Week 6, July 15-21:  Parables and Crisis Assistance

Before we get started: Some things to keep in mind:  Purpose of Parables

• What is a parable? A parable is a fictitious or made up story designed to teach a lesson through comparison. It conveys its message of truth through analogy, through comparison or contrast.
• Parables convey a truth in a form easy to remember – a story with a plot.
• Parables cause one to question and relate the underlying truth to real life.  When you hear the story, you can relate it to your own life or question its application to your real life.
•  Parables are an invitation to think more deeply and discover truth for yourself.  This is important part of Jesus’ personality we can see in his teaching ministry.  He didn’t want to just tell people what to do – ‘law like.”  He wanted people to think and reason freely for themselves, not just blindly obey.  Jesus makes this very clear in Verse 8:10 “though seeing, they may not see; through hearing, they may not understand.”  Understanding and discovery of truth is a matter of choice.  We have to be open to see, to understand, to hear.  We can close our eyes and hears to truth if we choose to do so; we can just accept the “spin” of our culture’s bias without thinking for ourselves if we choose.  But a disciple of Jesus is one who is curious – who is a seeker – who questions the meaning -- who wants to discover the truth.

Scriptural Encounter and Discussion Week 6

Let’s Get Started:  Read our selection of the Week Luke 8-9:6

Observation Level

(First step in Bible study is to start by observing what is actually there before you start trying to interpret or apply)

8:1-3  Women Disciples mentioned	8:26-39  Jesus Heals the Demon Possessed Man at Gerasene
8:4-18  The Parable of the Sower Teaching	8:40-46  Jesus Heals the Roman Generals Daughter and a Women Touches Jesus for Healing on the way.
8: 19-21  Jesus’ True Family Teaching	9:1-6  Jesus sends the twelve Disciples out to do and say the same things he was doing and saying.
8:22-25  Jesus Calms the Storm

Imaginative Level

(Use your imagination and memory to dialogue with the text)

Reread the Parable of the Sower, 8:4-18.  Imagine hearing the story – what does each of the aspects of the story symbolize in your life.  What are the hard soil, the rocky soil, thorny soil and soft good soil that is part of your personality or life? What power does applying these 4 soil symbols to aspects of your heart/life have for you?   

Interpretive Level

Jesus says that the seeds represent the word of God – the truth of God is another way to say the same thing.  Paul says that human beings have a curious trait; we can hear the truth and forget it as soon as we turn around.  He said that it was like looking in the mirror and then forgetting what we look at as soon as we turn around. 

Where have you seen this phenomena happening in our world today?  Where have you seen it in yourself?

What interferes with people receiving the truth God offers? 

Maieutic Level

(Maieutic means making meaning or connections with reality.  It’s about discerning wisdom)

This phenomena or characteristics about people that Jesus is pointing to in this parable – the four different things we typically do with truth – Is this true?

In what ways can we increase our openness to God’s Word?

Week Five Summary of possible questions for discussion or reply:

1. What power does applying these 4 soil symbols to aspects of your heart/life have for you? Where have you seen this phenomena happening in our world today?  Where have you seen it in yourself?
2. What interferes with people receiving the truth God offers? 
3. This phenomena or characteristics about people that Jesus is pointing to in this parable – the four different things we typically do with truth – Is this true?
4. In what ways can we increase our openness to God’s Word?
5.  Share your life:  In what ways has God’s Word changed your life?

Week 5, June 30 - July 6 What a Jesus Disciple Looks Like

Before we get started: Some things to keep in mind: 

