Fierce in Prayer
The apostles and followers of Jesus Christ at the first century birth of the church were fiercely devoted to prayer. It is the book of Acts that reveals this to us. It was in praying…
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Wildly Ingenious!
Every parable that Jesus told stretches the imagination, challenges priorities, and provokes acclimation to His authority. Some of these stories include a surprise or an unexpected twist. No other parable catches us so off guard…
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The Vineyard and the Marketplace
In Jesus’ parable found in Matthew 20:1-16, we find multiple characters: the house master, the laborers, and the manager (foreman). There are two settings: the vineyard and the marketplace. There are several elements to the…
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“Rather-than” or “Alongside-of”?!
Stereotyping the characters in the parables of Jesus will thwart the genius and the purposes of His teachings. In the story of the Pharisee and the Publican [Luke 18:9-14] we must be aware of this…
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Vengeance!
Jesus is the master story teller. In each of His parables He gathers up what has come before (the revelation of the Old Testament), and He casts it forward into the revealing of His present…
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The Neighborhood
In today’s culture, the term “good Samaritan” is synonymous with individual and corporate charitable do-gooders. Some even take a measure of pride that “we Samaritans” help “them” the marginalized poor and needy. The original context…
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A Father Had Two Sons
The parables reflect the genius and the authoritative nature of the teaching of Jesus. They prod us to imaginative thinking. We assess the thoughts of others while simultaneously re-assessing our own ideas. These stories challenge…
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Rich Man, Poor Man
The parables are ablaze with the genius of Jesus’ teaching. These stories are authoritative and provocative. We must acclimate to His message while at the same time adjusting to the motion and momentum of His…
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Seed, Sower, Soil
There came a time in Jesus’ ministry when He used only parables when He taught the crowds. His disciples questioned this change in His method. His first parable, commonly known as the parable of the…
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