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Lesson No. 43—The Bible was Written a Book at a Time.

LESSON THEME:—LUKE

Luke 19:1-10

  • KEY WORD—COMPASSION.

  • KEY VERSE—Luke 19:1

  • KEY PHRASE—CHRIST IS THE UNIVERSAL SAVIOUR.

Home Readings.

To read the New Testament through, read Luke this week, and for the family altar read:

WRITER—Luke was a native of Antioch n Syria, and in Colossians 4:14 is called the beloved physician. He is the only one of the Bible writers who was a Gentile. As a companion of Paul in his missionary journeys he was with him in his first and second imprisonments in Rome, and remain-’d faithful to him when others forsook he apostle. He was a fellow-labourer of Saul and so had abundant opportunity of earning all about Christ’s life and teachings. It was probably at Paul’s earnest realest that Luke wrote the gospel in 63 A. D. and also the Book of Acts about 64 A. D.

PURPOSE—To show that the infinite eve and compassion of Jesus was not for the Jews only, but for all mankind.

GREAT FACTS: —

Luke Is a Gospel of:—

  1. Praise.

  2. Prayer.

  3. Gentiles

  4. Poor.

  5. Parables.

Great Fact I. A Gospel of Praise.

Among the psalms of praise in Luke is he lofty hymn of Mary rejoicing in the remised Messiah. It is sometimes called the Magnificent, because in the Latin version it begins with the word, Luke 1:46-55. Then the song of Zacharias, in which he praises God for the goodly gift of a child who became John the Baptist, Luke 1:68-69. Then the song of the angels announcing the birth of Christ, and with happy adoration singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:8-14. None on earth ever heard he angels sing, except these humble shepherds of Bethlehem, and none will hear them sing hereafter except they become devout believers like the shepherds. Then Simeon’s hymn of thanksgiving, because he had lived to see the coming of the Saviour, and thus had the dearest wish of his heart fulfilled, Luke 2:29-33.

LESSON—Christianity has given to the world more poems, hymns, anthems and expressions of triumph and joy than any other influence in men’s lives. As the window that lets light into the house does not benefit the light, but the house into which the light shines, so the benefits of praise do not go to God but come back to us to comfort and refresh us.

All God’s works praise Him, but man should be the leading singer in the great choir. There is a beautiful legend that explains the origin of song. It says the goods came down to a sacred wood, and there played and sang. All creatures came to listen and learn a fragment of the celestial song. The listening wood learned its rustling, the stream its roar, the wind its echoing, and the birds the prelude of the song. Man only grasped it all, and so his song alone touches the depths of the human heart, and goes upward to God. Because it is true that man’s music is the sweetest of all before the throne of God, each of us ought to find a tongue to bless God. We must not leave the choir and the organist to praise God for us, and ourselves stand dumb images in the pews. There’s no praise by proxy, He has blessed us therefore we will glorify Him. Gratitude ought to make singers of us all.

Great Fact II. A Gospel of Prayer.

Jesus prays at His Baptism, Luke 3; Luke 4; Luke 5; Luke 6; Luke 7; Luke 8; Luke 9; Luke 10; Luke 11; Luke 12; Luke 13; Luke 14; Luke 15; Luke 16; Luke 17; Luke 18; Luke 19; Luke 20; Luke 21; and before choosing His twelve disciples, Luke 11:1-10. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray and urged perseverance in prayer, Luke 11:1-10. He commanded to watch and pray that we might escape the snares that shall come upon the world, 21:36. On the cross He prayed for His enemies, 23:24, and spent His last moments in prayer, 23:46.

LESSON—

  1. Christ taught the importance of prayer, for the condition of receiving God’s blessings is that we ask. We should do this in secret, family and public Prayer.

  2. We must also feel that we cannot get along without God. All the prayer is the cry of felt weakness as was Peter’s cry, “Save Lord, or I perish.”

  3. We must put away all doubts as to the reality_ of divine answers to prayer. We must believe “that God is and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” 4. Holiness of life is necessary if we would have answers to our prayers. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” By example and teaching Christ emphasized prayer more than any other one thing. Let us therefore find success and happiness in constant prayer.

Great Fact III. A Gospel for the Gentiles.

