hanks

5. Extra Credit. Does Satan have any "rights" to afflict us with disease? Are there any just grounds for this? Or is he a complete usurper? Satan has no rights to afflict us, believers, with disease. He often overrules any sickness or suffering for His own glory. In our passage this woman was most probably an Israelite and a believer. Yet, Satan had bound her and had caused her body to be broken by her illness. So, we note that even believers can be attacked by Satan, but we can never be demon possessed. Jesus did not cast out any demons here - she was not demon possessed; she was demon oppressed. Most of the time, our illnesses are just that which is part and parcel of the human experience. So, we should not blame every illness on the devil. As believers we can come under the attack, as Satan seeks ways to bind our lives and hinder our relationship with our Lord. This can be anything from sin, bitterness, temptation, hatred, unforgiveness, guilt, addiction, ****, envy, greed, religion, fear, worry, finances. The list could go on forever, anything and everything, even the good things of life will be used by the enemy to bind, hinder and devastate our lives, if we allow him. We know that “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), and we must “be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Yet Christians have a great hope, for Jesus Christ “has overcome the world" (John 16:33) and “our faith” in Him (1 John 5:4) have overcome Satan’s evil. “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

4. Trace the logic of Jesus' justification of healing this woman on the Sabbath. Why did He use untying a donkey as His illustration? The total hypocrisy and foolishness of the thinking of the religious leaders was obvious. Jesus pointed out that a person is much more important than an animal, yet they saw nothing wrong in helping their animals on the sabbath. In Luke 14:5 Jesus asked: "If one of you has a child or an ox/donkey that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?" Here Jesus exposes their hypocrisy, reminding them that they would certainly pull the animal out on the Sabbath day. This was because the animal was worth money to them, but in the case of a suffering person they didn’t care. Jesus uses the donkey to highlight their hypocrisy even further. The donkey was seen as a beast of burden, and on the sabbath it was entirely proper to lead this animal away from its stall to water it … provided that the animal carry no burden on the sabbath!!!

3. What was the synagogue president's position? How could he be so utterly blind to what was really going on? Is his blindness credible, or is he just a foil in the storytelling? The synagogue president/ruler took care of the arrangements for the worship services, including the speakers who would be called to read from the Law/the Prophets and conduct the prayers. He was also in charge of the maintenance of the building. He must have been spiritually blind, a professional religionist, who had no concern or compassion for the problems/hardships of the people. There was no love or mercy in his heart. This is a genuine spiritual blindness linked to the “hardness of heart”; it is also the work of Satan, who “has blinded the minds of the unbelievers” (2 Cor 4:4). Such blindness includes wilful rejection of God’s revelation in His creation and in Scripture, and an inability to see the truth of His Word. The ruler’s greatest concern was to conform to the technical points of the law. It is highly probable that he had asked Jesus to speak and is upset that our Lord has broken the oral tradition by healing on the Sabbath. He could also have felt that his authority was being overruled. Instead of rejoicing and giving God the glory, he became angry and rebuked the congregation - not Jesus directly (no courage?). We see a person so bound and blinded by tradition that he ended up opposing the Son of God! Definitely no healing on the Sabbath!

2. What effect did Jesus' proclamation in verse 12 have on the woman's healing? Why do you think Jesus laid His hands upon her? Jesus spoke the words that set her free from her disability. Jesus healed her by His words alone. This miracle is interesting in that first He declares her free of illness and then He lays His hands on her. Jesus treats her with respect and love, not being ashamed to touch her. He exerted His divine power and healed her immediately, completely, and permanently - immediately she straightened up and praised God (13:13) in full view of the entire congregation. This was done for all to see that it was the power of God working through our Lord Jesus that had healed the woman, and that she had been freed not only from her physical affliction but also from the grip of Satan (13:16).

