Seeds of Faith Podcast

The text for this lesson is Genesis 21:1–7; 22:1–19.

Key Points

• As God provided a sacrifice for Abraham and Isaac, so He provides the perfect sacrifice for our sin, His Son, Jesus, the Lamb of God.
• Law: God demands that I trust Him completely.
• Gospel: Because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, God gives me faith to trust in Him.
• Law: God tests my faith.
• Gospel: Jesus was tested in every way and grants me strength to trust God when my faith is tested.
• Law: God requires a sacrifice (payment) for my sin.
• Gospel: God sacrificed His own Son, Jesus, for me.

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Discussion Points

1. Compare Isaac to our Lord Jesus Christ. There are stark similarities. Yet, there is one crucial difference. What is this difference? How does this difference display our heavenly Father’s sacrificial love for us? Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. What did our heavenly Father put His Son through that He did not ask of Isaac? How did His providing of a ram to Abraham and Isaac foreshadow the Lamb of God, who took our place on the sacrificial wood of the cross?
2. Genesis 22:1 describes the sacrifice as a test. Certainly Abraham felt that the desire to protect his son conflicted with his desire to submit to the will of his gracious Father in heaven. This was more of a result of the real test than the test itself. What was the real test?
3. Mount Moriah, where the sacrifice of Isaac took place, would later become the location for the temple. See 2 Chronicles 3:1. The ram that took the place of Isaac would be the first of hundreds of thousands of beasts to die for the sins of the Church. Skim Exodus 29:38–46 and Leviticus 5:14–19. Now read Mark 14:53, 64. Where did Jesus receive His death sentence and from whom did He receive it? The lambs and rams of Leviticus 5 were measured out in silver. With what coinage was our sacrificial ram bought?
4. God provided a ram as a sign to accompany His Word. From whence did the ram come? Why does God continually bring forth a visible, tangible sign of His promises of mercy for us even as He gave Abraham the ram while He spoke with him from heaven?
5. After the test, God reaffirmed His promise concerning the multitude of Abraham’s offspring. God’s promises seem to be conditional based on Abraham’s actions. Read James 2:21–23. How does James not contradict the Christian doctrine of justification before God by faith alone? Was Abraham’s promise granted to him because of his works or his faith?
6. Read Job 19:25–27. How does Job’s profession of faith complement Abraham’s
   trust in the resurrection of the Redeemer and, consequently, his belief in Isaac’s own rising on the Last Day?
7. Moses adds that the mountain is called this to this day (Moses’ day). What does the fact that Abraham named the mountain after God’s work rather than his own signify to the future generations? How does God’s providing on this mountain relate to them now? How does it relate to us?
8. Your church is also the place of God’s visitation. In your church, He gives His gifts of forgiveness and salvation through the Word and Sacraments. How does your church name reflect that “Yahweh will provide” in this space?

The text for this lesson is Genesis 6:1-9:17

Key Points

• In the flood, God destroyed sinful people. Jesus, His Son, destroyed sin, once and for all, in His death and resurrection, giving life to sinful people.
• Law: God demands obedience to His Law.
• Gospel: God sent His Son to obey the Law perfectly for me.
• Law: God used water in a flood to drown sinful humankind.
• Gospel: In Baptism, God uses water to drown my sins, granting me eternal life through Jesus, His Son.
 

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Discussion Points

1. In December 2004, a tsunami killed hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia. In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast underwater. What images of these disasters come to mind? How would they compare to the universal flood that God sent in Noah’s day?
2. “I just don’t believe that Noah could have built that ark with the primitive technology they had then. And how could a flood cover the entire earth?” How would you respond to a friend who said such things?
3. “It seems so cruel that God would destroy all those people and animals in the flood. How could He choose to save only eight people and still be a good and gracious God?” How would you respond to a friend who said this?
4. Read Genesis 6:5–7. What was the condition of the human heart at the time of Noah? Read Genesis 6:11–13. What kind of behavior resulted from the condition of the human heart? Was humanity any better off after the flood? See Genesis 8:21. Are we any better off today?
5. Read Genesis 6:8–9; 7:1. What motivated God to save Noah? Why was Noah called “righteous”? Note that Genesis 9:18–29 indicates that Noah was not without sin.
   Read Hebrews 11:7. How was Noah’s faith demonstrated?
6. Once Noah and his family and the animals had entered the ark, Genesis 7:16 says that God shut Noah in. Could Noah have done this himself? What does this lead us to conclude about the nature of salvation, that is, rescue from harm and danger?
7. Read Genesis 8:20–21. Why did Noah offer sacrifices to the Lord? How did the Lord receive the sacrifices? What kind of sacrifices are we to offer to the Lord today? See Romans 12:1.
8. Read Genesis 9:8–11. What might the fact that animals are part of the covenant indicate?
9. Read Matthew 24:37–39. What were the wicked, faithless people doing when the flood came? How do the wicked live in our own generation? Should Christians be involved in the same deeds as unbelievers?
10. Read Genesis 9:12–17. How is the rainbow a more effective sign of God’s promise than words alone? What visible signs of His promise does God give to the Church?
11. It says in 1 Peter 3:20b–21, “In [the ark] a few people, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” What images does this verse bring to mind about the salvation we receive in Baptism?
12. In Genesis 9:4, God tells Noah, “You shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.” This verse is the first of many in the Bible that prohibit the consumption of blood (Leviticus 3:17; Deuteronomy 12:15–16; Acts 15:29; and others). Here, and elsewhere in the Old Testament, blood is equated with the life of the living being. How does this fact about blood help us understand the significance of the true presence of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper?

The text for this lesson is Genesis 4:1-16

Key Points

• Even though Cain sinned, God still loved and preserved him. Even though we sin, God in Christ still loves and preserves us.
• Law: God expects payment for my sin.
• Gospel: God sent His Son, Jesus, to be the final, perfect sacrifice.
 

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Discussion Points

1. How do you feel when you are separated from loved ones for a time? How might those feelings help us understand the importance of God’s loving presence with us?
2. “I don’t feel like God is really present with me. I don’t feel like He’s here for me.” How would you respond to a friend who said this?
3. “I don’t see Jesus, so I don’t believe He is with us.” How would you respond to a child who said this?
4. After the fall into sin, the first recorded crime is what we consider the most serious kind, murder. What does this event tell us about the human heart after its fall into sin?
5. In Genesis 3:15, God promised that a future offspring of the woman would crush Satan’s head. Genesis 4:1 translated literally from the Hebrew text has Eve say at the birth of Cain, “I have brought forth a man, the LORD.” What does this tell us about the faith and expectations of Adam and Eve? In what way was Adam’s and Eve’s faith the same as ours? In what way was their faith different?
6. Read Luke 1:30–31 followed by Genesis 4:3–5. What does it mean when God “looks with favor” upon someone? Read Hebrews 11:1–4. How do we receive faith? Why was Abel’s sacrifice pleasing but Cain’s was not?
7. Read Genesis 4:6–9. Who was tempting Cain to murder his brother? Though God commanded Cain to “rule over it,” why was Cain unable to resist temptation? Where do Christians find the strength to resist sin?
8. Read Genesis 4:10. God heard Abel’s blood crying out even after he had died. Read Matthew 22:31–32. Since God saw and remembered Abel after his death, what does this tell us about the future of God’s saints after death?
9. Read Genesis 4:13–16. If Cain had shown repentance, that is, if he had realized his error, confessed his sin, and turned to God for forgiveness, would God have forgiven him? How does God continue to preserve Cain in spite of his unbelief? What is the worst part of Cain’s punishment?
10. The Fifth Commandment is “You shall not murder.” Jesus says in Matthew 5:22 that anger and hatred are sins of murder, so we are clearly guilty of breaking the Fifth Commandment. Martin Luther explains the Fifth Commandment in the Small Catechism: “We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.” How does Luther’s explanation help us see more clearly the extent of our failure to keep this commandment?
11. We live in a radically individualized culture, with every man for himself and dog-eat-dog. Many would identify with Cain, asking indignantly, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” How does the Christian Church answer this question? How is this principle lived out in the Church?
12. Read Genesis 4:6–9. How many times does Cain sin in a short timespan? What does he try to do with his sin? How are we similar to Cain when we know that we have sinned? How does it feel to confess your sin to someone you have offended? How has our litigious society affected us in regard to admitting fault in an accident, in the workplace, and so on?
13. Cain was cut off from God’s presence because of his sin and unbelief. Why is it critical to remain in God’s presence? Where do we find God’s presence today?

