Parables of Jesus Contd. - Part 3

Parables of Jesus Contd. - Part 3 Author: Praveen Raj Kumar. Y Date: 08/12/2012 Place: Houthalen, Belgium Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Today we are going to discuss about Parables related to Forgiveness which Jesus spoke to the Audience & lets see what is the lesson that we learn from them : • . Parable of Two Debtors • . Parable of the Pharisee & the Tax Collector. Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Reasons for Speaking in Parables: - I am a Software Engineer. If I start speaking about • Oracle Database • Java Programs What would you understand? Will it help to know about the purpose of my speech? After my speech, will we all be aligned in our thoughts? Certainly not... Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Reasons for Speaking in Parables: - But if I can give you few examples, which you can easily understand that • Oracle Database – A Computer which stores all your login details & matching Passwords. • Java Programs – An example is the Gmail Application. You will certainly understand what I am trying to explain in my speech. But still you should not think about computer & gmail, instead should think about Oracle Database & Java. Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Reasons for Speaking in Parables: - This is what Jesus was trying to explain the Audience. He was using simple terminologies & practical life examples to explain the things that are above us. But not many people understood the purpose of those Parables, instead were always earthly minded. An example we see in John 6:27, where people were looking for Jesus, not for his teachings but for this earthly food. Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parable of Two Debtors: - • The Parables we are going to discuss today are related to the topic of Forgiveness. • Read Luke 7:36-38…. • We can read about an incident happening at the house of Simon, the Pharisee, Jesus & the woman. • First of all, Why did the Pharisee invite Jesus for a dinner? • May be he would have expected some mercy from Jesus Christ & would have expected to have his sins forgiven. Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parable of Two Debtors: - • Read Luke 7:39…. • What was the mindset of Simon? • Why did he think that Jesus would not know what kind of a woman she is & Why Jesus is allowing her to even come near him and do these services for him? • Did he really understand who is Jesus & what was his mission in this earth? Read 1 Timothy 1:15 • Even he is also a sinner, but still he wants to have relationship with Jesus, but not that Sinner woman? • How partial was Simon, thinking he was perfect than her? Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parable of Two Debtors: - • But Jesus knew what was running in Simon’s mind and wanted to clarify it immediately. • Read Luke 7:40-42.. • For Jesus, both Simon and the Sinner woman were both debtors, with different values of debts. • Jesus didn’t differentiate them, because their debt values were different. • Jesus considered them, just as sinners, to whom he needs to do something, based on their humbleness & faith they had on Jesus. Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parable of Two Debtors: - • Read Luke 7:43.. • Simon answers the question of Jesus. • Jesus then, justifies his parable. • Read Luke 7:44-47… • Jesus explains his parable, comparing the woman & Simon and what all things they both had done for Jesus, in that specific dinner occasion. • Jesus forgives that woman more for all of her sins, because she loved him more than Simon, as the value of debt was more than Simon. Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parable of the Pharisee & The Tax Collector: - Luke 18: 9 • The objective of this Parable is very clear in the first few lines of verse 9. • It is especially for those who are confident of their own righteousness & looked down on everybody else. • We see different types of people, what are their activities which they do publicly and decide the category. • But the most important think is that ”How does the Almighty look into? What does he looks for inside of each people?” Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parable of the Pharisee & The Tax Collector: - Luke 18: 10-12  The Pharisee • We see the way Pharisee exalts himself in front of God. • He compares himself with the Tax Collector & praises himself for all the good works he does. • By doing so, he also explains that the Tax Collector doesn’t do all these things & so he claims that he is far more better & a perfect man than the Tax Collector. • How many times in our Practical lives, have we been in that situation? Thinking about how perfect we are than others…just like the Pharisee did..  Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parable of the Pharisee & The Tax Collector: - Luke 18: 13  The Tax Collector • We see the way how the Tax Collector humbles himself before God. • He doesn’t compare himself with others, but instead looks into his own problems and requests for God’s Mercy & forgiveness of his sins. • How often we are put into this state, where we humble ourselves before our Father in heaven? Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parable of the Pharisee & The Tax Collector: - Luke 18: 14  Jesus Concludes • Not the Pharisee, but the Tax Collector went home justified before God. • Pharisee still doesn’t humble himself before God, which is what he is looking for in us. • For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Conclusion: • In the Parable of Two Debtors, we see the person who loved more, was forgiven more. • In the Parable of the Pharisee & the Tax Collector, we see the person who Humbled himself before God, went home justified & his sins were forgiven. • God wants us to love him more and on the same time, wants us to humble ourselves and seek for his mercy & forgiveness. If we do so, surely we will be showered with his blessings. Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

!!!! AMEN !!!! Parables of Jesus Contd... - Part 3

Parables of Jesus Contd. - Part 3