More Than a Story: Kingdom-Focused
[Matthew 13]
Contains EIGHT parables!! All of these parables speak about the kingdom of heaven.
- Parable of the Sower
- Readiness to hear and receive the Message of the kingdom of heaven.
- Three parables about growth: Weeds, Mustard Seed, Yeast/Leaven
- Parable of the Weeds – weeds among good seed, test between true disciples and others.
- Parable of the Mustard Seed – seed into large tree
- Parable of the Yeast – hidden in the flour till all leavened
- Mustard Seed & Yeast speak about small beginnings. God’s work may appear unimpressive at first but appearances are deceptive. BE PATIENT. Little equals big when God is at work.
- Three more parables: Hidden Treasure, Pearl of Great Value, Net
- Parable of the Hidden Treasure shows wholehearted response to Kingdom of heaven—no sacrifice is too large and equals joy and fulfillment
- The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value – when found sold all had and – similar to Hidden Treasure
- The Parable of the Net – fish of every kind, sorted good in containers and threw out the bad
- The Net is similar to the Weeds – sorting good & bad. The church will always be mixed until the final judgment.
- Parable of the Householder / Master of the House – speaks of new treasures (the teaching of Jesus Christ) and old truths
Readiness
- ready to hear and receive the Message (Parable of the Sower)
- ready to give Jesus first place (Parable of the Hidden Treasure, Parable of the Pearl of Great Value)
- ready for testing (Parable of the Weeds, Parable of the Net)
Faithfulness
- faith to allow God to grow you into who He made you to be for greater things (Parable of the Mustard Seed, Parable of the Yeast)
- faith to follow God’s leading and to adhere to God’s timing (Parable of the Mustard Seed, Parable of the Yeast)
- faith to speak the Truth (Parable of the householder)
Bible Study Questions:
1) Looking at the Parable of the Weeds, why did the master want to wait for the harvest time to gather the weeds? What does this mean for us?
2) Let us consider leaven. In the Parable of the Leaven, the passage says that the woman puts a little leaven in the flour and then it all was leavened. She added some leaven and all was impacted. What does this mean for us?
3) The Parable of the Leaven speaks about inner growth, while the Parable of the Mustard Seed focuses on outside growth. Do you think one is more important than the other? Do you think they are related?
4) The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value both talk about selling all that was owned for the field containing the treasure and the pearl. What is the risk in selling all you have? What might slow you down or keep you from doing this? What does this mean for us?
5) The Parable of the Net speaks about gathering fish of every kind. It also speaks about the net being full. What is the takeaway when looking at the gathering of the diverse fish? What are your thoughts on the net being full?
More Than A Story is a 12-week Sermon Series and Bible Study focused on the parables of Jesus.
Richness
Forgiveness
Persistence
Fruitfulness
Obedience
Humility
Compassion
Responsiveness
Repentance
Readiness
Faithfulness
Kingdom-Focused
More Than a Story: Repentance
[Luke 15 – The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, The Lost Son]
We are all at one time LOST and need to REPENT
We aren’t meant to do life alone
We realize that with our Pig Pod Moment and change of mind (see v. 16)
No matter the sin / sinner, all those who repent are forgiven / accepted / loved.
Once we are FOUND, what can we do as a child of God / disciple of Jesus:
- Go After – “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? (v. 4 NASB)
- To Go – poreuomai (por-yoo’-om-ahee) – travel, journey, go, moving something from one destination to another
- Seek Diligently – “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?” ( v. 8 ESV)
- Diligently – epimelós (ep-ee-mel-oce’) – carefully
- Embrace – “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” (v. 20 NLT)
- Embraced – epipiptó (ep-ee-pip’-to) – to embrace with affection, fall upon, gripped
- Rejoice – vs. 5 “rejoicing” v. 6,9 “rejoice with me”, “celebrate” v. 23-24
- Rejoice – sugchairó (soong-khah’-ee-ro) – rejoicing in God’s grace, rejoice together
- Celebrate – euphrainó (yoo-frah’-ee-no) – merry outlook, joyous, feeling sense of victory
Bible Study Questions:
1) These three parables are told together and there is a shared theme – repentance. Jesus was with a particular group of people when he told these parables. Who was He speaking to and what started the “storytelling” moment?
2) What is the takeaway from Jesus’ transition from the grumbling “religious people” to the three parables? Why is it important to spend time with those in need of repentance?
3) The 99 sheep were left so that the owner could hunt down the one lost sheep. At first, this might sound foolish. Consider what would happen if these 99 sheep in the open country would wander off. The open country would have been a pasture – abandoned wilderness used for free range shepherding. Why did the owner leave them in the open country? What does this say about the one lost sheep?
4) When looking at the Lost Coin, it differs from the other items. It didn’t move far, whereas the sheep and the son could wander away. What type of person does this remind you of? How did the woman find this lost coin? What is the lamp that we use?
5) How do we know if someone is having a Pig Pod Moment of desperation? (see v. 16) What can we do to help the lost from where God has placed us?
More Than A Story is a 12-week Sermon Series and Bible Study focused on the parables of Jesus.
