Jesus Believed in Repentance
Small Group Questions from 2.4.18
- Read Luke 16.19-31 together.
- When you read this parable, who do you naturally relate with first? Whose shoes do you put yourself in? Why do you think you do that?
- This is the only parable that Jesus gives someone a name. Lazarus means “the one whom God helps”. What can we read into this?
- The rich man knew Lazarus’ name the whole time! Yet he didn’t help. Is there any person or cause that keeps popping up in your head to help but you just haven’t yet?
- Even when he sees the fires of hell, the rich man still doesn’t repent. From all appearances, it doesn’t even occur to him. In a similar way, there were many others who didn’t repent after Jesus rose from the dead. Have you ever been in a similar place? Do you know anyone in a similar place now? What can our role or response (if any) be?
- While we see themes of repentance, Jesus never explains the meaning of the parable (as far as we know). The question, then, for us isn’t so much “Why did these things happen?” Instead, the question is “What next?” Do you have any next steps?
AND, one more important question…. This parable doesn’t mean Jesus believed in karma. BUT, what might Jesus have to say about the Patriot’s loss Sunday night?
