1. What are some of the reasons Jesus used parables when He spoke?
See Matthew 13:10-12, 35
2. What does it mean to have eyes and not see, to have ears and not hear?
See Matthew 13:13-15
3. Although Jesus taught His lessons of love to an audience of varied age and experience, each individual learned something about His character and kingdom. How was this possible?
1. How was Jesus’ true mission different than what the Jews expected of the Messiah?
2. In this parable, who is the “sower”?
3. What characteristics of a seed make it a fitting representation of the Word of God?
4. What type of people are represented by the soil of the “wayside”? What makes it difficult for this group to realize that the Word of God applies to them?
5. Describe the spiritual condition of those represented by the stony ground, and why they fall away so quickly. Discuss what it means to be a “halfhearted” Christian, and how to avoid this.
6. What do the thorns & weeds symbolize?
7. Most people are aware that weeds do not need cultivation to grow, but plants need constant cultivating. How does this compare to our spiritual lives?
8. What temptations does Satan use to draw us away from God? In what practical ways have you learned to fight off these temptations?
9. Take a moment to ask yourself what type of ‘ground’ you would have categorized yourself in five years ago. What ‘ground’ represents your spiritual condition today? If you have changed in the past five years, what made the difference?
10. What areas in your spiritual life can you improve, to ensure that you are receiving the Word like the “good ground”?
1. What can we learn about the process of Christian growth from this parable?
2. Why is it important to understand that it is God’s power, and not man’s, that causes a person to spiritually grow?
3. What is one major hindrance to spiritual growth and development? What are ways you can prevent this from happening in your own spiritual life?
4. What, specifically, is delaying Christ’s return to this earth? How can we hasten His coming?
1. Which groups of people are represented by the wheat & the tares?
2. Why is it important to understand that the “enemy” and not the good gardener sowed the tares?
3. Many would agree that there are those in the church who seem hypocritical, unconverted or even ungodly. But why is it so crucial that human beings leave the work of judgment to God?
4. When Satan first sinned in Heaven, why did God not destroy him right away? What would have gone through the minds of the angels, had He done so?
5. In what specific way, both in the history of the church and in the present, has God been misrepresented?
6. What practical and personal lesson can you take away from this chapter?
1. Which “kingdom” was Jesus comparing the small mustard seed to?
2. What preconceived idea in the mind of the Pharisees was Jesus trying to disprove through this parable?
3. What hope can the parable of the mustard seed give to those who stand for God in the face of ridicule and contempt?
1. What can seed-sowing teach us about the faithfulness of God to perform what He promises?
2. What lessons can you take away from the growth of a plant that are comparable to the growth of a child?
3. Galatians 6:7 says, “Whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap.” Why is it so important to sow good words, habits and deeds in our relation to others? What kind of effect could it have for eternity?
4. The law of self-sacrifice is equivalent to what other law? Describe this process and how it applies to what Christ did for us. How does this apply to the way we live our own lives?
5. What other life lessons did you learn from seed-sowing in this chapter?
1. In this parable, what does the field represent? What is the treasure?
2. What are some reasons people either neglect bible study, or don’t see the importance of it? What are some things in your own life that have diverted your attention and desire from studying the Bible?
3. Why is it dangerous to take someone’s interpretation of the Bible as truth, instead of studying for ourselves?
4. Instead of being content with a surface reading of Scripture, what kind of attitude must we have when we approach it?
5. What kind of attitude do you approach the Bible with? Are there ways you can alter your Bible Study habits, in order to gain the great blessing God has for you every day?
Study guide for this chapter is coming soon.
Study guide for this chapter is coming soon.
1. To what time period was Jesus referring when He gave this parable?
2. What are some characteristics of the “unjust judge”? Of the “persistent widow?”
3. Who is our adversary? What accusations against humanity does he present?
4. Can God’s people answer the charges levied against them? Who can?
5. What does Christ do for those who have fallen into sin?
6. How was Jesus treated by this world? What two things was He accused of?
7. How should Christ’s followers deal with being treated unjustly?
8. When is it appropriate to come to God?
9. What are purposes of God’s trials? What does it cleanse?
10. What is the real danger in the dynamics of prayer?
11. Why does God permit the end-time issues to come to a crisis? What does it lead to? Who will be vindicated?
12. What will happen to downtrodden millions who lost their lives to this world?
Study guide for this chapter is coming soon.
1. What was the prodigal son’s passion and desire?
2. What is the inevitable outcome of a life centered on self?
3. How does God feel about someone who has chosen to separate himself form God? What actions does He take?
4. When the prodigal son said, “Make me as one of thy hired servants,” how did this reveal a misunderstanding of the father’s character?