Richness
Forgiveness
Persistence
Fruitfulness
Obedience
Humility
Compassion
Responsiveness
Repentance
Readiness
Faithfulness
Kingdom-Focused
More Than a Story: Humility
[Two Men Who Prayed: Luke 18:9-14]
“Be humble or you’ll stumble.” – Dwight L. Moody
- I am the least of the apostles – 1 Corinthians 15:9
- I am the very least of all the saints. – Ephesians 3:8
- I am the foremost of sinners. – 1 Timothy 1:15
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 18:14 [ESV]
Humbles Himself – Tapeinoó – humiliate, abase, bring low, humble self
Exalted – hupsoó – raise on high, lift up, set on high
“A person’s pride will humble him, but a humble spirit will gain honor.” – Proverbs 29:23 [HCSB]
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” – 1 Peter 5:6 [NIV]
We all fall short / Through Christ alone we are justified (Romans 3:23-24)
“Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.” – Job 9:20 [NASB]
You cannot fake it / God knows your heart
“And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.” – Luke 16:15 [NASB]
“I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility. I do not mean by humility, doubt of his own power, or hesitation in speaking his opinion. But really great men have a … feeling that the greatness is not in them but through them; that they could not do or be anything else than God made them.” – John Riskin
Bible Study Questions:
1) What are some of the positive attributes of the Pharisee who prayed?
2) What are some of the negative attributes of the Pharisee who prayed?
3) How would you describe the Tax Collector who prayed? What were his good points?
4) What gets in the way of your humility?
5) What are some things you can do to help you live a humble life?
6) Luke 18:14 says, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (ESV).
What does it mean to be justified?
What does it mean that everyone who exalts himself will be humbled?
What does it mean that one who humbles himself will be exalted?
More Than A Story is a 12-week Sermon Series and Bible Study focused on the parables of Jesus.
Richness
Forgiveness
Persistence
Fruitfulness
Obedience
Humility
Compassion
Responsiveness
Repentance
Readiness
Faithfulness
Kingdom-Focused
More Than a Story: Forgiveness
More Than a Story is a 12 week study of the parables of Jesus. This is the second week: FORGIVENESS.
[The Unforgiving Debtor: Matthew 18:21-35]
Unforgiveness is the POISON we drink hoping another will die
When you hold tight to an unforgiving spirit you slowly die to TRUTH and RIGHTEOUSNESS – PRISONER
Peter came and asked “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (v. 21b ESV)
He thought he was being extra generous with his forgiveness because Jewish law said to forgive a person three times.
Jesus answered “Seventy-seven times.”
“And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Matthew 18:33 ESV)
Mercy – eleeó (el-eh-eh’-o) – pity, have mercy on, show mercy, have compassion
These people begged for mercy:
- 26 says “the servant fell on his knees, imploring” the king
- 29 says “his servant fell down and pleaded with” the forgiven servant
Each of us is forgiven because of Jesus. Jesus paid the debt.
“But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.” – Matthew 6:15 [HCSB]
- Remember how much you’ve been forgiven (Ephesians 4:32)
- Don’t try to get even (Romans 12:19)
- Respond to evil with good (Luke 6:27)
- Pray for those who persecute you (Luke 6:28)
“Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” – Romans 12:18 [NLT]
“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
1) In Matthew 18:21-22, we read about Peter approaching Jesus with the question – “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive Him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answers, “Seventy-seven times.” What does that mean?
2) Read Luke 17:3-4. This passage mentions something happening before the forgiveness happens. What does it mention? Should this be required to forgive something?
3) The passage from Matthew 18 says we must continue to forgive. What is hard about forgiving someone again and again?
4) From where are we to forgive from? How can we do this?
5) Read Ephesians 4:32. How are we to forgive?
6) Share an example from your life when you needed to forgive.
Were you able to easily forgive?
What made it easier/difficult?
How did you feel after you forgave the person/people?
More Than A Story is a 12-week Sermon Series and Bible Study focused on the parables of Jesus.
Richness
Forgiveness
Persistence
Fruitfulness
Obedience
Humility
Compassion
Responsiveness
Repentance
Readiness
Faithfulness
Kingdom-Focused
More Than a Story: Richness
More Than a Story is a 12 week study of the parables of Jesus. This is the first week: RICHNESS.
Message Outline:
More Than a Story: Richness
[The Rich Fool: Luke 12:13-21]
BE ON GUARD AGAINST COVETOUSNESS
Covetousness – desire to have more than you have
LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST OF ABUNDANCE OF POSSESSIONS
Possessions are useless when life is gone
Cannot truly live when fixated on possessions
- Focused on protecting what you have
- Focused on getting more – never enough
- Focus is idolatry – God doesn’t have 1st place in life
Rich man called a fool. Jesus says, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (v. 21 ESV). He’s not called fool for being productive or profitable.
Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [NIV]
Notice that the rich fool is not just called a fool; he’s a fool who loses his soul.
Our possessions: Time – Treasure – Talents
These can be hazardous or helpful. You decide.
Hazardous = It becomes your life <<OR>> Helpful = 1 Timothy 6:17-19
“Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.” [MSG]
True Life — Eternal Life Life is knowing God
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3 NIV).
“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8 NLT).
Bible Study Questions:
Discussion Questions
1) The brother who approached Jesus at the beginning of the passage was covetous. The “rich fool” in the parable told by Jesus was also covetous. Jesus said to “be on your guard against all covetousness” (v. 15).
What are some instances when we are covetous?
How can we be on guard against this covetousness?
2) When reading verses 17-19, what words stick out to you?
3) What was the focus of both the brother and the “rich fool”?
4) Can one be “rich” in possessions (“treasure” – money) and still be rich toward God? If so, how?
5) How can we be rich toward God?
6) John 17:3 says that eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ. What does that mean? What is the difference between knowing of God, knowing about God, or truly knowing God? How does that look in our lives?
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More Than A Story is a 12-week Sermon Series and Bible Study focused on the parables of Jesus.
Richness
Forgiveness
Persistence
Fruitfulness
Obedience
Humility
Compassion
Responsiveness
Repentance
Readiness
Faithfulness
Kingdom-Focused
