Just For Life
Through parables, this study will look at the justice of God. When many people think of the parables, they probably think of them in terms of the old definition, “An earthly story with a heavenly message.” Though partly accurate as a way of describing Jesus’ earthly accounts of growing seeds, mustard plants, sheep, and vineyards, such a perspective fails to recognize the unheavenly controversy that his parables have often generated.
Within the last few decades, Jesus’ parables have been studied as stories with the potential of multiple meanings whose goal is to engage the reader/hearer in considering the world in a different way, in God’s way. Parables function as metaphors challenging or inviting the audience into a new or deeper experience of God’s dominion, a dominion identified with those who are the last, the lost, the least, the little, and the lifeless.
The packet includes theme-related Bible studies and supplementary activities for five age-groups: lower and upper elementary, junior and senior high and adult. Each packet comes with a hard copy and an electronic CD-ROM version for the curriculum. All contents are reproducible for local use.
Theme Verse
Let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.
– (Amos 5:24)
Daily Themes
|
Day |
Title |
Daily Bible Text |
| 1 |
Grant Me Justice! |
Luke 18:1-8 (The unjust judge and the widow) |
| 2 |
It's Not Fair! |
Matthew 20:1-16 (The laborers in the vineyard) |
| 3 |
Good for Business! |
Luke 16:1-10 (The rich man and his manager) |
| 4 |
For the Birds! |
Mark 4:30-32 (The mustard seed) |
| 5 |
What a Loser! |
Luke 18:9-14 (the Pharisee and the tax collector) |