Lesson 55: Luke 17
Introduction
Jesus taught His disciples about the
need to forgive others. Afterward, the Apostles asked Jesus to increase their
faith. In response, the Savior taught them the parable of the unprofitable
servant. Later, Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to give Him
thanks. The Savior was confronted by Pharisees, and He taught about the coming
forth of the kingdom of God.
I.
Luke 17:1–10
The Apostles ask Jesus to
increase their faith
---Invite students to think of
specific situations that may require them to exercise faith (such as seeking a
priesthood blessing, paying tithing,
or giving a talk or lesson at church). Invite a few students to report what
they thought of, and list their responses on the board.
---Ask students to silently ponder
the following questions:
- Have you ever wanted to have greater faith? If so, what experiences have made you feel this way?
---Look for principles as we study Luke 17 that can help you increase your
faith.
---In Luke 17:1–2 the Savior warned that those who lead
others astray or persuade them to sin will be held accountable.
---Invite students to read Luke 17:3–4
silently, looking for a commandment the Savior gave His disciples that might
require faith.
- According to verse 3, what did Jesus command His disciples to do if someone wronged them?
- According to verse 4, how often were the disciples to forgive? (Consider explaining that the Savior’s answer is a way of saying we should forgive no matter how many times we are wronged by someone who has repented.)
- Why might it be difficult to forgive someone who has repeatedly wronged you?
---Read Luke 17:5
looking for what the Apostles desired from the Savior after He told the
disciples to forgive those who offend them.
- What did the Apostles desire from the Savior? (You may want to invite students to mark the phrase “increase our faith” in their scriptures.)
- How might seeking greater faith in the Lord help the Apostles obey the commandment to forgive others?
---Luke 17:6 says that the Savior then taught His
Apostles that faith the size of a tiny mustard seed can produce miracles. To
help the Apostles know how to increase their faith, Jesus then gave a parable
describing the relationship of a master and a servant.
---Write the following incomplete
statement on the board: Our faith will increase as we …
- What did the master expect of his servant?
---In biblical times a master
provided all the necessities of life to his servant as the servant faithfully
fulfilled his expected duties. Because of this, there was no need for the
master to give special thanks to his servant or to feel indebted to him for
performing his duties.
- How is our Heavenly Father like the master in this parable? What does He expect of us? (To do “all those things which are commanded” us [verse 10].)
---Add to the statement on the board
so it reads: Our faith will increase as we strive
to do all that Heavenly Father commands.
---To help students see what else
can increase their faith, ask:
- According to verse 10, what should servants say after keeping their master’s commandments?
- What does it mean to be “unprofitable servants”? (It means that no matter how well people keep the commandments, they are always indebted to God.)
- Why are we always indebted to Heavenly Father, even when we are obedient and living righteously? (Because Heavenly Father always blesses us, we can never repay Him [see Mosiah 2:20–26].)
---Complete the statement on the
board so that it conveys the following principle: Our faith will increase as we strive
to do all that Heavenly Father commands and as we remember that we are always
indebted to Him. You may want to encourage students
to write this principle in their scriptures.
- How does striving to do all that Heavenly Father commands increase our faith?
---Invite students to ponder a time
when they kept the commandments or obediently performed their duty and felt an
increase in faith as a result. Invite them to record their thoughts in their
class notebooks or scripture study journals.
---After sufficient time, invite
students to share with another student what they wrote. Invite a few students
to share their thoughts with the class.
II.
Luke 17:11–19
Jesus cleanses ten lepers
---Write the following incomplete
statement on the board:
During Biblical times, it would have
been a great challenge to suffer from leprosy because …
---Help students review what they
know about leprosy by asking them to tell the class how they would complete the
statement. For example, students may mention that leprosy could lead to
disfiguration and death; that lepers were separated from the rest of society to
protect the health of others; and that they were required to call out
“Unclean!” to warn anyone approaching them (see Bible
Dictionary, “Leper”).
---Read Luke 17:11–12
and look for whom Jesus encountered as He stopped at a village while traveling
toward Jerusalem. Invite students to report what they find.
- If you were one of those lepers, what feelings might you have had when you saw Jesus?
---Read Luke 17:13–14
looking for what the lepers said to the Savior and what His response to them
was.
