study: a new face at youth night · Luke 7:36–50 · Mark 4:35–41

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures: the youth’s own Gospel Library app, or a printed Bible for each pair

  1. SAY“Jade and Ben are made up, but you’ve seen this. Let’s work through it with Luke 7 and Mark 4.”
  2. Tell each scene from the screen. Read the verses it names from your own scriptures.
  3. Ask each scene’s question and let them disagree. Your only rule is “give a reason from the verses.”
  4. After the last scene, say, “Simon wasn’t a villain. He just didn’t think he needed much from Jesus.”
3. Scripture

She Loved Much

4 min

Youth learn Luke 7:47 and see that her love was the evidence of a forgiven heart, not the price of it.

  1. SAY“Here’s what Jesus said about her, right in front of Simon.”
  2. Read Luke 7:47 together with the memory hooks. Say it twice.
  3. Ask, “Did she love to earn forgiveness, or because she was forgiven?” Because she was. And Luke 7:50 says her faith saved her.
  4. SAY“Jesus came for people who know they need Him. That’s all of us. Including Simon. And including Ben.”

Class screen: ❤️ Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much · Luke 7:47

4. Talk it over

Real Talk

5 min

Honest questions connect Simon’s dinner and the storm to school, church and the decisions youth are making now.

  1. SAY“Let’s leave Jade and Ben, and talk about us.”
  2. Pick two or three questions. Ask one at a time and let silence work.
  3. Before the question about how our class should feel, read Elder Ulisses Soares’s sentence from the conference quote.
  4. Share one honest answer yourself.
💬 Ask the class
  • Simon was religious. He was polite. He was hosting Jesus. And he still missed Him. How can someone do the “right” church things and still miss the Savior?
  • Jesus said the one forgiven much loves much. Does that mean you have to mess up a lot to love Him?
  • Mark 2:17 says Jesus came for the sick. What should our class, seminary or group chat feel like to someone who’s struggling?
  • In Matthew 8:19–22, Jesus asks people to put Him ahead of even good things. What might you need to put second as you get ready for a mission, college or the temple?
  • The disciples asked, “Carest thou not that we perish?” Think of a time you felt that way. What helped you?

Class screen: 💬 Real talk

5. Testimony

Go in Peace

3 min

Ending with Luke 7:50 invites each youth to bring their own sins and storms to the Savior.

  1. SAY“Think of one thing you would bring to Him at that dinner. Something to be forgiven, or a storm. Don’t say it. Just hold it.”
  2. Give them twenty seconds.
  3. Share a short time the Savior forgave you or calmed a storm. Testify that He doesn’t size us up. He says, “Go in peace.”
  4. Introduce the Seest Thou This Person? challenge. Ask a youth to pray.

Class screen: 🕊️ “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” · Luke 7:50

6. Wiggle break

Four Corners: Who Do You Get?

2 minBONUS

A bonus move-to-a-corner moment lets youth connect with a person in this week’s chapters without having to explain themselves.

  1. SAY“Everyone stand. Whose feelings do you understand best right now? Simon, the woman, the dinner guests, or the disciples in the storm? Go to that corner.”
  2. Ask one volunteer per corner, only if they want, “What’s one thing that person got right, or got wrong?”
  3. SAY“Jesus had something for every one of them. Including the guy who judged.”

Class screen: 🧭 Which person do you understand best right now? · Simon · The Woman · The Guests · The Disciples in the storm

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

4 minBONUS

A bonus team quiz reviews Luke 7, Mark 2–4, and Matthew 8.

  1. SAY“Two teams. Ten seconds to agree on each answer.”
  2. Tap Scripture Showdown. Give a bonus point if a team can name the chapter.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown: Matthew 8; Mark 2–4; Luke 7

Case study

Jade’s Case: Seest Thou This Person?

Luke 7:36–50; Mark 4:35–41 ↗

Scenes

  1. 🎳 A new face at youth night

    Wednesday youth night. Jade walks in. Everyone at school knows her reputation. Parties. Vaping. A rumor or two. A friend invited her, and she came. She sits alone by the door.

    🙌 Ask, “Be honest. What goes through people’s heads when someone like Jade walks in?”

  2. 🧐💭 Ben’s quiet thoughts

    Ben is a priest. He’s polite. He never misses seminary. He’d never say anything rude. But in his head, he’s thinking, does the bishop know who she is? Why is she even here?

    🙌 A youth reads Luke 7:39. Ask, “Simon never said it out loud either. Why does Jesus answer his thoughts?”

