This is a strange parable in that it is about dishonesty and shrewdness which was commended. Let's look at the story first then the teaching. To start with the manager has been dishonest, has been found out and is about to be dismissed. In the light of this he makes his plans, to ensure he will be well thought of by the people of the district who will then act favourably towards him once he's lost his job. He does this by reducing all of their debts, and for this shrewdness he is commended.

Before we say any more about him let's look at Jesus' teaching. Use your money, he says, to gain friends. That sounds strange. What does he mean? Well the manager in the story blessed people financially so whatever his motive the people felt good about him. Similarly, says Jesus, instead of letting your money just sit there, do something with it and the something you do, do it to create a good feeling in the community.

The reality is that when you do spend money on other people they do feel good towards you and you are, putting aside your motive, doing good towards others. It may be that by so doing you will open up their hearts to you and will listen to you and find the Lord. That means that you have used your money in such a way that the end product is people entering the kingdom of God. What a much better use of your wealth!

D. Application:

1. Money for My Use?

Do I use my money purely for selfish ends? Do I use it purely to bless me? Have i caught the idea that I could use my money for other than me?

2. Money to bless others?

How can I use my money to bless others? Have I caught the idea that my life can be used to bless others, including the way I spend my money?

Chapter: Luke 16

Passage: Luke 16:10-15

A. Find Out:

1. What principle does Jesus lay down? v.10

2. What question does he then ask? v.11

3. What follow-up question does he ask? v.12

4. What principles does he then lay down? v.13

5. How did the Pharisees respond to all this? v.14

6. How did he chide them? v.15

B. Think:

1. What principles for use of material things does Jesus lay down?

2. How does Jesus then link material and spiritual in these verses?

3. How would you summarise what he is saying?

C. Comment:

Jesus, remember, has just told a parable about wise use of possessions and has then taught use your money to bless others. Now he says (implied) if you only have a little that doesn't matter – how you handle a little indicates how you could handle a lot.

But, some might be thinking, surely it doesn't matter in a spiritual kingdom how you handle material things. Oh no, says Jesus, how you handle material things is an indication of your spiritual state, so if you handle your possessions badly God won't trust you with spiritual things. If you've always been serving someone else – and that not well – what makes you think you'll get to handle your own property well? No, he continues, you will focus on one or the other – material prosperity or spiritual blessing, not both. You either serve money OR God, not both! So, make up your minds, who will you serve?

At that, the Pharisees who liked being well off, started to deride Jesus. This brought a stern rebuke from Jesus – you try to look good before men but God knows what you're really like, and you've got wrong values! What you value highly – money and possession, pride and status – counts for nothing with God. In the materialistic twenty first century, these words come as a strong corrective – get a right balance – ensure you make God your goal, not money!

D. Application:

1. God or Money Making

What have I made my priority in life, making money or serving God? Do I let my realtionship with the Lord affect the way I handle my money?

2. A good all-round steward?

Am I a good steward spiritually AND materially?

Chapter: Luke 16

Passage: Luke 16:16-18

A. Find Out:

1. What were proclaimed until when? v.16a

2. What has been preached since? v.16b

3. And what were people doing? v.16c

4. What is easier than what? v.17

5. Who commits adultery? v.18

B. Think:

1. How was John a turning point in spiritual affairs?

2. What do you think Jesus was saying in verse 17?

3. Why do you think verse 18's contents come here?

C. Comment:

Remember that Jesus has just been addressing the hostile Pharisees and chiding them. They of course, saw themselves as upholders of the Law and so Jesus now speaks about the Law in words that are not easy to understand.

First of all he points out that the 'Law and the prophets' (how the Jews tended to summarise the Old Testament) had been proclaimed up until the coming of John the Baptist. After John, Jesus himself had come and now was preaching the good news that God's rule had come on the earth, and so the living expression of God rather than His word was there for them. In fact so much had the rule of God been seen, that multitudes had been rushing to be part of it and have the rule of God free them from the power of Satan.

