TRUE REPENTANCE FOR THE PHARISEES

Luke 13:1-17

Key Verse:: 13:5b

* UNLESS YOU REPENT... (1-9)

1. What was the gruesome news that some people brought to Jesus? How did people who saw or heard about this event interpret what had happened? (Compare Jn.9:2) In what way were they fatalistic?

2. What did Jesus say about this event and a similar one? What challenge did he give to those who had told him about it? How does real repentance solve the problem of fatalism?

3. Look at Jesus' parable. Where was the fig tree? What was its problem? What did the owner tell his servant to do about the fig tree? What does this tell us about God?

4. Why had the fig tree been fruitless? What does the servant's failure to take care of the fig tree tell us about him? (see 2Th.3:10) What did the servant offer to do? What can we learn here about what it means to repent?

5. What can we learn from these first nine verses about repentance? Why should true repentance restore one's sense of mission? How does it do so? (Lk.9:23)

* MERCY MORE THAN LEGALISM (10-17)

6. What problem did Jesus encounter as he taught in the synagogue? What did he do? What was her response? Think about the life-long agony of this woman and the mercy of Jesus.

7. What was the complaint of the synagogue ruler? What did he say to the people? Why did he have such an attitude?

8. What did Jesus say to him? How did this expose his hypocrisy? What can we learn here? How did he reveal mercy which goes beyond law?

9. What does it mean that Jesus calls her "a daughter of Abraham"?