Provide For The Future With Practical Wisdom

JESUS has just finished telling the story of the prodigal son to a crowd that includes his disciples, dishonest tax collectors and other recognized sinners, and scribes and Pharisees. Now, addressing his disciples, he relates an illustration regarding a rich man who has received an unfavorable report about his house manager, or steward.

According to Jesus, the rich man calls his steward and tells him that he is going to dismiss him. "What am I to do, seeing that my master will take the stewardship away from me." The Steward wonders. "I am not strong enough to dig, I am ashamed to beg. Ah! I know what I shall do, so that, when I am put out of the stewardship, people will receive me into their homes."

What is the steward's plan? he calls those who are in debt to his master. "How much are you owing? He asks. The first one answers, '580 gallons of olive oil.' 'Take your written agreement back and sit down and quickly write '290,' he tells him. He asks another one: 'Now you, how much are you owing?' He says '630 bushels of wheat.' 'Take your written agreement back and write 504.' The steward is within his rights in reducing the bills owed to his master, since he is in charge of his master's financial affairs. By reducing the amounts, he is making friends with those who can return him favors when he does lose his job.

When the master hears what has happened, he is impressed. In fact, he "commended the steward, though unrighteous, because he acted with practical wisdom." Indeed, Jesus adds: "The sons of this system of things are wiser in a practical way toward their own generation than the sons of the light are."

Now, drawing the lesson for his disciples, Jesus encourages: "Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous riches, so that, when such fail, they may receive you into the everlasting dwelling places."

Next time: Conclusion of Provide For The Future With Practical Wisdom

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

Conclusion Of The Story of A Lost Son -The Lost Son Is Found

In the meantime, the father's "older son was in the field." See if you can identity whom he represents by listening to the rest of the story. Jesus says of the older son: "As he come and got near the house he heard a music concert and dancing. So he called one of the servants to him and inquired what these things meant. He said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father slaughtered the fattened young bull, because he got him back in good health.' But he became wrathful and was unwilling to go in. Then his father came out and began to entreat him. In reply he said to his father, 'Here it is some many years I have slaved for you and never once did I transgress your commandment, and yet you never once gave me a kind for me to enjoy myself with my friends. But as soon as this your son who ate up your means of living with harlots arrived, you slaughtered the fattened young bull for him.'"

Who, like the older son, has been critical of the mercy and attention accorded sinners? Is it not the scribes and the Pharisees? Since it is their criticism of Jesus because he welcomes sinners that prompted this illustration, they clearly must be the ones represented by the older son.

Jesus concludes his story with the father's appeal to his older son: "Child, you have always been with me, and all the things that are mine are yours; but we just had to enjoy ourselves and rejoice, because this your brother was dead and came to life, and he was lost and was found.

Jesus thus leaves unresolved what the older son eventually does. Indeed, later, after Jesus' death and resurrection, "A great crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith," possibly including some of these of the "older son" class to whom Jesus is here speaking.

But who in modern times are represented by the two sons? It must be those who have come to know enough about Jehovah's purposes to have a basis for their entering into a relationship with him. The older son represents some member of the "little flock," or "congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens." They had no desired to welcome and earthly class, the "other sheep," who they felt were stealing the limelight.

The prodigal son, on the other hand, represents those of God's people who leave to enjoy the pleasures that the world offers. In time, however, these repentantly return and again become active servants of God. Indeed, how loving and merciful the Father is toward those who recognize their need of forgiveness and return to him! Luke 15:11-32; Leviticus 11:7 8; Acts 6:7; Luke 12:32; Hebrews 12:23; John 10:16.

Next time: Provide For The Future With Practical Wisdom

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

Continue with The Story Of A Lost Son

When The Lost Son Is Found

When the lost, or prodigal son in Jesus' illustration returns to his father's house, what kind of reception does he receive? Listen as Jesus describes it: "While he has yet a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was moved with pity, and he ran and fell upon his neck and tenderly kissed him." What a merciful, warmhearted father, so well representing our heavenly Father, Jehovah!

