Parables #5-7
Parable #5–7
Parable #5Luke 7:41-47 The Moneylender
41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver[a] to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, cancelling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he cancelled 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.”
Luke 7:41-47The Moneylender
1. What options did the moneylender have with people who owed him money?
2. Jesus’ parable about the moneylender seems an odd response to the Phariseewho was thinking that it was strange that Jesus allowed a sinful woman to touchhim.
What was Jesus actually saying to Simon? (a) you can’t know grace because you don’t think of yourself as a sinner, (b) you are a bigger sinner than the woman but you don’t know it, (c) you may have sinned less than the woman, but you still need forgiveness, (d) the more you’ve sinned, the more your love for God, (e) the more you’ve been forgiven, the more your love for God.3. Who do you identify with in the parable (moneylender, small debtor, largedebtor)?4. Parables make you think, but usually have a straightforward lesson. What is the fundamental lesson of this parable?Parable #5The Moneylender
The message of this parable to Simon seems to be Jesus’ words in verse 47:
“Her sins, which are many, have been forgiven; but he who is forgiven little, loveslittle.” Simon was in the position of having been forgiven little, and the messagethat he also loved little must have been sobering to him.
Nolland writes, “… it ispossible that the parable was composed to confront the unforgiving Pharisee withGod’s readiness to forgive without limits, now being brought to effectiveexpression in the ministry of Jesus.” In the context of the narrative, the woman’slavish actions are the result of her great debt that has been forgiven; in contrast,Simon’s penny-pinching actions stem from his failure to realize that he needs to be forgiven.
To Luke’s original readers, the parable and the narrative clearly interpretedeach other.
It would have been very easy for them to identify the sinful woman ofthe story as the debtor forgiven much in the parable.
They would also compareSimon the Pharisee with the debtor forgiven little.
The next step for the original reader would be to see the incrediblegraciousness, mercy, and forgiveness of God, like the creditor who forgave bothdebtors.
Thus, the theme of the parable is one of God’s forgiveness and grace.
To apply this parable to our lives, we also must see the incredible forgivenessof God.
For some, seeing God’s mercy is easy because their past is like that of thesinful woman or the debtor with the large debt.
They know their past made themunworthy to be in relationship with God; and yet out of His great love, they havebeen welcomed into His presence. Out of incredible gratitude and love, theyrespond lavishly, honoring Jesus in every imaginable way.
However, some of us have “grown up in the church.”We are much more likeSimon the Pharisee, who was compared to the debtor with the smaller debt. LikeSimon, we too have difficulty seeing that we need forgiveness.
Also, like Simon,we fail to honor Jesus. He is simply not a “guest of honor” in our lives.
We struggle to realize that our “little debt” is still beyond our ability to pay,which puts us on equal ground with those with “big debts.” We stand in need of aSavior, who is willing to forgive, if only we will accept His grace. Then, we canrespond to Jesus in love, out of gratitude for what He has done in our lives.
Parable #6Luke 8:16-39The Lamp on a Stand(2nd Time)
16 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. 17 For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
Parable #6The Lamp on a Stand (2nd Time)
1. In Jesus’ story about the lamp, what does the lamp stand for?
2. Have you ever tried to hide your Christian identity or beliefs from other people?
3. What sorts of things would God have you bring “out into the open?” (Vs 17)
4. In light of Verses 16-17, what is the meaning of Verse 18?
18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
Parable #7
Luke 12:13-21The Rich Fool
13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”
14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” 16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Parable #7
1. What signs of greed can show up in a person’s life?
2. With what parts of the parable can you identify? What parts of the parable makeyou uncomfortable? (12:16-20)
3. In Ecclesiastes 8:15, Solomon says,letread from the verse before In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!“15 So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.”
Is the Bible giving us conflicting advice?
4. Does this parable say you should not plan for retirement or that you should notsave money or valuables?
5. Why is it difficult for us to accept the fact that our life and things aretemporary?
What step can you take this week to become less dependent upon yourpossessions?
“What is the meaning of the Parable of the Rich Fool?”The key to understanding this parable is in verse 15 (and later summarized in verse 21).v 15 says, “15 Then he said,“Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”Jesus says this to the man who asked Him to mediate between him and his brother. In ancient times, the firstborn was guaranteed a double portion of the family inheritance. More than likely, the brother who was addressing Jesus was not the firstborn and was asking for an equal share of the inheritance. Jesus refuses to arbitrate their dispute and gets to the heart of the matter: Covetousness or Greed! Jesus warns this person, and all within earshot, that our lives are not to be about gathering wealth. Life is so much more than the “abundance of possessions.”Jesus then proceeds to tell the man the Parable of the Rich Fool. This person was materially blessed by God; his land “produced plentifully” (verse 16). As God continued to bless the man, instead of using his money to further the will of God, all he was interested in was managing his money and accumulating his growing wealth. So the man builds larger barns in place of the existing ones and starts planning an early retirement. Little did he know that, this was his last night on planet earth. Jesus then closes the story by saying, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
So the point of the Parable of the Rich Fool is twofold. First, we are not to devote our lives to the gathering and accumulation of wealth. There is an interesting point made in the parable. God says to the man in the story, “Then who will get everything you worked for?’” This echoes the thought expressed inEcclesiastes 2:1818 I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned.You see it all the time in people who are singularly devoted to the accumulation of wealth. What happens to all that wealth when they die? It gets left behind to others who didn’t earn it and won’t appreciate it. Furthermore, if money is your master, that means God is not Matthew 6:2424 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.The second point of the Parable of the Rich Fool is the fact that we are not blessed by God to hoard our wealth to ourselves. We are blessed to be a blessing in the lives of others, and we are blessed to build the kingdom of God.The Bible says if our riches increase, we are not to set our hearts upon them Psalm 62:1010 Don’t make your living by extortion (crime of obtaining something such as money or information from somebody by using force, threats, or other unacceptable methods) or put your hope in stealing.And if your wealth increases,don’t make it the center of your life.The Bible also says there is one who gives freely and grows all the richer Proverbs 11:2424 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.Finally, the Bible says we are to honor God with the first fruits of our increase Proverbs 3:9–109 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.The point is clear; if we honor God with what He has given us, He will bless with more so that we can honor Him with more. 2 Corinthians 9:6–15summarizes this appropriately.6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[a] 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”[]10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity[c] in you.11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem[d] will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift[e] too wonderful for words!
In that passage Paul says, “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that having all contentment in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” We are blessed by God, so we can in turn “abound in every good work” and be a blessing in the lives of others. So, if God has blessed you with material wealth “set not your heart on it” and “be rich toward God.” That is the message of the Parable of the Rich Fool.