  3. 🍽️🏺 Meanwhile, at Simon’s dinner

    At a Pharisee’s formal dinner, a woman walked in uninvited. The whole city called her a sinner. She stood at Jesus’s feet, weeping. She washed His feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair. And she anointed them.

    🙌 A youth reads Luke 7:37–38. Ask, “Who at youth night is like Simon, and who is like the woman?”

  4. 💰💰 Two debtors, one question

    Jesus told Simon a story. One man owed five hundred pence. Another owed fifty. Neither could pay, and both were forgiven. Which one will love more? Simon’s problem wasn’t fewer sins. He just didn’t think he needed much forgiving.

    🙌 A youth reads Luke 7:41–43. Ask, “What was Simon really missing?”

  5. 👀 “Seest thou this woman?”

    Jesus turned toward her, and made Simon look. You gave me no water. No kiss. No oil. She gave all three. Her sins, which are many, are forgiven. Then He said to her, thy faith hath saved thee. Go in peace.

    🙌 Read Luke 7:44–47. Ask, “What would it look like for Ben to really see Jade?”

  6. 🌧️🚣 Jade’s storm

    Two weeks later, Jade tells Ben’s sister she almost didn’t come back. Her mom is in the hospital. It feels like nobody cares. Not even God. In Mark 4, the disciples in a sinking boat asked the same thing. Master, carest thou not that we perish?

    🙌 A youth reads Mark 4:37–39. Ask, “What did Jesus do with their question?” Then ask, “What would help Jade?”

  7. 🤝 Ben’s choice

    Ben sees three options. One, stay polite from a distance. Two, text Jade, offer her a ride on Wednesdays, and ask about her mom. Three, decide it’s the leaders’ job.

    🙌 Vote with fingers: 1, 2 or 3. Then a youth reads Mark 2:17. Ask, “Now what would you pick?”

Key verse

Luke 7:47 ↗
“Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”
In plain words: Her many sins are forgiven, and her great love shows it. Someone who thinks they need only a little forgiveness ends up loving only a little.
🙌 Memory hooks: “Her sins, which are many” = hands spread wide · “are forgiven” = sweep hands clean · “for she loved much” = hand on heart · “to whom little is forgiven” = pinch fingers small · “the same loveth little” = small, shrugging heart.

More verses

Mark 2:17 ↗
“They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
In plain words: Healthy people don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. Jesus came for people who know they need Him.
Mark 4:40–41 ↗
“Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? … What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
In plain words: Jesus asked why they were so afraid. They asked each other who this could be, if even the storm obeys Him.
Luke 7:50 ↗
“Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”
In plain words: Your faith in Jesus has saved you. Go in peace.
Matthew 8:20 ↗
“The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”
In plain words: Following Jesus isn’t the comfortable option. Even He had no place of His own to sleep.

Forehead Guess words16 words

  • 🧐 Simon the Pharisee
  • 🏺 Alabaster box
  • 💰 Two debtors
  • 😢 Tears
  • 🪖 Centurion
  • ⚰️ Widow of Nain
  • 🏠 Roof
  • 🛏️ Palsy
  • 🩺 Physician
  • 🙏 Leper
  • 🌊 Storm
  • 🤫 Peace, be still
  • 💤 Pillow
  • ✋ Withered hand
  • 🦊 Foxes
  • 🕊️ Forgiven
Clues for each word
  • Simon the Pharisee: Hosted Jesus for dinner but judged silently
  • Alabaster box: Held the ointment she poured on His feet
  • Two debtors: One owed 500 pence, one owed 50
  • Tears: What she washed His feet with
  • Centurion: Roman soldier: “Speak the word only”
  • Widow of Nain: Her only son was raised at his funeral
  • Roof: Four friends broke through it
  • Palsy: The man on the bed couldn’t move
  • Physician: The sick need one, the whole don’t
  • Leper: “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean”
  • Storm: Filled the ship while Jesus slept
  • Peace, be still: What He said to the sea
  • Pillow: Jesus was asleep on one in the ship
  • Withered hand: Healed on the Sabbath in Mark 3
  • Foxes: They have holes; the Son of man had no place
  • Forgiven: What He told the woman her sins were
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown9 questions

  1. What did Simon fail to give Jesus when He arrived?
    • A. Bread and wine
    • B. Water, a kiss, and oil
    • C. A seat at the table
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Water, a kiss, and oil Luke 7:44–46. The woman gave all three, with tears and ointment.

  2. In the parable, how much did the two debtors owe?
    • A. 500 and 50 pence
    • B. 100 and 10 talents
    • C. 1,000 and 1 pence
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 500 and 50 pence Luke 7:41. A penny was about a day’s wages (Matthew 20:2).