Likely, the father had heard of his son's debauched living. Yet he welcomes him home without waiting for a detailed explanation. Jesus also has such a welcoming spirit, taking the initiative in approaching sinners and tax collectors, who are represented in the illustration by the prodigal son.

True, the discerning father of Jesus' illustration no doubt has some idea of his son's repentance by observing his sad, downcast countenance as he returns. But the father's loving initiative makes it easier for the son to confess his sins, as Jesus relates: "Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me as one of your hired men.'"

Yet, the words are hardly off the son's lips when his father goes into action, ordering his slaves: "Quick! bring out a robe, the best one, and clothe him with it, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fattened young bull, slaughter it and let us eat and enjoy ourselves, because this my son was dead and came to life again; he was lost and was found." Then they start "to enjoy themselves."

Next time: Continue with The Story Of A Lost Son-When The Lost Son Is Found

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

The Story Of A Lost Son

HAVING just finished relating illustrations to the Pharisees about regaining a lost sheep and a lost drachma coin, Jesus continues now with another illustration. This one is about a loving father and his treatment of his sons, each of whom has serious faults. First, there is the younger son, the principal character of the illustration. He collects his inheritance, which is unhesitatingly give to him by his father. He then leaves home and becomes involved in a very immoral way of life. But listen as Jesus tells the story, and see if you can determine who the characters are meant to represent.

"A certain man," Jesus begins, "had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me that part of the property that falls to my share.' then [the father] divided his means of living to them." What does this younger one to with what he receives? "Later," Jesus explains, "after many days, the younger son gathered all things together and traveled abroad into country, and there squandered his property by living a debauched life." Actually, he spends his money living with prostitutes. Afterward hard times come, as Jesus goes on to relate: "When he has spent everything, a severe famine occurred throughout that country, and he started to be in need. He even went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to herd swine. And he use to desire to be filled with the carob pods which the swine were eating, and no one would give him anything."

How degrading to be forced to take up swine herding, since these animals were unclean to the Law! But what pained the son the most was the gnawing hunger that even caused him to desire the food that was fed to the pigs. Because of his terrible calamity, Jesus said, "he came to his senses."

Continuing his story, Jesus explains: "He said [to himself]. 'How many hired men of my father are bounding with bread. While I am perishing here from famine! I will rise and journey to my father and say to him: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me as one of your hired men."' So he rose and went to his father.

Here is something to consider: "If his father had turned on him and angrily shouted at him when he left home, the son would not likely have been so single-minded as to what he should do. He may have decided to return and try to find work elsewhere in is home country so that he would not have to face his father. However, no such thought was on his mind. Home was where he wanted to be!

Clearly, the father in Jesus' illustration represents our loving, merciful heavenly Father, Jehovah God. And you perhaps also recognize that the lost or prodigal son represents known sinners. The Pharisees, to whom Jesus is speaking , have previously criticized Jesus for eating with these very ones. But whom does the older son represent?

Next time: Continue with The Story Of A Lost Son- When The Lost Son Is Found

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

Conclusion Of Searching For The Lost

To make doubly strong the point that the restoration of lost sinners is a cause for great rejoicing, Jesus relates another illustration. He says: "What woman with ten drachma coins, if she loses one drachma coin, does not light a lamp and sweep her house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it she calls the women who are her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma coin that I lost.'"

Jesus then gives a similar application. He goes on to say: "Thus, I tell you, joy arises among the angels of God over one sinner that repents."

How remarkable this loving concern of God's angels for the restoration of lost sinners! Especially is this so since these once lowly, despised 'am ha-' a' rets eventually come into line for membership in God's heavenly Kingdom. As a result, they attain a position in heaven higher than that of the angels themselves! But rather than feel jealous or slighted, the angels humbly appreciate that these sinful humans have faced and overcome situations in life that will equip them to serve as sympathetic and merciful heavenly kings and priests. Luke 15:1-10; Matthew 9:13; 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3; Revelation 20:6.

