Study Desk

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

So the man said to his gardener, ‘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?'

Jesus put his hands on her, and immediately she was able to stand up straight and began praising God.

It is like a mustard seed that a man plants in his garden. The seed grows and becomes a tree, and the wild birds build nests in its branches."

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

When it was time to eat, the man sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come. Everything is ready.'

So the servant returned and told his master what had happened. Then the master became angry and said, ‘Go at once into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.'

"If anyone comes to me but loves his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—or even life—more than me, he cannot be my follower.

Whoever is not willing to carry his cross and follow me cannot be my follower.

"If a king is going to fight another king, first he will sit down and plan. He will decide if he and his ten thousand soldiers can defeat the other king who has twenty thousand soldiers.

And when he finds it, he happily puts it on his shoulders

and goes home. He calls to his friends and neighbors and says, ‘Be happy with me because I found my lost sheep.'

In the same way, I tell you there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his heart and life, than over ninety-nine good people who don't need to change.

In the same way, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner changes his heart and life."

The younger son said to his father, ‘Give me my share of the property.' So the father divided the property between his two sons.

Then the younger son gathered up all that was his and traveled far away to another country. There he wasted his money in foolish living.

So the son left and went to his father. "While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for his son. So the father 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 sandals on his feet.

The older son was angry and would not go in to the feast. So his father went out and begged him to come in.

But the older son said to his father, ‘I have served you like a slave for many years and have always obeyed your commands. But you never gave me even a young goat to have at a feast with my friends.