Key Thought : Should we, as Christians, take advantage of personal stories in the form of movies, TV, books, magazines, and personal testimonies to help others understand God?.

Teaching plan for Discipling Through Metaphor January 6, 2014]

1. Have a volunteer read 2 Samuel 12:1-7.

a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. How do you correct a king, boss, or spouse while protecting your relationship and staying out of trouble? Do parables and stories fall into that category?
c. Personal Application: What story in the Bible has had a big impact on your life? What influence has that story had on your life? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “Why did Nathan approach David like that? David could have had him killed instantly. Is giving the Lord’s messages to others about the beast, image, and mark more important than hatred, rejection, and life itself? How many people today would have given the message to David?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Matthew 7:24-27.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. Why did Jesus use this example from nature to teach us about Christian discipleship?
c. Personal Application: What types of communication would reach the majority of people today? How can we use these types of communication without compromising or misdirecting the message? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What sayings of Jesus is He talking about in having people doing? Are we supposed to do His parables? Do His commandments? Do His love? What is He saying here?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Matthew 13:10-15.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. What images from your culture could you use to help present spiritual truth?
c. Personal Application: What “types” of people do you share the gospel with? How is you approach different for each person? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “Why didn’t Jesus make things plain for people instead of telling parables and stories? Doesn’t He want people to understand and be converted and saved? Why did He say this?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Matthew 21:28-32.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. Which of the two sons do most people admire the most – the one who agrees and smooth talks everybody and the message but doesn’t so anything for God, or those who say they won’t and seem stubborn and defiant, but end up going forward to do God’s work?
c. Personal Application: Have you ever been deceived about your spiritual standing with God? How can we avoid self-deception and a self-righteous attitude? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Note : “Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.” MH p. 149.

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