The text for this lesson is Genesis 3:1-24; John 3:16

Key Points

• Through Adam, sin spreads to all people. Through Christ, God offers forgiveness to all people.
• Law: I sin when I blame others for my sins.
• Gospel: Jesus, who was sinless, took the blame for the sin of the world upon Himself, making me blameless.
 

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Discussion Points

1. Are we sinners because we commit sins, or do we commit sins because we are sinners? After discussing this question, see Psalm 51:5 for insight into this question.
2. Have you ever tried to eradicate the sin from your life? If so, did you have any success? What is the solution to this sin problem?
3. What are some examples of sins that we commit that affect our relationships with each other? What are some examples of sins that affect the health of our bodies?
4. In our relationship with God, is it more harmful that we commit sins (actual sin) or that we are born dead in a sinful condition (original sin)? How far does sin separate us from God? See Isaiah 59:2. Why is it so important that God forgives all our sin for Christ’s sake?
5. To set the stage for Genesis 3, we must review Genesis 2:8–9, 15–17. To whom did God directly give the command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Why might God give such a command? What made the fruit deadly to those who ate it?
6. Read Genesis 3:1–3. What did the serpent throw into question in his temptation of Eve? Did she accurately quote God’s original command? In Genesis 3:6, we find that Adam was with Eve. As head of his household and recipient of God’s original command, what should he have done to prevent this disaster?
7. After the fall, God could have simply destroyed the creation and started over from scratch. Yet He had created the world “very good,” and He would not give up on it. Read Genesis 3:15 and John 3:16. Why did God not destroy the world? How far was He willing to go to redeem His creation?
8. In Genesis 3, Satan casts doubt on God’s Word in order to tempt Eve. Read 1 Peter 5:8–9. Whom is Satan most interested in tempting? What is Satan’s ultimate goal? What is our best defense against Satan?
9. Genesis 3:7 explains that immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, they recognized their nakedness and covered themselves out of shame. How does our culture show that it no longer sees shame in nakedness? How do these things tempt people to sin and destroy lives? How can we help friends and family members who struggle with these temptations?
10. In Genesis 3:22–24, we see that if Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of life after the fall, they would have lived forever in their sinful condition. When God banished them from the garden, how was this an act not only of wrath, but also of grace? How does God’s Law function to show us both God’s wrath toward sin and also His love for our well-being?
11. Adam and Eve were righteous before they sinned, that is, they were free from the guilt of sin. Read Genesis 3:10–13. How did Adam and Eve try to justify themselves, that is, declare themselves righteous before God? What are some ways that we try to justify ourselves before one another and before God when we know we are guilty? How is it that Paul can say that we are justified, or declared righteous, in God’s sight? See Romans 5:18–19.

The text for this lesson is Luke 10:1–24

Key Points

• God chose the seventy-two to serve Him for a special task. God places us in various callings, giving us opportunities to serve Him and share our faith with others.
• Law: I sin when I think only church workers serve God in their calling. I sin when I despise anyone’s vocation.
• Gospel: God, in His mercy, provides all vocations to meet our needs and in His Son, Jesus, provides for our spiritual needs through pastors, Christian parents, and others. God forgives my sins of pride and arrogance for Jesus’ sake. God forgives my sin of feeling unworthy or inadequate because I am not in church work.

