Christian Religious Studies - Junior Secondary 2 - Parables of the Kingdom

TERM: 2^ND TERM

WEEK: 5

CLASS: Junior Secondary School 2

AGE: 13 years

DURATION: 40 minutes

DATE:

SUBJECT: Christian Religious Knowledge

TOPIC: Parables of the kingdom

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to

1.) Give an account of the parable of the great supper and the labourers in the vineyard

2.) Give the interpretation of the parables

3.) Enumerate the moral lessons from both parables

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES: Identification, explanation, questions and answers, demonstration, story-telling, videos from source

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: Recommended Christian Religious Knowledge textbooks for Junior Secondary School 2

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:

NOTE.

PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM

Account of the Parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:15-24)

In the Parable of the Great Supper, Jesus tells a story about a wealthy man who prepares a great feast and invites many guests. When the banquet is ready, the man sends his servant to tell the invited guests to come, but they all begin to make excuses. One guest says he has bought a field and must inspect it, another says he has purchased five yoke of oxen and needs to try them out, and a third claims he has just gotten married and cannot attend.

Frustrated by the rejections, the master commands his servant to go out into the streets and alleys of the city to bring in the poor, crippled, blind, and lame. After this, there is still room at the banquet, so the master tells the servant to go out to the highways and hedges to compel people to come in so that his house may be filled. Jesus concludes the parable by stating that none of the original invitees will taste the supper.

Account of the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)

In the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard, Jesus describes a landowner who goes out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. He agrees to pay them a denarius for the day's work. As the day progresses, the landowner goes out several times and hires more workers, even at the eleventh hour, promising them whatever is right.

At the end of the day, the laborers are paid. Those who were hired last receive a denarius, and when those hired first come, they expect to receive more. However, they are also paid a denarius. Angry at the landowner, they complain that they have worked longer and should be paid more. The landowner responds by reminding them that he has not wronged them, as they agreed to the wage, and emphasizes that he has the right to do what he wants with his money. He concludes by saying, "So the last will be first, and the first last."

Interpretation of the Parables

The Parable of the Great Supper: This parable illustrates God's invitation to salvation and the Kingdom of God. The initial invitees represent the Jewish people who rejected Jesus, while the others who accepted the invitation symbolize the Gentiles and those marginalized in society. It emphasizes that God's grace is available to all, regardless of their social status or past.

The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard: This parable teaches about God's grace and the Kingdom of Heaven. It reveals that God's generosity is not based on human standards of fairness. Those who come to faith later in life receive the same reward of salvation as those who have been faithful from the beginning. The parable challenges notions of entitlement and emphasizes that God's grace is unmerited.

Moral Lessons from Both Parables

1. God's Invitation is Open to All: Both parables highlight that God's invitation to His Kingdom is extended to everyone, regardless of their background or previous choices. This inclusivity underscores the idea that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.
2. Importance of Responsiveness: The rejection of the initial invitees in the Great Supper teaches the importance of being receptive to God's call and not allowing worldly distractions to hinder our relationship with Him.
3. Unmerited Grace: The Labourers in the Vineyard emphasizes that God’s grace cannot be earned through works. Everyone receives the same gift of salvation, which is a reflection of God's generosity.
4. Perspective on Fairness: Both parables challenge human notions of fairness and justice. They remind believers that God’s ways are higher than human ways, and His decisions regarding grace and reward are based on His will, not human expectations.
5. Call to Action: Both parables encourage believers to actively participate in God's work, whether by accepting His invitation or laboring in His vineyard, while also being compassionate and understanding towards others who come to faith, regardless of when they do so.

EVALUATION:

1. What are the main reasons the initial invitees give for declining the invitation to the great supper, and how do these excuses reflect common human distractions today?
2. In what ways does the master's response to the rejections of the invitees illustrate the theme of God's inclusive invitation to salvation?
3. How does the landowner’s decision to pay all laborers the same wage, regardless of their working hours, challenge our understanding of fairness and merit in reward systems?
4. Discuss how both parables demonstrate the concept of unmerited grace. In what ways can this understanding impact a believer's relationship with God and others?
5. What implications do these parables have for contemporary believers regarding their responsiveness to God’s call and their attitudes toward others who come to faith later in life?

CLASSWORK: As in evaluation

CONCLUSION: The teacher marks their books and commends them positively