Uniquely Luke Study 5 Parables to Disciples.
The Moneylender Lk 7:41-43 The Good Samaritan 10:30-37 The Friend in Need 11:5-8 The Rich Fool 12:16-21 The Unfruitful Fig Tree 13:6-9 The Lowest Seat at the Banquet 14:7-11 Who to Invite 14:12-14 The Great Supper 14:16-24 The Cost of Discipleship 14:26-33 The Lost Coin 15:8-10 The Prodigal Son 15:11-32 The Shrewd Manager 16:1-13 The Rich Man and Lazarus 16:19-31 The Master and Servant 17:7-10 The Persistent Widow 18:2-8 The Pharisee and the Publican 18:9-14 Addressed to: Pharisees Crowds Disciples
The Friend in Need 11:5-8...one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray... 5 And He said to them... 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
What Should We Be Persistent About? 9 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! Pray for spiritual things of abiding value and the Father will grant them.
The Persistent Widow 18:2-8 Luke 17:22 Then He said to the disciples... Luke 18 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart...
The context of the parable is in Luke 17. 20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come 22 Then He said to the disciples, The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. Therefore the context for this parable is: 1. The Kingdom of God 2. The departure of Jesus. The background of the parable is the idea of a time of waiting, of apparent delay, which would be perplexing to men of faith in every age. The conditions of the world would be conducive to disappointment and despair, when disciples might lose hope in his coming again. John Carter, Parables of the Messiah.
The Conclusion of the parable. 6 Then the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? Not immediate but swift and decisive at the appointed time A challenging thought to people of faith.
What Should We Be Persistent About? 1. That we don t faint. 2. That the faith remains on the earth. 3. That Christ comes again in his glory. 4. That the Kingdom is established.
The Shrewd Manager 16:1-1313 Lk 16 He also said to His disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward
9 And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man s, who will give you what is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Contradictory. The steward s behaviour is in no way praiseworthy and flatly condemned in verses 10-13
9 And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. Bro J. Carter, Parables of the Messiah...money must be so used that friends are gained, that in this way a man may secure a future which is known to children of light. Bro H. Whittaker, Studies in the Gospels. The preposition ek (by) can be variously translated, including away from and apart from....the entire parable becomes a warning against allowing worldly unscrupulousness to mar sound ministration of the holy law of God
There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 5 So he called every one of his master s debtors to him, and said to the first, How much do you owe my master? 6 And he said, A hundred measuresof oil. So he said to him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty. 7 Then he said to another, And how much do you owe? So he said, A hundred measuresof wheat. And he said to him, Take your bill, and write eighty. 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. God The religious leaders of Israel The unscrupulous means used to achieve social standing e.g. The Corban Law. Is this now a new master, Mammon? 13 No servant can serve two masters; You cannot serve God and mammon.
The reaction of the Pharisees 14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. The parable is therefore about faithful stewardship. Stewards who have been entrusted with their master s goods must use them faithfully. The parable stands as a warning to those who now lead an ecclesia of Christ Bro H. Whittaker Studies in the Gospel p494
The Master and Servant 17:7-1010 Luke 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith.
7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, Come at once and sit down to eat? 8 But will he not rather say to him, Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do. A parable deeply rooted in the master/slave society the typical Jew devoted to the service of the Law of Moses H.W. p501 a disciple moving from... works to that of grace [and]... imitation of Christ Such service is the least he can do No man in Christ must ever allow himself to think that the blessings open to him are earned through his own dedicated efforts
We have moved into the house of blessing, but as a faithful servant, not a master. We exist there as stewards, called to faithful ministration and care of the things entrusted to us. We pray persistently that we may continue to do our duty and be faithfully waiting when the master of the house returns. We pray persistently that his holy spirit grows and develops in us and becomes the driving force of our lives. We realise that it is our response to our master that is the critical factor in gaining his commendation.
The Rich Fool 12:16-2121 13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. 20 But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.