1. Describe the woman Jesus sees in the synagogue, using the text as well as your imagination. What did she look like? How old do you think she was? How do you think she felt? How did people in her community feel about her? I can only imagine this woman must have experienced severe pain, and in an effort to ease the pain she was bent double at the waist; unable to look up at all. Because of the AS her spine became progressively rigid or fused, making it very difficult to move her neck and/or back. She may have even found it tough and painful to breathe properly. Every day must have been a struggle for her. Since onset usually occurs in people aged 10 to 30 years, let’s take the average (20), and add the years she has suffered (18), this would make her about 38 years old. The poor woman, I can only imagine her as a social outcast, she was probably unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. The people of her time would have considered her a kind of freak to be made fun of. Also, they would associate her physical condition with her sin.

5. What lessons does the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree teach us disciples? What does this parable mean to you personally? (13:6-8) In this lesson Jesus teaches us that we must not only repent; we must also produce good fruit by living our lives for God’s glory. In this parable we see that the only function of the fig tree is to justify its existence. It takes up space and draws nourishment from the ground and the air. Now it needs to show that it’s worth having by producing a good and regular harvest. If not, then it must be cut down! As with the fig tree; if we are not living our lives in obedience to Him, God has every right and power to destroy us. But, Jesus also tells us about the gracious mercy of our heavenly Father. He is patient, not wanting any to perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He purposely extends the time of grace so that we might have every opportunity to be saved. This is exactly what happened to me. I was only born again in my 40’s. I was going to church regularly from my early 20’s, but I had no personal relationship with my Lord Jesus. This is proof to me of my heavenly Father’s love, mercy, grace and extra patience!

4. What lessons does Jesus' commentary on tragic deaths teach us disciples? What are we supposed to get out of this? (13:1-5) In this lesson, Jesus teaches us that tragic deaths are not a punishment for sin. Death and sickness do not always come about as a judgement from God. Just as suffering is no indicator of one’s spiritual state, neither is tragedy. We sometimes struggle with tragedies for it often seems like the good die young, while the criminals seem to thrive in their evil. We live in a fallen world where good behavior is not always rewarded and bad behavior not always punished. Instead of looking for who to blame whether a person is killed in a tragic accident or miraculously survives, we should consider our own day of judgment, for everyone has to die. We need to understand the need for repentance, before it’s too late. We all are sinners in God’s sight, each one of us needs to repent and turn to God. We need to put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness. We must repent or we too will perish, that is spiritual death with eternal consequences.

3. What lessons does the Parable of the Guilty Defendant teach us disciples? (12:57-59) Jesus is teaching us that in ordinary life if we are accused of something we must try to settle out of court. If we do this it can avoid us being dragged before a judge, being found guilty, and thrown in prison. We are called to examine our lives for any sin. We are obviously in the wrong and we know we are going to be found guilty. In the same way in our spiritual life, we should make every effort to become reconciled to God. Meaning that if we are wise, we will make peace with God while there is still time. Warning that once a person enters hell, they will never get out. We have to repent and put our trust in our Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. Hoping that in His great mercy and grace, He will forgive us our sins.

2. What are the "signs" in our own day that point to the soon coming of the Son of Man and judgment? (12:54-56) Jesus was teaching us to be sensitive to the spiritual signs in our midst. He was pointing out that we hear a weather forecast and plan our day accordingly. But, when we hear that the Son of God has come, bringing salvation to all who believe, and judgment to all who ignore the message, we do not respond by immediately embracing Him? Today we see the same ignorance about His second coming as there was about His first. There seems to be a spiritual blindness over the return of Christ and about His final judgment. Scripture refers to striking signs that will occur pointing to the second coming of the Son of Man. Even though several signs will precede His coming, it will still be unexpected and take people by surprise. An increase in false teachers, an increase in warfare, and increases in famines, plagues, and natural disasters are all mentioned. One needs only to look at what is happening in our world today, to realise that all the evil that is occurring cannot continue much longer. We need Jesus to come soon! We know that the time of His coming is imminent, it may now occur at any time, but only our heavenly Father knows the exact time, not even the angels nor the Son of Man know (Matt 24:36). When He comes, Jesus will judge all of us: believers for the rewards we will receive; unbelievers for punishment. We will have to give an account to God, so we must be ready. He will transform a world full of injustice into a place of peace. No more will the guilty go free; no more will the innocent suffer.

1. Why does the Gospel of Peace often bring divisions in our families? What can we do about that? Why does Jesus even mention it? (12:49-53) Divisions are often brought about in families as some choose to follow our Lord Jesus while others refuse to do so. This is because Jesus demands an answer. As we read earlier, Jesus said that “whoever is not with Me is against Me” (11:23a). There can be no neutrality, no middle ground, no sitting on the fence – if you are not for Christ, you are against Him. Our Lord demands total loyalty and commitment. In Romans 8:7 we read: “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so”. The mind-set of the flesh rebels against God and is actively hostile to Him – it refuses to bow down to His will. We can only strive for harmonious family relationship by loving and honouring each member. At the same time, we have to remain true to our Lord and the gospel even if we face divisions. We may overlook certain doctrinal issues, but there are Christian doctrines that can never be ignored. For example, the deity of Christ (John 1:1, 14); the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ (2 Cor 5:21); the resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15:17); and salvation by grace through faith alone (Eph 2:8-9). Jesus mentions it because He knows that His Word will bring about divisions, and He wants His disciples to be prepared for conflict, as well as for the growing opposition that they and we as believers will face.

5. Do you believe God has entrusted you with "little" or "much"? What can you be doing to maximize your potential as a productive servant in God's household? Because you have been given much, what "more" do you think God is now asking of you? Yes, I believe God has given me much. Just the same as every other true believer. We have been entrusted with the greatest truths this world will ever know – His Word. And we have a great responsibility to put these kingdom truths to good use in our lives. The way we use these truths will be different for each one of us, but Jesus has told us how to live until He comes. I must watch for Him, work diligently, and obey His commands. At the same time trying to be a more productive servant by looking other opportunities and responsibilities as well. Our guiding principle must be that whatever we do, must glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31). However, the more resources, talents, and understanding we have, the more we will be required to use them effectively – this applies especially to leaders. Much has been given; much will be required.

4. Why are church leaders tempted to become petty masters rather than servants to their fellow servants? What is the sad analogy to this parable's beating, and luxury, and drunkenness. (Rule: In your answer, no denomination bashing. Don't look at others' failings. Look at the potential that exists in you and in your own congregation. There's plenty of blame to go around.) We see the petty master who has been given some authority over the other servants, thinking the real master will be gone for a long time, starts misusing this authority. Beating the servants, eating and drinking, getting drunk rather than giving them the food they need. There is plenty of time to live this life of deception, and time enough to change. This is a foolish illusion, since the master will come back at an unexpected time. These actions are the exact opposite of what our Lord Jesus demands. We see this behaviour today in our church leaders. They become power hungry living only for their own evil pleasure. This is seen in the many false teachers who destroy their followers spiritually, using them to line their own pockets and to live in a life of luxury off them. Unfortunately, there are these so-called Christian leaders who are tempted by earthly power and reward and live only for themselves. This is so sad, since we often hear about this. But the good news is that the faithful leaders far outnumber the unfaithful, and for this we thank our Lord.

3. In the parable, the master rewards his head servant with responsibility over all his possessions (12:44). What is the spiritual analogy of this part of the parable? Which of Jesus' promises for the future does it refer to? The analogy is that of the master who returns to his home, and finds everything in order, all his instructions had been carried out. He realises that he can trust the servant, and decides to give the servant more responsibility, even to go so far as to get him looking after all his possessions. Just as in the parable the master, upon his return, rewards his faithful servant by setting him over all his possessions, so also Jesus Himself at His glorious coming will bestow on all His faithful ones a high degree of glory and honour. Even giving us the kingdom as He had earlier promised in (12:32). And that's what eternity is going to be for us believers – eternal bliss, as we reign with Christ as a co-regent, as a joint heir! I can only imagine what eternity will be like. I like to think that if we have faithfully served Him here on earth, He will most likely give us meaningful responsibilities throughout eternity.

