Luke 9–14

To help students prepare to learn about discipleship, read (or ask a student to read) the story from Elder Neil L. Andersen found in the student manual commentary for Luke 14:26–33. Pause after reading the line “Then what else matters?” and ask:

• What impressed you as you listened to this story?

After several students have responded, read (or have a student read) the remainder of the quotation from Elder Andersen.

Explain that the teachings discussed in this lesson show the Savior helping His disciples understand what is essential in the choice to follow Him, as well as some of the sacrifices that may be required. Write the following on the board, or copy and distribute the material as a handout:

Explain that each of the key words in the left column is emphasized through repetition in the scriptures. Divide the class into three groups, and assign each group to study the scriptures associated with one of the key words. Ask each group to find spiritual truths related to the key word. Encourage students to refer to the student manual for additional insights into their assigned verses. After students have had sufficient time to study, invite them to share what they learned. You might ask questions like the following:

• Group 1. What did you learn from Luke 9:57–62 about what it means to follow Jesus Christ?

• Group 2. According to Luke 14:25–27, 33, what does the Savior require of His disciples?

• Group 3. From your study of Luke 14:28–32, how does the word finish relate to the requirements of being a disciple? How do the Savior’s analogies illustrate the need to persevere in our discipleship?

Through your discussion, help students understand this principle: Being a disciple of Jesus Christ requires our sustained willingness to forsake all and follow Him. Consider writing this principle on the board.

To illustrate this principle, invite students to think of some things they may be asked to forsake or sacrifice in the future because they are disciples of Jesus Christ. Have several students share their responses, and ask:

• What are some possible excuses you might be tempted to use to avoid making those sacrifices?

Have several students each take turns reading a verse of the parable of the great supper, found in Luke 14:15–24. Have the rest of the class look for what privilege was offered to the people in the parable and what excuses were made by those who rejected the offer. Ask:

• In what ways can a feast represent what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers to each of us? (Both are gifts prepared for us; both can fill us and satisfy our needs; in both cases we are invited to partake, although we may refuse.)

• What excuses were given by those who did not accept the invitation to the marriage feast? (Concern for a piece of ground, for some oxen, and for a wife.)

Have a student read aloud the student manual commentary for Luke 14:18–20. Ask the class:

• How are the excuses in the parable similar to those we may be tempted to give?

Ask students to look in footnote b of Luke 14:27 to find the additional words of the Savior found in the Joseph Smith Translation of this verse. If your students do not have access to the Joseph Smith Translation, explain that the following words are added after “cannot be my disciple”: “Wherefore, settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you” (Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 14:28). Have a student read the statement from Elder Larry W. Gibbons in the student manual commentary for Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 14:28.

Encourage students to ponder the following questions and then write their responses (you may want to display these questions):

• What decision do you feel the Lord would like you to “settle” in your heart so you will be a more faithful disciple of Jesus Christ?

• What sacrifices may be involved in making this decision, and are you willing to make those sacrifices?

• What will you do to prevent excuses from distracting you?

When students have finished writing, encourage them to keep their paper or journal accessible during the rest of the lesson. They could write down other impressions they receive about ways to become more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

To help students prepare to study the parable of the good Samaritan, share the following quotation by the Prophet Joseph Smith: “I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I enquire, what was the question which drew out the answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable? … To ascertain its meaning, we must dig up the root and ascertain what it was that drew the saying out of Jesus” (in History of the Church, 5:261).

Mention that the parable of the good Samaritan is recorded in Luke 10:30–37. Invite students to read Luke 10:25–29 and identify the questions that drew this parable out of the Savior. Write (or have a student write) these two questions on the board:

Ask students to consider how the parable of the good Samaritan answers these two questions as you study the parable together. Invite a student to read Luke 10:30–33. Ask:

• Why are the identities of those who saw the wounded man—the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan—important to the meaning of the parable? (Have students refer to the student manual commentary for Luke 10:31–36 to help answer this question.)

Have a student read Luke 10:33–35, and invite the class to look for the actions of the Samaritan as he helped the wounded traveler. Ask:

• Which of these actions seems most impressive to you?

• Look again at the actions of the Samaritan as he helped the traveler. In what ways can the Samaritan represent the Savior and what He does for us? (Like the good Samaritan, Jesus Christ saves those in need of help. He has compassion and heals the spiritual wounds of sin. He saves us from death. Oil and wine are symbolic of His Atonement [see the student manual commentary for Luke 10:33–35]. The Savior brings us to safety and employs others to help us. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ has personally paid the price for our recovery.)

Refer students to the two questions written on the board and ask:

• How does this parable answer the question, “Who is my neighbour”? (Help students see that our neighbors include everyone we may encounter in life, especially those who may need our assistance or are difficult for us to love.)

• How does the parable of the good Samaritan answer the lawyer’s first question, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life”? (Though they may use different words, students should be able to give this response: To inherit eternal life, we must love God and our neighbor. We need the Atonement of Jesus Christ in order to inherit eternal life.)

To give students an opportunity to explain the importance of loving God and our neighbor, ask:

• After giving the parable of the good Samaritan, the Savior exhorted, “Go, and do thou likewise” (verse 37). How can you follow this admonition in your life?

• How does loving God and our neighbor help us progress toward eternal life? (You may need to explain that eternal life means becoming like the Savior and Heavenly Father and returning to live in Their presence.)

• When have you grown closer to God by loving your neighbor as the good Samaritan did?

Share your testimony that loving God and our neighbor helps us progress toward eternal life.

Explain that the students will have an opportunity to study two accounts contained only in the Gospel of Luke and learn what the Savior taught about priorities. Write the following on the board:

Assign students to work in pairs. Have one person in each pair study Luke 10:38–42 and the other person study Luke 12:13–21. Students may also review the student manual commentaries for Luke 10:38–42, for Luke 12:13–15, and for Luke 12:16–21. Ask each student to use the four steps shown in the outline below to prepare to teach his or her partner. (You may want to display this outline on the board or copy it and give it to students as a handout.) After students have prepared, have them teach their partners using the outline.

If you had your students do the writing activity at the end of the section on Luke 9:57–62; 14:15–33, you could conclude the lesson by having students refer to what they wrote. Provide a few minutes for them to record additional impressions they may have received throughout the lesson about how to be more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Share your testimony of the truths that have been taught in this lesson, and encourage your students to act on the decisions and promptings they recorded.

Tell students that you will follow up at the beginning of the next lesson by asking them to share experiences they had with living the truths taught in this lesson.