Week 4

 Luke 10:1–24. “The Lord Appointed Other Seventy Also”

Review Luke 10:1–24. Based on these verses, write a summary of the Lord’s counsel and instructions He gave the seventy. The Seventy were to go and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Focus on the work of the Lord and not on the things of the world.  Perform miracles in the name of Christ. Be humble and bold in finding and teaching people. Christ sent them with His power and authority over all opposition. Be grateful in doing the Lord’s work and witnessing the miracles you have.

Articles of Faith 1:6 states, “We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church.” Using the principles taught from Luke 10:1–2, 8–9, 17–20, write a paragraph that supports this Article of Faith. The Lord did organize His church on the earth.  As the Lord chose righteous men to hold the priesthood(his authority) he called the Seventy to go forward as His witnesses to spread the gospel. In the church today we have the quorum of the Seventy as special witnesses of Christ that go throughout the world teaching and preaching the gospel to all that will hear it. The Lord has the same organization in His church today, that he had anciently.

Go to the Church’s scripture website and read the topic of “Seventy” in the Guide to the Scriptures. Describe in one or two sentences how the scriptures show the existence of this office in the priesthood. Luke 10:1 says the Lord “appointed” other seventy.  The term appointed points to the fact the Lord gave them authority(His priesthood) to perform specific duties; therefore setting up the office(duties) of Seventy in the priesthood. Anyone called into the Seventy would therefore take on the same authority and duties the Lord described in Luke 10:1-24.

Luke 16:1–12, 19–31; 17:11–19; 18:1–14. 
Parables and Accounts That Teach Eternal Truths

Study the following parables and accounts along with the accompanying commentary from the institute student manual. Describe in writing what you feel is the major principle the Lord wants us to understand from each of the parables:

Luke 16:1–12, the parable of the unjust steward. “The Children of This World Are in Their Generation Wiser Than the Children of Light” (p. 124). This life is the time to prepare to meet God. The unjust steward was wise in using the time he had left at his job, to forgive some of the accounts in which to make friends and prepare for his future following his dismissal. The Lord wants me to use what little time I have in life to prepare for my future.  An eternal future.  Am I using my time on earth only in pursuit of earthly rewards or am I focused on the Kingdom of Heaven, laying up treasures there, for when my time in this life is over.

Luke 16:19–31, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. “What Do We Learn About the Spirit World from the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus?” (pp. 124–25). The spirit world has two parts, Paradise and Hell. They are distinct and separate.  Those in Hell cannot go into Paradise and those in Paradise cannot enter into Hell.  That was the case until the Lord ministered to those in Hell and opened the opportunity for the teaching of the gospel.

Luke 17:11–19, the ten lepers. “Why Were the Ten Lepers to Show Themselves to the Priests?” and “Were There Not Ten Cleansed?” (p. 130). See also the Bible Dictionary, “Leprosy” (p. 724). It was a test of faith for the lepers to go to the priests before being cured, that showed action on there part and faith in Christ.  They were healed “as they went.” The priest was also the one to allow lepers back into society in the day of the cleansing.
The fact that a Samaritan gave thanks to the Lord shows that the Lord is no respecter of persons. The gospel is for everyone, not just the Jews who felt they were entitled to it.

Luke 18:1–8, the parable of the unjust judge. “Why Did the Lord Give the Parable of the Unjust Judge?” (p. 131). The Lord gave this parable to help us understand the need to continually pray to our Father in Heaven and plead with Him. If the unjust judge, being a wicked man, was helping the woman who continued to plead with him, so how much more will our Father in Heaven, being righteous and merciful, help us as we continue to plead with Him?

Luke 18:9–14, the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. “Why Did the Lord Give the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican?” (p. 131). This parable helps us know the importance of being humble. We cannot rely on our self-righteousness to justify us before God.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Study the Points to Ponder section in the institute student manual (pp. 126–27). Explain in writing how the sheep, coin, and prodigal son became lost. 

They all became lost in different ways. 
1. The sheep just strayed away from the flock, unknowingly, unintentionally, looking for greener pastures. It did it on it’s own, but not with any malicious or rebellious intent.
2. The coin was lost not due to its own actions but by the actions of someone else. Through carelessness the coin was lost by the individual responsible for it. 
3. The prodigal son became lost due to his own choices.  He was immature, and prideful. He desired no longer to listen and learn from his father he wanted to go out into the world. He rebelled against what he was taught and became lost.

How do these three parables help explain how some members of the Church in our day become “lost,” or stray from the gospel? 
We too can become lost the same way as these parables point out.  
Sheep-If we aren’t careful we can take our eye of the focus of the gospel as we search for success in work, or school, athletics, or whatever it may be. Finding ourselves drifting away from the gospel, not necessarily on purpose, but just wandering away as the sheep did, as we become too busy for the Lord as we do other good things.
Coin-Just as the one entrusted with the coin we are entrusted with children, people at church, etc. If we are not careful we can lose them through our actions. Unkind words, indifference to the gospel, pride, can effect all of those we have stewardship over in a very negative way. Inappropriate word and actions could drive someone away from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Prodigal-Through pride and rebellion we can fight against what the Savior teaches. Wanting to do things our way, not necessarily the way the Lord wants us to do it, desiring sin over obedience, we will find ourselves outside the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Review Luke 15. Answer the following:
How are the shepherd, the woman, and the father like the Lord? They like the Lord were ever concerned for that which was lost, and rejoiced when what was lost was found. 

What do these parables teach about the Lord and His feelings toward those who are lost? He loves everyone, and is ever ready to forgive and help those that are lost, those that are in the worst of circumstances. The Lord is very concerned for those that are lost and will search out for them through His servants on earth.

What do these parables teach regarding the responsibility faithful members of the Church have toward those who are lost? We are the ones given stewardship to find and minister to those that are lost. To bring back the sheep, find the coin, and welcome the prodigal.


Select a recent General Conference talk which teaches the principles found in Luke 15, and write 150-200 word summary of how they compliment each other. I chose a President Monson talk entitled “Finding Joy in the Journey” from the October 2008 General Conference.  His main point is about using our time wisely that we have on earth. President Monson quotes from the Music Man “You add up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.” Going from this point he then talks about the need to be kind to a friend you’ve neglected, give your child a hug. This made me think of being more forgiving.  Life is to short to allow an offense to stand in the way of a friendship or family member.  I like what president Monson says “never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.”  Love is the attribute that stood out to me in Luke 15.  They did not put off looking for what was lost, they went immediately to search and find what had been lost, I imagine the father never gave up praying for his son. It was out of love, they all celebrated when what was lost was found.