Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide Lesson 8

Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide

Lesson 8: The Great Controversy in the Parables of Jesus

Memory Text: “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. ”

Parables Studied: 1. The Soils 2. The Tares 3. The Vineyard 4. The Wedding Feast 5. The Lost Coins (sheep/prodigal son). What is a parable? Story with a spiritual application. “An earthly story with a Heavenly meaning”. Why did Jesus teach in parables? “That seeing they might not see and hearing they might not hear. ” There is a war going on. Jesus was fully aware of that. Men were seeking an excuse to kill Him … He had to “watch His words”.

• PARABLE TEACHING • 1. The Soils The reception of truth. • 2. The Tares The plan of salvation. • 3. The Vineyard The plan of salvation. • 4. The Wedding Feast The transformation of character. • 5. The Lost Coins • (sheep/prodigal son). Divine love, mercy and justice.

The Four Soils: The Wayside Stony Ground In the end can we blame satan if our soil is poor? If we are not “good ground”? 1 Cor. 10: 13 Thorny Ground Good Ground

Matthew Wheat and Tares: 13: 24 - 30 SYMBOLS: MEANING: THE FIELD The world THE TARES Evildoers THE HARVEST The end of the world THE GOOD SEED God’s word THE TWO SOWERS Jesus, satan THE HARVESTERS The angels

The Vineyard: The Landowner, The Vineyard, The Wall, The Tenants, The Landowner’s Servants, The Son, The Other Tenants Work diligently for the Lord – He will reward you greatly. Read: Matthew 21: 33 - 44

We need Christ’s righteousness! Read: Matthew 22: 1 – 14. The Wedding Feast and the Wedding Garment

The Lost and Found: 1. The Sheep God left Heaven to save one lost sheep – this world! Luke 15: 4 - 7

2. The Lost Coin Luke 15: 8 - 10 We don’t even know we are lost – God is searching for us! Turn to Him today!

Luke 15: 11 -32 11. “And He said, A certain man had two sons: 12. And the younger of them said to his father, Father give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. …”

The Prodigal Son: Interpretation Of all the parables this comes closest to giving us a glimpse of the hallowed face of God. It illustrates that God’s love is beyond justice, beyond reason - that He ever hungers for the return of a sinner. The righteous are His already; they have His love. But they are not to be self righteous , nor jealous of their position in His eyes. They are to love with His own love - to yearn as He does for their wandering brothers. ‘The Perfect Father’ might be a more descriptive title for this gem of a parable.

Witnessing: Should we ask God to give us lost people or help us find lost people?

What borders might you need to cross, or what walls might you need to scale, in your search for people who need God?

Summary: Jesus came to this earth to uncover satan’s lies about God. He did this not only through the way he lived but through the parables taught. From many of these we learn vision, affect our attitude and appeal to our sense of pride and self sufficiency. But each parable brings a note of victory. There is a harvest. People do accept God’s invitation. Some of us do find the way home.