However, he continues, the Law is still relevant, it's still essential as the expression of God's will, and to justify that he cites the ‘law' on divorce. A Jewish husband had only to declare his divorce and it was so, and if he went and married another woman that was adultery because he was simply manipulating the law to follow his desires. The intent of this law was to release a man when his wife had been unfaithful, not to allow him to be adulterous. No, the Law and the reign of God existed side by side. The Law laid down life guidelines and the power of God brought freedom that the Law couldn't do.

D. Application:

1. Do we realise God's guidelines for life are still for us?

2. Yet do we allow the power of the Spirit to energise and direct us?

Chapter: Luke 16

Passage: Luke 16:19-31

A. Find Out:

1. Who were the two people in Jesus' story v.19-21

2. What happened to them both & where did they end up? v.22,23

3. What did the rich man ask? v.24

4. What reply did he get? v.25,26

5. What further did he ask? v.27,28,30

6. What reply did he get to this? v.29,31

B. Think:

1. What is the main teaching here using Lazarus & the rich man?

2. What teaching is there also about belief?

3. What was there in the warning Jesus was giving?

C. Comment:

This is a very powerful story, sharp and clear in its message. There are two people: one an uncaring rich man and the other a beggar named Lazarus. They both die and the rich man goes to hell and the poor man to heaven (the Jews imagined Abraham, the father of the race, being heaven's door keeper).

Note in what follows the things we learn about hell:

First that it is a place or torment. This is something that comes out in Jesus' teaching quite often.

Second, that once you are there that there is no possibility of being redeemed. Hence any praying for the dead will not have the effect of saving them.

Third there is a direct correlation between how we live on this earth and where we will end up.

The second part of the story that Jesus tells is actually a challenge to unbelief today. The rich man asks for his family to be warned but he's told that they have the Old Testament to warn and guide them. He asks for someone they know to go back and warn them but Jesus says through the story that if they won't believe the Scriptures, they won't be convinced by someone coming back from the dead.

This story is obviously a strong warning about belief and their future destiny and within it is the subtle hint that these Pharisees who had been challenging him won't believe even when he is raised from the dead.

D. Application:

1. Are we clear on our eternal destiny. The Scripture is clear on it.

2. No excuses for anyone, we have been given plenty to believe.

Chapter: Luke 17

Passage: Luke 17:1-6

A. Find Out:

1. What does Jesus say about sin? v.1

2. What does he say about the person who brings sin? v.2

3. What are we to do if your brother sins? v.3

4. What if he sins and repents 7 times in a day? v.4

5. What did the apostles ask? v.5

6. What did Jesus say about faith? v.6

B. Think:

1. What is said about the seriousness of sin here?

2. What is the scriptural order that results in forgiveness?

3. Why is the “size” of faith irrelevant?

C. Comment:

Power packed verses! First Jesus speaks about sin and points out that in a Fallen World things causing sin will come but, he says, the person who brings such things is the one in trouble. Avoid sin is what he is saying because he then goes on to speak about what we should do if someone close to us sins.

In what follows we find the Scriptural order for forgiveness, but it starts with the need to rebuke the sinner, and that we don't like doing, but that is Jesus' instruction – don't just tolerate or watch someone sinning – tell them off!

But note what follows – they repent and THEN you forgive them. Forgiveness without repentance is casual about sin. The divine order is rebuke, repentance and then forgiveness, and that should be our order as well.

When Jesus instructs them to keep on forgiving when then is repeated failure and repentance, the disciples realise this is difficult and ask the Lord to help their faith. His reply is amazing. It doesn't matter about the “size” of your faith – you only need a tiny bit for it to be effective. Why? Because faith comes from hearing God (Rom 10:17) and is responding to God, so you only need to have caught a whisper and respond and God will do what you've heard Him say. Faith is human response and divine action.