- What did the lepers ask of Jesus?
- What did Jesus instruct them to do?
---The law of Moses
prescribed that lepers show themselves to the priests after they had recovered
in order to be admitted back into society (see Leviticus 14).
- What happened as the lepers went?
- What principle can we learn from verse 14 concerning what we must do to receive the Lord’s blessings? (Students should identify a truth similar to the following: We receive the Lord’s blessings as we do what He has instructed us to do.)
---Ask students to consider what it
would have been like to be one of the lepers who were cleansed.
- What do you think you would have done once you realized you had been cleansed of leprosy?
---Take turns reading aloud from Luke 17:15–19
looking for how one of the lepers reacted differently than the others.
- What did the Samaritan leper do that indicated his gratitude toward the Savior?
- Why might Luke have mentioned that the grateful leper was a Samaritan—someone whom most Jews would have looked down upon? What does this detail add to our understanding of this account?
- What truth can we learn from the leper who returned to give thanks to the Lord? (Students should identify a truth similar to the following: It is important to express gratitude for the blessings we receive.)
- Why is it important to express our gratitude to God for the blessings we receive?
- How might we sometimes be like the nine lepers?
---Invite a student to read aloud
the following statement by President Thomas S. Monson:
“My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for
the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize
our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s
love” (“The Divine Gift of Gratitude,” Ensign or Liahona,
Nov. 2010, 87).
- According to verse 19, what did the Savior say had happened to this leper because of his actions? (He was made whole.)
- In what ways might giving thanks to the Lord for our blessings help us to be made whole?
---Invite students to record in
their scripture study journal specific blessings from Heavenly Father that they
are grateful for. Invite them to write how they can live in gratitude for these
blessings.
III.
Luke 17:20–37
Jesus teaches concerning the coming of the kingdom of God
---In Luke 17:20–37 Jesus taught about His Second Coming. (Note:
Similar teachings were treated in the lesson material for Matthew 24 and Joseph
Smith—Matthew.)
---You may want to conclude by
sharing your testimony of the truths identified in this lesson. Invite students
to apply these truths in their lives.
Scripture Mastery Review
This activity can be used to help
students memorize a scripture mastery passage.
Divide the class into groups of four
or five. Give each group a six-sided die and a pencil. (If dice are not
available, you could place six small pieces of paper numbered 1 to 6 in an
envelope or other container.) Each student will also need a blank piece of
paper. Ask each group of students to sit closely around a table or in a circle.
Invite them to open their scriptures to the scripture mastery passage you would
like them to memorize. Explain that the object of the activity is to be the
first person in the group to write out the passage in its entirety. However,
students must use the one pencil given to each group. A person qualifies to use
the pencil by rolling a 1 on the die (or selecting the piece of paper numbered
1). Invite the members of each group to take turns rolling the die (or taking a
piece of paper and then returning it). When a student rolls a 1, that person
takes the pencil and begins writing the words of the verse on his or her paper,
saying each word aloud. Meanwhile, the others in the group take turns rolling
the die. When another student in the group rolls a 1, that person takes the
pencil from the previous writer and begins writing the verse on his or her
paper while saying the words. The previous writer joins the rest of the group
in rolling the die. When students qualify for the pencil and have already
written a portion of the verse, they must read that portion aloud before
writing more of the verse. (This provides the repetition that will help
students to memorize the verse.) The activity concludes when a student from
each group has written the scripture mastery passage in its entirety.
---Ask the class to repeat the verse
in unison after the activity.
Commentary
and Background Information
Luke
17:15–16. “And one of them … fell down … giving him thanks”
President Gordon B. Hinckley
spoke of the importance of gratitude:
“The habit of saying thank you is
the mark of an educated man or woman. …
“… Let a spirit of thanksgiving
guide and bless your days and nights. Work at it. You will find it will yield
wonderful results” (“A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer for Youth,”
Ensign, Jan. 2001, 4, or Liahona, Apr. 2001, 32).
President David O. McKay taught
how we should express gratitude:
“Gratitude is deeper than thanks.
Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of
thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in
acts” (“The Meaning of Thanksgiving,” Improvement Era, Nov. 1964, 914).