2. Head servants must be both faithful and wise "managers" (12:42-43). How do we learn to be faithful? What is the process by which we can be restored in faithfulness if we have neglected it? How do we learn prudence and wisdom? We learn to be faithful through the Word of God, where the Holy Spirit bears witness to the lordship of Jesus Christ. The Word, being God’s very words, are the absolute truth, and are therefore completely reliable. Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ”. We repent and put our trust in Him for our salvation. Now as born-again believers we further learn to be faithful by doing His will; by doing things in active obedience to our Lord. By devoting ourselves to doing good we are serving our Lord faithfully. The point is not what we should do to be saved but what we as a believer ought to do. If we ever find ourselves having back-slidden we have to get back into His Word and the full realisation of who our sovereign Lord is – the Jesus we serve. The more we know about Jesus, the closer we come to Him, and the more we will trust Him. The faithfulness that was neglected is restored, and even being strengthened. We are all His stewards, and since it is His earth, we should be committed to the proper management of the world and its resources. This way we will not only be faithful but wise as well. And the only way to learn prudence and wisdom is by reverencing God, by fully trusting Him, and by obeying Him. And the wisest thing we can ever do is to repent of our sins, trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and then live for Him wholeheartedly and faithfully.

1. Extra Credit. What is the answer to Peter's question in 12:41? Did Jesus intend these parables for the Twelve or for all His disciples? Jesus told two parables in this study, the first one was in the last lesson (12:35-40), and the second one in this lesson (12:42-48). These two parables are joined together by Peter’s question (12:41). A question which Jesus did not answer directly. The second parable expands and explains the first – where Jesus was talking primarily about the leaders. In the first parable He was talking about servants and the master who had to be constantly vigilant and ready because He will come at a time when they will not be expecting Him. Jesus had been speaking about those who will be ready, but he also implied that some would not be ready. So, Peter was not sure if this included them and asks the question: "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?" (12:41). These parables were intended for leaders, servants, masters – that is all believers, all church leaders, and all His disciples.

5. Let's get personal. What helps you keep your spiritual edge? What kinds of things cause you to lose your spiritual alertness? Don't speak hypothetically, but personally. What I’ve found that keeps me spiritually alive is definitely studying and meditating on His Word, like this fantastic study I’m doing now. Digging deeper in answering the questions is a great help for spiritual growth. Acknowledging Him in everything I do – speaking to Him and listening. Of course, an active prayer life, and obedience to His commands. My age 83 – you realise you haven’t got a hundred years left, and the Coved-19 pandemic hasn’t helped either. We realise how vulnerable we are. Not being able to attend church does soften the spiritual edge, and obviously any sin, which must be confessed immediately to keep in fellowship with our Lord.

4. A second mini-parable involves a thief and a homeowner (12:39-40). What is the point of this parable? Thieves don’t inform us that they are coming to visit/steal, they come when everyone is sleeping/away, they come when least expected, and they come silently and swiftly. As Jesus explains in (12:40), speaking of His own return, this is how He too will come but not to rob but to bless His Bride. For this reason, we must be alert and ready for His coming, His unexpected coming. But for some His coming will have a similar effect of a thief, for they will lose everything of value, and worst of all will lose their chance for salvation and be themselves "lost" forever in the eternal torments of hell.

