Sunday, May 1st, 2016
What is a parable? A parable is a fictitious or made up story designed to teach a lesson through comparison. When you hear the story, you can relate it to your own life. It is like an illustration for the points in a sermon. It conveys its message of truth through analogy, through comparison or contrast.
Parables are told so that only those who really care will come to know the truth. Not so much because they understand the parable, but because they care enough to ask what it means after the story is finished and hang around long enough to have it explained to them. The others don’t really care and leave. Remember, the disciples didn’t understand the parables, but they asked what Jesus meant after the crowds left. They had a soft and open heart. Understanding is an issue of the heart. Those who have a hard heart, also have closed eyes and closed ears and they don’t understand. Another purpose for parables was to reveal truths about the kingdom of God. (Content taken from Bible.org)
As you read and study together, make sure to work hard at hearing from everyone that has gathered together. Pray for one another and be accountable to applying the word of God to your lives.
Questions for this week:
- How does Jesus use this parable to explain how we are intended to be stewards of God’s resources and now squanderers?
- Despite his flaws, the manager is praised for being “shrewd” which can be translated as prudent or wise. How are you being shrewd with your resources?
- How had the nation of Israel squandered God’s resources He entrusted to them?
- In what way are you being called to be faithful with a little, so that one day you can be faithful with more?
- What does it look like to try to be faithful to two masters? Which two masters are you trying to serve?