Joseph
Smith Translation, Luke 17:21. “The kingdom of God has already come
unto you”
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught the
following about the “kingdom of God”:
“Some say the kingdom of God was not
set up on the earth until the day of Pentecost, and that John [the Baptist] did
not preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
but I say, in the name of the Lord, that the kingdom of God was set up on the earth
from the days of Adam to the present time. Whenever there has been a righteous
man on earth unto whom God revealed His word and gave power and authority to
administer in His name, … there is the kingdom of God” (Teachings of Presidents
of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 82).
Supplemental
Teaching Idea
Luke
17:28–33. “Remember Lot’s wife”
Explain that while Jesus was
instructing His disciples regarding His Second Coming, He compared the
destruction of the wicked at that time to the destruction of the wicked in the
ancient city of Sodom.
Invite a student to read Luke 17:28–30 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for the condition of Sodom in the days of Lot just prior to its
destruction.
- What was the condition of Sodom just prior to its destruction? (Things appeared normal. They bought and sold, planted their fields, and built homes and buildings.)
- What does this teach us about how some people will view conditions in the world just prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? (They will fail to recognize the signs of the Second Coming and will be surprised when the Lord comes and destroys the wicked.)
Invite a student to read Luke 17:31–33 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what Jesus counseled us to do when the destruction of the
wicked occurs.
- What did Jesus counsel us to do?
You may want to invite a student to
summarize what Lot’s wife chose to do when Sodom was being destroyed and what
happened to her as a result (see Genesis 19:15–26).
To help students understand the
reason for the counsel to “remember Lot’s wife,” display or provide the
following statement by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles:
“With the Lord’s counsel ‘look not
behind thee’ ringing clearly in her ears, Lot’s wife, the record says, ‘looked
back,’ and she was turned into a pillar of salt. …
“… What did Lot’s wife do that
was so wrong? … Apparently what was wrong with Lot’s wife was that she wasn’t
just looking back; in her heart she wanted to go back. It would appear that
even before they were past the city limits, she was already missing what Sodom
and Gomorrah had offered her. …
“It is possible that Lot’s wife
looked back with resentment toward the Lord for what He was asking her to leave
behind. …
“… A more theological way to
talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith” (“Remember Lot’s
Wife” [Brigham Young University devotional, Jan. 13, 2009], 2–3, speeches.byu.edu).
- What can we learn about preparing for the Second Coming from the account of Lot’s wife? (Students may use different words, but they should identify a truth similar to the following: We can prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ by placing our faith in Him and leaving behind wicked influences.)
Invite students to remember the
mistake of Lot’s wife and think about how they can place their faith in Jesus
Christ and leave behind any wicked influences in their lives.
© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Right margin
extras:
Focus
on helping students fulfill their role
As you prepare each lesson, stay
focused on your students’ role in the classroom and not just on what you will
do in class. Rather than merely asking, “What will I do in class today?” or
“What will I teach my students?” you should also approach lesson preparation by
thinking, “What will my students do in class today?” “How will I help my
students discover what they need to know?”
Lesson 56: Luke 18–21
Introduction
As Jesus Christ traveled toward
Jerusalem for the last time in mortality, He taught His gospel and performed
miracles among the people. He rode in triumph into Jerusalem, cleansed the
temple again, and taught the people there.
I.
Luke 18–21
The Savior teaches on His way to Jerusalem
---Explain to students that they
have already learned about many of the events recorded in Luke 18–21 from their study of Matthew and Mark.
To review two of these events, display the following pictures: Christ and the Rich Young Ruler (Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 48;
see also LDS.org) and Triumphal Entry (Gospel Art Book, no. 50).
Invite students to summarize these stories for the class and to explain what
they remember learning from the accounts.
---You may want to use the following
summary of Luke 18–21 if students need help remembering
these stories. (Note: To help students understand when the events of this lesson
occurred in the Savior’s life, you may want to show students The Mortal
Ministry of Jesus Christ at a Glance graphic in the appendix of this manual.)
---As Jesus Christ traveled to
Jerusalem for the last time in mortality, He taught a number of parables and
healed many people. He invited the rich young ruler to give all to the poor and
follow Him. He healed a blind man. Despite ridicule, He dined with one of the
chief publicans in Jericho.