3. The master in Jesus' parable is pretty strange (12:37). When he arrives home and is pleased with his servants, he fixes them dinner! What is the point of this part of the parable? Jesus Himself said He has come to save and to serve. Here he is compared to the return of a householder from a marriage-feast to his own home at an unseasonable hour of the night, when normally all the servants would be fast asleep. On returning home he finds that his servants had obeyed him and were waiting for him; he therefore decides to reward them by serving them with a meal that he himself prepared. This hardly ever happens, as servants are normally not that dedicated, so he wants to reward this rare show of loyalty with an equally rare act of happiness and honour. The point being made here - are we living a life of faith in Jesus Christ by being dressed in readiness and having our lamps lit – immediately ready to open the door to our Lord. Are we looking forward and living as if we were ready for the second coming of Christ? Come, Lord Jesus (Rev 22:20).

2. What kind of energy and investment does it require of the servants to be ready during the night-time hours? Keep your lamps burning throughout the night required constant looking after. One can assume that there are more than one lamp involved since the passage talks about several servants. Could also be a larger home. The average lamp at the time could hold enough oil to burn for about 5 hours, but they had to attend to the flax wick as well to keep the lamp burning during the night. So, there was quiet a lot of effort required to keep these lamps lit, so that when the master arrived, which could be at any time during the night or day, they were there to open the door and serve him. Remember, these wedding feasts could last for days, often for a week. There had to be a roster drawn up for who sleeps and who stays up the whole night. To be ready at all times also required planning ahead to make sure they had enough olive oil and wicks to last until the master arrived.

1. Describe the ideal servants waiting up for their master. What qualities is this wealthy slave-owner looking for in his servants (12:35-36)? Their master has gone to a wedding celebration, which in this time period, may last for several days, but being good servants, they are always dressed and ready for service. They have their long robes tucked up into their belts, so that their work will not be hampered, so that can be ready, active, and diligent at short notice and at all times, ready to serve the master. They also keep their lamps burning, keeping it stocked up with oil, and maintaining the flame, in case he returns at night, signifying preparedness. They are constantly ready for their master’s return so that when he does come back, they can open the door immediately.

6. Where is your treasure? Where is your heart? (12:34) How can you know? Wherever our treasure is, that is where our heart is. From a practical point of view our heart always follows our money. For example, if we’ve made a huge investment in a new home, this is going to be the centre of our life. This is a huge investment and this is where our heart is going to be. We will think about it, worry about it, dream about it and talk about it. Our new home is going to be the centre of our life. How can we know? Where is our heart? Easy, our heart is wherever we have been spending our money. It is no wonder we have trouble concentrating on the things of our Lord – we spend all that we have on things of this world. We will never be able to get our heart focused on heaven as long as all our heart/money is focused on the earthly possessions. Our problem is this: We’ve invested everything down here and nothing up there. What have we been sending ahead to heaven?

5. Why should you sell possessions and give to the poor (12:33). What sense does that make? We must not misinterpret this as a command to sell everything we own. Rather, we are to get rid of those possessions/money that possess/own us, and that take time away from our Lord, specifically our heart! Anything and everything that stands in the way of our salvation we are to sell, give up and/or deny. That’s the bottom line. Contrasted here is temporary treasure we store up for ourselves here on earth, and the eternal treasures we can store up in heaven. We can be generous in giving to those in need, and God will reward us with lasting riches in heaven – making us rich in grace here, and rich in glory hereafter. This makes complete sense if we struggle with greed and with living for this life only. We can give away our possessions, freeing us from greed and helping us to focus on God and eternity. Also, there is no need to worry about theft or rust, as heavenly treasures are fully insured against theft and spoilage.

