The Savior continued to minister in Galilee, where He prophesied of His death and Resurrection. Leaving Galilee, Jesus traveled toward Jerusalem. In Samaria, He taught His disciples that He had come to save people, not destroy them. He also taught about true discipleship and taught the parable of the good Samaritan.
The Savior performs miracles, teaches using parables, and journeys to Jerusalem
Read the following scenarios. Write how you would feel and react in each situation.
When you politely ask your brother or sister to help you clean up a mess, you are rudely told to do it yourself.
While planning a school activity, a few classmates criticize and laugh at an idea you share.
As you share the gospel with a friend, you are told that your beliefs are strange.
As you study the Savior’s teachings in Luke 8–9, look for truths that can guide you when you feel offended by the actions or words of others.
Read the chapter summaries of Luke 8–9, looking for events that are recorded in these chapters. Because you studied these events in detail in the lessons on Matthew and Mark, this lesson will focus on Luke 9:51–62.
Read Luke 9:51, looking for the place where the Savior decided to go. The phrase “that he should be received up” refers to the Savior’s approaching Ascension into heaven.
While traveling to Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples approached a Samaritan village. Read Luke 9:52–54, looking for the Samaritans’ reaction when they learned that Jesus and His disciples wanted to enter their village.
How did James and John react to the Samaritans’ inhospitality toward and rejection of the Savior?
Read Luke 9:55–56, looking for the Savior’s response to James and John.
When the Savior said, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of” (Luke 9:55), He was suggesting that James and John’s request was not in harmony with the Spirit of God.
Consider ways in which people today might overreact to insults or offenses from others. Review the scenarios from the beginning of this lesson, and ponder ways in which someone might overreact in such situations.
How did the Savior’s reaction to the Samaritans’ rejection differ from James and John’s reaction?
One truth we can learn from this account is that we follow the Savior’s example when we choose to respond to offenses with patience and long-suffering. Consider writing this truth in the margin of your scriptures next to Luke 9:52–56.
The following statement by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles helps us understand that being offended is a choice, not a condition:
Image
Elder David A. Bednar
“When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. … To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else. …
“… If a person says or does something that we consider offensive, our first obligation is to refuse to take offense and then communicate privately, honestly, and directly with that individual. Such an approach invites inspiration from the Holy Ghost and permits misperceptions to be clarified and true intent to be understood” (“And Nothing Shall Offend Them,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 90, 92).
Reconsider the scenarios from the beginning of this lesson. Then answer the following questions in your scripture study journal:
What is the potential danger or harm of choosing to be offended in these situations?
In each scenario, how could we follow the Savior’s example?
How might we be blessed as we choose to respond to offenses with patience and long-suffering?
Ponder whether you have chosen to be offended by someone’s words or actions. Set a goal to follow the Savior’s example by choosing to respond to offenses with patience and long-suffering. Consider sharing your goal with a family member or friend so he or she can help you succeed.
Note: Striving to respond with patience and long-suffering when you consider wrongs committed against you does not mean that you should allow sexual or physical abuse, including bullying, to continue. If you are a victim of such abuse, make an appointment immediately with your bishop or branch president to receive help and counsel.
Count the number of circles below. As you count, sing the words to your favorite song.
Image
many small circles
What was challenging about counting the circles while singing the words to a song?
Consider how the distraction of singing while trying to count may be similar to trying to follow Jesus Christ.
As you continue to study Luke 9, consider how you can overcome influences that might distract or prevent you from following the Savior.
Read Luke 9:57–58, looking for how Jesus responded to a man who desired to be His disciple.
The phrase “the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” indicates that the Savior’s lifestyle lacked comforts and ease.
Read Luke 9:59–60, looking for what a second man wanted to do before following the Savior.
Jesus did not indicate that it was wrong to mourn a loved one’s death or to pay our respects at a funeral (see D&C 42:45). Instead, He was teaching an important lesson about discipleship. What can we learn from the Savior’s response in Luke 9:60 about the priorities of a true disciple?
Read Luke 9:61–62, looking for what the Savior told a third man who wanted to be His disciple.
Image
President Howard W. Hunter
The following statement by President Howard W. Hunter helps us understand the analogy in Luke 9:62 of putting our hands to the plow and not looking back: “To dig a straight furrow [or trench], the plowman needs to keep his eyes on a fixed point ahead of him. That keeps him on a true course. If, however, he happens to look back to see where he has been, his chances of straying are increased. The results are crooked and irregular furrows. … If our energies are focused not behind us but ahead of us—on eternal life and the joy of salvation—we assuredly will obtain it” (“Am I a ‘Living’ Member?” Ensign, May 1987, 17).