  3. Simon said something rude about the woman. Where?
    • A. Out loud to the guests
    • B. In a letter
    • C. Only in his thoughts
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Only in his thoughts Luke 7:39: he “spake within himself.” Jesus answered anyway.

  4. What did Jesus say saved the woman?
    • A. Her ointment
    • B. Her faith
    • C. Her tears
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Her faith Luke 7:50: “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”

  5. In Mark 2, what did Jesus do before healing the man on the bed?
    • A. Forgave his sins
    • B. Asked for his name
    • C. Sent the crowd away
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Forgave his sins Mark 2:5, 10–11. The healing showed He had power to forgive.

  6. Who said, “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed”?
    • A. Jairus
    • B. A centurion
    • C. Peter
    Show answer

    ✅ B. A centurion Matthew 8:8. Jesus marveled at his faith.

  7. The disciples woke Jesus in the storm asking…
    • A. “Where is the shore?”
    • B. “Can you swim?”
    • C. “Carest thou not that we perish?”
    Show answer

    ✅ C. “Carest thou not that we perish?” Mark 4:38. Then He calmed the sea and asked about their faith.

  8. Who did Jesus say He came to call?
    • A. Sinners to repentance
    • B. Only the righteous
    • C. Only the rich
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Sinners to repentance Mark 2:17. The sick are the ones who need a physician.

  9. Where did Jesus raise a widow’s only son?
    • A. Capernaum
    • B. Bethany
    • C. Nain
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Nain Luke 7:11–15. He stopped the funeral and told the young man to arise.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“Even knowing all our weaknesses as He does, the Savior does not rashly condemn us but continues to work with us compassionately over time, helping us to remove the beam from our eye.”

— Elder Ulisses Soares, “The Savior’s Abiding Compassion,” October 2021

Read in Real Talk, before the question about what our class should feel like to someone who is struggling.

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • Master, the Tempest Is Raging Hymns, no. 105

    Written about the storm in Mark 4. See the extra idea for matching its lines to the verses. Find it ↗

  • I Need Thee Every Hour Hymns, no. 98

    A quiet opener for a lesson about knowing how much we need the Savior. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Seest Thou This Person?

This week, notice one person others size up or overlook. It could be at school, at work, online or at church. Treat them the way Jesus treated the woman at Simon’s table. Then, during the sacrament next Sunday, bring Him one specific thing you need forgiven or calmed.

Text the parents

This week we worked through a modern case alongside Luke 7:36–50. A woman everyone judged washed Jesus’s feet with her tears. His host, Simon, quietly judged them both. We also read about the storm in Mark 4. Ask your teen what Simon was missing. When have they wanted to ask, like the disciples in the storm, “Carest thou not?”

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🎵 Hymn Match: Master, the Tempest Is Raging · 4 min

  1. Open hymn 105 in Hymns or Gospel Library next to Mark 4:35–41.
  2. In pairs, match each verse of the hymn to a verse in Mark 4. Which lines echo “carest thou not”? Which echo “Peace, be still”?
  3. Sing or read the hymn together. Ask, “Which line would you want to hear in your own storm?”

🏠 Four Friends and a Roof · 4 min

  1. Read Mark 2:1–5. Jesus saw “their faith,” the friends’ faith, not only the man’s.
  2. Ask, “Who has carried you to the Savior when you couldn’t get there yourself?”
  3. Challenge each youth to think of one friend they could “carry” this week. Try a ride to an activity, a text or an invitation.

🥇 Put Him First · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 8:19–22 and Luke 9:57–62.
  2. Ask, “Each man had a good reason to wait. Why would Jesus answer so strongly?”
  3. Have each youth privately write one good thing they may need to put second to follow Him this year.

🌊 Four Questions in a Storm · 5 min

  1. Pairs open Mark 4:35–41. They get about 90 seconds to find all four questions.
  2. Collect them. Verse 38: “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” Verse 40: “Why are ye so fearful?”
  3. Verse 40 again: “How is it that ye have no faith?” Verse 41: “What manner of man is this?”
  4. Ask, “Two came from the disciples, and two from Jesus. What does each pair tell you?”

🔎 Clue Race: The Healer · 4 min

  1. Make two teams. Read a clue. The first team to find the verse and read it aloud scores.
  2. Clues: a leper asking if Jesus was willing, in Matthew 8:2. A soldier saying “Speak the word only,” in 8:8. Four friends and a roof, in Mark 2:4.
  3. More clues: a withered hand, in Mark 3:5. A widow’s son, in Luke 7:15.
  4. After each point, ask, “Body, heart or both? What did this person need most?”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

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