Perhaps the hardest lesson that the Jews and early Christians had to learn was that the vast Gentile world might have full and free admission to the kingdom and the churches. Yet here Simeon teaches that salvation is a light to lighten the Gentiles, Luke 2:32. Christ sent the seventy disciples not to the lost sheep of the house of Israel but to “every city and every place,” Luke 10:1. Christ’s Perean ministry over the eastern side of the Jordan was to the Gentiles, Luke 5:1-28.

LESSON—The Jews having envied bitter treatment from the Gentiles in Babylon, regarded them with extreme scorn and hatred. They held them to be ceremonially unclean and would have no friendly intercourse with them. Gentiles were thought to be the enemies of God and of His people, to whom the knowledge of God was denied unless they became proselytes, and even then they could not be admitted to full fellowship. Luke, however, pictures Christ as tearing down all local and national barriers, and making repentance and faith the only conditions of admission into the kingdom, Luke 24:47. Then in Acts 10:44; we find the Holy Spirit given to Gentile believers as it was to the Jews at Pentecost. This shows that the religion of Christ is not merely one of the religions of the world, but the great world religion, adapted to all nations and all classes, under the power of which every kindred and every tribe will one day crown Him Lord of all.

Great Fact IV. A Gospel for the Poor.

Luke records the parents of Jesus offering a pair of turtle-doves, because they were too poor to present a lamb, Luke 2:24. Christ pronounced a special blessing on the Door comforting them with the thought, that although they must work hard, and fare hard, yet if they follow Him they should have all the privileges and graces of the kingdom hereafter, Luke 6:20.In a parable of the Gospel Feast, Christ turned away from those who were too full of pride, or business, or pleasure, and offered Is bounties to the poor and crippled, Luke 14:21.

LESSON—Christ taught that money cannot buy love, contentment, friendship, salvation, or heaven. Indeed, experience has taught that It is much easier to be contented without riches than with them. Dr. Curler said the happiest heart be ever knew was a poor crippled woman. He never saw a frown on her face, and when she came to church it shone like the face of an angel. She lived every day on the sunny side of Providence and fed hungrily on the promises. So near did she live to Jesus that she often caught the music of that “marriage supper” for which she had her wedding garment on. Would that some of the sour-spirited, blue, discouraged Christians could borrow a vial of her sunshine!

Great Fact V. A Gospel of Parables.

The one and only teacher of parables in the New Testament is Christ Himself, and Luke has seventeen more of His parables than all the other three gospel writers put together. A parable both reveals and conceals the truth. It revealed the truth to His disciples but concealed it from His enemies. When Jesus saw in the second year of His ministry that the nation still clung to the carnal ideals of what the Messiah would be, and would not accept Him, He then spoke to the multitudes in parables, and by and by when He was alone with the Twelve, He would explain the parables to them.

LESSON—We must take heed how we hear, and then sit at the feet of the Blessed Teacher Himself if we would know all the secrets of divine truth. While most men learned nothing from the lily, the fig tree, the sowing of grain, the bramble and thorn, the mustard seed, the wheat and the tares, Jesus has taken us by the hand and led us into their imperishable lessons as we would lead a child into an enchanted castle. All through the Bible, and not only in the stories themselves, we have lost sheep, and lost coins, unjust stewards, prodigal sons, virgins, talents, good Samaritans and labourers in the vineyard. Happy are we if we turn these parables inside out and find their golden lessons. Happier still if we find all nature and life to be parables full of heavenly lessons.

Questions on the Lesson.

  1. Give the key word and key verse.

  2. Tell what you know about the writer.

  3. When and where the book written?

  4. What the purpose of the book?

  5. Name the five great facts.

  6. Show that this is a gospel of praise.

  7. How does praise benefit man?

  8. Give legend of the origin of song and what it teaches.

  9. Show that this is a gospel of prayer.

  10. What is the condition of receiving God’s blessing?

  11. Give the four points concerning prayer.

  12. What and how did Christ emphasize more than any other one thing?

  13. Show that this is a gospel for the Gentile’s.

  14. Why were the Jews bitter against the Gentiles?

  15. What are the only conditions of admission into the kingdom?

  16. Give scripture showing Gentiles received the Holy Spirit.

  17. Show that Christianity is adapted to all nations and all classes.

  18. Show that this is a gospel for the poor.

  19. Show that the best things are not bought with money.

  20. How may we live on the sunny side of Providence?

  21. Who the only teacher of parables in the New Testament?

  22. What the purpose of parables?

  23. Show that the Bible and nature and life are full of parables.

  24. How much of Luke have you read?

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