Luke 16:1-12, 19-31; 17:11-19; 18:1-14.

Parables and Accounts That Teach Eternal Truths

Study the following parables and accounts along with the accompanying commentary from the institute student manual. Describe in writing what you feel is the major principle the Lord wants us to understand from each of the parables:

1. Luke 16:1-12, the parable of the unjust steward.

The saints of God should prepare for their own eternal salvation.

1. Luke 16:19-31 the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.

Between the time of the crucifixion of Christ and the Resurrection, the Savior went to the spirit world to teach the gospel. In that visit he bridged the gap between spirit paradise and spirit prison.

1. Luke 17:11-19 the ten lepers.

The leper who thanked the Savior was a Samaritan showing that all men are accepted unto the Lord

1. Luke 18:1-8 the parable of the unjust judge

God does not work as man works, God who is just and merciful will hear and answer our prayers.

1. Luke 18:9-14 the parable of the Pharisee and the publican.

Self Righteousness will not save us, he that humble himself will be exalted.

Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ

Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ

Luke 10:38-42; 11:1-13; 12:13-40; 13:23-24; 14:16-33

1. Read Luke 10:38-42; 11:1-13; 12:13-40; 13:23-24; 14:16-33 and the institute student manual commentary for Luke 1:5-13, “The Parable of the Friend at midnight.” Make a list of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and what the Savior taught about counting the costs of following HIm.

Forsake all that you have

Lay down his life for Him

Whosoever doth not bear up his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple

Follow Him

Keep his commandments

Pray

Listen to His words

Seek Him

Take no thought for your life but seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you

Strive to enter in at the straight gate

Forsake the world

Avoid Hypocrisy

2. Identify one of the teachings from your list that you would like to apply more fully in your life. Write a paragraph about how you could apply that teaching and what difference you believe it would make in your life.

In the manual it says about the Parable of the Friend at Midnight Luke 11:5-13 “The Lord’s lesson was, that if man, with all his selfishness and disinclination to give, will nevertheless grant what his neighbor with proper purpose asks and continues to ask in spite of objection and temporary refusal, with assured certainty will gGod grant what is persistently asked in faith and with righteous intent. No parallelism lies between man’s selfish refusal and God’s wise and beneficent waiting. There must be a consciousness of real need for prayer, and real trust in God to make prayer effective; and in mercy the Father sometimes delays the granting that the asking may be more fervent.” (Talmage, Jesus The Christ p 435). I love this comparison that Talmage makes about prayer, there must be a consciousness of real need for prayer and real trust in God, and that we are delayed not for selfish reasons but it is merciful, and that our asking may be more fervent. So for my life, first an understanding of why our answers are often delayed, and second more fervent prayers, accompanied by and increased trust in God wisdom. The difference it will make in my life will be tremendous, first I will trust in God giving me more peace, which will allow me to go forward with confidence. Second, in what way will I not be benefited by having more fervent prayers?

1. Read Luke 14:33; Omni 1:26; Mosiah 2:34; Matt 14:44-46. Explain in writing what is ultimately required to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

We must forsake all that he hath, offer our whole soul to him, fast and pray, endure to the end and render to him all that we have.

How to know the truth of the Savior's doctrine. John 7:16-17

John 7:10-17. How to know the truth of the Savior’s Doctrine

1. Review John 7:10-17. Then answer the following questions in writing:

• What were the different reactions of the people about the Savior.

Some said, “He is a good man and other said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.”

• How do these reactions compare to the way people think of Jesus Christ today?

Pretty much the same, some think he was good, others think he deceived the people.”

*What questions did the Jews ask about the Lord?

They marveled, “saying, How knoweth this man letters letters, having never learned?

*How do the following verses help explain the difference between where the Jews’ wisdom came from and where Jesus’s wisdom came from: Jacob 4:14; Colossians 2:8; Doctrine and Covenants 93:11-17?

Jacob 4:14; the jews sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore because of their blindness which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall.