Ponder how being a disciple of Jesus Christ is like putting your hands to a plow and not looking back.
Image
man and horse plowing
One principle we learn from the Savior’s teachings to these men is that to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, we must not let anything take priority over following Him.
Consider why we sometimes place other priorities above our responsibilities as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Image
Elder Richard G. Scott
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “Satan has a powerful tool to use against good people. It is distraction. He would have good people fill life with ‘good things’ so there is no room for the essential ones” (“First Things First,” Ensign, May 2001, 7).
To help you consider what could hinder you from fully following Jesus Christ, copy the following chart into your scripture study journal. Then list in your chart four or five responsibilities of a disciple of Jesus Christ (for example, serving others, sharing the gospel, attending church regularly, or paying tithing). For each responsibility you identify, list examples of other priorities that someone might put above that responsibility.
Responsibilities of a disciple of Jesus Christ
Other priorities
In your scripture study journal, write about an experience when you saw someone choose to set aside other goals or priorities in order to follow the Savior.
Ponder what you might be allowing to take priority over following Jesus Christ and His teachings. Write a goal on a piece of paper for what you will do to make the Savior and His gospel a higher priority. Place this paper in a location where you can see it daily.
The Lord calls, empowers, and instructs the Seventy
Read Luke 10:1–2, looking for whom the Lord appointed to help perform His work.
The word seventy in Luke 10:1 not only describes the number of servants Jesus sent out but also refers to an office in the priesthood. This same priesthood office exists in the restored Church today. There are now eight quorums of the Seventy, though only members of the first two quorums are called as General Authorities. Their work to preach the gospel and help administer the Church is directed by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the Presidency of the Seventy.
From these verses we learn that the Lord calls laborers in addition to the Apostles to represent Him and to assist Him in His work. Why do you think the Lord calls others to represent and assist Him?
Luke 10:3–24 contains instruction the Savior gave the Seventy on how to fulfill their responsibilities. The Seventy later reported their labors to Jesus, and He gave them additional instruction and rejoiced with them. Note that Luke 10:10–11 contains instructions the Lord gave to the Seventy that is different from instructions missionaries receive today. The Seventy were given permission to wipe off the dust of a city as a testimony against those who would not receive them. Today this is done only in extreme circumstances and can only be performed under the direction of the First Presidency. Full-time missionaries today are not authorized to do this at their own discretion.
Read Luke 10:25, looking for a question a lawyer asked to tempt, or test, the Savior.
How would you answer if someone asked you this question?
Read Luke 10:26–28, looking for the Savior’s response to the lawyer’s question.
Based on what you read in Luke 10:25–28, complete the following principle: To obtain eternal life we must .
Read Luke 10:29, looking for a second question the lawyer asked Jesus.
Image
The Good Samaritan
The good Samaritan
To answer the lawyer’s question, the Savior taught a parable about a Samaritan (see Luke 10:30–35). In New Testament times intense hatred existed between Jews and Samaritans (see Bible Dictionary, “Samaritans”). Both groups typically went out of their way to avoid each other.
Read Luke 10:30–37, looking for what the parable teaches about who our neighbors are.
President Thomas S. Monson said that we should remember the parable of the good Samaritan as we consider how to respond to those needing our help:
Image
President Thomas S. Monson
“Each of us, in the journey through mortality, will travel his own Jericho Road. What will be your experience? What will be mine? Will I fail to notice him who has fallen among thieves and requires my help? Will you? Will I be one who sees the injured and hears his plea, yet crosses to the other side? Will you? Or will I be one who sees, who hears, who pauses, and who helps? Will you?
“Jesus provided our watchword: ‘Go, and do thou likewise.’ When we obey that declaration, there opens to our view a vista of joy seldom equaled and never surpassed.
“Now the Jericho Road may not be clearly marked. Neither may the injured cry out, that we may hear. But when we walk in the steps of that good Samaritan, we walk the pathway that leads to perfection” (“Your Jericho Road,” Ensign, Feb. 1989, 2, 4).
Imagine that you have a friend who is struggling to love someone who annoys, disappoints, or angers him or her. In your scripture study journal, write a brief letter to your friend, explaining what we can learn from this parable about loving others and how we can strive to be like the good Samaritan.
Write the following at the bottom of today’s assignments in your scripture study journal:
I have studied Luke 8:1–10:37 and completed this lesson on (date).
Additional questions, thoughts, and insights I would like to share with my teacher: