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THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #16
THE PARABLE OF FOXES AND BIRDS (MAT 8:18-22)
- MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 4:12
- THE PARABLE OF FOXES AND BIRDS (MAT 8:18-22)
- READ MAT 8:14-27 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE.
- WHO IS THE AUDIENCE FOR THIS PARABLE?
- GENERAL MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE HEAR THIS PARABLE. SOME ARE SICK AND MOST ARE NON-BELIEVERS.
- IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES IN MAT 8:14-27:
- =1= JESUS MINISTRY FULFILLED ISA 53. HIS MINISTRY WAS ONE OF SUFFERING.
- READ ISA 53 A PROPHECY OF JESUS SUFFERINGS IN CRUCIFIXION:
| SCRIPTURE |
THE VICARIOUS SUFFERING OF JESUS |
| ISA 53:2 | “HE HATH NO FORM NOR COMLINESS
” JESUS SUFFERED BEATINGS AND CRUCIFIXION THAT MARKED HIS BODY TO THE EXTENT THAT HE DID NOT LOOK HUMAN |
| ISA 53:3 | “MAN OF SORROWS” SORROWS = makos = pain, disease, anguish, grief |
| ISA 53:3 | “ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF” GRIEF = choliy OR chalah = MALADY, ANXIETY, CALAMITY, SICKNESS |
| ISA 53:4 | “BORNE OUR GRIEFS” BORNE = nasa = TO BEAR PUNISHMENT FOR SOMETHING; TO LIFT |
| ISA 53:4 | “CARRIED OUR SORROWS” CARRIED = cabal = TO BEAR A BURDEN OF PENALTY OR CHASTISEMENT SORROWS = makob OR kaab = ANGUISH, PAIN OF SICKNESS |
| ISA 53:5 | “HEALED” HEALED = rapha = CURED, MENDED FROM SICKNESS JEHOVA RAPHA MEANS = THE LORD WHO HEALS (EXO 15:26) |
| SCRIPTURE |
A SUMMARY OF CHRISTS ATONEMENT |
| ISA 53:3,4,10 | JESUS BORE OUR PAIN, DISEASE, ANGUISH, GRIEF, MALADY, ANXIETY, CALAMITY, ETC. |
| ISA 53:4-6,10,12 | JESUS BORE OUR PENALTY FOR TRANSGRESSIONS AND INIQUITIES (SINS) |
| ISA 53:5 | THEREFORE, WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE MADE COMPLETE (HEALED) BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT |
- =2= SOME PEOPLE FOLLOW JESUS FOR THE MIRACLES AND THE WARM FUZZIES. (19)
- =3= JESUS HAD NO MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. (20)
- =4= SOME PEOPLE WANT TO FOLLOW JESUS ON THEIR OWN TERMS AND CONDITIONS (21)
- =5= HOWEVER, TO FOLLOW HIM, JESUS MUST BE THE TOP PRIORITY OF YOUR LIFE. (22)
- =6= TO FOLLOW JESUS REQUIRES FAITH, FOR WHICH HE WILL CONTINUALLY TEST US. (23-27)
- THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF FOXES AND BIRDS (MAT 8:18-22)
- TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS IS NOT EASY AND COMFORTABLE. IT REQUIRES COMMITMENT, SACRIFICE, AND FAITH, TRUSTING HIM TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING WE NEED.
- WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DOES THE FIRST MAN REPRESENT?
- THE SCRIBE IS THE TYPE OF PERSON MOVED BY EMOTION AND MAKES A DECISION ON THE WHIM OF THE MOMENT. (19)
- HE DOES NOT COUNT THE COST OF HIS DECISION BEFORE MAKING IT, AND HE DOES NOT THINK THROUGH HIS DECISION.
- WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DOES THE SECOND MAN REPRESENT?
- THE SECOND MAN REPRESENTS THOSE WHO WANT THE BENEFITS OF BEING A CHRISTIAN BUT ONLY ON THEIR OWN TERMS AND AS LONG AS IT IS CONVENIENT. (21)
- THE PHRASE IN VERSE 21, “ GO BURY MY FATHER” IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH MEANING HE WANTED TO GO AND TAKE CARE OF HIS FATHER UNTIL HE DIED, THEN HE WOULD FOLLOW CHRIST.
- JESUS RESPONSE IN VERSE 22 SEEMS HARSH, BUT IT IS EMPHASIZED FOR CONTRAST AND TO GET OUR ATTENTION.
- JESUS MEANS THAT THE WORLDS HUMAN AFFAIRS WILL TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, AND THAT AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE IS WORTH MUCH MORE.
- THIS MAN IS THE PROCRASTINATING KIND, ENTANGLED WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THE WORLD.
- THIS MAN GAVE WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A LEGITIMATE EXCUSE. HOWEVER WHEN HIS FATHER EVENTUALLY DIED, THERE WOULD BE ANOTHER EXCUSE.
- WHAT DID JESUS MEAN BY, “FOXES HAVE HOLES AND BIRDS HAVE NESTS”?
- EVEN THE ANIMALS HAVE A HOME AND MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, BUT JESUS HAD NOTHING EXCEPT THE ROBE ON HIS BACK. TO FOLLOW HIM WILL NOT BE COMFORTABLE FOR IT REQUIRES PERSONAL SELF-SACRIFICE.
- FOXES DIG THEIR HOMES LOW INTO THE GROUND AND BIRDS MAKE THEIR HOMES HIGH IN THE AIR.
- IF GOD HAS BLESSED YOU WITH A HOME, NO MATTER IF IT IS OF LOW ECONOMIC STATUS OR OF HIGH ECONOMIC STATUS, YOU ARE ONLY A STEWARD OF IT. YOU NEED TO USE IT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
- SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
- READ LUK 9:57-62
- THE DEMAND OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ABSOLUTE:
- THE KINGDOM OF GOD REQUIRES AN ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT TO SACRIFICE FOR CHRIST.
- THE KINGDOM OF GOD REQUIRES AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY TO AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
- THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME. WE ARE ONLY PASSING THROUGH.
- THE KINGDOM OF GOD REQUIRES AN ABSOLUTE FAITH NO MATTER WHAT.
- DISCUSSION: WHY DO CHRISTIANS NOT REGARD SUFFERING AS A PART OF BEING A CHRISTIAN?
- READ ROM 8:17-18
- READ MAR 10:28-30
- GOD REWARDS SELF-SACRIFICE.
- READ 1PET 4:12-13
HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF THE PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK (MAT 9:10-13)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
- APPLICATION FOR THE PARABLE OF FOXES AND BIRDS (MAT 8:18-22)
- WE DISCOVERED THAT THE PARABLE TAUGHT THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR DISCIPLESHIP IS AN ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT TO THE POINT OF SELF-SACRIFICE, AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY TO AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE, AND AN ABSOLUTE FAITH NO MATTER WHAT.
- IN WHAT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING TO BRING YOUR LIFE INTO GODS ABSOLUTES?
- PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF THE PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK (MAT 9:10-13)
- READ MAT 9:1-13 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE.
- WHAT IMPORTANT CONCEPTS OR PRINCIPLES DO YOU SEE IN THESE VERSES?
- WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF THE PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK?
- WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN BY “A PHYSICIAN”?
- REMEMBER ISA 53!
- WHO ARE THOSE WHO ARE WELL?
- WHO ARE THOSE WHO ARE SICK?
- WHY DO YOU THINK JESUS USED A PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK TO REFER TO SALVATION?
- MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 53:5 OR 1PETER 2:24
