Distance Education
The Message Made Plain
 

Study and Preparation for Life

Lesson 1
Bible Passages
Exercises
Solutions

 
  1. LK 10:21

    "Thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these truths from the intellectual and the worldly wise and revealing them to the innocent and the open-hearted."

  2. MT 13:03.23

    "Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. As he scattered the seeds in the field, some of them fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Some of the seeds fell on rocky ground where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it scorched the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up. Some of the seeds fell among thorn bushes which grew up and choked the plants. But some seeds fell on good soil and produced a good crop; some brought in a hundredfold, some sixty and others thirty." And Jesus concluded; "Those who want to learn should listen."

    Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"

    Jesus answered, "It is because you are permitted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have more than enough. But to those who don’t have, even the little they may be able to acquire will be taken away. That is why I tell these stories, so that people will hear and see, but not understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, ‘They hear, but don’t understand; they look, but don’t see! For their hearts are hard and heavy, and their ears are dull, and they have closed their eyes in sleep so they won’t see and hear and understand or turn to me so that I should heal them.’ But, blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear! Many prophets and righteous men have longed to see what you have seen, and hear what you have heard, but couldn’t.

    "Listen, then, and learn the meaning of this parable. Those who hear the message about the Kingdom but do not understand it are like the seeds that fell along the path. The evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in them. The seeds that fell on rocky ground are those who, as soon as they hear the message, receive it gladly. But it does not sink deep into them and it doesn’t last for long. For when trouble or persecution comes because of the message, they give it up at once. The seeds that fell among thorn bushes are those who hear the message; but the cares of this life and the love for riches choke the message, such that it doesn’t bear fruit. And the seeds sown in the good soil are those who hear the message and understand it: they bear fruit, some as much as a hundred, some, sixty and others, thirty."

  3. MT 25:01.13

    "The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the Parable of the Ten Virgins who went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise enough to fill their lamps with oil while the other five were foolish and forgot. The bridegroom took some time in coming; so the girls laid down to rest until at midnight, they were roused by the cry, ‘The bridegroom is on his way! Prepare to meet him!’ All the girls immediately got up and trimmed their lamps.

    "Then the five who didn’t bother to check their oil begged the others to share with them some of theirs because their lamps were about to die out. But the others replied, ‘We don’t have any to spare. You had better go out quickly and buy what you need.’ But while they were gone, the bridegroom arrived and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.

    "Later, when the other five returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord, let us in!’

    "But he told them, ‘Go away! You’re too late!’ So stay alert and ready because you don’t know exactly when the Son of God will come."

  4. LK 16:19.31

    "There was a certain rich man," Jesus said, "who was always well dressed and lived each day in merriment and luxury. There was also a poor and sick beggar named Lazarus who used to be brought to the rich man’s door. As he lay there longing for the leftover scraps from the man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. Finally, the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham in the place of the righteous dead. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to hell. There, in anguish, he saw Lazarus in the distance with Abraham. 

    "‘Father Abraham,’ he shouted, ‘pity me! Send Lazarus over here if only to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for these flames are scorching me.’ 

    "But Abraham said to him. ‘My son, remember when you were still on earth, you had everything you wanted and Lazarus had nothing. So now, he is here being comforted and you are tormented. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us and anyone who would want to come to you from here won’t be able to do so; nor can anyone from your place cross over to us.’ 

    "Then the rich man said, ‘I beg you, then, Father Abraham, please send him to my father’s home, to my five brothers, to warn them about this place of torment lest they come here when they die!’ 

    "But Abraham said, ‘The Scriptures have warned them time and again. Your brothers can read them anytime they want to.’ 

    "The rich man replied, ‘No, Father, they won’t care to read them. But if someone who is dead were to come and talk to them, then, they would surely turn from their sins.’ 

    "But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen, either, even though someone rises from the dead!’" 

  5. JN 12:35

    "The light will be with you for just a little longer. Walk while you still have the light, for those who walk in the dark will have great difficulty finding their way." 

  6. JN 9:39

    "I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are really blind." 

  7. LK 4:04

    "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." 

  8. JN 12:48

    "Whoever rejects me and does not accept my teachings will, nevertheless, be judged according to the truths I have spoken." 

  9. JN 18:37

    So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you a king, then?" 

    And Jesus replied, "You could say that I am a king, and I have come into this world to reveal the truth. All who are of the truth listens to me." 

  10. MT 7:22.27

    "On the Day of Judgment, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! In your name, we spoke God’s message, we cast out demons and performed many miracles.’ 

    "But I will say to them, ‘Get away from me! I don’t know any evildoers!’ Therefore, he who listens to my teaching and lives accordingly is wise, like a man who builds his house upon a rock. Even if the rain should come in torrents, and the floods rise, and the wind beat against his house, it won’t collapse because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my words and doesn’t heed them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. And when the rain falls, and the floods come, and the wind beats against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash." 

  11. LK 23:34

    "Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing." 

  12. JN 9:41

    "If you were blind, then, you wouldn’t be guilty; but since you claim that you do see, then, your sin remains." 

  13. JN 15.22

    "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of committing sin. But, as it is now, they have no excuse for their sin." 

  14. MT 13:24.30

    "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed choice seeds in his field. But one night, while he was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. When the crop began to grow, the weeds also grew. The man’s servants came and told him, ‘Sir, the field is full of weeds. How could it have happened?’ 

    "‘An enemy must have done it,’ he surmised. 

    "‘Shall we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. 

    "‘No, you’ll only hurt the wheat, if you do. Let them both grow together until the harvest, and I will tell the reapers to sort out the weeds and burn them and put the wheat in the barn.’"

  15. LK 10:38.42

    As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister Mary sat on the floor listening to Jesus as he talked. But Martha was so busy with the big dinner that she was preparing; and surveying all the work that still had to be done, she approached Jesus and said, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!" 

    The Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha! You are anxious and upset over so many things. There is really only one thing worth being concerned about! Mary realizes this, and I won’t deny it to her."

  16. LK 13:06.09

    "A man planted a fig tree in his garden and he often looked to see if he could find any fruit in it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he told his gardener to cut it down. ‘It’s been three years and there hasn’t been a single fig,’ he said. ‘Why wait any longer? It’s taking up space we can use for something else.’ 

    "‘Give it one more chance,’ the gardener answered. ‘Wait another year. I’ll see to it, personally, and give it plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine; if not, I’ll cut it down.’"

  17. MK 13:34.37

    "The coming of the judgment will be like a man who went on a trip to a far country. He gave his instructions to each of his servants and delineated the work that each of them is supposed to do while he is away. Be diligent and alert then, because you don’t know exactly when the master will be returning. And if he should come suddenly, he might find you sleeping on the job. And so I say to you and to everyone: Stay alert and watchful." 

  18. LK 12:35.48

    "Always be prepared for the coming of the Lord so that when he returns home from the wedding feast and knocks at the door, you may immediately open up to him. It will be a great day for all those who are ready and waiting for his return. For he himself will make them a feast and serve them. 

    "If a man were to know that a thief is going to break into his home at a given hour, he would keep watch to prevent this from happening and thereby safeguard his property from loss. The thief knowing this, therefore, comes when he is least expected. Likewise, you should be ready at all times, because you don’t know when the Lord will actually come." 

    Peter asked him, "Lord, does this parable apply to us only or to everyone, also?" 

    And the Lord replied, "I speak to every servant who has been given some authority over his co-workers and the responsibility of attending to their needs. And if the master should return and find that his servant has done his work well, then he will reward his servant and put him in charge of all he owns. But if that servant were to think, ‘It will be some time before the master returns,’ and begins to abuse his authority, neglect his duties and engage in merrymaking and raucous living, then, the master will return unexpectedly, relieve him of his post and put him in his proper place. 

    "The servant who is aware of what his master wants him to do but refuses to do it will be severely punished. But the servant who unknowingly does something he shouldn’t do will be punished only lightly. For to whom much is given, much is required; and to whose care more is entrusted, much more will be expected."
Lesson 1
Bible Passages
Exercises
Solutions
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