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Discussion Points

1. Today we study how Jesus sent out seventy-two men to heal the sick and proclaim the Gospel. We also will discuss the doctrine of Christian vocation, which comes from the Latin word vocatio, meaning “calling.” The seventy-two were called to do a specific task for the Lord. Likewise, each Christian has one or more callings to do specific tasks in service of the Lord, for example, in family, country, and workplace. But there is one major difference between the calling of the seventy-two and our own callings. What is this difference, and why is it important to make this distinction? What are some examples of ways that Christians sometimes fail to make this distinction today? How does the Lord call us into our various stations in life?
2. In today’s lesson, Jesus says that the judgment on any town that rejects the message of the seventy-two will be harsher than on Sodom. This town was proverbially corrupt. Its inhabitants participated in open sexual immorality, including homosexuality (Genesis 19:5; Jude 7) and also lived decadently with no regard for the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:49). According to 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, what activities have Christians been called away from through Baptism? What does this passage suggest about the content of Christian preaching?
3. Much like Jesus had called the Twelve (Luke 9:1) and sent them out to preach and heal the sick, He now calls seventy-two men and sends them out ahead of Him (Luke 10:1). The word translated “sent” is the Greek word apostello, like apostle, which means “one who is sent.” In the ancient world, people in positions of authority often selected delegates and sent them out with the authority to speak and act on their behalf. This is even true today, such as when the president sends delegates to foreign lands to speak and act in his place. How does Luke 10:16 make it clear to the sent ones what kind of authority they had? According to John 20:21–23, what were the apostles eventually authorized to do? How does Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 20:25–28 prevent the ones He sends from abusing the authority they are given?
4. In Luke 10:3–4, Jesus sent the seventy-two out “as lambs in the midst of wolves” with no provisions for the journey. This sounds terrifying, but in what way was Jesus actually blessing them? What is the similar message that Jesus gives us in Matthew 6:31–34?
5. In Luke 10:9, Jesus tells the seventy-two to heal the sick and proclaim, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” Based on what Jesus says in Luke 7:18–23, why might He have had the seventy-two perform miraculous signs along with preaching? Why do we no longer need miraculous signs to accompany Christian preaching today?
6. But this teaching may also cause us to stumble. If God chose us to be saved, does that mean that He elected others to be damned? According to 2 Peter 3:9, does God desire that any people be condemned? According to 1 Timothy 2:3–6, for whom did Christ die? Whom does God desire to be saved? When we struggle to understand all of these things, what does Romans 11:33–36 teach us?
7. In Luke 10:5, Jesus told the seventy-two that whenever they entered a house they were to say, “Peace be to this house.” Since they were sent out with Jesus’ authority to proclaim the Gospel, their greeting of peace was not ineffectual but actually delivered peace and salvation to those who received it. As we come to God’s house each week for worship, what parts of the service proclaim peace to us?
8. God’s Word helps us understand how we are to live within our various vocations. Discuss the various vocations of Christians described in 1 Peter 2:9–17 and 3:14–16. What basic form of evangelism is every Christian called to do? According to 1 Peter 4:10, do all people have the same gifts and vocations? Why or why not?

The text for this lesson is John 10:22–30; Psalm 23

Key Points

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Discussion Points

1. The theme of shepherding is important throughout Holy Scripture. Joshua was appointed as Moses’ successor over Israel so that the people would not be “as sheep that have no shepherd” (Numbers 27:17). The great king David had been a shepherd (1 Samuel 17:15). The religious and political rulers of Israel were often referred to as shepherds, although more often than not, the Lord was angry with them for neglecting their duties. And, of course, the Lord is characterized as the Shepherd of Israel (Psalm 23). In John 10, Jesus, the Son of God, presents Himself as the Good Shepherd. There are passages in the Old Testament that had promised to Israel that the Messiah would be like a shepherd. According to Ezekiel 34:15–16 and Isaiah 40:10–11, who would be the shepherd of Israel? Who is the shepherd in Ezekiel 34:23–24? How do these three passages taken together point to Jesus? According to Matthew 2:1–6, who is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament predictions about shepherds of Israel 

2. An allegory is a rhetorical or literary device used to express certain truths through symbolic fictional figures. Jesus’ parables are examples of allegories. In John 10, Jesus uses an allegory to depict Himself as the Good Shepherd of Israel. According to John 10:10–18, what is the chief way that the Good Shepherd demonstrates His love for the sheep? How does this passage testify that Jesus is truly God? What is the ultimate goal of the Good Shepherd’s oversight of the flock?

3. Jesus was able to communicate important teachings using very few words. John 10:27 is an example of this, in which He said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Let us examine each of the three phrases of that verse in detail.

(a) “My sheep hear My voice.” This phrase underscores the importance of being within earshot of the Good Shepherd. If we are so far away from the Shepherd that we cannot hear Him, then we will be lost. According to John 6:68, why is the voice of the Good Shepherd so powerful? According to John 5:24, what is the result of hearing and believing the Word of the Good Shepherd? What does John 10:2–5 say is the way sheep recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd amidst the cries of strangers? What has Jesus done to ensure that His sheep can hear His voice, according to Romans 10:14–17?

(b) “I know My sheep.” Occasionally people ask, “Do you know Jesus?” It is important that we know and confess Him, but in Galatians 4:9, Paul explains what is even more important. How does Paul help us keep first things first? According to John 10:14–15, what is so profound about the Shepherd’s knowledge of the sheep and their knowledge of Him?

