1.  Have you ever seen a prostitute?  What are some of your thoughts when you see him/her?  Can you describe what she/he looked like?  What do you think let him/her to such a profession?  What do you imagine Simon to look like?  How do you think he behaved?  How did he carry himself?  If the woman or Simon walked through the church doors, who would you be drawn to more?  Please explain.

2.  Simon had his own standard of righteousness.  In what ways do you also have such a standard?

3.  Do you love Jesus with everything that you have or do you love Him, like Simon, only to a point?  What are you keeping from Christ in your life?  What are off limits to Christ?

4.  How does knowing that your debt and the woman’s debt is no different in its consequences affect your love and concern and care for others?

5.  What does the woman have that Simon does not have in her response?  What keeps Simon from responding the same way?  What keeps you from responding in the same way?  Do you want even such a response to sin?  What keeps you even WANTING this response?

6.  Does sin make you grieve over it?  Have you ever mourned over your sin?  Please share a time where this has taken place?

7.  R. C. Sproul writes:

We rarely take the time to think through the ramifications of our sin. We fail to realize that in even the slightest sins we commit, such as little white lies and other peccadilloes, we are violating the laws of the Creator of the universe. In the smallest sin we defy God’s right to rule and reign over His creation…Even the slightest sin does violence to His holiness, to His glory, and to His righteousness. Every sin, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is truly an act of treason against the cosmic King.

Do you see your sin in this light, as cosmic treason against the King?  If not, why not?

8.  This woman gave up everything to Christ.  If you are a Christian, remember when you came to trust in Him?  Did you give up everything to Christ and make Him your Lord?  If yes, is there anything that you have taken back from Him?  What keeps you from releasing everything to Christ?  What do you think giving everything will look like for you?  Ask your HG to pray for you so that you will persevere in your desire to relinquish all.

9.  How does knowing the Gospel all us to love much?  What is the Gospel that would allow us to do so?

10.  Ken Sande writes:

Forgiveness can be a costly activity. When you cancel a debt, it does not just simply disappear. Instead, you absorb a liability that someone else deserves to pay. Similarly, forgiveness requires that you absorb certain effects of another person’s sins and you release that person from liability to punishment. This is precisely what Christ accomplished on Calvary.

How and why is forgiveness costly?  Is there anyone in your life that you need to forgive?  What is keeping you from doing so?  What are the consequences for a lack of forgiveness?