Next time: The Story Of A Lost Son

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

Searching For The Lost

JESUS is eager to seek and find those will humbly serve God. So he searches out and talks to everyone about the Kingdom, including notorious sinners. Such persons now draw near to listen to him. Observing this, the Pharisees and scribes criticize Jesus for keeping company with people whom they consider unworthy. They mutter: "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." How far beneath their dignity that is! The Pharisees and scribes treat common people like dirt under their feet. In fact, they use the Hebrew expression 'am ha-'a'rets, "people of the land [earth]," to show the disdain they have for such ones.

On the other hand, Jesus treats everyone with dignity, kindness and compassion. As a result, many of these lowly ones,including person who are well-known for practicing wrong-doing, are eager to listen to him. But what of the Pharisees' criticism of Jesus for expending efforts in behalf of those they consider unworthy?

Jesus answers their objection by using an illustration. He speaks from the Pharisees' own viewpoint, as though they are righteous and are safe in the fold of God, while the despicable 'am ha-' a'rets have gone astray and are in a lost state. Listen as he asks: What man of you with a hundred sheep, on losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine behind in the wilderness and go for the lost one until he finds it? And when ha s found it he puts it upon his shoulders and rejoices. And when he gets home he calls his friends and his neighbors together, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.'"

Jesus then make the application of his story, explaining: "I tell you that thus there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.

The Pharisees consider themselves to be righteous and thus to have no need of repentance. When some of them criticized Jesus a couple of years earlier for eating with tax collectors and sinners, he told them: "I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners." The self-righteous Pharisees, who fail to see their need to repent, bring no joy in heaven. But truly repentant sinners do.

Next time:Conclusion of Searching For The Lost

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

Conclusion Of The Responsibility Of Discipleship

So Jesus is illustrating to the crowds who are following him that before becoming his disciples, they should be firmly decided that they can fulfill what is involved, even as a man who wants to build a tower makes sure before he begins that he has the resources to complete it. Providing another illustration, Jesus continues: "Or what king, marching to meet another king in war, does not first sit down and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand troops to cope with the one that comes against him with twenty thousand? If, in fact, he cannot do so, then while that one is yet far away he sends out a body of ambassadors and sues for peace.{"

Jesus then emphasizes the point of his illustrations, saying: "Thus, you may be sure, none of you that does not say good-bye to all his belongings can be my disciple." That is what the crowds following him, and yet, everyone else who learns of Christ, must be willing to do. They must be ready to sacrifice everything that they have-all their belongings, including life itself-if they would be his disciples. Are you willing to do this?

"Salt, to be sure, is fine," Jesus continues. In his Sermon on the Mount, he said that his disciples are "the salt of the earth," meaning that they have a preserving influence on people, even as literal salt is a preservative. "But if even the salt loses its strength, with what will it be seasoned? It is suitable neither for soil nor for manure." Jesus concludes. "People throw it outside. Let him that has ears to listen, listen."

So Jesus shows that even those who have been his disciples for some time must not weaken in their determination to continue. If they do, they will become useless, an object of ridicule to this world and unfit before God, in fact, a reproach upon God. Hence, like strengthless, contaminated salt, they will be thrown outside, yes, destroyed. Luke 14:25-35; Genesis 29:30-33; Matthew 5:13.

Next time: Searching For The Lost

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

The Responsibility Of Discipleship

AFTER leaving the house of the prominent Pharisee, who apparently is a member of the Sanhedrin, Jesus continues on toward Jerusalem. Great crowds follow him. But what are their motives? What is really involved in being his true follower.

As they travel along, Jesus turns to the crowds and perhaps shocks them when he says: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own soul, he cannot be my disciple." What does Jesus mean? Jesus is not here saying that his followers should literally hate their relatives. Rather, they must hate them in the sense of loving them less than they love him. Jesus' forefather Jacob is said to have "hated" Leah and loved Rachel, which meant that Leah was loved less than her sister Rachel.