(c) “My sheep follow Me.” The result of hearing the Shepherd’s voice and being known by Him is that we follow Him. Following Him only comes about because the Holy Spirit moves us to do so through the Shepherd’s voice. We do not make a decision to follow Him; He knows and chooses us. Jesus promises incredible grace to those who follow Him: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). The light of eternal life is given to those who follow Him. But we also know that following Him is not easy: “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). According to Romans 8:35–36, what often happens to sheep who follow the Good Shepherd? Yet according to Romans 8:37–39, what is the glorious promise of comfort given to His sheep?

4. When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He was emphasizing His divine oneness with the Father. How does John 10:28–29 also emphasize Jesus’ divinity and provide us with a source of comfort? According to John 5:18 and 19:7, how did the Jews respond to Jesus’ teaching that He was the Son of God?

5. In John 10:28, Jesus identifies Himself as the eternal Shepherd, for He says, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” How does Revelation 7:13–17 reiterate the theme of Jesus as the eternal Shepherd?

6. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). We are sinful sheep in need of a Shepherd to save us. According to 1 Peter 2:21–25, how has the Good Shepherd saved us? Since the Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep, what kind of lives should we live?

7. According to 1 Peter 5:1–4, whom did the Good Shepherd give to His Church to be shepherds of God’s flock?

8. In what ways does Jesus, the Good Shepherd, use a rod and staff in caring for us? What instruments has He placed in the hands of His undershepherds, pastors, to use in their flocks?

The text for this lesson is Luke 7:36–50.

Key Points

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Discussion Points

1. Today draws us deep into the Lenten season. As we have seen in previous weeks, the theme of Lent is repentance, which is brought about when God’s Law shows us our sinfulness and the Gospel shows us God’s promise of forgiveness for Jesus’ sake. Repentance includes both sorrow over sin and faith in God’s forgiveness. Last week, we saw how the prodigal son’s father showed great love and mercy toward him, moving him to repentance. This week, we see how a sinful woman encountered the love and forgiveness of Jesus, which moved her to repentance, saving faith in Him, and also great love for Him. She was not saved by her works of love but by trusting in Jesus. How does Romans 4:4–5 explain why faith is not a work done by people? What does Romans 4:6–8 say is the essence of the righteousness of faith, such as the faith that the sinful woman had in Jesus?

 2. Luke provides the only account among the Gospel writers of the sinful woman anointing Jesus’ feet with tears and ointment. Matthew, Mark, and John describe a woman coming to Jesus soon before His Passion in order to anoint His head with oil. Though Luke records a different event than the other evangelists, the anointing of Jesus in Luke might have the same symbolic value as the anointing recorded in the others. According to Matthew 26:12, what was the purpose of Jesus’ anointing? How is this lesson especially appropriate as we approach Holy Week?

3. In Luke 7:36–39, it is mentioned four times that Simon, the man Jesus was invited to eat with, was a Pharisee. As we read through Luke’s Gospel, we learn a number of important facts about the Pharisees that help us understand why Jesus often criticized them. In Luke 7:30, we hear that the Pharisees rejected God’s purposes for themselves because they refused the Baptism of repentance of John the Baptist. In Luke 11:39, when the Pharisees noticed that Jesus did not ceremonially wash before the meal, Jesus said, “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.” In Luke 15:2, they complained about Jesus welcoming and eating with sinners. Later, Jesus tells the story of the Pharisee who went to the temple to pray, saying, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11). In today’s lesson, it seems that Luke wanted to make sure that the hearer of His Gospel would pick up on the fact that Simon was a Pharisee. What clue could this fact indicate about the way the story will unfold? Do we still have Pharisees in our midst today?

4. We confess in the Nicene Creed that Jesus Christ is “God of God, light of light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.” What things does Jesus do in today’s lesson from Luke 7 that only God can do?

5. What actions demonstrate Simon’s rejection of Jesus as the greatest Prophet, the Messiah? What is ironic about Simon’s statement, “If this man were a prophet, He would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39)? According to Luke 5:20–21 and Luke 7:49, what work of Jesus scandalized the Pharisees more than any other? 