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

D&C 93:11-17 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father full of grace and truth , even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.

12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;

13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;

The Jews received their knowledge from the world, and Jesus received his from the Spirit, little by little until he gained the fulness.

*What did the Savior instruct the people to do to gain a personal knowledge of the truthfulness of His teachings.

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or wether I speak of myself.

1. Read the institute student manual commentary for John 7:16-17, “What test did Jesus Prescribe to know the truthfulness of His Doctrine?” (p. 108).

If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine. “This test is most sound. IT is most philosophical. It is the most simple test to give knowledge to an individual of which the human mind can conceive. Doing a thing, introducing it into your very being, will convince you whether it is good or whether it is bad. You may not be able to convince me wf that which you know, but you know it because you have lived it. That is the test that the Savior gave to those men when they asked him how they should know wether the doctrine was of God or wether it was of man” (David O. McKay).

*Write a Paragraph about a time in your life when you came to know the truth of a gospel principle by living it.

It is hard to pick on specific time, it happens all the time. I learn and relearn principles as I actively do them. The most recent however is the law of the fast. I have been pregnant or nursing for a while and haven’t been able to fast. Now that I am not, I found it hard to exercise that faith again. I have to fervently pray for help to fast, physically. It is not easy for me (like it is for anyone). But I have found that when I do and I ask for help I am given it. I have an added measure of the spirit as I do fast, and come to know the Lords will for me. It is always a great experience and I am grateful for the opportunity.

Matt 14:14-21; 15:32-38. The Feeding of the Multitudes.

1. The Savior provided two similar miracles.

Matt 14:14-21

• How may people were present?

5,000

• What did they need?

to be fed

• What were they able to offer in an effort to meet that need?

5 loaves and 2 fishes

• What words or phrases describe the Savior’s feeling toward the multitudes in their time of need?

“moved with compassion toward them and healed their sick.”

“they need not depart; give them to eat.”

• What words or phrases describe what the Savior was able to provide for the multitudes?

“healed their sick”

“they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.”

Matt 15:32-38

• How may people were present?

4,000

• What did they need?

to be fed

• What were they able to offer in an effort to meet that need?

7 loaves and a few fishes

• What words or phrases describe the Savior’s feeling toward the multitudes in their time of need?

“I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, least they faint in the way.”

“he healed them”

• What words or phrases describe what the Savior was able to provide for them.

“and they did all eat and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.”

“And great multitudes came unto him and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them.”

2. In each story, the available food was insufficient to fee the multitude, yet with the help of the Lord the insufficiency was overcome. Read Romans 3:23, and explain in writing another way human effort is insufficient in receiving the glory of God. According to Ether 12:27, how does the Lord help us overcome this insufficiency?

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The multitude thought they had nothing, at least what they had was insufficient to feed 5,000 people. They had a little and the Lord took what they had and made sufficient and there was even extra. All of the multitude ate and were full. Romans implies that we all have sinned and we all need God. He can make more of us that we can do ourselves. We need to take what we have to him, even though we think it is little and he will make more and it will be sufficient, and possibly more. I think of this in my own calling as the Young Women’s President. How I have so little to offer the girls or the Lord, however if I take what I have to the Lord he will magnify me. Ether 12:27 States:

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness, I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all me that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

In this scripture it says “weakness” not weaknesses (plural). It was suggested to me once by a an institute instructor at the University of Montana that weakness suggests, mortality. That we were sent here to live a mortal life and that is our weakness. Wither or not that is accurate, it is worth pondering. In v 35 it says that if gentiles have not charity because of their weakness it will be taken away from them. If we do not show charity because of our weakness, or because the Lord has made “weak things become strong unto us” then those things that we have been given will be taken from us and given to those who shall “have more abundantly.” So as the Lord takes what we are and make more, we must use what we have been given to show charity and give back to the Lord or it will be taken from us. What a sobering thought, but what a beautiful concept.