D. Application:

1. Do I have an awareness of the awfulness of sin?

2. Do I readily forgive those who repent of their sins against me?

Chapter: Luke 17

Passage: Luke 17:7-10

A. Find Out:

1. What does Jesus get them to imagine now? v.7a

2. What does he get them to imagine saying? v7b

3. What would they be more likely to say? v.8

4. What question does he ask? v,9

5. How therefore should they view their activity? v.10

B. Think:

1. What is the point of Jesus' illustration?

2. Why do you think it was necessary?

3. How should we apply it to ourselves?

C. Comment:

Jesus, you will remember, is speaking to his disciples (v.1) and now speaks simply about the duty of servants, because that's what a disciple of Jesus is.

There is a natural tendency within Christians to start to rank themselves, or pride themselves when they are doing something good, or something for God. Pride is always waiting there to raise up its head. It is perhaps to counter this tendency that Jesus speaks.

He asks them to imagine they had a servant at home who both works in the field and does work in the house. When the servant comes in from working in the field, would they treat the servant as themselves and get him to sit down and eat with them. No, the job of a servant is to do whatever needs doing and put the needs of the Master first. Would the Master thank the servant for doing his job? No, because that is his job, it is what is expected of him, he's simply doing what he's paid to do so thanks are inappropriate.

This may seem a rather hard-nosed illustration that Jesus is using in that we might think it more gracious to thank someone when they've done their job well, even if it is their job, but remember Jesus is simply seeking to counter any hint of pride etc. in his disciples and so he wants to make it clear cut. If you're my disciple, then you are a servant and if you are a servant, see service as a duty.

D. Application:

1. Do I have a servant heart?

2. Do I look for reward or praise when I serve?

Chapter: Luke 17

Passage: Luke 17:11-19

A. Find Out:

1. Where was Jesus travelling and who did he meet? v.11,12

2. What did they ask of Jesus? v.13

3. What did he tell them to do and what happened? v.14

4. Who came back and why? v.15,16

5. What did Jesus ask? v.17,18

6. So what did he tell him to do? v,19

B. Think:

1. What was the miracle being recounted here?

2. What was surprising after it?

3. What was the particular aspect of that which was challenging?

C. Comment:

Jesus is in the south of Galilee on the edge of Samaria when he encounters a group of lepers, some of whom would be Jews and some Samaritans. They have obviously heard about Jesus and have heard about his powers to heal and so cry out to him to have pity on them – the implication being, please heal us!

Now the way Jesus does this particular healing also most suggests that he knows what will happen and almost wants it to happen to prove a point. He could have healed them all in front of him when they would all feel obliged to thank him, but Jesus is in the business of exposing hearts, so instead he requires them to go to the priest whose role in such cases was to act as the local doctor and confirm healing. Their going as instructed before they see healing, is in a sense an act of faith. As they go they are healed.

It is at this point that their hearts are revealed. Only one of them is grateful enough to come back and say thank you. All the rest just go their way without any further reference to Jesus. What made it even more surprising was that the one who came back was a Samaritan, considered a foreigner by the Jews, while the others, presumably mostly Jews, didn't come back. You would have hoped the Jews with their long relationship with God would thank Him - but no!

D. Application:

1. Is thankfulness a regular element of our lives?

2. Do we take for granted all God's goodness towards us?

Chapter: Luke 17

Passage: Luke 17:20-25

A. Find Out:

1. How did Jesus say the kingdom will NOT come? v.20b,21a

2. Why? v.21b

3. What days will come and what will happen? v.22,23a

4. What were they not to do? v.23b

5. Why? How will his coming be? v.24

6. But what must happen to him first? v.25

B. Think:

1. Sum up what Jesus said about the kingdom of God ?

2. Sum up what he said about his second coming?

3. Why are these things significant for us?

C. Comment:

The Pharisees are still questioning Jesus. One of them asks about the coming of God's kingdom and, in his reply, Jesus says two significant things. First, he says it is not outwardly observable so that people can say, here it is. Second, it is an internal thing, it is in us. What does this mean? It means that God's rule is first and foremost expressed within us by our response to Him. God's rule is when He speaks and we obey. That obedience comes when we surrender to Him and so from then on everything we do is in response to Him. THIS is God's kingdom or rule on earth.