6. What is the main point of the parable of two debtors? Which of the debtors represents us?

 7. The sinful woman would have been banned from table fellowship with the Pharisees because of her outwardly sinful life, which made her unclean. She shows great love for Jesus and welcomes Him as the most honored guest, unlike Simon the Pharisee. The contrast between the woman and the Pharisee is striking. Jesus says to Simon, “I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47). Does this verse indicate that the woman was forgiven because she loved Jesus or that she loved Jesus because she was forgiven? How do the second half of the verse and the parable of the two debtors help us find the right answer? How does 1 John 4:19 shed light on this question?

8. Throughout Luke’s Gospel, Jesus shares table fellowship with tax collectors, sinners, and Pharisees. In today’s lesson, the woman was one of those sinners whom Jesus ate with and to whom He delivered forgiveness. Jesus ate with the Pharisees, but they did not desire His forgiveness. According to Luke 13:26–27, what will be Jesus’ message on the Last Day for Pharisees who ate at the same table with Jesus but did not believe in Him? What words of warning does Luke 13 give to us today as we gather around our Lord’s Table?

9. The Pharisees had tamed God’s Law by making it manageable. They thought they could fulfill it. They thought life could be lived without sin. Occasionally, you will encounter people today who believe the same thing. Their delusion is just another sign of how deeply sin penetrates us all. Left to our own devices, we can even fool ourselves into thinking that we are not sinful! But Paul says in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” When we realize that, we will appreciate why we needed Jesus to come save us. What does Luke 1:77 tell us is Jesus’ mission? How was His mission completed, according to Ephesians 1:7?

10.  The liturgy for Holy Communion takes us through a remarkable transition. As we enter, we are poor, miserable sinners. When we receive the Benediction, the Lord blesses us with the gift of peace as we depart. Jesus tells the woman in today’s lesson, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” The Lord shares the same message with us in the Divine Service. Peace with God is found throughout the liturgy, in particular with the words of Absolution and the preaching of the Gospel, and culminates within the Service of Holy Communion. After the Words of Institution are spoken and Christ’s body and blood are present on the altar, the pastor says, “The peace of the Lord be with you always.” Our peace comes from the altar. After we receive the Lord’s body and blood, we are told to “Depart in peace.” In the Nunc Dimittis, we sing, “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace.” According to Romans 5:1, what is the cause of our peace with God?

The text for this lesson is Luke 4:1-13.

Key Points

• Like us, Jesus was tempted by Satan to sin. Yet for us, He overcame all temptation because we cannot.
• Law: God wants me to trust Him and not test His love and care for me.
• Gospel: In spite of my sinful ways that place me in harm, God watches over and protects me with His holy angels.

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Discussion Points

1. Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Though it is possible for us to face a temptation without sinning, to what does the experience of temptation usually lead?

2. We learn in Jesus’ Baptism in Luke 3:21–23 that He is the Son of God. This is reiterated in His genealogy, but Luke 3:38 also calls Him “the son of Adam.” As we reflect on the fact that Jesus was both true God and true Man, what are we tempted to conclude about His temptation by Satan?

3. In this lesson, we see Jesus resist Satan by relying on the Word of God alone. He used no miracles, divine power, or deep theological insights. He overcame the devil by quoting the Book of Deuteronomy three times. What might this tempt us to identify as the main point of the story?

4. According to Matthew 3:13–15, why did Jesus come to be baptized by John? What does Jesus’ obedience under temptation do for us? What does Jesus’ obedience even to death on the cross do for us?

5. We noted above some of the Old Testament themes that appear in the account of Jesus’ temptation. In Genesis 2:16–17, God gave Adam permission to eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. According to Genesis 3:1–3, what did Satan tempt Eve to do? In what way did she fail to respond properly? According to Exodus 17:1–7, how did the children of Israel tempt or test God in the wilderness? What is the significance of the location Massah and Meribah?

6. With regard to the first temptation, we know Jesus had received confirmation of His Sonship at His Baptism. According to Luke 4:3, how does Satan challenge that Sonship? Jesus’ response in Luke 4:4 is a quotation from Deuteronomy 8:1–3. Why could Jesus confidently rely on His Father to provide for Him?

7. With regard to the second temptation, Isaiah 52–53 tells us that Jesus will be the servant of the Lord who will suffer for the people but then be exalted. In Luke 4:5–7, what does Satan tempt Jesus to do? According to Luke 22:39–44, what struggle did Jesus continue to face? Jesus responds to Satan by quoting Deuteronomy 6:13. According to Deuteronomy 6:10–15, what provides the basis for serving the Lord God only?

