Thoughts/Questions for consideration

Jesus plants parables, like seeds, in our hearts so that insights into his character and his kingdom slowly sink in for us. Think of Jesus as if he was a guest in your home from a distant country (actually, he is!). What if the culture your guest comes from is so different from your own that it’s hard to explain that culture in ways you’d quickly understand? So, what if that guest told you stories about his culture that would help you get a flavor for what life is like there?

Well, this is what Jesus is doing when he tells his parables. We all need the special help of parables to understand a God who is more glorious and amazing than our natural understanding can comprehend.

  1. Consider your family for a moment. What are some of the values of your family? What does your family do that reveals what is important to your family?
  2. Now consider the same ideas about Jesus, from his parables. What are some of the values and characteristics of Jesus and God that we see shared in the parables? What does it reveal to us what is important to God?
  3. Read Luke 15:11-32 as an example, looking for different values, characteristic, and insights about Jesus and God.