Then, because so often God's rule is equated with a great future event, Jesus speaks about the time when he will return and everything will be brought under his reign. Look, he says to his disciples, you will not see it. Why? Because it is a long time later in time-space history. There will be lots of times when people will think it is happening and so lots of people will get excited about it, but it will not be happening, he says.

Don't worry, when I return, you'll know about it. In the same way that lightening flashes across the entire sky so that everyone sees it, so will be my coming. Yet, he continues, before all this can happen lots has to happen, starting with me being rejected by this generation. Yes, Jesus had a long-term agenda and the Cross was the start of it.

D. Application:

1. Am I aware that God's call is for Him to reign within me?

2. Am I resting in His daily provision of grace until He comes?

Chapter: Luke 17

Passage: Luke 17:26-37

A. Find Out:

1. To when did Jesus compare the day of his return? v.26

2. What had happened then? v.27

3. To what other occasion did he compare it? v.28,29

4. What should happen when he returns? v.30,31

5. Why? v.32,33

6. What will happen? v.34

B. Think:

1. What point is Jesus making in verses 26 to 29?

2. What point is he making in verses 31,32?

3. What point is he making in verses 34 to 36?

C. Comment:

As the questions above will have shown you, Jesus is making three simple and straight forward points in these verses.

First of all, he makes the point that his return will come with no great warning. People will be doing what they normally do. That's how it had been with both the Flood and the destruction of Sodom. People were eating and drinking, thinking that everything was all right, when the destruction came.

The second point that he makes is that when he does come it will be sudden and the response to it will be sudden. It seems as if he is inferring that there will be opportunity to make a decision to respond and if you don't instantly that will be a sign of your lack of relationship with him and you will therefore be left.

His final point is that his second coming will be a time of separating out, believers from unbelievers, godly from ungodly. The power of God will be sufficient that at that time the chosen ones will be caught away with him.

Observe two things that are often missed: the coming of Jesus will be clear and visible (v.24) and it will also be the time when the Christians are taken to be with Christ (v.34). This leaves no room for any theory of a ‘secret rapture'.

D. Application:

1. The call is always to be alert and ready for Christ.

2. The call is not to be casual or apathetic.

RECAP: "Spiritual Realities" - Luke 16 & 17

SUMMARY :

In this second group of 9 studies we have seen Jesus:

- telling the parable of the Shrewd Manager (16:1-15)

- teaching about the Gospel and the Law (16:16 -18)

- telling the story of the rich man and Lazarus (16:19 -31)

- teaching about sin, repentance & forgiveness (17:1-4)

- teaching about faith (17:5-6)

- teaching about servant heartedness (17:7-10)

- healing ten lepers (17:11 -19)

- teaching on the coming of the kingdom? (17:20-37)

COMMENT :

These two chapters have mainly been teaching, again some of it in response to things said to him. The realities that Jesus deals with here include our attitude to possessions and wealth, the importance of the Law, eternal realities of heaven and hell, forgiveness and faith, thankfulness, and the present and future dimensions of the kingdom of God.

We may be tempted to think that these things are academic, but every one of them has very real applications to our daily life. Go back over these two chapters and see what things DON'T have practical implications for your life. You won't find any!

LESSONS?

1. Be wise to make good use of your money.

2. Realise that your present life determines your future destiny.

3. Know that forgiveness where there is repentance is obligatory.

4. Thankfulness is an indication of spiritual perception.

5. Live as if Jesus may come today. Live as if it will be next year.

PRAY :

Ask the Lord to help you review your life that each of these lessons may be genuinely worked out in your life.

PART 3 : "Preparing the Way (Pt.1)"

In this next Part we will see that Luke continues to give us more of Jesus teaching about kingdom realities, but we will also see that their travels take them nearer and nearer to Jerusalem. Watch the events that start to build up to climax that will be the entry into Jerusalem.