4. What is the significance to you that the Father has given you the Kingdom (12:32-33). How does it make you feel? What does it consist of? How is it effective in this life? How is it effective in the life to come? My heavenly Father has given me the Kingdom - is an invitation to live in His Kingdom, to submit my life to Him, and to place everything into His care. And, besides this, He is pleased to give this great gift, not because of anything I’ve done, solely because of my union with Christ. I know that I’m part of this Kingdom because I acknowledge Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and gladly surrender to God’s rule. How does it make me feel? Gratitude beyond measure! That God would even care about me – His creature and a sinner as well. I don’t deserve any of this, and this just goes to show me, His great love and concern for us. Dear heavenly Father, what can I say but thank You that You have invited me to enter Your spiritual kingdom, Your eternal Kingdom, a Kingdom of forgiveness, a Kingdom of blessing, a Kingdom of righteousness, a Kingdom of joy, a Kingdom of peace, and a Kingdom of glory. Broadly speaking, we can say that the Kingdom of God consists of our Lord’s sovereign rule over all the universe. More narrowly, however, the Kingdom of God is the spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God’s authority. At the same time, it is also in the future, in that Jesus will return to reign over a perfect Kingdom, where sin and evil will no longer exist. In this life it means as a follower of Christ I turn away from my self-centeredness handing my life over to Jesus’ direction and control. I surrender all, He becomes the centre of my life, and I live in obedience to His Word. It also means sharing the Good News of the Kingdom with others. Jesus has said “My peace I give to you … Let not you hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). So, I’m not worried or anxious about anything, knowing that He will look after all my needs, as He has promised to do. In the life to come I will spend eternity with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Great will be my reward in heaven (Luke 6:23). Being a child of God's I will inherit my heavenly Father’s estate. All that the Father has is mine – I will be joint heirs with Christ! (Rom 8:17). When Jesus returns my body will be changed and glorified, and be forever free from sin, sickness, and death. In the meantime, the Kingdom of God is not of this world (John 18:36), but one day it will be manifest on earth (Isa 35:1), and Jesus will rule this physical Kingdom.

3. Jesus refers to our focus on material possessions in three negative ways. The first is "worry." What are the other two: 1. Worry (12:22, 24, 25) 2. Little faith (12:28b) 3. Fear not (12:32) In what sense is this sin? It has been said: “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety”. Worry is a sin because it means we don’t trust our Lord to provide. So, the perfect cure for worry is to trust God, and faith is the total confidence in the provision of God. Therefore, a lack of faith will lead to a life of psychological anxiety and a distorted perspective of life: “but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). We have little faith when we worry and rush around in a ceaseless struggle to get more and more material possessions. We waste our lives doing what God would have done for us, if we had only devoted our time and talents more to Him. It’s not that we should not have genuine concern about food and shelter, it’s that we keep a proper perspective and therefore fear not, knowing He will look after us. By making God’s kingdom our first priority everything else will fall in line (Matt 6:33).

2. Extra Credit. God's care over sparrows is mentioned in 12:6-8. Ravens are mentioned in 12:24. What is similar about these statements? How does the raven differ from the sparrow, from a Jewish viewpoint? God cares for both the sparrows and the ravens and provides for all their needs. Sparrows being so plentiful, had little financial value, yet God knows and cares about each one. We would be inclined to think that if there was anything God wouldn’t concern Himself with, it would-be sparrows. Yet, Jesus says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care” (Matthew 10:29). There is comfort in this thought for us all. If God is aware of everything that happens even to sparrows – our heavenly Father who knows about the sparrows knows and cares about us. Jesus contrasts the lowly ravens with the rich fool who wrongly focused on storing up plenty for the future, but stupidly ignored God. Whereas the ravens neither sow or reap, nor store up their food trusting Him to provide. They literally live from day to day, teaching us that we will never starve as long as we do our duty in the position God has placed us. Jesus says, “How much more valuable you are than the birds!” (12:24). Telling us that God cares for us, who are created in His own image, whom God loved and for whom He gave His One and only Son (John 3:16). If God takes care of birds, how much more will He care for His own creation, and especially those who believe in Him and become His own children (John 1:12)? We can therefore reasonably assume that God who cares for both the lowly sparrow and raven, will care for His people. A lesson of faith to us. To the Jews ravens were considered unclean (Lev 11:15). The sparrows were plentiful, and lived in close association with humans, but were of little monetary value. Unlike the ravens they were considered ritually clean.