The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

Jesus sometimes shocked people, particularly those who didn’t understand his message. Here is a prime example: The Parable of the Dishonest Manager: Luke 16:1-9. This is one of the most difficult to fathom passages in the Bible. Even more than usual in the case of Jesus’ parables, there is not an obvious answer to the question of what it means. What do we think?

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The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Jesus tells three parables – The Parables of the Lighted Lamp, Seed Growing, and Mustard Seed – in quick succession in the book of Mark to give us insight into the kingdom of God. In the first one, he wants us to understand that Jesus came to be the light of this world. In the second, that God is like a farmer who sows, grows, and harvests his crops on his own. In the third, the Mustard Seed, he shows us that the kingdom may start small, but it will grow (and has grown) to a point where everyone can see it.

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The Parables of the Lighted Lamp, Seed Growing, and Mustard Seed

Jesus tells three parables - The Parables of the Lighted Lamp, Seed Growing, and Mustard Seed - in quick succession in the book of Mark to give us insight into the Kingdom of God. In this lesson, we look at the first two of these three parables. In them, Jesus wants us to understand that God is in control of his kingdom. He sent Jesus to the world to serve as a light who shines into the darkness, and he serves as a farmer who sows, grows, and harvests his crops on his own. We should never fall into the trap of thinking we are in control. Only God is.

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Watching and Waiting: Parables About Discipleship

The “Olivet Discourse” is a conversation recorded in the Gospel of Matthew between Jesus and his disciples on the Mount of Olives just before his final days. They ask him, “[W]hat will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age.” [Matthew 24:3] Three parables in this section all are linked together, and each deals with what is expected of Christians while Jesus is away from the world.

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The Parable of the Sower

The Parable of the Sower is the first parable in the synoptic Gospels, making it one of the few that Jesus actually explains. As we examine it, we learn that God the Father is a gracious sower of his seed, willing to share his word generously and without regard for cost. Jesus is the the seed, or the word, and in him is life. The four soils are the various conditions of our heart. Jesus gives us insight into the kingdom of heaven by reflecting upon the Sower, the Seed, and the Soil.

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Jesus and the Parables

Jesus said, “I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 13:34-35).  What is a parable and why did Jesus speak using them?  In this lesson, we kick off a series on parables by looking at The Parable of the Weeds.

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The Meaning of Pentecost

Pentecost is an overlooked but important day in the church calendar.  It signifies the day when the Holy Spirit began to live within us, guiding us in Truth, and teaching and reminding us of all that Jesus had to say.  Why did God send the Holy Spirit on this particular day and what does it mean for us?

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Redeeming Ruth Part 2

The book of Ruth offers an intriguing view into the historical and spiritual meaning of redemption.  This is the second of two lessons on the book of Ruth.

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Redeeming Ruth Part 1

The book of Ruth offers a tremendous example of loving another at the cost of everything else.  Taken as a parable, the story highlights the grace, faithfulness, and redeeming love of God our Father in heaven.  This is the first of two lessons on the book of Ruth.

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Psalm 22

In his final moments of life, Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  These seemingly strange words actually come from Psalm 22, which begins with a lament and ends with praise for God.  The Psalm encapsulates the essence of our faith.

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No Longer Alone

In 1985, two climbers set out to conquer the west face of Siula Grande, a 21,000-foot peak in the Peruvian Andes. A freak accident left one of the climbers with a broken leg and alone in a glacial crevasse. He felt pretty sure he was going to die, but the thing that motivated him most of all - above water, food, fear, and anger - was the burning desire to avoid being alone. No matter what happens to us on our faith journey, we know God will always be with us. We are no longer alone.

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