Disciple – someone who believes and follows the teaching of another person
To be on guard – to protect from danger by being ready and watchful
Yeast – used to make wine or beer or in baking to make bread rise
Hypocrisy – acting or pretending to feel one way while really feeling another
To reveal – to show or make open something that has been secret or hidden
Broad daylight – full, open, plain daylight
To whisper – to speak very, very quietly
Hell – a place where people who didn’t choose to follow God go after they die; a place of suffering because it is separated from God
Sparrow – a small, plain brown bird
To divide – separate into two or more parts
Property – something that belongs to someone
To judge – to form an opinion about someone; make a decision about who is right after listening to multiple sides; to rule
To guard – protect from danger, especially by watching carefully
To be made up of – to consist of, be built of
Crop – harvest; usually used to describe a lot of one kind of food
To tear down – to take apart
Barn – a large building where the crops and farm animals are kept
To store – put away and save, keep for the future
Grain – seeds of certain plants and grasses like rice, wheat, barley, oats
Goods – belongings; things
To take life easy – rest, relax, and not worry; enjoy life
Fool – a person who cannot make good decisions
To conclude – to end, finish, complete
To pile up – save a lot of something for the future
Storeroom – place for keeping goods or supplies
King Solomon – one of the two most famous kings of Israel, known for being wise and rich
Wealth – things that have money value
To clothe – to give or provide clothes to someone; to help someone get dressed
To burn up – to completely burn until nothing is left
All the more – even more; more certainly
To set your heart on – to strongly desire or want
Belongings – things that belong to someone
To wear out – to use until it can’t be used anymore
To decrease – to become less and less
Thief – robber, someone who steals from others
Moth – small insect that flies, eats holes in clothing
Treasure – wealth; valuable things kept safe
Comprehension Questions
Were there many people who heard Jesus tell these stories? How many?
Who was Jesus primarily speaking to?
What did Jesus say to be careful of?
What will happen to our secrets?
Who should we be afraid of? Who shouldn’t we be afraid of? Why?
Are the sparrows important to God? Who is worth more than them?
What did the man in the crowd say to Jesus?
Did Jesus agree to do what the man asked?
What did Jesus say to guard against? Why?
What kind of land did the rich man in Jesus’ story have? Was it good? How do you know?
What did the man decide to do to his barn? Why?
Was he worried about the future? What were his plans for the future?
What happened to the man? What happened to his things? Did he get to keep them?
What did Jesus tell his disciples their attitude towards the future should be? Why?
How do the crows have enough to eat?
What does worrying help us to do?
How do the flowers grow so beautifully?
What did Jesus tell his disciples they shouldn’t worry about? Why not?
What should we be concerned about? What should we set our hearts on?
What will God provide for those who choose to follow him?
What should people who follow Jesus do with their money?
Are our things safe? Is our money safe? What can happen to them?
Where will your heart be?
Discussion Questions
Why did Jesus criticize the religious leaders? Is it only religious leaders who are this way?
Describe hypocrisy. What is a hypocritical person like? Is there anything wrong with being that way?
What did Jesus mean by the yeast of the religious leaders? Why should we be on guard?
How did Jesus describe God?
What was the second thing Jesus said that we should be on guard against? Why?
What was wrong with the attitude of the rich man?
Who takes care of even the sparrows? Who takes care of people? What did the rich man think about his wealth and where it came from?
What does it mean to be “rich in the eyes of God”?
How important are the crows and the wild flowers to people? How important are they to God? Does God care about them? What is even more important to God than them?
Can God take care of us? Does he want to?
What did Jesus say is most important in life?
What should our attitude be toward material possessions and money?
What one thing did Jesus say six times? Why did he say this so many times?
How will God respond if we do certain things?
Thoughts for Later
Is my public behavior (actions and words) very different from my private thoughts and behavior? How is it different? Would I live any differently if I knew that God sees both my public and private life? Would I live any differently if I knew that some day everyone else will also see my private life?
How important are material possessions and money to me? Are they my social status, my identity, my security?
Where is my heart? What is most important in my life? How secure is that? Can I trust it?
