Issues and Answers – Luke 20
Icebreaker: Describe a time when you were asked questions which made you feel uncomfortable.
Introduction:
Jesus was watched and tested by His enemies during His final week. In this passage we see Jesus examining them! For as they questioned Him, He questioned them, and their responses revealed the ignorance, hatred, and unbelief of their hearts.
Read Luke 20:1-8 A Question and Answer Session with Jesus:
Narrative: One day when Jesus was teaching and preaching the gospel to the people in the temple, he was approached by the chief priests, scribes, and elders who wanted to know by what authority was he given to do these things or who was it that gave him this authority. Jesus answered the questions by asking one question of his own. Since Jesus received no answer to his question, he refused to provide any comment as to his authority as it concerned his teaching and preaching in the temple.
- Under what circumstance would it be good to ask for the credentials or authority of those who exercise authority over you?
- Why was Jesus’ question so hard to answer? (vs 5-6)
- When asking the Lord for answers to our questions, what must we do with the truth that He has already revealed to us?
Read Luke 15:9-19 A Parable of a Vineyard Owner and the Tenants:
Narrative: Jesus returns to speaking with the crowd and imparts a parable to them. In the parable there is a man who plants a vineyard, then leases the vineyard to caretakers, and travels outside the country for a very long time. At harvest time, the vineyard owner sends a servant to the caretakers to collect some “fruit of the harvest.” The caretakers rebuffed his request by beating up the servant and sending him back empty handed to the owner of the vineyard. The vineyard owner then sent two other servants who met a similar fate from the caretakers.
The vineyard owner finally sends his son who was killed by the caretakers. A question is posed by Jesus, “what is the vineyard owner to do?” The answer provided states the vineyard owner would come back, destroy the vineyard keepers, and that the land would be given to others. It appears the story was understood and upsetting to the audience for they responded, “God Forbid” Jesus’ listeners would remember that the vineyard was used in the Old Testament as a picture of Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7). And in this parable, the tenants (the caretakers) represented the religious leaders among the Jewish people. Yet Jesus asked one more question, see vs. 17-18.
Jesus quotes Psalms 118:22, and in doing so, was clearly claiming to be the Messiah. He was warning his audience that they would only destroy themselves if they did not accept Him.
4. Why do you think Jesus wanted his audience to know about the fate of those who might reject him?
5. What was Jesus’ motive when he warned the people of their destruction?
6. In verse 19, the chief priest and scribes had perceived that Jesus was speaking against them. What kind of actions did they pursue in trying to strike back at Jesus? (vs. 20)
7. For the people in your life that you believe have rejected the message of the Gospel, what can you do point them toward Jesus?
8. What are some practical things you can do to help them to see the life they can have if they surrender to Christ as Savior?
Read Luke 20:20-26 A Plan of Entrapment and Responsibility:
Narrative: The chief priest and scribes believed Jesus’ parable had been directed at them and they subsequently decided to make plans to entrap Jesus in his words so that they could turn him over to the power and authority of the governor. Jesus was complimented regarding his teachings regarding the true ways of God. Directly following the compliment, he was asked whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (the government). Jesus stated, give to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and to God the things which are God’s.
9. What does it look like to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s?” How are we called as Christians to do both?
10. What could we do to contribute (money, time, expertise, labor, etc.) to the “things of God?”
11. Food for Thought: Pastor Dave stated in his sermon: God knows that for most of us money will be the number one competitor for our hearts. How do you keep from allowing money to being more important than God?
Read Luke 20:27-38 A Question and Answer Session Regarding the Resurrection:
Narrative: Jesus was approached by some “Sadducees” with a question regarding how the law was to be understood in the afterlife. It should be noted that the “Sadducees” denied the resurrection vs. 27, (see also Acts 23:8 “The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits,….”). In effect the Sadducees were asking a hypothetical nonsensical question regarding things they did not believe. Jesus provides a brief description as to the state of God’s children in the resurrection; and confirms the reality of an everlasting life.
12. What do you think was the Sadducees’ purpose in asking Jesus a hypothetical question about the resurrection?
13. How did Jesus approach the answer to the question? (34-38)
14. How should we answer questions of skeptics when we believe they are not asking a question with good motives?
Read Luke 20:39-44 A Question from Jesus:
Narrative: The teachers of the law were at a place where they stopped questioning Jesus; probably because every question they had asked, resulted in some type of self-incrimination. Yet Jesus replied with still another question. (vs. 41-44) In this narrative Jesus points the religious leaders to a passage of scripture that points to Jesus’ deity.
Read Luke 20:45-47 A Warning from Jesus: Read
Narrative: Jesus turns to his disciples and speaks to them about some characteristics and practices of the “teachers of the law.” Jesus concludes that these types of men will be punished most severely.
15. The scribes were experts at projecting a religious image to get what they desired. What do you think was the most egregious activity described in this passage of scripture?
16. How do we see similar practices in our society and churches today?
17. What are some things you could do to project the image of Christ?