1. Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide

2. Lesson 8: The Great Controversy in the Parables of Jesus

3. Memory Text: “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

4. Parables Studied: 1. The Soils 2. The Tares 3. The Vineyard 4. The Wedding Feast 5. The Lost Coins (sheep/prodigal son). “That seeing they might not see and hearing they might not hear.” There is a war going on. Jesus was fully aware of that. Men were seeking an excuse to kill Him … He had to “watch His words”. Why did Jesus teach in parables? “That seeing they might not see and hearing they might not hear.” There is a war going on. Jesus was fully aware of that. Men were seeking an excuse to kill Him … He had to “watch His words”. What is a parable? Story with a spiritual application. “An earthly story with a Heavenly meaning”.

5. PARABLETEACHING 1. The Soils The reception of truth. 2. The Tares The plan of salvation. 3. The Vineyard The plan of salvation. 4. The Wedding Feast The transformation of character. 5. The Lost Coins Divine love, mercy and justice. (sheep/prodigal son).

6. The Four Soils: The Wayside Stony Ground Thorny Ground Good Ground In the end can we blame satan if our soil is poor? If we are not “good ground”?1 Cor. 10:13

7. Wheat and Tares: SYMBOLS:MEANING: THE FIELDThe world THE TARESEvildoers THE HARVESTThe end of the world THE GOOD SEEDGod’s word THE TWO SOWERSJesus, satan THE HARVESTERSThe angels Matthew 13:24 - 30

8. The Vineyard: The Landowner, The Vineyard, The Wall, The Tenants, The Landowner’s Servants, The Son, The Other Tenants Read: Matthew 21:33 - 44 Work diligently for the Lord – He will reward you greatly.

9. The Wedding Feast and the Wedding Garment Read: Matthew 22:1 – 14. We need Christ’s righteousness!

10. The Lost and Found: 1. The Sheep Luke 15:4 - 7 God left Heaven to save one lost sheep – this world!

11. 2.The Lost Coin Luke 15:8 - 10 We don’t even know we are lost – God is searching for us! Turn to Him today!

12. Luke 15:11-32 11. “And He said, A certain man had two sons: 12.And the younger of them said to his father, Father give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. …”

13. The Prodigal Son: Interpretation Of all the parables this comes closest to giving us a glimpse of the hallowed face of God. It illustrates that God’s love is beyond justice, beyond reason - that He ever hungers for the return of a sinner. The righteous are His already; they have His love. But they are not to be self righteous, nor jealous of their position in His eyes. They are to love with His own love - to yearn as He does for their wandering brothers. ‘The Perfect Father’ might be a more descriptive title for this gem of a parable.

14. Witnessing: Should we ask God to give us lost people or help us find lost people?

15. What borders might you need to cross, or what walls might you need to scale, in your search for people who need God?

16. Summary: Jesus came to this earth to uncover satan’s lies about God. He did this not only through the way he lived but through the parables taught. From many of these we learn vision, affect our attitude and appeal to our sense of pride and self sufficiency. But each parable brings a note of victory. There is a harvest. People do accept God’s invitation. Some of us do find the way home.