Consider too, that Jesus said disciple should hate "even his own soul," or life. Again what Jesus means is that a true disciple must love Him more than he loves his own life. Jesus is thus emphasizing that becoming his disciple is a serious responsibility. It is not something to be undertaken without careful consideration.

Hardship and persecution are involved in being Jesus' disciple, as he goes on to indicate: "Whoever is not carrying his torture stake and coming after me cannot be my disciple." Thus, a true disciple must be willing to undergo the same burden of reproach that Jesus endured, even including, if necessary, dying at the hands of God's enemies, which Jesus is soon to do.

Being a disciple of Christ, therefore, is a matter that the crowds following him need to analyze very carefully. Jesus emphasizes this fact by means of an illustration. For example," He says, "who of you that wants to build a tower does not first sit down and calculate the expense, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, he might lay his foundation but not be able to finish it, and all the onlookers might start to ridicule him, saying, 'This man started to build but was not able to finish.'"

Next time: Conclusion of The Responsibility Of Discipleship

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

Conclusion Of Entertained By A Pharisee

What lame excuses! A field or livestock are normally examined before they are bought, so no real urgency exists to look at them afterward. Similarly, a person's marriage should not prevent him from accepting such an important invitation. So on hearing about these excuses, the master becomes angry and commands his slave:

"'Go out quickly into the broad ways and the lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and cripples and blind and lame.' In time the slave said, 'Master, what you ordered has been done, and yet there is room.' And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the roads and the fenced-in places, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. . . . None of those men that were invited shall have a taste of my evening meal.

What situation is described by the illustration? Well, "the master" providing the meal represents Jehovah God; "the slave" extending the invitation, Jesus Christ; and the "grand evening meal," the opportunities to be in line for the Kingdom of the heavens.

Those first to receive the invitation to come in line for the Kingdom were, above all others, the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day. However, they rejected the invitation. Thus, beginning particularly at Pentecost 33 C.E., a second invitation was extended to the despised and lowly ones of the Jewish nation. But not enough responded to fill the 144,000 places in God's heavenly Kingdom. So in 36 C.E., three and a half years later, the third and final invitation was extended to uncircumcised non-Jews, and the gathering of such ones has continues into our day. Luke 14:1-24.

Next time:The Responsibility Of Discipleship

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991

Entertained By A Pharisee

JESUS is still in the home of a prominent Pharisee and has just healed a man suffering from dropsy. As he observes fellow guests choosing prominent places at the meal, he teaches a lesson in humility. "When you are invited by someone to a marriage feast," Jesus then explains, "do not lie down in the most prominent place. Perhaps someone more distinguished than you may at the time have been invited by him, and that invited you and him will come and say t0o you, 'let this man have the place.' And then you will start off with shame to occupy the lowest place.

So Jesus advises: "When you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, that when the man that has invited you comes he will say to you, 'Friend, go on up higher.' Then you will have honor in front of your fellow guests." Concluding, Jesus says: "For everyone that exalts himself will be humbled and he that humbles himself will be exalted. Next Jesus addresses the Pharisee who invited him and describes how to provide a dinner having real merit with God.

"When you spread a dinner or evening meal, do not call your friends or brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors. Perhaps sometime they might also invite you in return and it would become repayment to you. but when you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you."

Providing such a meal for the unfortunate will bring happiness to the provider of it because, as Jesus explains to his host, "You will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous ones." Jesus' description of this meritorious meal calls to the mind of a fellow guest another kind of meal. "Happy is he who eats bread in the Kingdom of God," this guest says. Yet, not all properly prize that happy prospect, as Jesus goes on to show by and illustration.

"A certain man was spreading a grand evening meal, and he invited many. And he sent his slave out . . . to say to the invited ones, 'Come, because things are now ready.' But they all in common started to beg off. The first said to him, 'I bought a field and need to go out and see it; I ask you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I bought five yoke of cattle and am going to examine them; I ask you, have me excused.' Still another said, 'I just married a wife and for this reason I cannot come.'"

Next time: Conclusion of Entertained By A Pharisee

The Greatest Man Who Ever lived, 1991