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| HANDLING TOUGH QUESTIONS |
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| When teaching, Jesus often relied on a parable - a compact short story with a moral. Speaking in parables allowed him to continue training his disciples "privately," despite the throngs of onlookers (8:10). He could explain the meaning to the disciples later on when they were alone together. Parables also helped preserve his message: years later, as people reflected on what Jesus taught, his parables came to mind in vivid detail. Simple Stories with a Profound Point Luke, a master storyteller, collected 18 parables that appear nowhere else, and he also retold some of the most familiar. While Matthew emphasizes parables of the kingdom, Luke adds those that focus on people: the good Samaritan, a persistent widow, the lost son. His parables speak to heavy subjects, but in an unexpectedly disarming way. Jesus' style of handling tough questions contrasts sharply with Paul's. The apostle Paul wrapped concepts in theological words and gave formal explanations. In careful prose he patiently probed such complex words as forgiveness and justification. Jesus, speaking to a restless crowd of thousands, communicated the same message in three progressive stories - the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son (15:1-32). Scottish Christians like to call that last story "The Wonderful Father." It expresses the heart of Jesus' message about as well as any ten-volume theological work. Life Questions: What one question would you most like to ask Jesus in person? Given how he handled tough questions in Luke, can you imagine how he might respond to yours? |