5. How did the prodigal son’s conception of his father change after he was welcomed home with open arms?
6. Why must we not “stay away from Christ” until we have made ourselves better? What should we do when Satan points out our filthiness to us?
7. How is the spirit of the elder brother reflected in many Christians today?
8. What must happen in the hearts of humanity before they can truly share God’s joy in saving the lost?
1. This parable draws a contrast between which two groups of people?
2. For what purpose does God bless people with wealth? How did the rich man in the parable use the gifts and talents God had entrusted to him?
3. Which group of people does Lazarus represent?
4. What false doctrine, held by many of the hearers of this parable, was Christ using to help them understand deeper lessons of truth?
5. In the parable, Abraham does not allow the rich man to cross the great gulf between him and Lazarus. What lesson was Jesus trying to teach about the importance of preparing for eternity now?
6. As the rich man reflects on where his life has brought him, he asks that Lazarus would be raised from the dead to testify to his five brothers, that they might not end up in his place of torment. What is Abraham’s answer?
7. Many people believe that “seeing is believing”; but how does this parable and the literal raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 12:9-11) disprove this theory?
8. How does the use of the rich man’s wealth lead to his eternal loss? Read Mark 8:36, 37 and explain in your own words what it means to “gain the whole world” and yet lose your own soul.
9. Why does God not allow self-righteous, worldly, and pleasure-loving into Heaven? How have their choices formed a chasm or “gulf” between themselves and God?
10. The atmosphere of heaven is pure, holy, and safe; all its citizens love to obey God and follow His will. Ask yourself the question, “Would I truly be happy in Heaven and a fit citizen of that city, if Jesus were to come today?”
1. How did those who were invited to the wedding respond, when the king sent his servants to give the invitation?
2. What group of people had given the gospel invitation both during and after Christ’s time on earth? To what group, specifically, was the message given and how did they respond?
3. What group of people are called the third time to the gospel feast? Describe the various motives of this “mixed company.”
4. What gift from the king were the guests required to wear and why?
5. What time period does the king’s examination of the guests represent? Does this take place before or after the second coming of Christ? (See also Revelation 22:12).
6. What specifically does the wedding garment represent?
7. Why is it futile to cover up our sins and attempt to make ourselves acceptable to God? What is the only covering that can commend us to God?
8. Practically, what does it mean to be “clothed” with the righteousness of Christ?
9. Although we are saved by the grace of Christ alone, why does a mere consent to this truth—without a transformed life—amount to nothing? (Read also 1 John 3:24; 2:3).
10. If God’s Law could be changed or set aside, would it have been necessary for Christ to have died in our place? How does this fact reveal that the Law of God is still binding?
11. Humanity has come face to face with the reality that, in our own strength, it is impossible to obey the high standard God has set in His Law. But when we receive Christ’s power into our lives, how can this drastically change?
12. All of heaven is working intensely to direct your eyes to Christ, and away from the sins and pleasures of this world. Will you decide to accept Christ’s robe of righteousness instead of your own, and allow Him to do away with the habits and sins of your life?
Read also Luke 16:1-9
1. What was Christ trying to attract the people’s minds to when He gave this parable?
2. To which two groups of people was this parable directed?
3. What are the capabilities, power, influence, money, and other gifts that God bestows upon Christians to be used for?
4. In application to ourselves, when Jesus said “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness,” who are the ‘friends’ He is speaking of here?
5. In light of the soon coming of Jesus, what should a Christian’s means be used for?
6. From this chapter, what does it mean to make a “heavenly investment?” Ask yourself if you have been carrying this principle out in your own life. If not, pray that God would reveal to you how to lay up your treasure, not here on earth, but in the heavenly courts!
Study guide for this chapter is coming soon.
Read Matthew 25:1-13
1. In this parable, who are the ten young virgins waiting for?
2. Matthew 25 divides the ten virgins into two groups: the wise and the foolish. Yet in the parable, Jesus describes all ten of the young maidens as falling asleep! What causes Jesus to call one group “foolish” and another group “wise”?
3. Why did the foolish virgins neglect to fill their flasks with oil?
4. What group of people is represented by the ten virgins? Why are they called “virgins”?
5. What do the lamps represent in this parable? What does oil symbolize in the Bible?
6. What is the role of the Holy Spirit as we study the Scriptures?
7. Although many people in the last days will “have a call, a name, a lamp, and all profess to be doing God’s service,” why will many be found “surprised, dismayed, outside the banquet hall”?