He arrived in Jerusalem and, amidst
shouts of praise, rode a colt as He entered the city. He again expelled the
moneychangers from the temple, taught the people there, and responded to
questions from chief priests and scribes. He praised a widow who offered her
two mites to the temple treasury. He also taught the disciples about His Second
Coming.
---Explain that most of the accounts
students will study in this lesson are unique to the Gospel of Luke.
---To prepare students to study
these accounts, write the following questions on the board:
What actions might indicate that a person
sincerely wants to come closer to the Lord?
What behaviors show he or she really
wants to be forgiven or desires the Lord’s help?
---Invite students to consider these
questions as they study the following accounts from Luke’s writings.
---Write the following scripture
references on the board: Luke 18:1–8; Luke 18:9–14; Luke 18:35–43; Luke 19:1–10. Explain that these scripture
passages include parables and events from the Savior’s last journey toward
Jerusalem during His mortal life.
---Assign each student one of the
scripture references written on the board, or consider dividing the class into
four groups and assigning each group one of the scripture references on the
board. Invite each student or group to read the assigned scripture passage and
prepare to act out the account or parable it contains. (If you do not divide
students into groups, consider acting out each of the accounts as a class. If
you choose not to act out these accounts, you could invite students to study
the assigned scripture references individually by using the following questions
and then teaching each other what they learned.) Explain that one student in
the class or in each group should be the narrator and read the scriptural account
as the rest of the class or group acts it out. Out of reverence and respect for
the Savior, instruct those acting out Luke 18:35–43 and Luke 19:1–10 to do so without having someone
represent Jesus Christ. Instruct the narrator to read the words of Jesus, and
ask the actors to respond as though He were in the scene.
---As the groups prepare, invite
them to discuss the following questions together and be ready to report their
answers to the class after they act out the scene. (Consider writing these
questions on the board or providing them on a handout.)
- What did the main character (widow, publican, blind man, or Zacchaeus) desire in this account?
- What did the main character do that indicated his or her desire was sincere?
- What happened because of the main character’s faithful actions?
- What principles or doctrines can you identify in the story?
---After sufficient time, invite the
class or each group to act out their account as the narrator reads the verses.
As the class watches or follows along in their scriptures, ask students to
consider what each account can teach us about exercising faith in the Lord.
After each performance, ask the class or group to report their answers to the
preceding questions. Ask them to list on the board the principles or doctrines
they identified.
---After the groups have reported
their answers to the questions, ask the following questions:
- What similarities did you notice in the actions of each of the main characters? (They each showed persistence or sincerity as they sought to obtain their desires.)
- What can these actions teach us about exercising faith in the Lord?
- What similarities did you notice in what each of the main characters received as a result of his or her actions? (Each received help or mercy.)
---Ask students to identify a
principle from the similarities in the accounts. Students may identify a
variety of principles, but be sure to emphasize that if we are sincere and
persistent as we exercise faith in the Lord, we can obtain His mercy. Write
this principle on the board.
---Invite a student to read aloud
the following statement by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles. Ask the class to listen for what indicates a person is
exercising faith in the Lord.
“True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and
always leads to righteous action”
(“Ask in Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2008, 95).
---Refer students to the questions
written on the board at the beginning of the lesson. Ask students to turn to a
partner and discuss answers to the questions.
- What are some ways we can exercise faith in God today?
---Invite a student to read aloud
the following statement by Elder Bednar, and ask the class to listen for what
it means to experience the mercies of the Lord:
“The Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and
individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance,
loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive
from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ” (“The Tender Mercies of the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2005, 99).
---Invite students to respond to the
following questions in their class notebooks. (You may want to write the
questions on the board.)
- In what ways have you or someone you know exercised faith in Jesus Christ? What mercy did you or they experience as a result?
- Consider in what ways you desire the Lord’s help or mercy in your life. What will you do to exercise your faith in the Lord in order to receive His mercy?
---Invite a few students who feel
comfortable sharing to report what they wrote. Remind them not to share
anything too personal. You might also want to share your experience with the
principle and testify of its truthfulness.
Commentary
and Background Information
Luke
18:1–8. The parable of the importuning widow and the unjust judge
“Luke stated the main message of the
parable of the importuning widow and unjust judge—‘men ought always to pray,
and not to faint’ (Luke 18:1). The Greek word translated as ‘to
faint’ means to become discouraged or weary or to tire of something. In the parable,
praying without giving up is represented by a widow who repeatedly appeals to a
judge to remedy an injustice. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles taught:
“‘When lonely, cold, hard times
come, we have to endure, we have to continue, we have to persist. That was the
Savior’s message in the parable of the importuning widow. … Keep knocking on
that door. Keep pleading. In the meantime, know that God hears your cries and
knows your distress. He is your Father, and you are His child’ (‘Lessons from
Liberty Jail,’ Ensign, Sept. 2009, 30).
“Perseverance is rooted in the
foundational gospel principles of faith and hope. Perseverance reflects our
faith that our actions will bring the Lord’s blessings into our lives” (New
Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2014], 177).
Luke
18:9–14. The parable of the Pharisee and the Publican
President Howard W. Hunter
explained the difference between the prayer of the Pharisee and the prayer of
the publican:
“Could there be greater contrast in
the prayers of two men? The Pharisee stood apart because he believed he was
better than other men, whom he considered as common. The publican stood apart
also, but it was because he felt himself unworthy. The Pharisee thought of no
one other than himself and regarded everyone else a sinner, whereas the
publican thought of everyone else as righteous as compared with himself, a
sinner. The Pharisee asked nothing of God, but relied upon his own
self-righteousness. The publican appealed to God for mercy and forgiveness
of his sins.
“… The publican, the despised
tax collector, ‘went down to his house justified, rather than the other.’ (Luke 18:14.) In other words, the Lord said he was
absolved, forgiven, or vindicated. …
“Humility is an attribute of
godliness possessed by true Saints. It is easy to understand why a proud man
fails. He is content to rely upon himself only. … The proud man shuts himself
off from God, and when he does he no longer lives in the light. …
“… History bears record that
those who have exalted themselves have been abased, but the humble have been
exalted. On every busy street there are Pharisees and publicans. It may be that
one of them bears our name” (“The Pharisee and the Publican,” Ensign, May
1984, 65–66).
Luke
18:35–43. Healing the blind man
The faith and persistence of the
blind man named Bartimaeus can be seen in how he cried out to Jesus
Christ for mercy—he continued to cry out even after many people
ordered him to be quiet (see Mark 10:47–48).
Luke
18:1–8, 35–43. Persevering in faith
Elder David A. Bednar of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared an example of the importance of
persevering through trials of our faith:
“A few years ago a family
traveled to Europe from the United States. Shortly after arriving at their
destination, a 13-year-old son became quite ill. The mother and father
initially thought his upset stomach was caused by fatigue from the long flight,
and the family routinely continued on its journey.
“As the day continued, the son’s
condition became worse. Dehydration was increasing. The father gave his son a
priesthood blessing, but no improvement was immediately evident.
“Several hours passed by, and the mother
knelt by her son’s side, pleading in prayer to Heavenly Father for the boy’s
well-being. They were far from home in an unfamiliar country and did not know
how to obtain medical assistance.
“The mother asked her son if he
would like to pray with her. She knew that merely waiting for the anticipated
blessing would not be enough; they needed to continue to act. Explaining that
the blessing he had received was still in effect, she suggested again
petitioning in prayer, as did the ancient Apostles, ‘Lord, Increase our faith’
(Luke 17:5). The prayer included a profession of
trust in priesthood power and a commitment to persevere in doing whatever might
be required for the blessing to be honored—if that blessing at that time was in
accordance with God’s will. Shortly after they offered this simple prayer, the
son’s condition improved.
“The faithful action of the mother
and her son helped to invite the promised priesthood power. … The healing of
this 13-year-old boy did not occur until after their faith and was accomplished
‘according to their faith in their prayers’ (D&C 10:47)” (“Ask in Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2008, 96).
Luke
19:1–10. Zacchaeus, chief among the publicans
For more information about
Zacchaeus, refer to the New Testament Student Manual ([Church Educational
System manual, 2014], 177).
© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Right margin
extras:
Show
reverence and respect for the Lord Jesus Christ
To respect the dignity of Jesus
Christ, the Church is careful in its portrayal of the Savior in art and
theater. We too must show reverence for Him in our classrooms. Avoid depicting
the Savior in an irreverent way. Those portraying His voice should use only His
words as recorded in the scriptures.
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