Look back over the last twelve lessons we have studied. We have examined individual parables that have to do with different aspects of becoming a Christian and living a Christian life. In this lesson, we will review several of these illustrations showing Christ’s plan for our salvation and the ways we can be a fruit-bearing Christian.
QUESTIONS
- God’s love for lost mankind was beautifully proved when He gave His only Son for our salvation. His concern for the sinner is illustrated by the parable of the lost sheep. To what length will the Lord go to restore one who has gone astray? See Luke 15:4.
- What was the turning point in the life of the prodigal son (Luke 15:17)? Compare this to the first step a sinner must take in turning to the Lord.
- When we truly realize our need for salvation, the next step should be to seek for the forgiveness promised by God. Define forgiveness, and then explain the direct relationship between one’s love for the Lord, and the amount of forgiveness that one has received. See Luke 7:47.
- People who hear the Word of God, both before and after they are saved, seem to respond in different ways. How do the different types of soil spoken of in the parable of the sower relate to the response of a human heart (Luke 8:4-15)? In what way is the word “receptivity” a key to the explanation of this parable?
- If we have received the Word of God in our hearts, there will be outward evidences of this. Explain the importance of bearing fruit, and list several kinds of spiritual fruit that the Lord is looking for in our lives.
- God calls all Christians to serve Him, and willingness to work for Him is a part of the spiritual fruit He desires to see in our lives. What will be the final outcome of the people who persistently excuse themselves from the service of the Lord?
- Prayer is a vital aspect of keeping close to the Lord in our daily lives. Praying in faith and believing are important, but Luke 11:8-9 brings out another key element in receiving an answer to one’s prayers. What is it and why is it important?
- The most important focus of our Christian life is anticipation of the Lord’s return to earth, and making sure we are ready for this event. Using the words “uncertainty” and “certainty” as a basis, explain why it is so important to be ready and watching for Christ’s second coming. See Luke 12:39-40.
THEME THOUGHTS
Jesus, the greatest of all teachers, often chose to instruct His followers by means of parables—making a comparison between earthly things with which people are familiar, and spiritual things with which they are not so familiar. The Scriptures teach that there is a striking analogy between the natural and the spiritual. Therefore, Christ’s parables were not riddles; they were intended to reveal truth to those who love Him. He told His disciples that it was given unto them to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. But to those who loved darkness rather than light, the meanings of the parables were hidden. Matthew 13:10-15The parables recorded in the Gospel of Luke are remarkable for their simplicity. Jesus sought to put the truth in a form that would bring it within the grasp of man’s finite mind. And we read that “the common people heard him gladly.”In this quarter we will focus on eleven of the parables given by Jesus as recorded by Luke, a writer who emphasized Christ’s sympathetic attitude toward the poor, the lowly, and the outcast. The objective for each lesson indicates the point the parable makes relative to our lives today. The Christmas lesson features the account of Christ’s birth as given by Luke. The final lesson of this quarter will be an overview or summary of the material covered during the preceding weeks. May God bless you as we study these lessons together.