Study Desk

This is why God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them. Some of my prophets and apostles will be killed by evil men. Others will be treated badly.'

Many thousands of people came together. There were so many people that they were stepping on each other. Before Jesus spoke to the people, he said to his followers, "Be careful of the yeast of the Pharisees. I mean that they are hypocrites.

Then Jesus used this story: "There was a rich man who had some land. His land grew a very good crop of food.

Jesus said to his followers, "So I tell you, don't worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat or what you will wear.

"Don't fear, little flock. Your Father wants to share his kingdom with you.

"But what will happen if that servant is evil and thinks his master will not come back soon? He will begin to beat the other servants, men and women. He will eat and drink until he has had too much.

"That servant knew what his master wanted him to do. But he did not make himself ready or try to do what his master wanted. So that servant will be punished very much!

But what about the servant who does not know what his master wants? He also does things that deserve punishment. But he will get less punishment than the servant who knew what he should do. Whoever has been given much will be responsible for much. Much more will be expected from the one who has been given more."

A father and son will be divided: The son will turn against his father. The father will turn against his son. A mother and her daughter will be divided: The daughter will turn against her mother. The mother will turn against her daughter. A mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law will be divided: The daughter-in-law will turn against her mother-in-law. The mother-in-law will turn against her daughter-in-law."

Jesus told this story: "A man had a fig tree. He planted it in his garden. He came looking for some fruit on it, but he found none.

He had a servant who took care of his garden. So he said to his servant, ‘I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three years, but I never find any. Cut it down! Why should it waste the ground?'

He laid his hands on her, and immediately she was able to stand up straight. She began praising God.

If a man locks the door of his house, you can stand outside and knock on the door, but he won't open it. You can say, ‘Sir, open the door for us.' But he will answer, ‘I don't know you. Where did you come from?'

But they would not answer his question. So he took the man and healed him. Then he sent the man away.

When it was time to eat, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come. The food is ready.'

"So the servant returned and told his master what happened. The master was angry. He said, ‘Hurry! Go into the streets and alleys of the town. Bring me the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.'

The younger son said to his father, ‘Give me now the part of your property that I am supposed to receive someday.' So the father divided his wealth between his two sons.

"A few days later the younger son gathered up all that he had and left. He traveled far away to another country, and there he wasted his money living like a fool.

So he left and went to his father. "While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him coming and felt sorry for him. So he ran to him and hugged and kissed him.

"But the father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and good sandals on his feet.