• The section of Scripture this week is right after a series of conflicts with the Pharisee who have judged Jesus’ spirituality as lacking – who have even said he had committed a religious crime worthy of the death penalty.  These teachings on the differences of His disciples are in response to being judged by these religious leaders.  When Jesus says in verse 6:26, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.”  Be clear he was calling these people coming against Him, “false prophets.” A False prophet charge was also punishable by stoning. 
• This section of Luke’s presentation he uses the literary device of contrast with the previous section and irony in the sections of the “Blessings and Woes,” the fruit inspection, foolish builders, and the children’s rhyme.    
• The literary or rhetorical devise of contrast strategy is aimed at showing the flaws or fallacy of the other’s position and the superior position of the speaker.
• Irony as a rhetorical strategy seeks to emphasize the contrast between the way things are expected to be and the way things “really are” – reality. Studies have shown that when irony is used and understood, a person’s automatic psycho-physical response is “thoughtful or embarrassed” laughter.  
• So when you read this section of teachings on what a really Jesus follower looks like, the tone of Jesus is angry and confrontational.  Jesus is not being “nice, gentle or mild” mannered here. He is taking a direct verbal shot at the wrong thinking of the Pharisees who have just judged him and the ordinary people of Jesus’ day knew this and they most likely tried to choke back a giggle. 

Scriptural Encounter and Discussion – Week Five Luke6:12-7:35 

Let’s Get Started:  Read our selection of the Week Luke 6:12-7:35 

Observation Level

(First step in Bible study is to start by observing what is actually there before you start trying to interpret or apply)

6:12-16  Jesus choose a diverse group to be His disciples.   What do you know about these guys?	6:43-49  Fruit Inspection and Foolish Builders.  What contrast do you see here?
6:17-26  Who are blessed and who will receive God’s right judgment?	7:1-17 Jesus shows compassion on the despised and desperate. What quality of faith do you notice of these people Jesus encounters here?
6:27-36  Loving Enemies – Jesus explains how tough love is.  What do you notice here?	7:18-35  John the Baptist is given assurance.  How does Jesus address John’s doubts about Jesus?
6:37-42  Judging.  What two activities does Jesus condemn and commend here?

Imaginative Level

(Use your imagination and memory to dialogue with the text)

Imagine yourself as a tree, based on the vision of a true disciples character found in this passage, what kind of fruit are you producing? 

Interpretive Level

What harmful “religious” tendencies is Jesus pointing out in the way he responses to the Pharisees by these teachings and the actions to reinforce the teachings?

Verse 6:37 is often misinterpreted or misunderstood, thinking we are never to approach a friend about something you notice they are doing that is harmful to them or confused about how to hold each other accountability. The word “judge” here is the Greek word, “krino” which means to sentence – punishment, to put on trial.  It has an adversarial or superior-inferior relational dynamic.  Jesus uses this directive in contrast to discerning or evaluation of motives and behaviors of fruit inspectors and the consequences of building on a foundation that is not stable.  

What is the difference Jesus wants his disciples to know about between Judging – “krino” and the right basis for making evaluations of a person or behaviors?  How does his teaching on loving enemies inform this difference?

What was Jesus getting at by using the “blind guide” image?

Maieutic Level

(Maieutic means making meaning or connections with reality.  It’s about discerning wisdom)

Have you ever known someone who made it their mission or quest to “fix” you?  If so how did it feel?  Controlling? Confusing? Happy? Angry?  How does this teaching from Jesus help us understand what was the heart of the problem with such a relationship?

Have you ever had someone helped you see something about yourself that was hard or difficult to admit but didn’t have a “let me fix you” attitude but instead it helped you grow in your faith?  What was at the heart of this relationship? How was it different?

Week Five Summary of possible questions for discussion or reply:

1. What did you notice about how Jesus used these teachings to address the conflict he was having with the Pharisees?
2. What harmful “religious” tendencies is Jesus pointing out in the way he responses to the Pharisees by these teachings and the actions to reinforce the teachings?
3. What is the difference Jesus wants his disciples to know about between Judging – “krino” and the right basis for making evaluations of a person or behaviors?  How does his teaching on loving enemies inform this difference?
4. What was Jesus getting at by using the “blind guide” image?
5. Have you ever known someone who made it their mission or quest to “fix” you?  If so how did it feel?  Controlling? Confusing? Happy? Angry?  How does this teaching from Jesus help us understand what was the heart of the problem with such a relationship?
6. Have you ever had someone helped you see something about yourself that was hard or difficult to admit but didn’t have a “let me fix you” attitude but instead it helped you grow in your faith?  What was at the heart of this relationship? How was it different?