8. Finally, we see the third temptation. “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose,” wrote Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice (Act 1, scene 3). In Luke 4:9–11, Satan rips Scripture verses out of context and makes himself sound very pious. After forty days of suffering in the wilderness, Jesus could have been aching for an external sign that His Father had not abandoned Him. Yet Jesus knew the background of Deuteronomy 6:16. In this verse, what is the significance of Massah for Jesus’ temptation? (Refer back to question 5.) According to Luke 4:13, what did Satan do after being defeated this time?

9. In Satan’s first temptation of Jesus, he tempts Him to despair of God’s mercy. What is despair, why is it dangerous, and how can it be overcome?

10. In the second temptation, Satan tempts Jesus toward an apparent good. Jesus came into the world to be a ruler, so why not just start now by worshiping the devil? What are some seemingly good things that tempt us? How does Jesus tell good from evil?

11. In the third temptation, Satan tempts Jesus by misusing God’s Word. He quotes out of context. This happens a great deal today. Consider the following paraphrases of Scripture, and provide examples of contemporary misuses of them: “Forgive others”; “Do not judge”; “God is love.” How does Jesus resist this temptation?

12. How does what happens to Jesus after His Baptism relate to our Christian life? According to 1 Peter 5:8–9, what expectation should a new Christian have after Baptism? Whom is Satan most interested in tempting? What is Satan’s ultimate goal? What is our best defense against Satan?

The text for this lesson is Luke 5:1-11.

Key Points

• Jesus chose ordinary, sinful men to follow Him and be His disciples. In Baptism, Jesus chooses us to be His children.
• Law: In my sin, I want to hide from Jesus. Because of sin, I doubt that Jesus is who He says He is. Because of my sin, my work is hard and often unfruitful.
• Gospel: In Jesus’ forgiveness, I find peace and favor with God. Jesus shows His power over sin and makes my work productive, giving forgiveness, new life, and salvation through His Word and Sacraments. God’s Word testifies repeatedly and consistently that Jesus is God’s Son.

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Discussion Points

1. Read Matthew 4:18–22. Does Matthew refer to the same event as Luke 5:1–11? What are the key differences between these stories? What is the difference between Jesus saying, “I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19) and “From now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10)?

2. The people had been astonished by the authority with which Jesus proclaimed the Word (Luke 4:32). Note that in Luke 5:1, the people are gathered around Him to “hear the word of God.” Luke is making it clear that, from Jesus’ time onward, hearing the Word of God is the same as hearing the Word of Jesus. Read Luke 8:21 and 11:28. What does Jesus say about those who receive His Word in faith? How does this message apply to us?

3. Read Isaiah 6:1–7. How was Isaiah’s experience similar to Peter’s? How were Isaiah and Peter both comforted? What do these stories tell us about God?

4. In Luke 5:10, Jesus tells Simon that he will begin catching men. In order to catch fish, you need a net and a boat. To catch men, Peter needed a means of catching people and a way to keep them alive. Read Acts 2:14, 36–42. What net does Peter use to catch people? Where were the people kept alive? How does this fishing expedition continue today?

5. Read Matthew 13:47–50. Though this parable is not a direct parallel to the story in Luke 5, it uses similar fishing imagery. What sobering fact does it teach us about the Church’s catch of men?

6. In today’s story, the fishermen fished with nets, not lines and hooks. Why is the image of a net bringing us into the Church more comforting than a hook?

7. Jesus brought about the miraculous catch of fish by His almighty power. In fact, the Greek does not say that the fishermen caught the fish but that the nets enclosed them. It was not an active accomplishment on the part of the fishermen. What comforting fact does this tell us about the mission of the Church?

8. Why would it not make much sense if every person was a professional fisherman? Why isn’t every Christian specifically called to be a fisher of men in the Office of the Holy Ministry?

Key Points

• Just as God accepted and forgave King David and other great saints who committed grave sins, He accepts and forgives us, all for the sake of Christ.
• Law: Weighted down by my sins, I make excuses and put the blame on God and others.
• Gospel: God is faithful and just to forgive my sins because Jesus, God’s Son, has taken the blame for me, heaping upon Himself the sins of the world.

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