Luke Worksheet - Chapter 16

Luke Chapter 16 - Assignment 1.Read the Chapter Straight Through from your own Bible at home or find the chapter and read it from an online Bible site. 2.Read through again in sections broken down for you below and answer the questions if you would like to for help in meditating on the message. 3.Conclude with summarizing the verse that means the most to you and your thoughts and/or prayers.

Luke 16:1-18 - The Unrighteous Steward Jesus was telling His disciples a story lesson while the Pharisees were listening to Him talk to them.  He talked about a certain rich man who had a steward who had wasted his possessions.  He called him in to give an account and told him he could no longer be a steward.  The steward realized that he would be without a job or any money or any place to live, so he prepared for his future by calling the debtors into account for their debts to be paid, giving them a discount to pay their bill off early.  He realized this would gain him 'favor' with these debtors so that they might offer him a place to live and maybe a job as well when he was out on the street.  His master actually praised him for being so shrewd in how he thought about this and took care of himself in this way.  It's a little difficult to understand why Jesus would tell this parable since it was dishonest what the steward did and in our day an employee would go to jail for 'cooking the books' like that.  But ... the point Jesus was making was 'look at the unrighteous' know how to prepare for their future, looking ahead and preparing.  He then went on to explain how money will fail us, but we can assure ourselves eternal dwellings where the true treasure (riches) are.  Obviously He is referring to our heavenly home and eternal life being lasting, while temporary riches will not last. There is a lesson for us to learn in regard to faithfulness and reward.  Answer some of the observations that Jesus made to them after telling them these things. What proves that we will be faithful with a large responsibility? vs. 10 - What proves that we will be unrighteous with big challenges? vs. 10 - Can we expect to have the true riches of eternity entrusted to us if we do not handle our temporary responsibilities correctly? vs. 11 - If we are not faithful with another's possessions, can we be trusted with our own? vs. 12 - Can we serve two different masters?  What will happen if we try to love God and temporary riches of this life?  Does this mean we cannot enjoy wealth?  What do you think?  vs. 13 - There is advice to those who are wealthy given from Paul to Timothy.  Let's read it in 1 Timothy 6:17-19. What was Timothy to teach those in the church who had wealth? vs. 17 - What are people with wealth suppose to do for it if they are believers who love God? vs. 18 - When we treat our wealth in this way, what are we storing up for ourselves? vs. 19 - Looking back at Luke 16 again, the Pharisees were scoffing this teaching by Jesus because they loved their money so much.  Jesus had something to say to them.  He said they justified themselves in the sight of men, but that God knew their hearts.  How does God feel about things that the worldly man esteems? vs. 15 - When did prophetic utterances from God for mankind stop according to vs. 16? - Does this help you understand why John the Baptist had such an important role that Jesus said he was the greatest prophet born to women?  It means that he was the one that could announce to the world that all that the prophets and the law had prophesied to that point were now fulfilled in Jesus!  "The kingdom of God is at hand." - Wow - awesome to think about. What do you think Jesus means that since that time, everyone is forcing their way into the kingdom of God? vs. 16 -  Jesus makes an insert about the law all of a sudden in the midst of talking about money.  He hits the religious rulers about the subject of marriage and divorce.   What does he say divorce and remarriage causes a person to commit?  vs. 18 - Divorce and remarriage is so prominent in today's society and many people marry an unbeliever or someone they think is a believer and end up in an abusive marriage or one that is broken by a partner's unfaithfulness and lack of love/devotion.  This is covered by Paul in the marriage chapter of I Corinthians Chapter 7 if you want to look further into it.  Most Biblical scholars believe that there are circumstances where the believer is not in bondage to not being able to remarry if certain criteria has happened to their marriage that has caused it to break up.  I don't want to address it in this study, but wanted to mention it since it was addressed by this insert of Jesus at this time to these men. Application: Are you being faithful in the little things you are asked to do by the Lord and others? Are you being faithful with your possessions and other's entrusted possessions?  How is your stewardship to man and to God? What have you learned from this lesson today about money and your responsibilities? Where are you placing your treasures, on earth or in heaven?

Luke 16:19-31 - The Rich Man and Lazarus Jesus continues to talk about the deceitfulness of money and living selfishly with it in the account of the rich man and the poor man named Lazarus. How did the rich man live? vs. 19 - How did the poor man, Lazarus, live? What was his physical condition in life? vs. 20,21 - What happened to the poor man when he died? vs. 22 -  What happened to the rich man when he died? vs. 22 - The rich man could see Lazarus being comforted in the bosom of Abraham while he was suffering torment on his side of hades in the flames of agony.  What did he ask if Lazarus could do for him?  vs. 24 - What was Abraham's response to him? vs. 25 - What separated them from crossing over to one another? vs. 26 - It's interesting to realize that people did not go into heaven until Jesus died and resurrected from the grave which was their payment for sins and their ability to stand before the Father in heaven (even though they were on the cool side of the holding place so to speak)...most may remember reading that Jesus went into Hades and got the keys to death when He died.  This is covered in the Gospels. What did the rich man want Abraham to send Lazarus to do? vs. 27 - How did Abraham respond to that request? vs. 28 - The rich man said that someone raising from the dead, such as Lazarus, would convince them and cause them to believe...but what did Abraham say in regard to that argument? vs. 31 - Application: Is there someone you should warn about the torment of hell before it is too for them? Why don't you spend time in prayer for them today asking God to prepare their hearts for your words, and also to send others to share with them and warn them as well.

Luke Chapter 16 - Conclusion Can you summarize what you learned today? Do you have a verse you want to commit to memory in your heart from today? What is your final thoughts and or prayers concerning this chapter?